End of EAS QUICKSILVER
Those of you checking your screens notice the QUICKSILVER take heavy
damage from the aft batteries of THESEUS and then explode under the
combined fire of ISHTAR and her fighters. The main power core went,
and any lifepods that may have been launched were overtaken by this
explosion. The blast and radiation ensured that these are nothing more
than coffins now.
Shortly afterwards, a message beacon begins broadcasting.
Backchecking, you see that this was launched just as the QUICKSILVER
began to take damage. It contains the following message:
- "To all Rebel ships in the Groombar system:
This is Captain George of the EAS QUICKSILVER. You have broken your
oath of allegiance to Earth and are fighting against the very people
you have sworn to protect. I suppose that doesn't matter to you anyway
since you've already sold your lives and your souls to the aliens, why
should your sacred honor be anything more valuable. Surrender or be
destroyed. We did not want this fight, but you have forced it on us.
It is not against your people that we are fighting, but against their
rebellion against the duly elected government of the Earth Alliance.
- To EAS BELLEROPHON:
You are living up to the origins of your ship's name. Bellerophon was
thrown out of Corint first a friend and then his own Brother. I advise
you to surrender before the full story is repeated. After many deeds,
including the taming of Pegasus, Bellerophon thought himself equal to
the gods and flew up to join them on Olympus. Zeus rewarded him for his
hubris by casting him down off Pegasus' back to the distant earth below.
Beware lest you find yourself sharing his fate, for your cause is not
just, nor have you behaved honorably. There is a special place in
Hades for oathbreakers and trucebreakers like you.
- To EAS THESEUS:
I see you are receiving the rewards of your dishonor. Your namesake was
murdered by a friend he visited. Are you now trying to do likewise to
others. ..."
His speech is broken by the annoucement: "THESEUS has weapons lock-on"
- "Launch message capsule! Fire everything you've got at THESEUS."
He turns back to the recorder and requests,
- "Think well of us when we are gone."
The camera shifts to an overall view of the bridge, and the audio picks up
the reports.
- "Weapons lock detected from ISHTAR."
- "Main beam has hit THESEUS... They're firing."
A massive explosion shakes the ship, and the lights dim.
- "A battery switching to local control."
- "ISHTAR is firing..."
- "Oh my god, fighters...."
And the screen flares white and dissolves into static.
Subchannel code check verifies this is from:
Capt George EAS QUICKSILVER