Dark Omen Chapter 4

Awkward silence followed us as Shae led me through the twists and turns towards her apartment. She seemed totally at ease with walking the station in just her thin Kimono, and that confidence eased my fear. Doubt turned to hope, hope that she was strong enough for what I was about to try and tell her.

We took one last turn and Shae stopped at a door just like every other door we had passed. She keyed in a pass code and the door glided open. A ginger cat seemingly appeared out of nowhere and wrapped itself around Shae’s ankles before cautiously walking over to my boots, taking gentle sniffs of the thick leather before bolting back inside the door. Shae motioned me inside and gestured towards a pair of comfortable looking chairs nearby.

“Make yourself comfortable I’ll be right back” she remarked over her shoulder while disappearing into another room I guessed was her bedroom. I lowered myself into one of the chairs. Looking around at the apartments furnishings, I realized how much more inviting and warm her apartment was than mine. Then my mind wandered to that soft face framed by those dreadlocks of hers, her friendly eyes and those lips giving that small smile... I find myself drifting off in a daze.

The door Shae had gone through opened and she entered dressed in her more usual accoutrements of Black Leather trousers, short boots and a loose silk shirt. Wordlessly she crossed the room to the kitchenette, filled and set a kettle to boil, then turned to address me. “So what’s on your mind, hon?”

Hearing her voice jerked me out of my daydreams, my face flushing like a Ni-Kunni altar boy caught peeping at the choirgirls. I pulled myself together, trying to bring up enough courage for what I was about to reveal. I had never been so open with anyone before, and it took all my strength to get the words out. “I am… not your normal Amarrian. I… never actually grew up with them. I… my parents, were… converts to Sansha's great dream. I was born into all of the psychological manipulation… I was….” I stopped, doubt cluttering my thoughts.

“Would you… would you mind helping me remove my cowl?" I blurted as I fought the urge to flee. It was too much, too fast. But I needed... to tell her.

Shae finished whatever she was doing in the kitchenette and carried what looked like a tea service over, setting it on the low table between the chairs. She sat on the sofa beside me with one foot tucked up and looked at me. “If that’s what you want. Are you sure?”

I said nothing but silently took her hands in mine and gently raised them either side of my head, resting her fingertips on the clasps. I nodded once, hoping she hadn't noticed the tremble in my hands. She returned the nod and popped the clasps, pushing my cowl back, revealing the scars radiating from my left temple, reaching angrily down my left cheek and across my forehead. They stood out harshly against my pale skin, I knew. They looked painful, but they weren't.

I see Shae’s eyes widen as she bit her lip. “Is that what they did to you? Or was that after?” Her hand made a movement towards my face but stopped abruptly almost as fast as it started.

“My parents were part of the original experiments but I… I was something else. From what I found out I was an experiment on what would happen if you gave a potential pod pilot the same kind of implants as the shock troops while still letting the subject have some form of self control. The scars were a result of those implants. I was 12 when they were hardwired in and I was forced into a pod to train."

Shae was quiet for a moment; her eyes searched my face. “It didn’t go well did it?”

I shook my head. Shae poured two cups of tea and offered me one. “What happened?”

“In their mind the whole thing was a partial success: they got a much better breed of pilot at the loss of total control over the subject. I was tasked with destroying a ship with slaves on it, slaves unwilling to be docile and pliable. I refused. I ended up shooting down and killing our Commander.”

I grimaced and unconsciously rubbed my stomach. “This didn’t sit to well with them. To cut a long story short I barely escaped with 2% hull integrity on my ship with my pod being damaged. I got hit with the pod shrapnel and in mid warp I passed out. I woke up to find myself in an Amarrian Hospital under Arrest. They forced a bargain on me: Join up with the Imperial Academy and tell them all I know about Sansha, his technology and especially his whereabouts. Or be executed as a Pirate.”

Shae frowned at me. “I thought pods self destructed when they were breached?”

I shook my head. “Sansha designed his differently. He thought that the pilots mind could still be useful even if the pod had been compromised.”

She tilted her head slightly. “Do the implants still affect you?”

I nodded. “Sometimes; mostly when I’m in ‘Darkness’, my Succubus. I go into this zone, like a frenzy, when I’m in that ship. I’m just scared… that I’ll lose control and hurt someone I really care about.” I raised my head and stared into those wide green eyes of hers. “I don’t want to hurt you, I.. I have feelings for you.” I sagged back into the chair not knowing how to say the rest.

