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Thomas McTavish

Absent, forgotten god
Original poster
FOLKLORE MEMBER
Invitation Status
Posting Speed
  1. 1-3 posts per week
  2. Slow As Molasses
Online Availability
Quite often
Writing Levels
  1. Intermediate
  2. Adept
  3. Advanced
Preferred Character Gender
  1. Primarily Prefer Male
Genres
Dark Fantasy, Fantasy, Zombie, slice-of-life survival, Post Apocalyptic, Cyberpunk, Sci-fi, High Fantasy, Modern, medieval
Sci Fi bar.jpg
The overcrowded din of the Andromeda Station South Wing Bazaar was almost deafening, save for the patrons in a small corner the housed the South Wing Bar and Diner. Only a few residents and tradesmen aboard the station were seated at the establishment, most on the upper floor to enjoy a meal of some sort. Down below at the bar proper, sat a lone man, staring into the universe through the bottom of an empty glass. Or maybe just the bar counter, as he wished the headache he had acquired would piss off. The man flicked his glass, and a short but clear ring caught the attention of a bar tender. A shake of the glass, and the morino behind the counter knew exactly what to do. As the man downed a gulp of the fresh drink, a close listener would be able to understand the quiet, slurred hymn of youth muttered by the drunk.

"You ain't nothin' but a hound dog..."
 
Levi stands at the bridge of his flagship, Star Racer. His hyperspace engineer says to him, "Twelve seconds to reversion, sir." Levi nods at him. "Thank you, Mr.Zulu. On your mark."

Three years ago, he never would have thought he'd be anything more than a skirmisher under Captain Sen Blue. Now, he's the leader of a galaxy wide rebellion. How did I get here?

The voice of his hypersensitive engineer snaps him out of his reverie. "Reversion in 3...2...1...Mark." The star lines white out, and snap back to a star field. The Andromeda Station fills the view screen. Keying the comm to Starfighter Command, he says, "Prep my X-Wing. I'll be down in two minutes." The controller double taps the comm, showing his understanding.

Getting into his ship, he flies down to the stations surface. Upon landing, he goes to the Andromeda Station South Wing Bazaar. He hears a familiar voice humming a familiar tune. Taking the stool next to the man, he says, "Still trying to drown in a beer, Jace?" @Thomas McTavish
 
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"Whiskey, rather," the drunkard stuttered in reply to the all-too familiar voice approaching him.

"You know that was always my favorite, Levi you salty fucking scrap dog. Caught wind of that little rebellion you sparked. Quite a flame it roars now. And that maneuver your boys made in Remwald Delta 4-6 space? Where the squadrons dispersed into a swarm cloud before forming up again and flanking IMPF ships from all sides? Had the naval nerds in a proper riot." Jace stood and properly greeted Levi with a handshake before continuing.

"No, seriously, they rioted and security officers had to handle the situation. Pro-Impfucker jackwagons pissed their side lost the battle. Neutrals had a solid debate on the efficiency of such a tactic. Resulted in a replay and a new drinking game that's been circling the station. Good times." he laughed, throwing a sweat-coated steadying arm around his old friends shoulder.

"Well then, out with it. What brings you to me. Something brings you to this merry old battle jester. Speak now, or forever hold your- no, that's weddings. Just spit it out 'fore I feel the need for another drink."
 
"Well then. It's cause you're one of the best damn fliers I've ever flown with. You used to regularly vape me in sims. And I need your help. You remember the Icarus rig we faced three years ago. The IMPfuckers are taking refugees and turning them into unwilling soldiers. They need to be stopped. Thanks for the thanks on the Remwald mission."
 
"Righto, mate, glad you remember that. Because right now, I don't." Jace jammed his hand into his pocket and pulled out a small blue pill, tossing it into his mouth and swallowing it with a gulp. The fog from his eyes rapidly cleared, and he shook his head as it seemed his sober mind was back into control. A few twitchy eye movements and several joints cracked later, and the man seemed his old self again.

