Wing Commander III: Delius System

Emperor: You have news, Prince Thrakhath.

Thrakhath: Of Kilrathi glory, your Excellency. The Terrans attempted an incursion into the Ariel system, but they were like insects which we swatted away. They are a vague annoyance, unworthy of your attention.

Emperor: I can have no rest until the Terrans are completely vanquished. Their resistance gnaws at me, and no Emperor of the Kilrathi should have such darkness set upon his brow in the last days of his rule.

Melek: Oh, but your Excellency’s universal reign is merely in its youth.

Thrakhath: Soon the Emperor will have the privilege of doing what he wishes with the Terran Confederation. You have my solemn vow in that.

Emperor: I am heartily pleased.

Thrakhath: A new page is about to be turned. A message is about to be sent to the Terrans.

Emperor: It is one we have discussed before?

Thrakhath: Yes… and now is the time…

Cobra: Why didn’t you warn us that your kind could close jump points?

Hobbes: Lieutenant, I do not believe our shared enemy closed the jump point.

Cobra: Hey, I wasn’t hallucinating when it went off my screen.

Hobbes: Our esteemed Captain has theorised that the enemy cloaked the jump point. The characteristics of the nebula undoubtedly made this possible – and explains why the Ariel system had been used for so long as a convoy passage.

Cobra: You know the Ariel system like the back of your paw. And you claim you had no clue of what was waiting for us?

Hobbes: No more than you, Lieutenant.

Cobra: You’re a liar.

Maverick: Lieutenant! Excuse me. Colonel Hobbes’ loyalty is not to be questioned again. Is that understood?!

Maverick: Excuse me! Lieutenant, if you have any hard evidence, I’d like to hear it in private. All right?

Cobra: Yes, sir.

Hobbes: You have doubts about my loyalty, old friend?

Maverick: Oh, come on, pal – of course not. Cobra’s a good pilot. Hatred fuels that talent. It’s something we can’t afford to lose right now.

Rollins: Colonel Blair – report to the bridge on the double.

Maverick: What’s going on?

Flint: All our comm systems have been jammed, and guess who’s behind it?

Eisen: C’mon, Lieutenant! Don’t tell me you can’t do anything!

Rollins: I’m trying, sir. But it’s like some kind of video-virus – or should I say, ‘worm’? Ah, this looks like a major debug–

Thrakhath: I have read your Terran Bible, with its predictions that there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. It is about to be fulfilled. We will tear your tongues out, we will scoop out your brains.

Cobra: That ain’t all they’ll do, if they ever get their paws on us.

Thrakhath: You will be prime examples to the other races in the galaxy, and clownish baboons for our amusement…

Vaquero: For baboons, we sure have been gettin’ our shots in, Señor Gato.

Thrakhath: Your race will suffer a thousand torments and more. Do not be emboldened by the presence of The Heart of the Tiger among you. Colonel Blair will be reduced to a pile of entrails. I will see to it personally that you pay for every noble Kilrathi who has died at your hands in combat. I leave you and your miserable comrades to contemplate your ignoble futures…

Flint: I didn’t know you and he had a history.

Maverick: Yeah, Thrakhath and I have gone a few rounds…

Eisen: He seems to have a special nickname for you.

Maverick: That’s news to me, Captain. An ‘honour’ I could do without.

Vagabond: You ask me, the cats are running a little scared.

Eisen: Well, perhaps our incursion into Ariel had something to do with that. Hobbes!

Hobbes: Kilrathi believe always that war is psychological. It is a contest of wills as much as weapons.

Vaquero: Talkin’ garbage, is all I call it.

Hobbes: It is the politics of superiority. Not, perhaps, one of my race’s more admirable social constructs.

Cobra: “Social constructs.” A pack of animals with “admirable social constructs”.

Eisen: I want every comm station up and running in an hour. I’ll see you in the briefing room.

Maverick: Yes, sir.

Maniac: Ain’t we the lucky ones? First a nebula, now an asteroid belt. We seem to be flying in one blasted obstacle course after another.

Maverick: Well, look on the bright side, Maniac.

Maniac: Which is?

Maverick: At least you’ll be able to find something to hide behind.

Maniac: That’s funny.

Maverick: It ain’t any easier on the Kilrathi. They gotta navigate through it too.

Maniac: I dunno. Sometimes I think they got eyes in the back of their heads. Weird cat thing.

Flash: They can close the jump points! What’s next?! I– I mean, they got us between their paws. It’s just a question of time now.

Maverick: We don’t know they can close the jump points. Theory has it that they just cloaked one.

Flash: And to think… the only reason I’m here is ’cause I lost a stupid bet.

Maverick: See where shootin’ off your mouth gets you?

Eisen: Let’s get started, Colonel!

Maverick: Yes, sir.

Eisen: This is a simple search-and-destroy op – Confed wants to clear out this asteroid belt, see if we can put it to use. Intel’s gathered sketchy info that suggests there might be a Kilrathi base somewhere in these rocks. Give it your best, Colonel! Dismissed!

Rollins: The only good cat is a dead cat, sir. You’re clear to land.

Eisen: Good job, Colonel.

Coriolis: Great mission!

Rollins: Way to go, sir! Outstanding!

Rollins: You’re cleared to land, sir.

Flint: You know, my father holds very definite ideas about flying under these conditions. He feels you can always find a way to fling the obstacles back in the enemy’s face. I got a holo-mail trans from him after Rollins got communications back up.

Maverick: What’s your father flying these days?

Flint: Oh, only a desk, unfortunately.

Maverick: Oh. I bet he wishes he was behind the ’stick.

Flint: Oh, you better believe it. It’s like an addiction, isn’t it? I mean, once you get hooked…

Maverick: You know, I’d like to meet him someday. It’s guys like him who really wrote the book on how to fight this war.

Flint: Yeah, well, he’d like to meet you. I told him I was flying with you and he was very impressed.

Maverick: Really? Thanks.

Maverick: Yeah, well… he’ll probably outlive all of us.

Eisen: Ah. No rest for the weary, Colonel. Let’s get to it.

Maverick: As you wish, Captain.

Eisen: Now that we’ve hit their base, we can expect the Kilrathi to send in the cavalry any minute. I’d like you to head ’em off at the pass, Colonel – make sure no one gets through the jump point. Go to it, Colonel.

Rollins: Must seem like shootin’ ducks in a barrel, Colonel. Welcome back: you’re clear to bring it on home.

Rollins: I suppose that’s a new definition of ‘disaster’, eh Colonel? I’ve got more bad news. Confed finally owned up to how badly the war’s going. I told you this was coming, didn’t I? A massive Kilrathi armada is threatening Earth and we’re jumping to Proxima to help hold them off. You’re clear to land.

Eisen: Listen up, Colonel. As usual, we have our work cut out for us.

Maverick: No doubt, sir.

Eisen: We’re gonna to burn that base down to the ground, Colonel – they’ll never get a chance to build it back up. I want nothing but crater. You leave immediately!

Rollins: Bull’s-eye, sir: one K-base knee-deep in rubble. Ah, feels good to win one, don’t it? You’re cleared to land.

Rollins: I suppose that’s a new definition of ‘disaster’, eh Colonel? I’ve got more bad news. Confed finally owned up to how badly the war’s going. I told you this was coming, didn’t I? A massive Kilrathi armada is threatening Earth and we’re jumping to Proxima to help hold them off. You’re clear to land.