Mid-System
Butte Hold System
Taurian Concordat
Fourth Quarter, 3040

"I'm sorry," Xandar confessed..."they are after me." Captain Michael Farraday toggled the transmission switch to off. Feeling a lump rising in his throat, he nearly screamed out to Xandar, "I know they are after you, what else would they be after? The 'Screaming Engine' sure as hell has nothing to offer them." He finished, "and what kind of Mechs are you toting around, prototypes?!"

Xandar's face grew flush with increasing emotion. His wide shoulders and large build towered over Michael as he spoke, "Just because they are after me does not make me responsible for your losses. You did agree to transport my materials and this is a risk you chose to take."

After a brief jump in system, the 'Screaming Engine' had been released by the Lyran commercial Jumpship 'Saban'. Once freed of its Jumpship host, the 'Engine' (a Union class Dropship) had started its journey to the Lyran jumpship 'Agent 31' (a Merchant class Jumpship). There it would attach and travel via hyperjump to a new star system, only one along the path of many it rode to its destination. However, mid way through the star system, the 'Screaming Engine' had been attacked by pirates. Pirate attacks were well known in this sector, but Xandar's budget had left him unable to travel roundabout through any other system.

After visual spotting of the pirate Leopard class Dropship, the pirates soon revealed themselves and their intentions over pulsed transmissions. Knowing he could not fight the overwhelming number of aerospace fighters accompanying the enemy Dropship, Michael had raised the commline briefly to surrender to the oncoming pirate forces. Now pirate shuttles were docking with the 'Engine', releasing pirate raiders into her bowels. It was only a matter of time before the pirates would reach the Dropship's control center, capturing Michael, his Co Captain Joanna Hems, and their passenger Xandar Harlow.

"So what the hell do we do? Cameras in bay 2 show raiders slaughtering our men!" Joanna exclaimed. "We can't let them murder us that easily. Jerry says that Head Tech Delilah is dead."

"I don’t know, but we really have no choice. Our only chance is locking ourselves in this room and waiting days for help. There are just too many of them." Michael said calmly. A sudden sense of impending doom locked his emotions away, and Michael knew certain this was the day he would die.

"I vote we at least try that. We might as well if we are gonna die anyways." Xandar said. Poking at the hatchway panel, he called to Dobs and Steven. "Hey you 2! Get your butts in here and bring the other weapons too!"

Rushing down the corridor, Dobs tossed Steven 2 more "slugthrowers" and a TK assault rifle. The rifle slipped from Steven's nervous hands, clattering to the metal floor with a horrific clang. Shoving the slugthrowers into his shirt pockets, Steven reached down and picked up the heavy TK. Looking forwards to Dobs, who had now passed him down the well light passage, Steven cried out..."Dobs, ask them if they have extra weapons in there!"