Departing; chapter 4/7

Mesmerising, like looking at the back of a pulsating spoon. Nashh always did love wormholes.

Initiate warp to Dickstar II, he instructed his Tengu. The glorious Tech3 vessel aligned smoothly before speeding to the Kadavr Conglomerate’s base of operations.

What a POS, a true marvel of design, he pondered. Four tall columns of e-war and laser turrets adorned each side of the giant structure. Just inside of those the large, gently swaying bubble of defence, reinforced by no less than 9 Shield Hardening Arrays.

The Strategic Cruiser whizzed and hissed as it was gently parked inside the Ship Maintenance hangar.

‘Coffee?’ Morrigan offered as Nashh disembarked.

‘Yeah, thanks babe’.

‘How did it go?’

‘Pfew’, Nashh started, ‘it was tough to be honest’.’ I suffered some structural damage so get someone on repairs as soon as you can’.

‘Other than that the loot score was very good’. He paused to sip some of his hot brew.’ The C3 static won't last much longer so let's go and mop up the wrecks as soon as possible’.

‘Yessir, mr CEO’, Morrigan smiled.

Nashh returned a smile. He was the happiest he'd been in some time. For months had he not flown as much as he had done in the last few weeks.

‘Let me get Aether to go back and salvage for you, you look like you need a rest’.

Nashh Kadavr seemed to contemplate the offer for a moment but then agreed, it had been another long day.

‘I have one more thing before you do take your rest, boss’.

‘Yes?’

‘We need another capable pilot for our operations here, as previously discussed’.

Nashh nodded in agreement.

‘Look at this guy here’; Morrigan handed over a neo-pad with pilot details.

Nashh's expression remained blank. ‘He can't fly anything Morrigan, his name is... Moo?! Why?’

‘Look at his core skills Nashh’.

‘Ah, I see’. Nashh fell silent, they were perfect. ‘How much?’

‘Four billion should be sufficient to entice him’.

‘Can we afford that?’

‘Just about... Just about’.

‘Get it done then...’

Departing; chapter 3/7

‘Mr Flashfresh? There is a lady here to see you’.

‘Does she have an appointment?’

‘No sir but she says it's urgent’.

‘Who is it?’

‘Er.. Dirty hands?’

There was a pause on the other side of the intercom. 'Send her in'.

As Morrigan entered the CEO's office, Flashfresh stood up from his seat and smiled.
'Long time no see!' flash started, 'grab a seat, care for a drink?'

Morrigan didn’t sit down; she didn't care for a drink. She never did.

‘I wish to resign, I no longer feel qualified to spy on Nashh’. ‘Things...’ Morrigan paused.. ‘Things have gotten personal’. ‘I simply...’

Flash raised his hands, signalling for her to be silent. He sat back slowly in his large dark office chair, gently rocking it.

The office was only dimly lit; too dark to see what was in the shady parts. Flash still wore his trademark aviator sunglasses regardless.

Morrigan shuffled uneasily.

‘You have something I would like to know about, yes?’

‘Er…’ Morrigan started.

Flash raised his right hand again, demanding her silence.

‘Ok here is the deal; you tell me what I need to know and you will be discharged from your duties’. ‘Consider it your contract fulfilled’.

Morrigan looked down to the floor, before clearing her throat.

‘I need your word that no harm will be done to Nashh’.

‘Of course’, Flashfresh signalled for Morrigan to continue, ‘of course’ he repeated.

‘It appears Nashh is planning to empty the Bastard hangars’. ‘He has done extensive research into what the value of all the contents both here and in Iges’.

‘And?’ Flash quizzed.

‘Well that's it’. Morrigan was a little surprised by Flash's reaction.

Flash removed his sunglasses and rubbed his eyes with the palms of his hands. He regarded Morrigan for a moment before he continued.

‘Pirate Commodore Nashh Kadavr, awarded with 14 medals, served for nearly 2 years, loyally!’ Flash rose up from his seat and slammed his fists on the table.’In a single donation he has been one of our biggest contributors in the history of our glorious corporation’. ‘And now... you care to tell me he is going to rob his beloved brothers and sisters?! With just that as proof!’