"Gotta love them black market sober pills. Kicker is that you crash hard and sleep a solid six a few hours after you take it, but it's well worth it. Prevents the hangover and wakes you up ASAP. Now what's this about an Icarus rig?" asked Jace, motioning for Levi to follow him to the nearest docking bay where Jace's beloved Jackal, and no doubt Levi's own X-wing fighter, awaited.
 
Levi gets up and follows Jace, talking as he walks. "A few years ago, the IMPF got their hands on a dual set of Siccon Cloning-Chambers, allowing them to crank out perfect and loyal soldiers in a matter of minutes. When the rebellion first started, we hit the asteroid where they were at, Micah Prime, and destroyed them." He pauses, then continues. "One of my contacts alerted me to the presence of an Icarus rig in their hands. They started taking refugees, civilians who were in support of the rebellion but could only turn to them for help, and started using the rig on them. I remember all too well the effect it had on me as a hardened veteran. The imps are brainwashing the fugees into soldiers as effective as clones, only more deadly since they can think for themselves."

"I need your help to stop them."

@Thomas McTavish
 
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"So, you're telling me," Jace said, stopping and turning to face Levi, eyebrow raised, "That you came all this way to recruit me into your rebellion so I would help you stop the Impfers from brainwashing more innocent civvies into joining their ranks, likely via the blowing-up of everything I see with an IMPF sticker plastered on it?"

He stood there a long time, giving the revolutionary an 'are you fucking joking' look.

"Damn fuckin' right I'm in. Lead me to the mothership, Cap'n." the pirate said, turning rapidly and sliding into his ship with ease.
 
"So, you're telling me," Jace said, stopping and turning to face Levi, eyebrow raised, "That you came all this way to recruit me into your rebellion so I would help you stop the Impfers from brainwashing more innocent civvies into joining their ranks, likely via the blowing-up of everything I see with an IMPF sticker plastered on it?"

He stood there a long time, giving the revolutionary an 'are you fucking joking' look.

"Damn fuckin' right I'm in. Lead me to the mothership, Cap'n." the pirate said, turning rapidly and sliding into his ship with ease.

"Alright. Let's go." Levi jumps into his ship, fires up the repulsorlift coils, and blasts out of the Magnetic Containment field bubble. "Jace, stay a little aft of my starboard S-Foil. They need confirmation before we land." Without waiting for a reply due to years of fighting with him, Levi cuts out the repulsorlifts and throws the throttle for his sublight engines to its stop.

*****

"Incoming Starcraft! You are flying against a heavy cruiser in control of the IMPF! Identify yourselves!"

"It's a nice day planet side. Will you join us?"

"Acknowledged. Welcome back, Captain."

"Thank you control. We'll put down in bay six." Cutting back the sublights, he reengages the repulsorlifts, and glides into bay six. Setting down, he keys his comm to Jace. "Well? What do you think?"

@Thomas McTavish
 
Jace receives the message just as he sets down in an empty plot next to Levi's starfighter. "What I think," he replied, hopping out, purposefully ignoring the ladder a crew member propped against his ship for him, "Is that Meletinian cheese has a weird aftertaste after three hours and eighteen drinks, the ramen at that bar was not prepared traditionally, I need a new heat discharger to stop the Jackal from sputtering if I leave her idle too long, and that this little operation you have going on is the most legitimate and well-chanced rebellion I've seen rise yet. I'm impressed you managed to keep an IMPF ship intact enough to pass off as the real deal, and do you even hear this bitch purr?! I need to get into the engine room o' this fucker. Something 'bout rumbly engines gives me chills." he rambled, keeping his tone cheery and his inflection light. He idly twirled his "Cutthroatlass," a custom cutlass made from attaching knuckledusters to the hilt of a wakizashi and increasingly favored melee weapon among Scrapyard Dogs, looking around the ship's bay in awe.
 
