Epistolary Experiment (5/30)

The cellar shuddered under another impact, and dust sifted down from the cracked ceiling.

“Sign up with the Expansion Renewal Union, you said,” huffed the ciseflish, pressure suit creaking as he dragged the heavy cable across the floor. “It’ll be fun, you said. All the excitement happens in the Expansion Regions.” Jamming the cable into its socket, he settled it with a kick.

“Are you sayin’ this isn’t excitement?” The kaeth’s grin was feral in the green glimmer of the bacterial emergency lights.

“You are having fun, aren’t you!?”

“Not yet.” The fuel cell sputtered into hissing life, and in the glow as the lights spun up the kaeth’s grin seemed, impossibly, wider. “When they stop dropping rocks and start landing troops, then I’ll be having fun.”

– transcribed from the security logs of the communications facility at Tarqil (Crimson Expanse)

“Winter Tempest actual, Pillar of Sunset.”

“Winter Tempest acknowledges.”

“Winter Tempest, we have reports that a small task force is assaulting the communications base at Tarqil. Take Bladestorm and clean them up.”

“Our pleasure, Pillar of Sunset. Winter Tempest, clear.”

“Razorwing actual, Pillar of Sunset.”

“Razorwing acknowledges.”

“Razorwing, we think something slipped past the Borderline, maybe through Confederacy space. It may have seized or destroyed a passenger liner, the Circumstellar Wanderer. How do you feel about a hunting expedition, Captain Aíc?”

“Never a better time for one, Admiral.”

“Then take your flight and be about it.  Pillar of Sunset, clear.”

– communications record, CS Pillar of Sunset, Koral System

…hear them loading my metals, now…

…guards in the tunnels, closing off sections…

…to vacuum, blowing the machinery…

…still have my propulsion charges…

…ARE NOW ACTIVATED. CLEAR THE AREA IMMEDIATELY…

– fragments retrieved from a log recorder, found in a rubble pile, Charach System