‘I... But...’Morrigan stuttered.

‘You may go’. Flash retook his seat and pointed at the door.

Morrigan was stunned, her mind racing to try and grasp hold of what had just happened.
This conversation was over, the outcome not clear. But she knew she was no longer welcome.

As the door closed behind her, Flashfresh sat in silence.

After deliberating for a considerable length of time he used the neo-com on the corner of the desk.

‘Hermit?’

‘Yessir?’

‘Don't ask me why right now but revoke Nashh's hangar rights, effective immediately’.

‘Er.. Sir, he has just resigned’. ‘He has no access’.

‘He what?... Is there anything missing?’

‘Let me check sir’.

A moment passed before Hermit returned.

‘No sir, everything is still here...’

‘Thank you Hermit, over and out’.

Flash sat in his heavy leather chair. He poured himself a small glass of rum from a bottle hidden in the bottom drawer of his oak desk.

Before sipping the golden liquid he raised his glass and muttered to himself; 'good luck, you'll be back'.

-=o0o=-

With an uneasy feeling Morrigan returned to Nashh Kadavr's luxury apartment in Evati VII.

Nashh was dressed in full pilot gear, nothing unusual, although the Bastard logo was missing from the back of the jacket.

'we need to talk' Morrigan urged.

‘Yes, I have something to tell you, follow me' Nashh interrupted.

‘I have an orca pilot on standby in case you don't want to come with me’, Nashh explained in the elevator on the way down.

‘Don't get me wrong, you are invaluable to me but I am not sure if this is the kind of adventure you wish to be part of’.

‘I.. Er..’ Morrigan started.

With a loud hiss the elevator doors opened on level B691; Nashh's personal hangar.

Alison Virpio awaited them. ‘Good morning CEO’ she smiled, saluting him as he walked past.

‘CEO?’ Morrigan asked, ‘what is going on?’

‘Are we ready Alison?’ Nashh demanded.

‘Yessir!’

‘Ready for what?’ Morrigan desperately wanted to know.

Alison handed Morrigan a neo-pad. The information shown on the first page showed the contents of the Orca parked at the far end of the enormous hangar.

‘Large ammar pos, ship-maintenance array, fuel...’Morrigan read aloud. ‘What is this?’

‘We are Kadavr Conglomerate’, Nashh smiled, ‘wormhole explorers, are you coming?’

Considering her options quickly Morrigan replied;

‘Fuck yeah...’

Departing; chapter 2/7

Nashh had been dragged into his Iges IV apartment and dumped on the large White leather sofa. Out cold.

Venom kneeled by his side, gently stroking his head.

"Coffee?"

She jumped up, pistol drawn. The voice had come from the kitchen area. Venom recognised the voice, it was the same as the call she had received about an hour earlier.

"Black, two sugars." she replied, holstering her weapon.

Out of the shade Morrigan appeared with two steaming mugs. She was dressed in black from top to bottom; a skin-tight leather suit. Knee-high boots with tall heels elevated her 2 inches higher. Venom understood now why Nashh had spent so much time with this girl, and wouldn't mind to do so herself.

"There is no sugar so just black then?" she extended Venom one of the mugs.

Venom smiled, "I am surprised there is even coffee in this place".

Morrigan’s real name was Dirty Hands, clearly a joke when her name was registered. It suited her in many ways however; running errands for Nashh would frequently leave her with dirty hands. Morrigan was the name she used when introducing herself.

'I am glad you could come at such short notice, he wouldn't even listen to me anymore. I knew he would to you...'

'No worries, thanks for calling'. ‘Just in time too, he shot the tender’. Venom paused to sip from her mug. ‘I suggest he leaves station as soon as he is able’.

There is something else, Morrigan started. I am not sure where to start; Nashh is in some trouble, and possibly getting himself into some more.

‘Nashh is always in trouble’, Venom Orchid smiled, ‘don't worry, he'll sort it out or buy his way out’.

‘That is the problem you see, Nashh is in no position to buy his way out anymore, the isk is gone’.