Jace receives the message just as he sets down in an empty plot next to Levi's starfighter. "What I think," he replied, hopping out, purposefully ignoring the ladder a crew member propped against his ship for him, "Is that Meletinian cheese has a weird aftertaste after three hours and eighteen drinks, the ramen at that bar was not prepared traditionally, I need a new heat discharger to stop the Jackal from sputtering if I leave her idle too long, and that this little operation you have going on is the most legitimate and well-chanced rebellion I've seen rise yet. I'm impressed you managed to keep an IMPF ship intact enough to pass off as the real deal, and do you even hear this bitch purr?! I need to get into the engine room o' this fucker. Something 'bout rumbly engines gives me chills." he rambled, keeping his tone cheery and his inflection light. He idly twirled his "Cutthroatlass," a custom cutlass made from attaching knuckledusters to the hilt of a wakizashi and increasingly favored melee weapon among Scrapyard Dogs, looking around the ship's bay in awe.

Levi laughs heartily. "I'm glad you like it. Cmon. Let's go to the bridge, then I'll take you to the engine room." He starts walking with Jace in tow. "It's taken awhile, but we finally have enough strength to start striking back. So far, we've hit asteroid bases and minor outposts. But soon, we can hit planets. Corellia. Kashyykk. Yavin. We'll eventually get there."

They reach the bridge. The guard at the door yells, "Captain on deck!"and the rest of the men snap to attention. "At ease." Levi tells them. "Hyperspace, chart a round-about to Talasea, Morobe system." Levi turns to Jace. "Intelligence found the rig to be on a planet in the Morobe system, and Talaseais the first planet. We'll clear them one by one till we find it." He leads Jace to the engine room.

@Thomas McTavish
 
Jace listens and quietly observes the goings-on of the ship. Crew members running back and forth between stations, transporting boxes from place to place on hovercarts. The command bridge looked like that of a professional military starcruiser, men and women of various races in crisp, grey uniforms and light armor. Only a handful of the crew, most likely officers, were allowed to wear whatever suited their fancy. Most of them looked like they had once been or still were Dogs themselves. Likely the point, as many of the most, and some of the least infamous Scrapyard Dogs were of military-level skill in space combat that rivaled even top-tier IMPF. Lucky for Levi, Jace was among those privileged few.

In the engine room, it looked like the inside of a regular IMPF starcruiser engine. Except for one thing. "I'll be damned. Levi, is that a dark matter-ion engine?" Jace asked in disbelief. Dark matter-ion engines ran off the propulsion of subatomic particles from deteriorating dark matter, rocketing the ship forward as the ions are sent in the opposite direction. Such technology had been outlawed in the 3rd Age before the spacepocalypse, and most was destroyed during the event itself. To find a working engine, much less to implement it on such a ship...
 
Jace listens and quietly observes the goings-on of the ship. Crew members running back and forth between stations, transporting boxes from place to place on hovercarts. The command bridge looked like that of a professional military starcruiser, men and women of various races in crisp, grey uniforms and light armor. Only a handful of the crew, most likely officers, were allowed to wear whatever suited their fancy. Most of them looked like they had once been or still were Dogs themselves. Likely the point, as many of the most, and some of the least infamous Scrapyard Dogs were of military-level skill in space combat that rivaled even top-tier IMPF. Lucky for Levi, Jace was among those privileged few.

In the engine room, it looked like the inside of a regular IMPF starcruiser engine. Except for one thing. "I'll be damned. Levi, is that a dark matter-ion engine?" Jace asked in disbelief. Dark matter-ion engines ran off the propulsion of subatomic particles from deteriorating dark matter, rocketing the ship forward as the ions are sent in the opposite direction. Such technology had been outlawed in the 3rd Age before the spacepocalypse, and most was destroyed during the event itself. To find a working engine, much less to implement it on such a ship...

