“That’s a good question” stated Orion “Ursa, is it?”.  Ursa nodded an affirmative while maintaining her facial expression.  Orion could see the breath begin to form from the loss in temperature and as a kind gesture offered his coat to Ursa. “It’s going to get colder and you might want this For the time being.“. He paused  “Now we would have to ask the missus over here about the hyperdrive.” 

 Orion turned towards Xael.  “Forgive my intrusions but I am most appreciative of you risking to travel with us particularly without knowing who or what we were.  Formal introductions would be prudent concerning the state we are in.”  Orion thought for a moment and looked back towards Ursa who had that old familiar look and Drifted his gaze to the black monstrosity outside the cockpit. “Officially I am Star Colonel Orion Cassius Steiner of the 21st Centauri Lancers.  Prince to the Valorian Hedgemony.  I was a student under Anastasius Focht of the Maskirovka before our world Valera erupted into full scale war with the Rulons again.  I feel compelled to be honest with you all.  I have been trying to secure the funds and back channel support for Valora.  We are at a stalemate and have been fighting a losing war.  I sequestered Celebrimbors services for transport to my dropship.  We all seem to have come together by pure coincidence.  Gladly I thank you all for putting any differences aside to emerge from this horror unscathed.”  He extended the olive branch “This is your ship.  I am at your mercy.  I would prefer and I would pay you in kind if you would take me to my dropship, however if you want to go to another system, I can find an alternate way to get back”. Celebrimbor Looked up in dismay most likely perturbed by Orion’s choice to offer an alternative that did not coincide with him getting his deal so Orion mentioned “Don’t worry Cel, our deal still stands and in light of the circumstances I’m sure we can come to another arrangement that works for both of us.”

Orion turned back to the control panel pushing himself off of a stagnate ACE,  his magnetics keeping him attached to the deck in near zero g.  “Just curious”. He motioned to Xael “How long would it take for your systemS to be back. Without a doubt whomever they are will be sending out scout fighters to finish the job”.  He turned back to Ursa draping his jacket over her and the chair.  “That was some nifty flying,  you didn’t learn that all from simple shoot an scoots.  You’ve been places and by the look on your face Wherever it was left a scar. The eyes don’t lie.”  He stared at her for a moment looking past the emotional barricade she was putting up.  He’d seen that look every time he looked in a mirror.  “Now once we get this up and running is there anything I can do to assist?”




............autonomous computerized entity boot sequence initiated.
............Diagnostic recovery in progress.
............Sensors Initiating.
...............................
............uplink to Master override complete.
............Fission startup initiated.
........................3...2...1.
Autonomous systems activated.
Weapon Systems Nominal.
Life Support Systems Nominal.
All Systems Nominal.
Searching....................
Status Operation Nova Redoubt .... pending
Status Operation Vigilance ... pending
Status Operation Nimbus Point 1 ... Complete.  Files Secured.
Status Sagittarius ... unknown 
Status Valora ... unknown ...unable to update

Unable to locate Signal 224.
Unable to locate Signal 418.

Commencing secondary startup and tertiary systems.
Memory purge, systems incomplete.
Beginning tertiary diagnostics and memory defrag...