[center][h1][color=F5B041]Kelan[/color] & [color=566573]Echo[/color][/h1][/center] [@TGM][@vietmyke][@Crowvette] [hr] [color=F5B041]"Don't you worry, boss. I'm like a well armed homing pigeon. I always find my way back."[/color] A moment later, warning klaxons accompanied by flashing, yellow lights went off throughout the ship indicating a depressurization warning. Specifically, in the ship's cargo hold. Kelan had opened the cargo door at the rear of the ship. As the doors slid open, the enemy ship came into view for Kelan. [color=566573]"Just know that I still protest this course of action,"[/color] Echo told him. [color=F5B041]"We've done worse."[/color] [color=566573]"I protested then as well."[/color] [color=F5B041]"'Least you're consistent."[/color] With that "settled," Kelan hit the door control once more and then broke into a thundering jog. He leapt out the rear of the ship, the cargo door closing behind him. He wasn't planning on coming back that way. As he careened silently through the void, he saw one of the enemy fighters streak past. Those needed to be dealt with or else he might not have a ship to come back to. With a quick burst of the suits maneuvering thrusters he spun around so he was flying backwards. He gauged the small ship's trajectory as he cycled the Belial's cannon to grenades. With a subdued thump, the cannon fired, and a moment later he was rewarded with the sight of a fighter's feeble shields flaring up from the impact, the pilot immediately veering off in panic. A second later, sparks and smoke began to pour from a caved in armor panel on the side of the fighter. It was still flying, but its shields hadn't been able to stop the grenade's concussive force. Hopefully it'd slow it down and the rest of the crew could take it out. He couldn't worry about the fighters anymore anyway. He spun back around to see the pirate salvage ship looming ahead. With one more burst from his thrusters, he shot himself toward the bridge. He slammed into the main viewport, the Belial's feet immediately magnetizing to the hull. He saw the pirate crew inside collectively flinch at the sight of him. They looked between each other, unsure of how to respond. Well, it was time to give them something else to worry about. He cocked a fist back and slammed it against the viewport. Again, the pirate's flinched. [i]SLAM![/i] This time cracks began to form. [i]SLAM![/i] The pirate's began to panic as the cracks spiderwebbed outward. [i]SLAM![/i] Warning lights began to come on as the ship detected an air leak. [i]SLAM![/i] The viewport shattered, a blast of pressurized air hitting him, but he barely flinched. Warning alarms hit his ears and a moment later emergency shutters tried to block off the shattered window. He stepped forward and caught it, servos whining in protest as he held back the shutter. The pirates scrambled to grab onto anything they could as air continued to pour out of the ship. Kelan stepped forward, jumping into the ship and finally letting the emergency shutters slam down behind him. [color=F5B041]"Howdy there,"[/color] Kelan greeted them. [color=F5B041]"Oh, don't all y'all look so surprised. You were attemptin' a similar boarding action yourself, weren't ya? Figured I'd return the favor."[/color] Sparks flew off his armor as a pirate drew a pistol and immediately opened fire. The shots plinked off harmlessly, even as the pirate stormed forth, perhaps hoping at close range his shots would finally penetrate. Kelan turned and backhanded the pistol out of the man's hand, then ramming his fist into the pirate's chest, sending the man flying across the bridge to slam into a wall where he collapsed with a caved in chest cavity. The roar alerted him to the attack of another pirate. He turned to see one charging at him with some sort of axe. Kelan reached out and grabbed the weapon, stopping it dead. [color=F5B041]"Now, if the gun didn't work..."[/color] Kelan stomped down on the pirate's foot, crushing it flat before headbutting him and dropping him to the ground, skull shattered. Kelan whipped around, finding the next pirate daring to try something and hurled the axe with fatal accuracy, taking him down in kind. The remaining bridge crew having seen the armored goliath that was Kelan burst into the bridge and casually slay three of their mates froze at their stations. [color=F5B041]"Which one of you idjits is the pilot?"[/color] Kelan asked, slowly scanning the room. He saw a man at a station that looked like the ship's helm flinch as Kelan's gaze passed over him. Kelan stomped over, clamping his hand over the man's head. [color=F5B041]"I think you're a smart fella. I think you know what'll happen to ya if I decide to make a fist right now. So, smart fella, do me a solid and untether that ship over yonder and let my pals go."[/color] Shakily and on the verge of hyperventilating, the pilot fumbled with the ship's controls until the tether retracted itself from the Guernica and began to reel itself back in, no doubt much to the dismay of whatever pirates were left behind that [i]hadn't[/i] been turned to swiss cheese by Maxima. [color=F5B041]"Good boy."[/color] Kelan then yanked the man out of his chair and tossed him aside. [color=F5B041]"OK, smart fella, you guys got a life raft on this boat?"[/color] The man nodded. [color=F5B041]"Good. Now gather up everyone and get yourselves off [i]my[/i] new ship."[/color] "Th-they won't just-" Kelan stomped over to the man, leaning down, [color=F5B041]"Buddy, if y'all are still here in five minutes, I'm comin' after ya. So you best get to convincin', hear me?"[/color] The Belial's main cannon twitched to life and swiveled to point at the man, the suit's visor flashing red to indicate a target lock. With a frantic whimper, the pirate scrambled to his feet, the surviving bridge crew flying from their chairs to follow him off the bridge. A few seconds later he could hear screaming echoing back as they no doubt began to try and convince the rest of the crew to abandon ship. [color=566573]"I would have killed them,"[/color] Echo chimed in. [color=F5B041]"Yeah?"[/color] [color=566573]"If they do resolve to abandon ship, they may try to overload the reactor on their way out,"[/color] Echo said. [color=566573]"It's what I would do."[/color] [color=F5B041]"Nah, they're too dumb and scared to try somethin' like that. If they weren't, they wouldn't be pirates,"[/color] Kelan assured the alien. [color=F5B041]"But, you make a good point. How's about you go keep the reactor loaded the way it should be, while I steer the ship?"[/color] [color=566573]"And if they shoot at me?"[/color] [color=F5B041]"Step on 'em. They ain't got nothin' that can hurt ya."[/color] With that, Kelan exited the Belial and made his way to the helm. [color=566573]"I still think this was an unnecessary risk."[/color] [color=F5B041]"Well, you know what they say-"[/color] [color=566573]"No."[/color] [color=F5B041]"If it's stupid-"[/color] [color=566573]"It was."[/color] [color=F5B041]"-and it works, it ain't stupid."[/color] The only response was Echo's stomping footsteps retreating deeper into the pirate ship. [color=F5B041]"Now, let's see here..."[/color] Kelan muttered as he scanned the console. [color=F5B041]"Ah, old fashioned and analog. You love to see it. Now where's that dang tether gun..."[/color] Anyone on the Geurnica would see the pirate salvager begin to move, reorienting itself to follow on of the fighter craft. Suddenly the tether launcher would fire, skewering the fighter. The salvager then accelerated while simultaneously reeling the ship in, splattering what was left of the craft against its hull... and likely disabling the tether launcher in the process. A moment later, the radio on the Guernica's bridge would crackle with an incoming call, [color=F5B041]"Welp, that's probably gonna lower the resale value..."[/color] Kelan's voice would speak over the radio. [color=F5B041]"Howdy there cap'n. Would you be so kind as to relay to the boss man that we have commandeered this ship and are in the process of evicting its current tenants? Also, we have various item's of questionable legality to peruse, so feel free to pick up a souvenir when the battle is over. Err, over."[/color]