Shae blushed slightly and slowly reached up, lightly tracing the scars with a fingertip. “You still fly a ship you can’t bear to fly… you still hold onto what you know best even though you don’t want to.” She touched my forehead. “You don’t even know what’s in here, let alone in here.” Her fingertips moved to my chest and rested there for a moment.

I felt an anger surge from somewhere inside me, followed by a deep feeling of weariness. “You're saying my feelings are for nothing? You’re saying just because I don’t know who I am that my feelings for you are nothing?”

Shae caught my hands in hers “No, honey. Its just, feelings are complicated things. I barely know you beyond what contact we have had in fleet, and what you’ve told me now. I’m not… trying to tell you its nothing." She squeezed my hands, her fingers surprisingly dry and cool to the touch.

After a moment I nodded curtly. “I should probably go, I… I don’t want to intrude.”

Shae sighed softly but didn’t let my hands go. "Jorge, you’re not intruding here. You know, you can talk to me." She flashed me a hesitant smile. “I can be a good listener, if nothing else.”

Placing the tea cup on the tray I pulled myself up to my feet but felt inexplicably unwilling to move. “I… appreciate the offer but I think I should go. I think I’ve put you through enough already today.” I feel myself swaying slightly at the effort on staying upright.

Shae uncurled herself from her seat and slowly wrapped her arms around me in a hug, warm and inviting. I found myself wanting her touch to linger, the pressure of her body on mine, her feminine scent. So badly I wanted to stay with her. I felt my body lean gently against hers, my arms moving to enfold her, and closed my eyes. “I’m so tired… Sorry…”

She held me close for a few moments longer before gently lowering me back onto the couch. “It's ok. You can stay here, I don’t mind…”

Staring at her through sleep-fogged eyes I sank deeper into the couch. “I… Thank you. So tired.” Thinking about her brightness and warmth amid a sea of darkness I felt myself drift into uneasy, fitful sleep.

Dark Omen Chapter 3

Lying back on my bunk staring blankly at the ceiling I could hear them both giggling about something in Mynxee’s Suite. I wasn’t so bothered about Mynxee, her rough attitude matched her life, and she had plenty of other people hanging off her both physically and verbally. No, it was her quiet Gallente companion that had caught my eye. Quiet, reserved but with a fire inside her that made me lightheaded just thinking about it. Maybe, maybe she would understand, maybe she would help with the nightmares.

I finally heard their door open and their laughter and banter became more pronounced as they moved past my door. As their voices faded into the distance I leaned over to my nightstand and picked up my Data-Pad, a relic compared to today’s models but still usable; Its screen turning on to various corridor views. I had long ago hacked into the station feed - that had proved useful previously in watching ‘red’ pilots and their movements and now I was going to use it to watch where they always disappeared.

Cycling through the feeds I finally spotted them just as they disappeared through a door some 5 levels down and a fair way across the station. Dropping the Data-Pad on my bunk I strode out of my room and down towards that door passing and ignoring several of my newer corpmates, their faces unknown to me. I simply was not in the mood to socialize right now.

I arrive at the door and knocked, the rapping echoed throughout the whole corridor. The door opened up a crack; a great cloud of steam billowed out causing the visor on my cowl to steam up but not before I saw that pair of mesmerizing green eyes staring at me cautiously.

I found myself mute and just stared into those eyes peering out at me. The door opened fully framing Shae where she stood wearing a Red Kimono with her hair tied up neatly. An unknown force from inside made me slowly raise my hand towards her cheek while at the same time take a step towards her. Shaes face lights up with a teasing smile and caught my collar in her hand and tugged me inside the steam filled abyss.

I stumbled in and fell to my knees. I heard the door being closed and locked behind me as I noticed at least 3 pairs of bemused eyes looking at me through the steam. I hear Shae’s voice behind me “You’re a tad overdressed for this place, but we should maybe take this one step at a time.”

I stood up and began to slowly back myself towards the nearest wall. “I am uh… not sure why I cam here… I… uh…” I trail off as my back connected with the wall and I just stare beseechingly into Shaes green eyes.

Shae winks at the other ladies peering interestingly from around the room as she takes my arm and leads me through another door in to what is most assuredly their locker room. She settled against a locker “Got something on your mind?”

I shifted uncomfortably in my robes, while the steam and heat of the previous was more oppressive the eyes staring at me now were no less intense. “ I uh… Followed you here”

My eyes following Shae’s sleek outline through the silk, tracing the curves of her body. “Ever since you Hellcats came into Evati and set up base with us I’ve wanted to approach you…”

Shae smiled. “We’re not that difficult to approach, you know…”

I shook my head. “ But it is hard to approach you, you all carry yourself with an air about you. You all make it hard to build the confidence without feeling like I’m going to be eaten alive.”