"Damn right it is. It can push us .8 past light speed. Dark matter is rare, but this only takes a cubic millimeter to operate for six months. We have accumulated 12 cubic METERS of the stuff." He sighs. "This is the way most of our ships are run. It's hard to get stuff nowadays, with sanctions on worlds in open rebellion. They are the only place we can safely trade, and they are dwindling fast. I guess it helps that most of the crews in the Fleet are all Scrapyard Dogs."

At his look of surprise, Levi laughs. "Hahahaha! Yes, my crews are all Dogs. They are efficient, loyal, and damn ferocious."

He leads him to the mess hall, and goes to open a cabinet. "Why'ren's Reserve. Best whiskey in the galaxy." He leads Jace to a table and sits down to pour some tumblers. "So, what have you been up to for three years, 'Battle Jester'?"
 
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"Don't blame you on recruiting 'em, Levi. One hand, these are your people. Or, were, at any rate. On the other, I don't know a single faction in the entirety of the universe with a bite worse than that of the Dogs. Especially when we're pissed." he added, with a joking chuckle. He swirled whiskey in his glass, letting it sparkle in the artificial light before downing it. It scorched his throat as it went down, a sort of masochism Jace was more than happy to partake of. Why'ren's Reserve was hard to get, a rare commodity the drunkard was honored to be bestowed with.

"Seems like your rebellion has had a few benefactors. As for me, I've been doing me. And half stations I wind up at. I tried staying in contact with the others. Sen. Stukov. Klayo, sort of. Minnow. Helium. Y'know, the ones I got along with, 'sides you. You had your whole "rebellion" thing going on. Anyway, we all eventually went our separate ways, lost contact. After that, I've been making a name for myself doing what Scrapyard Dogs are known for: Getting rich in unseemly ways, engaging in activities of dubious morality, drinking a third of the people I meet under the table, sleeping with the second third, and killing the rest. And with a few rare individuals, all three of the previous. Not to mention being a bullet-sized thorn in the side of the IMPF."

Jace had taken the liberty of pouring a second helping of the whiskey, and downing it at the part about drinking people under the table, to drive home the point. And his buzz. "Yourself?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
 
"Don't blame you on recruiting 'em, Levi. One hand, these are your people. Or, were, at any rate. On the other, I don't know a single faction in the entirety of the universe with a bite worse than that of the Dogs. Especially when we're pissed." he added, with a joking chuckle. He swirled whiskey in his glass, letting it sparkle in the artificial light before downing it. It scorched his throat as it went down, a sort of masochism Jace was more than happy to partake of. Why'ren's Reserve was hard to get, a rare commodity the drunkard was honored to be bestowed with.

"Seems like your rebellion has had a few benefactors. As for me, I've been doing me. And half stations I wind up at. I tried staying in contact with the others. Sen. Stukov. Klayo, sort of. Minnow. Helium. Y'know, the ones I got along with, 'sides you. You had your whole "rebellion" thing going on. Anyway, we all eventually went our separate ways, lost contact. After that, I've been making a name for myself doing what Scrapyard Dogs are known for: Getting rich in unseemly ways, engaging in activities of dubious morality, drinking a third of the people I meet under the table, sleeping with the second third, and killing the rest. And with a few rare individuals, all three of the previous. Not to mention being a bullet-sized thorn in the side of the IMPF."

Jace had taken the liberty of pouring a second helping of the whiskey, and downing it at the part about drinking people under the table, to drive home the point. And his buzz. "Yourself?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.


"You already know most of mine. After leaving the base we were grounded at, I was almost instantly attacked by the IMPFers. Barely got out of it alive, and that was only because a freighter showed up, blasting ion cannons at the fighters. The pilot is now my second in command."

He sighs. "Its been hard. The sanctions, people openly hostile... it gets to you. But the Dogs stick to their own, and God dammit, we've hit the IMP fuckers hard. We do our own repairs, own acquisitions, the whole deal. It's kinda like a bigger version of the ole Dawson's Christian."

