Switchblade Renegade
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Nara Vell
“That’s a damn big ship.”
Even with most of the stern blasted off and floating weightless in a trail of scorched debris, the Hapan Battle Dragon was a warship that more than deserved its name. It was exceedingly rare to see one outside of the Cluster, let alone derelict. Aerin eyed the battleship in awe, which was slightly colored with shame—the Hapans had returned to their old ways of piracy under the influence of their new Queen Mother and her underworld allies. This ship was no exception to the new rule of law in the Cluster, and in fact, was actually a recognizable vessel.
Its insignia was well-recorded, matching that of the Hapan Royal Navy. Aerin’s brows furrowed under the weight of contemplation. Any survivors on board would be trained Chume’doro, and they’d likely already signaled the fleet with an SOS. The Rangers would have to be careful.
“We’re ready to walk, Captain,” said the officer in charge of the salvage team. He was already suited up. Armed, too, Aerin noted. “Expecting trouble?” she teased. The officer smirked. “Always, ma’am.”
He offered a halfhearted salute, though not disrespectfully. Honorifics and decorum were relatively nascent ordinances in the League since its rebirth. In perfect harmony, Aerin didn’t expect to be treated like a general and her Rangers were too busy with their work to learn the proper way to say ‘hello’ and ‘goodbye.’ She suspected he was only polishing his manners for the indies. Prospecting for salvage and recovering survivors was not usually outsourced, but these days, Rangers were a rare breed. More and more, the LAW was opening itself to contractural work from independent pilots—not inherently a bad thing, but it does put one on edge to rely on outsiders instead of a well-established team.
“Hey, Biggs?” Aerin called after him. “I’m comin’, too.”
“Captain, I don’t think-“ he began to protest, but she was already putting her hair up in a bun. He knew better than to push once she started tying hair back. “See ya out there.”
Soon after Biggs’ squad docked with the Battle Dragon, Aerin was aboard as well. Against protocol, she refused to bring any Rangers with her. She insisted on joining a small group of indies to see their objectives through: recovery of surviving personnel. Two fingers tapped at the exterior comlink on the side of her helmet.
“This is Aerin Denno. Captain,” she added awkwardly. “Biggs, you copy?”
“Loud and clear, Cap.”
“Check for the salvage team,” Aerin said, glancing to her new partner. “Vell, can you hear me?”