Shae looked at me surprised. “ Jorge, is there any difference dealing with us face to face or from interacting with us as pilots? We’ve flown together many times.”

I noticed a head of Red Matari Dreadlocks poking out from behind a locker on the other side of the room and the room took on an air just as oppressive as the steam in the previous room. “Is there somewhere we can go that’s more quiet? There’s stuff you need to know about me, about my past.” I raise my head to look into her eyes “'Mynxee seems intent on finding out about me but... I feel like you’re the only one I can confide in”

Shae smiles at me softly. “ You allergic to cats?”

I shake my head and Shae took hold of my arm escorted me back through the steamy room with female voices rising up in cacophony of hoots and hollers as we exited the door and made our way towards Shae’s Apartment.

Dark Omen Chapter 2

The Hanger was finally busy. People were running around frantically unloading the Bestower that an associate had docked into my hanger delivering the few ships I had placed in Deep storage.

Thankfully, I was not amid the chaos on the hanger floor, I was safely alone in my private observation deck a hundred meters above everything else. A quiet place I knew I could be away from everyone and not worry. I watched as ‘Sabre’ My Malediction Interceptor was placed on the markings. Sabre had always been my Experimentally fit Malediction. Always sporting top of the range Pirate and Navy modules it was the pinnacle of how I used the Malediction as a solo ship.

The Next out of the Bestower’s massive hold was my Succubus ‘Darkness’. My whole body tightened as my eyes wandered over its dull black hull, sensor and communication arrays menacingly jutting out of the bow like a spine of deadly spikes. Despite its unspeakable origins I always slipped into controlling it much easier than any ship. This ship and I shared an almost mythical, unspoken link and I hated the ship for it. How it took over me so well.

From behind me I hear the lock on the balcony’s portal quietly beep, indicating that someone was trying to gain access. Quietly I stood and walked over to it pulling my sidearm from it’s holder, just as I had gotten it raised to head level the door beeped an acceptance code and started to swing open.

Just as I’m about to squeeze the trigger I feel a lithe arm snake around my ribs and a cruelly wicked barbed knife being pressed against the front of my throat. I slowly raise my arms and thumbing the safety I drop the blaster pistol to the floor. Silently I feel the arm pull me back to allow the new person to enter without problem.

I hear a quiet almost purring voice lash out “Why do men always look for violence when they should just lay still and be quiet?”

Feeling the pressure on my chest and throat ease I slowly turn round to face the purring voice. “Why do you violate my personal space Mynxee?” I ask, “Do you get some kind of thrill out of asserting yourself?”

“Why do you feel the need to surround yourself with relics from a dissolving Pirate coalition?” she shot back. “Sansha access codes for your security access, Sansha designed ships which are packed to the hull with Sansha’s modified modules. And why do you always wear that ridiculous cowl? Just what are you hiding Jorge?”

Inwardly cringing that she knew so much about my habits the Anger that was building up over being asked so many personal questions in the situations I was thrust into reached a climax. “What I spend my time doing and with whatever technology, ship or implant is not your business” As I stormed out of the balcony’s door portal.

Shae looks at Mynxeee Bemused. “ So do you always play with your prey that way?”

Mynxee flashed a devious smile and replied, “Well, sometimes after the cat catches the mouse and after having a bit of fun with it will let it go only to catch it over and over again. I think this particular mouse will be a lot of fun to continue to play around with”.

Dark Omen Chapter 1

With a heavy sigh I dropped the pack from my shoulder and removed my Cowl, my quarters at the Evati 7-1 station dark and lifeless after my month-long absence. I had gone on a sabbatical to try and pitch my wits alone in the universe only to find loneliness and regret. After I had started the long trek home from Aridia I had contacted RoninData about a possible re-commision into The Bastards Corporation to find I would be welcomed back with a cunning smile and welcoming arms.

Walking down the corridors I feel all eyes wander to me as I walk by, a Dark and brooding figure, Never showing my face in public, I preferred it that way, means people can never get to close if they can’t put a face to the name or voice. Finally I walk through the heavy airlock to find my hanger in a sorry barren state; all the techs and mechanics had long gone leaving a half built Vengeance Assault Frigate in one corner, a complete but poorly fitted Punisher next to it and finally, sitting on the closest set of markings to the giant bay doors was my lowly Flagship ‘Depreciator’.