Suddenly, the ship lurches. Levi rushes to the viewport. Instead of seeing starlines, he sees a star field, and a major battle going on. One of the ships has the rebel seal.

He slams the alarm and comm. "All units, to your battle stations! Starfighter command, launch Rogue Squadron and Defender Wing! Have Berserker Squadron on standby! Bridge, what the hell happened?!?!?"

"We don't know. Analyzing data now."

"Well hurry up about it! Starfighter Command, prep my X-Wing! I'm launching with Rogue Squadron!"

He turns to Jace. "You in?"

@Thomas McTavish
 
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Jace looked into the distance with a quizzed look on his face. "Hm, a likely unwinable fight against an IMPF Starcruiser, already decimating another rebel ship and likely equipped with the forces to deal with our own? I think I'l pass..." he said, face settling into resolution and disappointment. Which, of course, was rapidly transmuted into determined fire and a daring smirk. "...when the opportunity is pried from my cold, dead fingers. Let's hit 'em hard." he said, strutting off to where he remembered Bay 6 to be.

As they arrived in the hangar, they weren't even met with salutes. The men were so dedicated they focused only on getting the ships prepped for takeoff. Jace had to shoo some crew away from his Jackal. Climbing into the cockpit, the Battle Jester activated his systems and taxied to the airlock. "Ready when you are, Levi." he chattered over the com. Jace touched the statue of an ancient Terran god, from a time even before some of the first humans made it to space. Jace had never been religious, but this character interested him. Ahn-yuu-biss. A man with the head of a jackal. The god of Death. A fitting metaphor.

Darkly, Jace laughed. "Ready when you are."

@Kazuto-Kirigaya
 
Jace looked into the distance with a quizzed look on his face. "Hm, a likely unwinable fight against an IMPF Starcruiser, already decimating another rebel ship and likely equipped with the forces to deal with our own? I think I'l pass..." he said, face settling into resolution and disappointment. Which, of course, was rapidly transmuted into determined fire and a daring smirk. "...when the opportunity is pried from my cold, dead fingers. Let's hit 'em hard." he said, strutting off to where he remembered Bay 6 to be.

As they arrived in the hangar, they weren't even met with salutes. The men were so dedicated they focused only on getting the ships prepped for takeoff. Jace had to shoo some crew away from his Jackal. Climbing into the cockpit, the Battle Jester activated his systems and taxied to the airlock. "Ready when you are, Levi." he chattered over the com. Jace touched the statue of an ancient Terran god, from a time even before some of the first humans made it to space. Jace had never been religious, but this character interested him. Ahn-yuu-biss. A man with the head of a jackal. The god of Death. A fitting metaphor.

Darkly, Jace laughed. "Ready when you are."

@Kazuto-Kirigaya


Jumping into his X-Wing, Levi keys, "Let's do this." He switches to the tactical frequency for Rogue Squadron. "All Rogues, this is Rogue Alpha 1. We have a guest joining us for today's firefight, Jason 'Jace' Adamant, call sign 'Battle Jester'. Our mission is simple. We are to engage the enemy fighters to cover the escape of our comrades. If possible, disable the enemies shields and weapons batteries to make way for a boarding party. Any questions?" A chorus of 'Nosirs' answer his call.

By this point, Levi had taxied on repulsorlifts to the mag-con bubble, and shoots from the belly of the ship. He switches to the command frequency he shares with Jace and the StarRacer. "StarRacer, open up with all batteries. Batter down their forward shields. Jace, there is a spot just under their sublight engines, that if it takes enough damage, will collapse their aft shields. Go for it. We'll keep the snubs off you."

"All Rogues, Form up on your wingmen. Give em hell!!!" Levi shoots forward on his sublights, lasing the first snub to cross his path and barrell rolling out of the way of a second. Turbo lasers shoot across his aft shields, taking minor damage. Damn. These guys are good.

