...Continuation from[@wanderingwolf]

[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/dH1X7f8.png?1[/img]
[h2][b][i]“Fortunate Sons”[/i][/b][/h2]
Holiday Alternate Universe RP[/center]

	Jake Meadows found the Bernard Class Search and Rescue Vessel at an abandoned mine roughly one hundred thirty miles from Paradiso on Regina. The starboard magnetic grappler was missing, as was the starboard hardpoint grappler. The first was replaced with a missile battery, to help conserve power and give the ship much-needed protection from boarding. The starboard hardpoint grappler was replaced with a fixed forward one-pound autocannon operated by the pilot to provide some additional firepower. The remaining hardpoint grappler and magnetic grappler are used to pull salvaged vessels in close for boarding. Jake Meadows and his brothers spend most of their time salvaging wrecks or deserted ships in the ‘verse.

	Jake grew up on Hera with his brothers and sister. Seven of the boys fought in the Unification War. When the final battle in Serenity Valley ended, so did the war. It was a pyrrhic victory as the Alliance achieved supremacy in the universe. The boys tried to go home to the farm on Hera but found the Alliance had killed the owners and took over the farm. No one knew what happened to the McGinnis family. The boys, who were in their twenties then found transit working on a cargo ship. They ended up on Regina where they found the Salvage ship.

	Jake’s brothers include Jo-Jo Hooker, who is currently serving as his first officer; Carl Miner, also known as [i]Scrapper[/i], works as the ship’s pilot; and finally, Paul Trask, Winston Trask, Derek Malloy and Theo Steiner all serve the ship as the boarding party. As first officer, Joe Hooker leads the boarding party during inspections and salvage operations. While spending time in the ‘verse finding loot hidden on wrecks, they also found Penny McGinnis who apparently did not die when the Alliance took over her father’s farm. She now serves as the ship’s weapons officer. Along with operating the weapon system, she also uses the grapplers during boarding operations. Aside from the grapplers, her primary concern is the missile launcher which has a maximum range of 16 Kilometers. The autocannon is operated by the ship’s pilot, Carl Miner.

	The boys agreed to name the ship, [i]“Fortunate Sons”[/i]. They all felt lucky they survived the battle of Serenity Valley and although they were mostly [i]Brothers from Other Mothers[/i], they all considered each other brothers. They were family. The name Fortunate Sons seemed appropriate to the brothers.

	They had recently completed stripping parts and supplies from a wrecked Titan Class Heavy Bulk Transport ship. The crew had either departed before it went adrift or died on the ship itself. The boarding party reported seeing corpses on various decks of the ship. They found food supplies, a few laser batteries and parts they may be able to use on their own ship or sell on the black market. The ship’s primary cargo had already been stripped clean. But hauls like this were there mainstay for earning a living.

	“Make your way to the nearest space station,” Captain Jake Meadows said to Scrapper.

	“Aye, Cap’n,” the pilot, Carl Miner responded. It would require an additional twenty hours before the space station came into view. At this range it was still many kilometers away. Eventually, the Fortunate Sons came in range. Carl Miner let the captain and crew know, “approaching the station now.” Carl Miner sat at the helm of the salvage ship intending his approach to be for a docking. As they got closer, he could see through optics that something was wrong. Something was out of place. [i]‘This doesn’t look right,’[/i] he thought to himself.  “Captain, git up to the bridge. Reavers!” Carl exclaimed over the intercom as realization hit him.

	When the alarm rang out about the Reavers, the remainder of the crew jumped into action. Penny got to her weapons station on the bridge behind the pilot. She worked her external optics in order to bring the Reaver ship into view. It was still over twenty kilometers from the [i]Fortunate Sons[/i]. Joe Hooker, first officer was already in his jump suit as were the rest of the boarding party. They gathered weapons donning combat helmets and assault vests. Their ammunition pouches were will filled with magazines. They carried fragmentation grenades as well as flash bang and smoke grenades. Derek and Theo carried energy-based laser carbines. Paul carried a sub machine gun modeled from an [i]Earth that was[/i], Heckler & Koch MP-5. His brother, Winston carried a 12-gauge shotgun from another [i]Earth that was[/i] model, a Remington 870 and a Ruger Redhawk .357 revolver. Many of the brothers carried .357 caliber handguns in a hip holster. They knew if they all carried the same caliber weapon it would simplify the caliber of ammunition they had to carry.

	“Tracking the Reaver ship at twenty kilometers, Captain,” Penny commented. By this time Jake had reached the bridge. He was in near enough to Carl and Penny for them to talk to him in person. Penny wanted to ask what they wanted, but she had enough experience to know the Reavers just wanted to kill and steal. There was only one solution. They were not someone to be trifled with. 

	“Roger that, Penny,” Jake responded to her. “Hold weapons. I don’t want you alerting them to our presence or firing before we are ready.” Penny nodded her head in acknowledgement.

	“Boarding party is ready for action, Cap’n,” Joe Hooker added to the intercom traffic. Joe looked over Paul, Winnie, Derek and Theo to insure all their equipment was good to go.

	“Roger that, Jo-Jo. Stand by,” the captain answered his first officer. Captain Jake Meadows was confident in his brother’s ability at entering a ship tactically, providing overwatching cover to advancing members of the team. They all had worked together as a squad during the war and didn’t forget the small unit tactics they learned from experience.

	“Captain, the Reavers are attacking that Firefly!” Miner commented. Carl could see laser blasts spreading over and across the top of the firefly class cargo ship. There were no secondary explosions yet. They hadn’t scored a vital hit yet.

	“Penny, are we in range?” The captain asked the weapons system officer.

	The young woman, whose parents were slaughtered by the Alliance purple bellies, zoomed her camera view of the reaver ship, “closing to sixteen kilometers. Aye Cap’n,” she spoke to Jake Meadows. “Fifteen, Fourteen, Thirteen…” She gave a countdown as the Bernard class Salvage Ship closed with the Reaver and the Firefly.

	Don’t fire unless I tell you to, “Laser blasts arced across the Firefly as the Reavers closed with the space station. The ship appeared intent on landing at the station. “They want to take the cargo ship. Bring her in close, Scrapper. And make damn sure not to give our presence away!”

	“Aye Cap’n!”

	“Prepare to board!” Jake ordered Joe Hooker then turned to Penny, “Get ready on the grapplers. We’ll tie on and board them. Breach their hull. Clear their ship first.”

	“Passing eight kilometers,” Penny told the captain.

	“They are docked now, Cap.” Carl Miner pushed the ship to get in closer.

	“five, four, three, two, one…” Penny’s voice trailed off as the ship slowed.

	The [i]Fortunate Sons[/i] closed with the Reaver’s ship, pulled up alongside as Penny fired off the grapplers. With the Salvage ship tied alongside the Reaver ship, the Trask brothers placed a shape charge along the Reaver hull and pulled the detonator. They immediately moved back behind cover.

	Following the explosion, smoke, and brilliant light, the five members of the boarding party ran through the newly created hole prepared to engage Reavers inside their own ship.