Venoms eyes widened. She looked from Nashh to morrigan,’15 billion isk? How?’

‘Not sure yet, I am still going through all transactions he has made over the last 6 months’. ‘It looks like he has given away at least one third of his previous fortune, and there is a lot of officer equipment registered in his name’.

‘Ok’, venom scratched her head, ‘so he is broke’. ‘That isn't really the end of the world is it?’

‘No it isn't, I may be able to liquidate some assets for him to get him a decent capital again’. ‘My worries are his own plans on making isk’.

Morrigan sipped the last of her drink and put the mug on the glass table. She used a small grey remote to turn on the wall projector.

Schematics, figures and financial data flashed up.

Venom was unclear what exactly she was looking at; it looked like a stock-take or an inventory check of some sort.

"What’s this?" she shrugged.

‘It's a full inventory check of the Bastard hangars, both here and back in Evati’.

Venom looked back from the screen to Morrigan, not sure what to say.

‘Nashh has accidentally been given full access to all the corps assets’, Morrigan explained.

‘He would never...’ Venom started, ‘but ... why have all these ships and modules got values noted next to them?’

Morrigan didn't reply. She didn't have too.

‘He is going to rob the Bastards?’ Venom Orchid paused, ‘how much is it worth?’

‘Just over 8 billion so far but valuation isn't completed just yet’. ‘He hasn't got access to any liquid assets but the rest...’ Morrigan nodded in the direction of the screen.

Both vixens fell silent and stared at the heaped body on the sofa.

'Flash is gonna kill him'.

'I know' Morrigan responded.

'I mean, really kill him...'

'I know' Morrigan repeated.

Departing; chapter 1/7

It was strangely quiet in 'Hope Street', Iges VI most afluent drinking establishment. Venom Orchid had been here before but the place didnt look like she remembered.

There were only a few revellers left in the venue, granted it wasnt the busiest time of day but still.Venom held at the entrance and as she looked around she spotted him at the bar.

Slowly she started to make her way over when she noticed there was no music playing. Strange.

He was drunk, no question about it. Two half empty bottles of red wine sat on the bar-top, neatly lined up with an empty beer bottle, two wineglasses, a shot glass and an empty spirit bottle. It wasnt immediatly apperant what the spirit was as the label had been carufully peeled off, but knowing him it was rum.

Venom pulled up a barstool and sat down next to Nashh. She peered over the bar saw a body on the serving side, lying in a pool of blood. There was a distinct smell of burned hair.

'How many hours have you been here Nashh?

''Two days...' Nashh croaked.

'I see', Venom paused, 'I thought you stopped drinking? and drugs for that matter' she said as she regarded the neatly line up glasses and bottles. 'In fact', she continued, 'I thought you stopped smoking?' nodding in the direction of an overflowing ashtray.

'Yeah, I did' Nashh spoke with a croaky voice. He slowly turned sideways before lighting another cigarette. He inhaled deeply before blowing a large plume of grey smoke in her direction.

His eyes were glazed over, pupils dilated, bloodshot and the little 'white' that was visible looked almost grey.

'O dear... look at the state of you'. Venom Orchid looked over at the body on the floor, 'and him?

''He wouldnt give me what I wanted' Nashh Kadavr slurred.

'Well I guess security is on its way then' Venom looked around, 'time to go?'

Nashh sighed deeply, 'yeah, probably a good idea...'

Stuff is brewing

stuff being told here soon...

An audiance with a Bastard

So some of the UK based Bastards are having a catch up on the 3rd of January 2011 in London, so far we are not too sure how many will turn up but we have a few Bastards that will deffo be there, including myself.

The meeting place will be close to a mayor train-station in London and will start from about 1pm untill whenever. Personally I intend to be there for about 1pm to maximise drinking time as that is my favourite hobby.

Anyways, if you want to meet some of the Bastards and friends put your name down in the comments below and hook up with us, share a few beers, talk space ships/blogs about space ships/ beer and other related news.

(Location will be confirmed in the next week or so)

Did I mention there will be beer?