With a Grimace I set about getting my pod hoisted into its control port aboard the Omen Cruiser while radioing the local crew haunts seeing if there was anyone available for hire at such short notice, thankfully there was and with them aboard and at their stations I undocked the Glistening Cruiser and set course for Eifer.

Slicing through space towards my destination I began to feel at ease with the underpowered and creaky cruiser. The Amarr navy had touted it as a great Laser platform for either close range or Sniper but it did poorly at both and with substandard armor and fitting ability compared to its rival the Thorax. Few pilots used them preferring the Powerful Arbitrator or the rock solid Maller but I was stuck in this sorry excuse for a cruiser.

I finally arrived and jumped to my favorite Scanning spot in the middle of the system, an Ishkur Assault Frigate of Gallente origin appeared on my scanners. Quickly I narrowed the Pocket drone carrier down to a belt and launched my ship only to fall short of his craft by 36km. Cursing myself I tried to align to him and lit my Afterburners throwing my Omen towards him, I need not have bothered as his intentions were clear before we even reached 30km as he had already locked and released a swarm of Hobgoblin Drones of the Tech 2 variety.

I ordered the crew to brace for ballistics as the Advanced drones peppered my hull with munitions, our distance getting ever closer, at 20km I lit him up and fired my First volley from my Scorch equipped Focused Medium pulse lasers stripping him of his shields, a second volley hit for half his armor and he swooped under my gums optimal. 

Cursing heavily at my mistake I ordered the release of my 3 warrior II drones and yelled for gunnery to switch to Navy Issue Multifrequency crystals as I watched on helplessly while the nimble frigate danced around me so close it felt like I could almost reach out and touch it. Finally everyone reported in that they had completed these tasks just as my armor plates were giving into the incessant battering and with a roar I ordered all my drones as well as my now closer optimal guns to fire full bore into the Assault ship, rocking it sideways and I punctured its armor and into hull. As I was hitting 60% structural integrity the Ishkur gave a sigh as its own structure imploded and threw its pilots pod clear of the wreckage.

Swooping my flaming Cruiser close to the smoldering hulk of twisted Tritanium and electronic parts I start to scoop the now complacent drones and few undamaged modules and set my destination to Evati, victorious but even more aware of my shortcomings.

As my crew made their way off the battered cruiser I paid them, pulled my cowl back over my head throwing my face into shadows and wearily dragged myself back to my quarters.

As I reach the portal to my quarters the door to the next suite over to mine swooshed open to reveal two brazen and delectable women from our fellow Alliance Corporation the Hellcats exiting. Spying me they whispered something together as they walked by and I managed to catch a few words about a Hot Tub before my portal door closed behind me and I drowned my sorrows with Scotch blotting out the memories and let the nightmares return.

Small Roams

So While I was waiting for the skills to complete I Clone jumped back to Evati, Headed to Eifer in a Vengeance to hunt with Kane but nothing came of it.

Flash was FCing a small Roam so I decided to meet up with them and see if I could get anything. finally met up with them as Mr Frog got a hit on a Rupture so we all bundled up onto that and killed that, was nice seeing myself the Top Damage dealer as well as getting the final blow.

Soon after that we spied a Sleipnir but were to slow to get him but we managed to scram his Hurricane which was salvaging, I Started to apply my Lasers with Scorch crystals and he amazingly ejected! so we scored a free Hurricane which Mynxee took off of our hands for a very welcome immediate payout of my share.

And now I just took out Two Harpies with some of the Bastards, geting a 30mil pod Ransom from ALvaChi USA so all in all jumping back to Hiematar was a good business day!

Plan of Action

I have about 8 more days before my plan goes into action. the ship I will be using is prepped and barring a few skills I want to have before I leave as well as certain equipment I need to finish skilling for my great universe wide roam will begin. 

Once I get underway I will try to update this daily on what has been happening what ships I have killed and what challenges I have been facing.

~Jorge

New Beginnings

So whats been happening in the world of Jorge? well, I left The Bastards and decided to go solo. While i have nothing against the Bastards - they are a pretty awesome corp I feel the need for freedom, no corp politics, no corp territory, just me, my ship and the unwilling targets I find.

Yesterday I moved most of the Ships and modules I need to my current staging area in preparation for a rather long roam I plan to do this will be a LONG roam, i'm talking a week or 2 no-stop roaming with no set destination, choosing my targets and generally trying to get down and dirty with what it means to be a pirate in the purest form - sailing the open waters looking for targets of opportunity.

THis great roam will hopefully kick off in a week or so once I get all the logistics of such an operation set up - choosing the right ship, setup, ammo etc.  until then i'm simply looking to do a little bit of solo roaming around the local area.