@Thomas McTavish
 
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"Copy that, Rogue Alpha One. Battle Jester moving in to tap dat ass." Jace said with a raucous laugh. He nudged the nose out just far enough to be pulled out by the vacuum of space then quickly thrusting down, pseudo-plummeting under the ship and heading to the attacking cruiser from a lower route than the main battle. Fewer IMPF fighters went down this far, but he managed to shoot a few down with his forward cannons, and narrowly avoided collisions with others. It had been a while since he had to dodge this much fire.

"Jackal, highlight the Aft Shield Generator, and prepare the corrosive missiles for launch." he ordered his on-board AI. A quick beep told him the command had been received. Highlighted in red light on his dash was a small generator, barely distinguishable from the sublight engines themselves. He gunned his engines toward their hangar, feigning boarding. As enemy fighters caught him in their sights and started advancing, he dove and let the ship following him crash into the ship charging his front. Quickly, he aimed straight for the generator. "Three... Two..." Jace pressed the big red "launch" button on his console. "Boom, bitch."

A small missile with a luminescent green liquid inside dropped out from the bottom of the Jackal and sped toward the spot the computer highlighted. It smashed into the generator, the corrosive green liquid rapidly deteriorating the metal shell, and then the mechanisms inside. The shields on the aft side of the cruiser died out, offering a big opening to bombardment. "Rogue Alpha One, this is Battle Jester. Aft shields are down, you're free to do as you wish. I'm taking the fight to them, man-to-man in the enemy hangar. Over."

Donning his helmet and making sure his suit was sealed, Jace set the Jackal on a course back to the rebel hangar bay and ejected himself from his ship, drawing his pistol and cutthroatlass. He jetted towards the IMPF hangar using his boot-mounted thrusters. Naturally, he softened his landing by landing on a pilot and stabbing him in his back. With a roar half of bloodthirst and half of sheer glee, he began slaughtering the unsuspecting pilots in a frenzy of blade, blood, and bullet fire.

@Kazuto-Kirigaya
 
"That's a good copy, Battle Jester. Clear the hangar, but wait to advance till the boarding party gets there. Do NOT damage key infrastructure or kill important personnel. We need them alive."

He flies past the Jackal, and ion batteries open up on his aft shields. "Rogue Alpha One from StarRacer. The enemy's shields are down, and half their weapons systems as well."

"Copy that, StarRacer. Launch the boarding party. Launch Berserker Squadron to provide cover. Alpha One out." He switches to the Squadron frequency. "Alright Rogues. Shields are down, and weapons not far behind. Fly along the hull, firing lasers. Splinter shots only. Lets show these guys how we capture a ship."

@Thomas McTavish
 
A handful of other rebel skirmishers had joined Jace in the hangar, just in time to help as the shock of the assault wore off and the security crew got their bearings. It turned from a crazed massacre to an even battle. In a quick turn back to the air lock, Jace noticed Rogue Squadron zip past, wiping turrets from side of the cruiser. As the boarding party arrived to provide greater backup, Jsce and the small pack of skirmishers already there lead a charge. They slaughtered the regulars and incapacitated the officers, slowly pushing on all sides until they had taken the hangar.

"Rogue Alpha One, this is Battle Jester. Aft hangar taken, awaiting further orders. Over." he made a quick sweep of the hangar, making sure each enemy officer had a guard at his back and a gun on his neck. Two boarders manually sealed the doors, preventing a push from IMPF forces to take the hangar back.
 
"Copy that, Battle Jester. As soon as the boarding party has landed, proceed to the bridge. Incapacitate necessary personnel, terminate the rest. I'll be along with the Rogues as soon as the turrets are out. Rogue Alpha One, out."

Levi flies along the hull, vaping fighters and turrets as he goes. "Alright, Rogues. Land in the hangar. Wedge formation."

They land, and slowly make their way up to Jace. "What's your status?"
 
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