A Pirate's Folly Chapter 1

Captain Goroth Obarskyr surveyed the area scanners. They showed him a Leviathan that had just entered the system alongside of an escort of two Rautherion Lightnings. He sat back in his command chair to consider his options.

He commanded a heavily modified Pirate Enterprise which no longer carried its stock armament of Auroran weapons. This would surprise no one, considering that Obarskyr was a pirate. He held his position as the captain of the Iron Crab mostly through the respect he had beaten into the thick skulls of his crew, but also through his uncanny luck and lethal fighting skill.

Obarskyr also had four Pirate Vipers at his disposal, should he find need of them. But due to a recent shortage of funds they were in need of repairs. So was the Iron Crab itself. The crew was getting restless due to the lack of action. So he really couldn’t afford to pass up this opportunity.

“Helm, take us in on an intercept course to that Levvie. Air Boss, prepare the fighters for launch. Tactical, stand the crew to battle stations. I want weapons hot yesterday! Move!”

Alarms began to blare. Crewmen ran back and forth to their positions. The Iron Crab loomed up at the Leviathan and its escort.

“Cap’n the escorts are on approach. They are burning the engines for a fast approach, and they have weapons locked on us tight.”

“Air Boss, are the fighters ready?”

“Aye, cap’n.”

“Launch the fighters. Set two Vipers on each one of the escorts.”

The Vipers blasted out of the fighter bays and set their locks on the Lightnings. The vipers opened fire with their Radar Missiles and Light Blasters, stitching holes across the Lightning’s hulls. The escorts returned fire with their Light Cannons, but were forced to peel off to evade the fighter’s fierce assault.

The Iron Crab blasted between the brawling fighters, blasting at the Lightnings with Hail Chaingun fire and Heavy Blaster fire. The escorts, seeing their charge in danger, peeled around and blasted away at the Iron Crab. The Iron Crab’s hull shook as energy charges and missiles ripped across it. The Iron Crab returned fire, this time obliterating one fighter with a lucky shot. The other fighters pursued the Lightning, which has forced to retreat. The Iron Crab bore down on the now all but helpless Leviathan.
----
A burst of cannon fire ripped open the hatch. The Marine squad tensed and shouldered their rifles, then a barrage of gunfire sent them into cover.

An intense firefight ensued between the Pirate boarders and the Marines. They exchanged fire for over half an hour before finally the Pirates won the battle. Smoke rose from burning holes in the armor of the dead Marines and Pirates. The sweating captain of the Leviathan stood under the barrels of assault rifles carried by vengeful pirates being directed by Obarskyr himself.

“Listen carefully, captain.” Obarskyr said calmly.

“I am a reasonable man. I am willing to take your money and leave you your ship.” He paused. “As well as your life.” He gestured at his angry pirate crewmen. “They are not.”

He clasped his hands. “Now you have a choice, captain. Give me your money and live, with your ship.” He paused. “Or they can kill you, and I will take your ship and get your money anyway. What do you say?”

That day, a sizable deposit was made in Goroth Obarskyr’s bank account on Kania. The Iron Crab departed the system, leaving the ship in its wake.
----
Later that day Mark Jacobson, Obarskyr’s second in command, approached Obarskyr at the command chair.

“What do you want, Mark?” Obarskyr asked idly, watching the main screen.

“We should have taken the ship.” Mark said bluntly.

Obarskyr turned slowly to face him. All sound on the bridge cease except for the humming of computers.

“Should we?” Obarskyr said guardedly.

“Yes. You know as well as I do that Greyshoulders will pay handsomely for a Leviathan, so he can make his Manticores. So why didn’t we take it?”

Obarskyr stood up smoothly.

“Walk with me, Mark.” he said.

Mark stood in consideration for a moment, then followed Obarskyr.
As they entered the corridor leaving the bridge, Obarskyr turned to watch the bridge door close. As it settled shut, he turned on Mark savagely.

“Listen well, Jacobson. This is the third time you’ve questioned my decisions in front of the men. With men like this, they need to understand exactly who is in charge. You know that as well as I do. So you want to get rid of me, I assume.

“Do not cross me, Jacobson. If you keep this up you’ll get to meet the reaper before your day.”

Obarskyr turned and walked back into the bridge. Mark watched him go with a dark look in his eye.

This post has been edited by Shlimazel : 30 January 2008 - 12:14 PM

This is the second draft of this story. I wrote it because I couldn't find any stories dealing with the Pirate perspective for EVN.

Bump for great justices.

I liked it, it was pretty well written and an entertaining read. Are you going to continue the story?

Thanks! I was waiting to see if there was any interest in the story before continuing it in any fashion. If you're into it, then I guess I could do more.