Lunar Conspiracy

Stealing From Pirates

Tava studied the three ships landed on the surface of the moon.  Only one was big enough to have a substantial crew.  The other two were small enough she doubted they held much more than a half dozen at any given time.  Less if they were partial to big hauls.

"Try to put us down out of sight.  Unless Kit has finished that cloaking upgrade he's been working on?"

Jornea shot an almost apologetic smile over her shoulder.  Tava sighed.

"Ah well.  Can't be helped."

Jornea landed Athena on the other side of a rise, stating that they were likely mostly hidden, but anyone looking for company would get suspicious.  Tava nodded as she got up and turned for the port hatch and the attached locker room with environmental suits.  "Com everyone to meet us."

In no time at all, the crew of the Athena and the four soldiers were assembled and getting ready to take a moon walk.  Tava tugged her suit up over her prosthetic shoulder as she went over the plan.

"Captain Anders, you and one of your soldiers will accompany me and Doc.  Your other two men will go with Kartk, Jornea, and Kit.  We'll split up to clear the place faster and hopefully take the moon fast enough no one will be able to call in any support trolling the vicinity."

The soldiers didn't look at all pleased about being put under Kartk's command, but Tava ignored it.  "We've been given permission to help ourselves to whatever we find."

Jornea perked up at that, grinning like a little kid.  "Really?  Yes!  I love scavenger hunts!"

Tava smirked a little.  "Right.  Just try to behave yourself.  You and Kit both.  Keep in radio contact and don't go rushing into any fights you aren't positive you can win.  Got it?"

Jornea gave a mocking salute as she got her helmet in place and then bent to help Kit with his.  Tava checked that everyone was ready, then they filed into the airlock.  They trooped over the rise together and cleared the opening of the cave that led into the network of tunnels beneath the moons surface.

They followed the wide path down until it split, then Tava took her team one way while Kartk led the way down the other tunnel.  Tava shot one last glance over her shoulder, hoping she hadn't given Kartk an impossible task.  She turned forward again, deciding that as long as Jornea and Kit behaved, he would be fine.

With Yggdrasil in the middle of the group, the experienced soldiers quickly fell into routine and began clearing the tunnels in short order.  The tunnels were natural for the most part, but a few had been connected or widened.  Every dead end chamber had a pirates flag symbol painted just inside the opening, indicating who the loot belonged too.  Tava didn't know most of the symbols, but she could guess what each band specialized in based on what was stored in each chamber.

Some were basic goods.  Others were the old fashioned stereotypical horde of gold and treasures.  Still others appeared to be arms dealers, with crates and racks of all sorts of weaponry, both illegal and mundane.

Tava abruptly caught sight of something ahead.  A flicker of shadows down the tunnel.  She held up a hand to signal what she had seen and glanced back.  Captain Anders nodded that he had seen too and they crept forward.  Tava carefully sidled up to the chamber that was lit and peeked around the corner.

She counted up four pirates, dumping their stolen loot with gleeful talk and laughter.  She quickly relayed the information down the line and Captain Anders slid across the opening to take up a flanking position.  The pirates were too busy imagining their next spending spree to notice.

With a glance at one another to coordinate, Tava and Anders opened fire, each dropping two pirates before they were even aware they were in danger.  Yggdrasil slid in to check each body and soon pronounced all four dead.