>>6063272You toss the smothering blanket off of you. No, that is not distant explosions that you are hearing, Sylvie. No sound can travel across the vacuum. Still, you can't just sleep while Elysium and Tim are still hard at work fending off the constant stream of missiles coming from the Hyena-class light battleship.
True to its designation, the ship has opted to shadow your task force, now bolstered by the Armitage, and constantly pepper you with missiles to sniff out any weaknesses in the PD grid. For now, the salvos remain small and poorly guided, its mothership still too far to provide rapid course corrections but as the range steadily closes, no doubt their accuracy will improve.
Unfortunately, the enemy holds the upper hand here. The damn thing can simply sit back and slowly builds up a massive, unstoppable barrage before sending it your way and there's not a damn thing to do but hope your point defense can weather the onslaught.
Both the Yushi and Shishi have keyed their own autofoundries to produce as many anti-missile missiles as they can manage in preparation for the looming deluge. You want to also help by harassing the behemoth's approach, but Jean-Pierre has forbidden you from firing the main guns. “There is only one target worth shooting down, and your guns are enough for that," he said. Frustrating, yes, no choice here but to trust your crew and your ship to him and his secret plan.
The hallways are nearly deserted. The changing of the guards won't be 9 hours from now, and anyone who isn't at their station is resting, as they should be. The Ter commander wants to wear down your men most of all, and you cannot allow that. But this is merely survival. How can you win?
You wander, deep in thought, seeming to all the world a sleepwalker. Unconsciously, your feet carry you all the way to the quarters for the engineer's mates. Pahan-Hysin's new bunk. The Mir's sleep cycle is widely different from humans, so maybe he's awake as well...
You instinctively spin your heel round to catch the stalker. “You scared me, Pahan.” The soldier's massive bulk shows no signs of movement. You lower your voice to a whisper to not disturb the sleeping crewmen, <span class="mu-i">“Here danger?”</span>
<span class="mu-s">His voice is as distant as a coy lizard, always slinking just out of grasp, “Yes, danger. How do you a-ccept thiss?” You cock your head a little to the side, “Accept what?” He raises his left claw slightly and motions it around, “Thiss. You can't ssave you-self. Your life no more in your hand.”</span>
>"Well, you have to learn to trust. Faith. Do you understand?" *points to heart*>"You just do your job, and hope everyone do theirs. No point overthinking it.">"We always depend on someone else for our livelihoods. War just makes that more clear.">"I don't. I'm always afraid I will die because someone somewhere failed. But I can't run now.">Show Pahan around the ship. Seeing is worth hearing a thousand times over. (becomes tired)>Write-in 