It was about time. After a few weeks of travel, we were finally here!
"I think that's everything…" I mumble while checking my ensemble. I had my breastplate, my waist guard tasset thing, or whatever it's called, and my motorcycle helmet thing on.
"How do I look? Presentable?"
"Your capes a little off center."
"Shit."
I alter it a bit, "Good?"
A thumbs up from my Helmsman is his response. I was informed that presentation mattered… which was true, I mean it is what separated villains from Super villains. Double checking my outfit, I take my seat… Maybe I should get a cat or something? No, too evil mastermind and less evil warlord or whatever I was… What was the lore I was playing again? Were we the Golden Suns or the Silver Suns? I didn't know. Didn't care. Why was I forgetting that so much?
"We are approaching sensor range of the escort!"
The bridge was a flurry of activity.
"What's the plan cap?"
I shrugged.
"I'm not really sure. Should you even be asking me?"
"Even if you're not able to command, you have a certain presence that lends well to being a pirate boss. Which means whatever your planning may work out better."
"So, my casual disregard for life may come in hand?"
"Exactly."
Uh-huh… Well, whatever.
"What's the escort look like?"
"The cruise ship itself is an old, decommissioned capital ship that's been retrofitted into a cruise ship. It has no real weapons of its own, save for some point defense systems. It has two frigates in escort, both geared more towards looking threatening then actually being threatening."
Interesting.
"Have we conducted any real weapon tests? I know we used the laser weaponry when we took this ship, but we didn't have the physical shells to test out the other weapon systems."
"You'd be right!"
A chipper voice cuts in from the weapons coordinator.
"We've been in port most of the time and I couldn't get a good chance to test them out. I know all their specs and even inspected them myself, but that's nothing compared to actually shooting them."
"Alright, then let's plan to weapons test. Focus the pair of frigates and unleash every weapon until you get enough data."
The weapons coordinator had an absolute vicious grin on her face.
"AYE AYE CAPTAIN!"
She yelled out as she began running numbers.
"We'll have to close distance, what should we do when they hail us?"
Helmsman asks.
"Ignore, at least until after the first volley. Then we talk."
"Are you certain? They may not answer."
"I'm sure they will. A predator shows up out of nowhere and decimates their guards? It's only natural that they want to know why."
Helmsman nods and we begin accelerating. A loud alarm begins to blare. Voices echo out, people talk and coordinate with Helmsman at the center of it all. Our navigator is plotting our route with help from the sensor boss. Just looking at this large group of people coordinating makes me realize just how big of a deal this was.
Granted, I imagine Doc was helping with a lot of the minor problems throughout the ship. It still didn't make what they were accomplishing now any less amazing.
"Incoming Hailing!"
"Let it ring." I respond to the comms boss.
"Closing in." Navigator says.
"Nearing optimum weapons range."
"Detecting weapon systems warming up and fighters deploying."
"Ignore. Unless you think it's a threat Helmsman." He shakes his head in response.
"Ignore them then."
We close in, the caster in the center of the bridge begins to fill in with small points showing the fighters and deployed mecha.
"Should we deploy?"
"Negative. Focus some smaller arms towards them. Make it rain."
Weapons Coordinator is cackling under her breath as she works furiously.
"Formulae are in! We can fire as soon as we get in range!"
She announces as Navigator counts down until we're in range.
"Arms fire incoming! Missiles detected as well!" Sensor says.
"Already planned for that! Adjusting Firing solutions for point defense weapons!"
Weapons reply.
"First wave of missile fire in range in, 3…2…1… NOW!"
A wave of gunfire erupts, the dense fire of lasers and slugs makes for an impressive lightshow. Missiles, barely blips in the distance explode.
"Adjusting firing solutions!"
It was quiet. Frustratingly so. I couldn't feel the ship thrum. The bridge was almost like a whole other world. I tapped my armrest as I watched.
"Activating Deflectors!"
I heard a loud thrum as shells impact a near invisible wall of energy erected before us.
"Projectiles successfully deflected!"
The humming stops as we close.
"Prepare for all fire! Focus on the escort!"
I could almost feel the fear radiating from the ships before us. We out massed them, outgunned them, and even out manned them.
"Another hail!"
"Ignore."
I reply back.
"Entering firing range in 3…2…"
The air went still as Helmsman counted down. Weapons stood on her seat watching with a glint in her eyes.
"1… FIRE!"
