[@Tuxedo Fox]


SECONDARY QUEST-A Light in the Darkness



The barge pulled away from the docks with a surprising elegance. Probably the skill of the pilot, Carson thought as he braced himself against the bulkhead, smoke dribbling from his cigar.  "I don't know the waters around here at all." The woman called Cat said. Carson nodded and spent the next several minutes directing her around some of the larger obstacles he remembered from his ESB files. 

"Hey Carson!" Boss called from the deck. "Get you ass out here, got a lil somethin for ya. Call it a company perk." Carson left the cabin and crossed the deck to where Boss was rooting through a crate filled with straw. He tossed Carson one I'd the contents, which the major caught. He held up the frag grenade, nodding happily. "This I like." He said, tossing the grenade into the air and catching it again. "Could really fuck up someone's day with this." 

"Can't wait to see that ocean." Boss sounded happy at least. 

"Yeah, its certainly something." Carson agreed, going over to the rail to watch the Trading Post slide by. He took a final pull of his cigar before throwing the butt into the water.

As the barge got closer to the ocean Carson found himself uneasy. The last time he had been out in the Gulf he had been sunk. He hoped he was just being paranoid.  Asshead, the little Eyebot that had caused Boss and Carson to meet, chirped excitedly from the bow where it was scanning for any unwelcome visitors. Carson headed that way, making calming motions with his hands (although he wasn't sure if robots responded to that kind of thing.) "Take it easy, little guy." He said. "Its an Order customs boat. It won't shoot at us. Hopefully." The Eyebot bobbed around, seemingly still excited. He was to be disappointed, though. The Order vessel only gave the battered barge a cursory glance before moving on. 

As the ocean appeared at the ships bow, stretching across the horizon, Carson gripped the rail until his knuckles turned white. Now came the fun part: creeping down the coast whilst hoping no Marauders sent them to the bottom.

And, sure enough, Marauders appeared. Two small red-painted boats came roaring out of a secluded bay. 

"Fuck!" Carson cursed. "Boss! BOSS! Look alive! Some bastards are looking for a shoot em up!" As he spoke he clicked his safety off. "You too, little guy." He told AH. "Charge up your lasers or whatever. You'll be needing them if you don't want to end up a pile of spare parts!"