Fiction; Venom's Bite

After nagging long enough my dear friend Venom Orchid has written a little story for me. Hopefully this wont be the last and maybe, just maybe we will work together on some more fiction!

This story is set about 1.5 years ago, just before I joined the Bastards, just before my CDM with Venom Orchid.

Enjoy!;

-=o0o=-

Life has become predictable in our little pocket of space. For over a year the Hellcats have lived with the Bastards in Evati, all but picking the bones clean off anyone thinking of entering our space. We own this area, even if we don’t want to claim it. We are pirates, we don’t settle down in front of nice cozy fires. We settle down with bottles of booze and other people’s belongings.

“Mynx, I’m bored.”

“Knock it off kid or I’ll kick it out of you, you know I hate that talk. You make your life as you will.” Mynx, as the Hellcats stern leader, had a booming emphatic voice when she needed to get a point across.

“Come on luv, don’t take that tone with me, you know what I’m talking about.” Being a new Director, I was starting to feel greater concern for the girls in our corp.

“Yea, I do, it’s been coming for a while.”

“It has and it hurts to think about it but we need to spread our wings or risk losing ourselves.” For some time we had been discussing if we should leave our brothers, The Bastards, and make a solo name for ourselves in another system.

I thought to myself, what if we break off from the Bastards and that kills us, stay and die or leave and die....fuck.

Mynx motioned for the bar owner to send us another bottle of red wine we donated to his cause, having earlier lifted it from a transport ship coming into Evati. He sold it and made a profit, so long as we were given as much as we wanted on the house. We drank most of what we brought him.

As Mynx was pouring the red gurgling liquid into our glasses, someone caught my attention as they entered the bar. My gaze was locked as Mynx looked up and back to see what I was looking at.

“Who’s that?” Mynx mused with a wry smile.

“Fuck, that pilot won’t leave me alone, everywhere I go, he shows up.”

“What do you mean,” Mynx asked, “He’s hot as hell.”

“No, he’s not bugging me for sex like the rest of the slags in this place. He wants to fight me. He showed up in system a few days ago and started hunting me, of course, I hunted back but when I found him, he didn’t fire on me. He hailed me and made me an offer, something about me being known, and he wants a fight, a quest he is on or something, its bullshit, I don’t trust him.”

“Uh huh, and why are you staring at him if he’s so bad?”

“I’m what?’ My face turned three times redder than my tribal tattoo's on my face.

“Ha! I knew it, why don’t you just fuck him instead, you know it’s what you’d rather do.”

“Fuck you Mynx.”

While she and I were arguing I took my eyes of him for a second, enough time for him to slither up to us at the bar.

“Ladies...,” Nashh said with a grin.

You have got to be kidding me, why the fuck can’t you leave me alone?

“Nashh, this is my boss Mynxee, have you met?”

“No, I have not had the pleasure, but I hope to soon.”

Myx’s eyes rolled in her head, being Hellcats and women we have to fight off this shit daily. Instead of answering she got up from the bar and swayed away from us, both of us watching her as she left.

“You two must have an interesting relationship,” Nashh mused.

“Fuck off, what she and I have is none of your concern. You still following me around?”

“Come on Venom, just one fight, with rules you can live with.”

Nashh grabbed our bottle and poured more red wine into my glass, looking up, he flashed me a smile.

“Damn it, fine, Rifters with a point; I don’t want your skinny ass getting away from me.”

Shit, did I just say ‘skinny ass getting away from me’? Get a grip Venom, he’s a guy, remember.

Again I blush and Nashh notices. He sits back on the barstool, and I can see he’s full of inked skin and a toned chest. It’s no secret that I prefer women to men sexually. In flight, I would rather be with men, save Mynx and a few other Hellcats. So, why am I suddenly attracted to this guy?

Fuck, fuck, fuck; enough.

“Tomorrow, come find me, and we can have your little fight.”

Nashh looks at me squarely, “What, you’re leaving so soon, I thought we were starting to have fun?”

“Piss off, this room is full of prostitutes, and I’m not one of em.”