3 Departure (1/2)
Ivan followed Mazur through the overcrowded slums. Yellow lights flickered along the high ceiling and decrepit storefronts covered in rust lined the passageways. Humans of all kinds of specie loitered about smoking cigarettes that gave off blue smoke while others argued and fought over good food or drugs.
This place was an old space station within the Delta Quadrant of the Andromeda Galaxy. It orbited an old red dwarf star that neither the federation nor any large companies had any interest in harvesting for energy. As such it easily became a lawless zone without any of the Galactic Fleet patrolling or spending resources to monitor.
”So, what is the mission you need me for?” Ivan asked Mazur.
Mazur briefly glanced at him once over his shoulder before explaining, ”Our mission is a poaching job. Symbion Orions are an endangered species indigenous to Oberon II. Their brains have a unique pituitary gland which secretes a small amount of a mutated IR-44 hormone. It has a unique property which causes it to strengthen the chromosomic strings and in turn restore a person's genetic coefficient. Naturally, I need it for personal usage to extend my life.”
”Why wait till now? Shouldn't you have gone earlier?”
”If I could have, I would have,” Mazur spoke with a dry sarcasm as if to ridicule Ivan's lack of knowledge. ”That planet is listed as a national reserve and is under the full protection of the Galactic Fleet. It's usually strictly monitored and patrolled, else the Symbion Orion would already be extinct. However, this decennial election a greenhorn has been voted into the seat of Andromeda Federation Prime Minister.”
”How does that work?” Ivan asked curiously, unsure why some inexperienced person elected for prime minister of the federation would give Mazur an opportunity to raid a national reserve.
”The federation has very strict regulations against piracy and those who do illegal acts yet have very soft actions. They don't want to eliminate us as it gives them an excuse to not reduce tax rates from the people. As long as a pirate doesn't go too far, they won't pursue you endlessly. However, things quiet down every decennial election as quite a few politicians like to use anti-piracy propaganda to boost their chances and it is more dangerous to pillage or scavenge war wreckages. This quiets down slowly once the election is over and the status quo is maintained, but this greenhorn has some radical thoughts and is intent on hunting down pirates. As such, the entire Galactic Fleet has been mobilized for the massive operation.”
”I see, so the usual patrols will no longer be there. What about the monitoring?”
”What do you think I needed the memories of a Captain for? You should have in your brain there the codes to allow us passage through.”
Ivan quietened down in contemplation as they continued passing through the space station. The slums were left behind and he experienced the large open residential and commerce districts. Miniature suns were situated in each area providing both warmth and light. Everyone lived their lives in this world of steel and copper just like normal civilians, except most of these people are criminals in hiding or those still committing larceny or desecrating war ruins. Others better equipped would simply attack and rob cargo transporters.
Mazur eventually led Ivan to the spaceport. He had said he had a ship but Ivan didn't know what to expect.
The size of the spaceport alone left Ivan jawstruck, even after having the memories of the Captain of the Galactic Fleet shoved into his head. The ship yard was ten miles in length alone, and was nearly a mile tall. Innumerable ships of all shapes and sizes. The entire dock appeared to be exposed to space and countless stars could be see against the black backdrop. This solar system's red dwarf star could also be seen from this dock, burning a deep red color within the peaceful emptiness. It appears there was nothing separating the space dock from empty space, but Ivan knew that there was a transparent energy shield covering the opening that would allow a mass a large as a spaceship to pass through, but not something like oxygen or a person who fell or was thrown from the dock.
The walkways were enormous and people were everywhere, some boarding or disembarking their ships, while others drove heavy machinery carrying massive crates of supplies, including food, amenities, looted cargo, or hyper-compressed hydrogen for the ships' Sol Reactors.
”It's only a small ship, but this one is ours,” Mazur said blandly as he walked up to a ship that was a thousand feet long and two hundred tall.
”We have very different definitions of small. This ship must need at least a hundred people to pilot it.”
”The two of us will do. I've automated most parts of the system. A shame I'm no good with artificial intelligence or I would simply make one of them.”
Mazur placed his hand on the side of the ship and after a fingerprint and iris scan, a holographic panel appeared in front of the door upon which he rapidly punched in a code. The door silently slid open after that and the interior of the ship began to light up.
”This ship is named Poseidon and is registered to the Deep Sea Courier Company. It has a triple reinforced polanium casing and the latest Sol Reactor powering it with a total energy loss of 0.4% energy wastage. All food, water and fuel supplies have already been stocked so we are ready to depart.”
A linear elevator quickly carried Ivan and Mazur to the bridge of the ship, a circular room near the front of the ship approximately thirty feet in diameter. Holographic displays lined the room, displaying the entire area around the ship. The bridge can also be raised to the top of the ship and an electro-shielded glass window can allow for a personal view outside the ship. It isn't common to view the surroundings personally though as it is the first thing the be targeted during combat.
Other displays also showed the state of the ship's Sol Reactor, energy and shield levels, weapons, radars and other external sensors. There are about ten stations for crew members to control all the ship's systems.
”This courier vehicle has weapons?” Ivan asked curiously, wondering whether it was okay for a civilian vessel to have weaponry.
Mazur shrugged helplessly and replied, ”It has four P-310 plasma cannons, and two standard hammerfield torpedo launchers. It's naturally for self defense purposes in protecting any cargo from pirates. Nothing capable of firing within hyperspace or too powerful, otherwise we wouldn't be able declare them for defensive purposes.”