Carrion Crew

***

“That was a good landing, Connin.” The Captain patted his pilot on the shoulder.

“Thank-you sir. It was rough, though. I think we took damage.”

“We're alive. It's all I was asking for.” The captain raised his hand to his mouth and spoke into a bracelet. “Winston, send us the damage report.”

A large, central display lit up with a model of the ship, several parts highlighted in yellow, orange and red.

The Captain leaned closer. “It's better than I expected...”

“But we still need to replace more than we have in our inventory.” Connin said.

“This ship was chosen for this mission because it's old,” the Captain reminded him. “It was built in a time of maximized standardization. This world has what we need, most likely stored in dormant war planes."

Lieutenant Duncan, head of security, approached the captain. “Our most recent intel has some bad news about that. They've taken out most of their satellites and scrapped the planes. The war is being fought primarily through mobil mechanized units.”

The captain frowned. “They're having another war?”

“Actually, its the same one,” Lt. Duncan said. “They've poured every available resource into the effort, including everything from their aircraft that could be rebuilt and repurposed.

The captain looked appalled at the idea.

A man by the name of Ranes approached the display. He was short and spoke with an unusually high voice. “There is some information that might be of use to us. An industry has risen out of the unending war. Groups of scavengers that go into the battlefields and disassemble the ruined vehicles. Then they sell back what they gather to the armies.”

“How long do you think until we can get our own collector out there searching for that scrap?” The Captain asked. “I don't like my ship to be out of commission longer than it has to. And by the sound of things, I don't want to stay around here any longer than we have to.”

Ranes smiled at the captain. “You're in luck. We seem to have arrived at an opportune time.”

The Captain looked sideways at Ranes. “And your mission?”

“I'll take care of that, as long as I can have the use of some of your security personnel.”

The Captain spread his hands and smile warmly. “Whatever you need, as you know. Lieutenant Duncan will relay your instructions to see that they are followed precisely.”

“Thank you.” Ranes smiled, bobbed his head at Lt. Duncan and the Captain, then left the bridge.

The Captain's smile turned cold. “Duncan if this operation goes arrowhead, I am authorized to take the necessary actions.”

“Understood, sir.”