On command, the view before us erupted. If before it looked like a lightshow, now it was like seeing a full-on meteor shower. A literal storm of laser fire and kinetic slugs ripped out. Tearing through the clouds of mecha and fighters. The frigates were nearly obliterated by the gunfire. Kinetic rounds punched through fragile deflectors, slamming into their hulls and coming out the other end in a streak of fire in their wake before exploding some ways away.
Within minutes, the escort was reduced to nothing more than hulking broken pieces of metal. Bodies were blasted out of the ships as they failed to keep in their innards. People and machinery blasting out into the empty voids of space.
"Receiving another hail!"
"Put it on the screen."
It took a second for us to connect. In that moment I watched the destroyed ships. Seeing them rent and torn asunder. Their bodies now full of holes after having been perforated by our kinetic fire. Their exteriors slagged and melting from the deluge of lasers. Nothing like over kill.
The screen cut in. I took charge.
"Oh! How shocking! How surprising!" I said with all the sarcasm I could to the pale faced captain whom I interrupted.
"To think we'd find helpless travelers while on a scenic journey as we test out our new ships capabilities!"
He wasn't buying it, but I kept going in.
"Rather, no, I suppose this is a rather unfortunate set of circumstances that had us meet! Surely an incredible coincidence! It would be wrong, nay, unjust if I didn't take the time to check on the welfare of your passenger's captain. After all, we are the Silver Suns, keepers of the peace and heroes of justice!"
Silence fell. Even my own helmsman was giving me a very strange look. The cruise ship captain was blank faced. I even thought he would collapse with a heart attack, but it took a near minute for him to collect himself again."
"T-that…"
He stumbled on his words.
"Is there a problem captain? Surely you wouldn't turn down a concerned citizen wondering after the health of an unfortunate passerby."
I could swear he was going to collapse or cough up blood or something. In the end he manages to quell the outrage building within him.
"No, we don't dare, but…"
"If you're concerned about your noble patrons. Then may I suggest you take the time to gather them in the main auditorium? I assure you, we merely wish to look after your health and ascertain that nobody died by our purely accidental firing. I mean, your just, so small, and we're just so…big."
A few snickers echo out at my words. Children. He takes a few seconds to collect himself before slumping.
"Very well, but may I enquire as to your name?"
"Hoh? Very well then. I am Rettas, Captain of this wonderful ship." Whose name I still didn't know. "And leader of the Silver Suns!"
My reply seemed to calm him down as he bowed slightly.
"Well met Rettas, my name is Matias, of the Iron Lady. We will do as you ask and collect our patrons for you."
"Good, I will be sure to head over with some of my crew soon."
The signal was cut shortly after. A silence fell as Helmsman walked to my side.
"Now what cap?"
"Simple, I, along with some of our intrepid talented pirates will board the ship with the goal of finding this terrorist plot, or whatever it was."
I heard the door to the bridge open and I knew who it was almost instantly.
"Master, you don't mind staying on the ship with your friends, right? I want to be prepared in case something funny happens."
He walks in and walks straight to my chair opposite of Helmsman.
"Sounds good. I was going to suggest that anyway. I've already talked with Boarder and had him organize the boarding action."
"Sounds good."
I stand up, "Master, Helmsman." I say as I begin walking away but am stopped by Master.
"Also, Rettas." I turn. He handed me a gun. "Armorer said to return it properly next time."
I slot it on my waist armor.
"Will do."
I then make my way to the hangar. Well, one of two hangars. The hangars were massive, large enough to stuff inside a Frigate or two with some work in each. The destroyer we bought was too big, and instead was somehow latched onto the bottom of a ship. Part of the plan, or rather the rest of the plan fell onto Helmsman.
By the time I arrived at the hangar the frigates were already deployed. Fighters were being deployed actively, pulled up from storage bays and rolled out for pilots to get in and fly out. Near the end of the hangar in a cordoned area was a sizeable shuttle set aside for our boarding action. Outside the shuttle stood the boarders at attention, each equipped in their skinsuits and helmets like sentai mooks.
I didn't say anything as I passed them. Each one saluting me as I went before falling in behind me as they had likely practiced. I stepped up to the front of the shuttle where a single seat sat and faced the crew. I took the seat, buckling myself in for safety as rows upon rows of seats were filled. I folded my legs and waited, ignoring the chatter as our shuttle began to move.
All the while I was being fed information by Navigator on the overall situation. The ship had disabled their engines and seemed to have surrendered. I could feel us getting closer to the ship. Every minor lurch and change in direction were painfully obvious to me as we settled in and latched onto one of the ships' airlocks. Followed by a rather boring discourse as our shuttle and their ship coordinated our entry.
