Azy's Origin Story

The Dead Horse

 As the pelican neared our destination I marveled at the sheer amount of debris out here. The Dead Horse drifting like a dead thing alongside one of the larger pieces of debris from whatever was here before, on the far side of from the basis and our ship's current position. I asked the pilot to try to open a com to the Dead Horse, Burgundy replied, she's dead cold and not responding, and by the looks of it I don't think her engines have been running for a while. As we neared I noticed that she had some damage, a couple of dents to the rear thruster, and some stuff built onto the side, along with a definite hole I the side, but freighters can take plenty a beating, so there was still probably air inside, as long as the emergency systems were still online to shut down that area. Suddenly Rea comes over the com saying ¨there is another ship in the area, possible enemy, you're going to be on your own for a while as we move the ship out of view of the newcomer, radio silence is ordered. Good luck boys, you have your orders¨ then she was gone, and I silently cursed, this was just getting worse and worse by the second. As we neared the ship I decided to take a quick count of everybody who was under my command on this mission, not required but something to just try and settle my nerves. We got Benty, Clarence, MacCraw, Percy, Mahmoud, Rakesh, Orlav, Simmons, Rabbit, Singh, Gersten, Cranker, Sydney, Ayad, Maller, and Tsardikos. All equipped with standard MA8C assault rifles, and HE pistols, along with some of ye olde frag grenades, while I carry my usual special equipment. Among flares, food rations, water, medic kits, schematics of the ship, the usual fare. My crew was a bunch of jokers, lifers, and crazies. Benti, Clarence, Mahmoud, and Orlav were the best of the lot. MacCraw, was, well, MacCraw, so who knew? A few were average and I would deploy them that way. Without remorse. Singh and his engineers Gersten and Sydney were really an unknown, really. Two loaners from another squad, Ayad and Maller, I don't really know at all. The rest of the best had been left back on the Maple Death because the ship needed them, or something like that. As we drew close I realized something that really disturbed me, every person who had been put on this mission were all the people who had clearance to the information gained by the pod containing that man, with a shudder I realize that it wasn't a coincidence, but that Rea had chosen these people for a specific reason, and I not so sure I want to know what that reason is, but I'm fairly sure that I will find out soon enough. As we set down I watched as good old Clarence and that dummy Macraw crouched down to either side of the gangplank, weapons ready. The rest of us behind them, hunched over, waiting. Clarence was chewing gum ferociously, about as worked up as I had ever seen him. Docking a pelican wasn't a stealthy business. Whoever was on board the Dead Horse would know they were here. What kind of greeting would they get? A big party celebration or one candle stuck in a cupcake. I finally gave the order and we all exited except for Burgundy, who would be staying with the ship. As the gangplank lowered with a hiss of hydraulics and the fast-fading clang as it hit the ground. A smell came in with the cold air that was both dusty and moist. It almost had texture, a substance. It made me wrinkle my nose, and I don't wrinkle my nose much. Beyond the gangplank, the lights were out. Emergency strip lights threw supply crates, control stations, and loading machinery into murky relief. The oval shape of a small transport ship rose up, too, overlooking the jumbled maze spanning the hangar. Deep dark reddish shadows thrown up against the far walls. Nothing moved, nobody even seemed to breathe. ¨Lights¨ I ordered quietly, and everybody switched theirs on, suddenly there was a mutual clicking, and beams shot out all over the place, temporarily blinding me. Crap, you think they would have known better. What if they had been trying to throw us a surprise party? I wasn't that impressed by them, ¨get your heads straight, move out! We all filed into the hanger in a standard sweep, torchlight raking the crates around them over and over. No matter what you did regulation boots were never silent, and it was no different this time. Ten meters from the pelican, I hear Benti hissing Tsardikos back into line, the clueless moron- the surprise party really got started.