11-Reunion
The Bat chugged its way across the void separating Sogan and a gas giant, Emanon. This world was an unexpected clash between the lavish, expensive life of tourism and resorts and the harsh, greasy mining industry inhabiting the many orbiting bodies in this planetary system. The Bat's engines were still not operating at full speed--there were no tools to make that kind of repair on Sogan.
The Bat got clearance from an Emanon station to land. There was still the possibility that some local parts dealer here could help them out. When Irridan lowered the gangway, she was surprised to meet Iruoko waiting for them! After a joyous reunion, Bret immediately launched into the story about his dream, the Warden and the black planet.
"Whoa, wait up a second," Iruoko said. "Let's get aboard the Bat and talk about it."
In the dining cabin, Iruoko revealed to her puzzled friends how she had come to be on this planet.
"It turns out that one of the newest members of the ITA, Captain Sneef, was in the sector. I sent him a comms and he gave me a lift over here."
"So the ITA has its uses after all," Bret quipped.
Ten minutes later, Irridan finished telling about the race and Bret finished telling about the dreams. Iruoko sat silently, chewing on her lip as she thought this over. "I've checked with all the dealers I can find," she said, "but I think we're stuck at Medium for the duration. Things don't look good for us."
The Bat soon lifted off and headed back on track to the next checkpoint...
The Bat was quiet for the time that it took to travel to Outpost 1138. Hopefully the tradelanes would give them a speed advantage even though this station was out of the way.
Bret had suggested, then pushed, for Iruoko to use the Bat to try and find the Dark Planet. He was becoming a man possessed with a purpose. For the time that Iruoko knew him, Bret was a drifter with no cause or goal or purpose in his life. Now that he thought he had one, he took to it with a passion and will that seemed almost unmatched. And here is where the conflict rose: Iruoko was in this race not to win some cash prize; she was in this race to gain the resources that she thought she needed to restore her precious ITA, which, in turn, was her answer to making the galaxy a better place. That was her purpose that she had given herself in life. And now, Bret's new found crusade threatened her own. She was not going to have that happen.
Irridan kept to herself; though she felt unexpectedly happy at having her "family" back together again, she also felt the tension in the air between Bret and Iruoko; and, she still felt some internal tension, perhaps guilt, about shooting Bret.
Iruoko knew that the Bat had fallen behind, and with everything that had happened, she was feeling her own stress about what to do to yet still win this race. After all that they had been through, Iruoko was not going to go down without a serious fight. One thing she liked was the shield modifications that Irridan had made--if worse came to worst, the Bat would have enough shield strength to ram another ship and perhaps make an escape. It would add another defense to the Bat -- a last ditch defense to be sure, but still a clever trick to have up the sleeve.
Bret became disgruntled and moody as he saw his eager dreams going nowhere. He understood Iruoko's goal, but it would be useless if the Dark Planet was not found and the Devourers broke free into the galaxy. So many things now were pointless with the possible apocalypse hanging in the air. He began to understand that he might have to find his own ship. The Bat was a good ship, but there were two things against it: one, it was a fast trade vessel not designed or meant for space exploration; and two, it was Iruoko's ship, and it went where Iruoko went. She did not want to look for the Dark Planet. She only wanted to save her ITA.
Iruoko checked Bret and Irridan's repairs over as the Bat sailed on toward Outpost 1138. They were good repairs, so Iruoko spent most of her time just tinkering in frustration. And so the time went as the Bat glided through the vast starry, cold silence.
The Bat got clearance from an Emanon station to land. There was still the possibility that some local parts dealer here could help them out. When Irridan lowered the gangway, she was surprised to meet Iruoko waiting for them! After a joyous reunion, Bret immediately launched into the story about his dream, the Warden and the black planet.
"Whoa, wait up a second," Iruoko said. "Let's get aboard the Bat and talk about it."
In the dining cabin, Iruoko revealed to her puzzled friends how she had come to be on this planet.
"It turns out that one of the newest members of the ITA, Captain Sneef, was in the sector. I sent him a comms and he gave me a lift over here."
"So the ITA has its uses after all," Bret quipped.
Ten minutes later, Irridan finished telling about the race and Bret finished telling about the dreams. Iruoko sat silently, chewing on her lip as she thought this over. "I've checked with all the dealers I can find," she said, "but I think we're stuck at Medium for the duration. Things don't look good for us."
The Bat soon lifted off and headed back on track to the next checkpoint...
The Bat was quiet for the time that it took to travel to Outpost 1138. Hopefully the tradelanes would give them a speed advantage even though this station was out of the way.
Bret had suggested, then pushed, for Iruoko to use the Bat to try and find the Dark Planet. He was becoming a man possessed with a purpose. For the time that Iruoko knew him, Bret was a drifter with no cause or goal or purpose in his life. Now that he thought he had one, he took to it with a passion and will that seemed almost unmatched. And here is where the conflict rose: Iruoko was in this race not to win some cash prize; she was in this race to gain the resources that she thought she needed to restore her precious ITA, which, in turn, was her answer to making the galaxy a better place. That was her purpose that she had given herself in life. And now, Bret's new found crusade threatened her own. She was not going to have that happen.
Irridan kept to herself; though she felt unexpectedly happy at having her "family" back together again, she also felt the tension in the air between Bret and Iruoko; and, she still felt some internal tension, perhaps guilt, about shooting Bret.
Iruoko knew that the Bat had fallen behind, and with everything that had happened, she was feeling her own stress about what to do to yet still win this race. After all that they had been through, Iruoko was not going to go down without a serious fight. One thing she liked was the shield modifications that Irridan had made--if worse came to worst, the Bat would have enough shield strength to ram another ship and perhaps make an escape. It would add another defense to the Bat -- a last ditch defense to be sure, but still a clever trick to have up the sleeve.
Bret became disgruntled and moody as he saw his eager dreams going nowhere. He understood Iruoko's goal, but it would be useless if the Dark Planet was not found and the Devourers broke free into the galaxy. So many things now were pointless with the possible apocalypse hanging in the air. He began to understand that he might have to find his own ship. The Bat was a good ship, but there were two things against it: one, it was a fast trade vessel not designed or meant for space exploration; and two, it was Iruoko's ship, and it went where Iruoko went. She did not want to look for the Dark Planet. She only wanted to save her ITA.
Iruoko checked Bret and Irridan's repairs over as the Bat sailed on toward Outpost 1138. They were good repairs, so Iruoko spent most of her time just tinkering in frustration. And so the time went as the Bat glided through the vast starry, cold silence.
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