Let the fun begin.
Beta Aquilea
GTS La Cava
January 29, 2385
Captain Albert Nelson leaned back in his chair and stared out the great panaramic window of his dark office. Outside, an old Demios corvette, old meaning not new. Compared to La Cava, it was a mere child.
Galactic Terran Station La Cava was old, very, very old, and there was only one other that was like it anywhere. Once, there were dozens of the Boyington class stations all over the Allied systems, mostly in the old GTA, where they started after all. Before contact with the Vasudans was even made, Boyingtons were being constructed in every Terran system. Not any particular design was given for them, just a hodgepodge of parts and station pieces that managed to get out of Sol. Over time, a general "design" was settled on, but no two were exactly alike.
La Cava was one of the first, stationed over a rather desolate moon in Beta Aquilea, its mission was to protect mining ships as they deposited their cargo into large transports for shipment back to Sol. When the 14 Year War started, the military took over operations, and it became the military HQ for the system, until the Arcadia was built. Even afterwards, it served as the primary military supply base. As the war dragged on, it changed hands several times, serving both Terran and Vasudan alike. When the eventual stalemate started, it was firmly in Terran hands, and was considered quite a prize by Command.
The Great War made it even more important when the Arcadia fell to the Lucifer. It and several other Boyingtons, located in out of the way areas of other systems, were the only surviving outposts of the GTA behind the Shivan front lines. After the Great War, it was once again the center of military activity in Beta Aquilea, serving as security check point for the BETAC talks.
As the years went by, however, La Cava became less and less important. By the Second Incursion, it was almost forgotten, until the newly built Arcadia became overwhelmed in moving personal and supplies to the front. And then, nothing. For the last 20 years, it did little but host the occasional warship and transport, even its mining job had long ago been rendered obsolute.
Three years ago, Nelson, near retirement age, was assigned here. About then, talks began about scrapping the old station, it's usefullness over. Nelson fought it, having fallen in love with the antique station. Hope of keeping it in service collapsed six months ago, but there was always the historical socities. After all, what group could reject the preservation of a station that hosted the likes of the Sagitarius, the Reliant, the Patton, the Galatea, the Bastion, the Aquitaine, the Vasudan Vengence, Hope, Psamtik and Memphis? Every major ship since humainty escaped the bounds of Sol through the present save the Colossus?
Apparently, all of them. At the beginning of the year, the battle ended. La Cava would be scrapped. Three weeks ago, the retrofitted beam cannon, a weapon that fired only in tests, and even then caused more damage to the station than it would ever inflict, was removed and likely scrapped as worthless. Last week, the remaining weapons were pulled from the station, leaving it defenseless, not that it needed defending. Even the small squadron of fighters were removed, as well as all the personal that supported them. Only a skeleton crew remained, and they were to leave when the scrapper arrived, on the first of the month.
So there was nothing to do, and nothing to pack now. Well, almost nothing, only a picture of Nelson's dearly departed wife, who died some three years ago now, and few pens and papers. The rest was stowed in a box next to the desk, ready for the trip. Silently, Nelson blamed Captian Gavin of the only other Boyington, McMurphy, out in Ribos. The bastard had been doing the same things as Nelson in protecting his station, only he had lied and cheated to get it. There's no way the Lucifer visited McMurphy and left without turning it into scrap!
"Sir, the First Light is leaving." The only other thing on the desk was a small screen connected with the central control room. On there was the face of a young Lieutenant who's first assignment was to oversee the shut down of the station.
"Thank you Lieutenant." He watched as the Sobek moved into the field of the window on the opposite side of the Deimos. The Terran warship would be the last, offload what supplies the Vasudan one didn't take, and the Sobek had taken an awful lot of supplies. Nelson wondered what the Vasudans were planning to do with all that stuff, its not like they were getting ready for war or anything, just getting the stuff off the station before it was turned into soda cans or something. No matter, there wasn't much point to the mess anymore, Nelson was ready to retire with the old station. Too bad it had to go before he did.
"Sir." That Lieutenant again.
"What?"
"We're getting a strange signal from the First Light. Have a listen."
We are the Neo-Hammer of Light. Those who follow the Eishtmo will be spared, Unbelievers will die. Surrender now.
"What the hell?"
"It's aimed at the Deimos sir."
Suddenly the room brightened as a beam shot out at the Terran corvette, scowering the hull. The ship rattled, but didn't open fire, its weapons powered down for the docking with La Cava. The First Light fired again, tearing deeper into the ship.
"Get out a signal to Command!" Nelson yelled, barely taking his eyes off the scene. The Deimos finally fired its own beam, nicking the Sobek, but doing little else. The targeting system must have been damaged, the Terrans were firing blind.
"I can't sir."
"Why not!?"
"Well, its just not possible." The tone wasn't angry, or frustrated, but resigned. Nelson may have been old, but the hint was obvious. He threw open the top drawer of the desk revealing the only thing in the whole desk, a small pistol. Outside, a bright flash went off as the Deimos met its fate. Nelson turned away and opened the door into the central control room.
"Put your weapon down Captain." A Vasudan soldier, probably off the Sobek, stood pointing a large, powerful rifle at his chest. Nelson shook his head slightly and handed the soldier his weapon.
He was escorted down to the control room floor where the rest of the crew was lined up against a wall. He settled next to the Lieutenant. "Sorry sir."
"It's alright," Nelson said. A thought then occured to him, and a smile ripped across his face. He even chuckled a little.
"Sir?"
"They can't shut us down now Lieutenant."
"I don't understand."
Nelson looked at him. "We've got history behind us now boy. We're at the start of a revolution!"