Already set on the VPR alert channel, Hortan keyed his SSCU Comms switch,
"Attention Vipers. New pierat encountered. Goes under the name of Syriana. Pierat incident happened less than 2 minuttes ago. May be affiliated with Unkown Player Node"
"Roger that. We are currently a bit busy here in Latos H-2 with. Can you make it out safe?" Strat responded on the comms. "If not, please stay put in the station and we will dispatch an Officer as soon as we have secured this convoy"
"Roger, I will try my guild members and see if they are available, out". Hortan switched band on the SSCU and keyed his Comms again.
"Calling all guildies, recruit Hortan needs help here". Silence. Complete silence. For a moment Hortan thought about panicking, then started to panic, and as the radar pinged, he panicked. Without thinking, he punched the NOx button which activated the Moda tubes and fired the main engine. He had not yet disengaged from the station, and as a result he scorched the docking bay and the two adjacent vessels badly. Realising his error, he shut off the engines, but not before he had torn the auxiliary cords and docking arm off the bay and put a massive hole in the bay door.
"...the %#$@ do you think you are doing you stupid #%^$&&. Shut those%@#% engines off NOW" the emergency frequency blared at him. Hortan briefly thought about stopping, but the angry voice of the dockmaster sounded worse than that of the pierats. He reengaged the engines and started to pull away from the station. He looked at his radar to find the reflection that had made him jump so badly. Lambin, it was Lambin that had entered the system. Hortan was much relieved, as Lambin was a guildie.
"Hort, you in trouble there mate?" the intersystem comms crackled. He had obviously seen the track of debris trailing Hortans moth all the way back to the docking bay as well as the clamp that was still attached to the rear of the moth.
"Yeah, I was hunted by a pierat named Syriana, and she nearly shot my armour off, and I have tried to get help from the guild, but nobody listens, and I don't know what to do" Hortan managed to stutter.
"Hey chill out brother. I didn't hear a thing, you sure it is on right? On SSCU channel A22? And code scrambler setting D81?"
Hortan checked, SSCU A22, scrambler D18. Blushing with the humiliation of committing yet another rookie error in front of an elder guild member, he set the scrambler correctly and tried calling again.
"Calling guildies, am in need of help"
"See mate? I hear you now" Lambin responded cheerfully on the intersystem comms.
"Where you at, and what is the problem recruit?" Waldoze's deep voice almost boomed through the cockpit.
"I am trying to get home from Ukari K-7, and I am chased by a pierat named Syriana. Also, Unknown Player Node has said that he will get me. Sir"
"Don't worry son, help is on the way. Stay put, and I'll dispatch some help immediately. I'll contact VPR and see if they have information on those pirates. Are you alone?"
"I'm here as well 'doze" Lambin responded before Hortan could answer.
"Very good, can you stay with Horton until then?"
Hortan almost corrected the councillor, but thought better of it. He seriously did not want to anger Waldoze, especially now.
"No worries mate, I'll stay" Lambin offered. Hortan saw the big hauler Lambin was flying enter the docks, and soon after, a nimble combat vessel in the regular TGFT green colours, nuzzled up to the flank of The Ole Sloth Moth XC V, almost playfully.
About ten minutes later, Vardonx entered Ukari K-7 in a TGFT green Centurion.
"Ready to move Hortan?" the intersystem comms crackled. "Unfortunately, we have reports from Strat, that Quirc Taranis was successfull in evading the Vipers, but as of now they are containing the rest of the pirates in Latos. Don't worry though, Waldoze is looking for Quirc as we speak."
"Roger, setting up for Helios B14 and home" Hortan replied, and fired the main engine again, with Vardonx flying just ahead of him.
The jump to Dau was uneventful, as was the one to Ukari. Just as Hortan was starting to relax, the SSCU keyed
"Waldoze here, I have him, he is on the way to Ukari O-13"
Hortan looked at the alignment display, Ukari F-2, no problem. He engaged the jump engines. Coming out in realspace again, he realigned for the jump to Ukari B-5 and the Helios wormhole. He hit the autoengage so he would jump as soon as he was at 25% engine power.
"Dammit, it is a trap. Sharingan and kalb are here already. They are engaging Strat. Going in" Waldoze managed to squeeze out, the G-forces heavy on the big mans chest, "Looks like Quirc is jum". The SSCU was cut off in mid-sentence as the jumpdrive engaged.
The first thing Hortan hear as he entered Ukari B-5 was a radar ping immediately followed by an intersystem message:
"Quirc Taranis: Gotcha. Stop your engines and pay me 200k or be liquified"
In front of his cockpit he could see the golden balls of plasma fire as Vardonx intercepted the pirat. Only one thing to do in a situation like that, Hortan aligned the Moth to the wormhole and engaged the engines. As the experienced pirate he was, Quirc however ignored the escort and went directly for the weak spot on the Moth, the cockpit/engine coupling. With very accurate neutron fire, he shattered the thin armour guarding the connector and poured fire directly into the powercoupler. Hortan felt the APRS kick in, and turned unconscious as the miniature wormhole-drive took Hortan directly to TGFT HQ's immediate recovery facility. A good thing too, because the expanding plasma ball that was the remains of his craft, would have killed him instantly.
He awoke to a torrent of SSCU data
"..got him, but he came back and shot me up", "Have multiple bogeys incoming", "Strat look out, he is on your six".
Hortan looked around and saw that the other six recovery berths were active as well. Vardonx looked at him from the next one.
"Sorry mate, seemed like they really wanted you. For what it's worth, I got him for you. The pirates are a swarming for sure." Vardonx got a remote look in his eyes, "reminds me of the time before an ionstorm, all the bots run around, overly aggressive and all. Better call up VPR HQ, something new is happening" he said. Gathering his kit, he put the cap back on Hortans head, gave the propeller a swing and headed out the door at a run.
Hortan felt even more lonely than before. Now he had the pierats after him. And his guildies were fighting and risking their lives and ships for his sake. And he had blown up Moda's engines, as well as ye Ole Sloth Moth XC V.
He missed his Queen worse than ever.