I unlatched myself as we settled in with a thunk. I made my way to the now open airlock as pirates fell in behind me. Already I had my in-built scanner scanning for life forms out of boredom. Not everyone was in the auditorium. A few people were hiding, some people thought themselves cute and were crawling in the vents. With a thought I sent the data to all my pirates. Then double checked with my ki, finding no anomalies.
Entering inside I'm greeted by the captain. He gives me a strange look.
"Rettas, I presume?"
"Indeed. Take me to the auditorium."
He moves to say something but sees the people behind me and his eyes fall on the gun at my waist.
"Very well."
He looks concerned when he sees that not all of us are following him.
"They're just looking for stragglers and taking into account the damages to your ship. We won't be long."
He looks to argue but stays silent. He leads us to the auditorium, and the moment we step in I hear chaos. People yelling and screaming, the whole, do you know who I am? Schtick and what not. I feel eyes fall on me as I walk around the edge of the expansive room. My eyes naturally fall on the stage as I make my way there. Pirates moving with purpose block the exits. I stand atop the stage as the crowd goes quiet, eyes falling on me. With a flourish of my hand, and a bit of a flex of my telekinesis I move a chair up to the stage.
It grew even quieter after a few gasps. Especially when I moved up a small table and sat down on the chair. I take a moment to look over the group of rich people, intermixed with the ship staff and guards. Didn't think he'd actually listen.
"You! Who do you think you are!" An idiot steps forward to yell at me.
"Quiet." A bit of effort shuts him up as I level my intent upon him. The man falls to his knees quivering. A rapidly growing wet stain on his pants made itself known. This makes them all go silent.
"Now, I'm not sure how much your dear captain has shared with you, so I figured let's start from the top shall we?"
Nobody argues, even the captain says nothing as he stands at my side looking defeated.
"We, are the Silver Suns. I'm sure many of you have heard of our exploits to avoid intergalactic war between CHET and the other systems when we seized their illegal Super carrier. The one you bore witness to today."
I honestly did not expect them to know. I heard a few mumbled whispers and clicks of the tongue, but I ignored that.
"As heroes of justice, we have been alerted to a horrific crime being perpetuated on this very cruise!"
I, of course get looks that seem to ask if I'm crazy.
"Indeed, for we have been alerted that this crise ship contains a biological weapon created for the purpose of terrorism most foul! Which is why I have gathered you all here!"
And of course, just as I finish the doors open, eyes snap to it. The last few dregs of people are led in too the shouts of dismay and shock of my audience.
"So, bear with us as we search the ship."
It doesn't take long for another person to step forward.
"You expect us to believe your heroes of justice? Aren't you no better than normal pirates? How many people did you just kill? Huh!?"
"You're not wrong." I reply to the man's stupefaction. "Rather, doing a hero's work isn't cheap. I mean, we have a whole Super Carrier worth of personnel and equipment to feed and maintain! What's a little piracy here and there in the grand scheme of things."
My total lack of care outrages quite a number of them.
"Which reminds me." I say before they could work themselves up. a chill washing over them. "Take off your jewelry and empty your wallets."
For a moment nobody moves.
"Well? Get to it!"
My pirates are the first to move. I pay attention to the proceedings as they take what they can from them. A few scuffles broke out, but nothing too serious. There is a woman going crazy about a ring.
"Oi." I call out as the scuffle seems to be getting worse. My voice jolts the pirate who backs off and salutes. The woman looks to me with a pleading gaze.
"Please! This is all I have left of my departed husband!"
Ugh… That cliché.
"I find I don't care." The woman's gaze falls. The air grows colder. "But… You're also not lying. So, forget about it." I tell the pirate.
"Aye aye captain!"
I wave them off as they finish up. A few more people argue, but shockingly nobody tries to lie. Which makes this an almost entirely painless affair, aside from a few black eyes. I tap the chairs armrest as I consider my next action. Reports were coming in from people as they checked rooms.
"Now, onto the main point I suppose."
I was flipping back and forth here.
"One of you is a terrorist, or perhaps multiple of you. Which means… It's time to play a game!"
The now calmed crowd stares at me like I'm insane.
"Wait, you were serious about that!?"
The captain blurts out in horror.
"Yup. So, let's get started shall we!?"
Nobody argues. Everyone stares. I was enjoying this. Shocking, really.