《Aegis》Chapter 17: Deathworld Whiskey

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The Warp Journey from HJG-1034 to the Tuatha system is smooth and fast, and you find yourself headed for the observation dome to get a good view of Dagda during your approach. Thinking back over the paperwork you filled out during the Journey, you approved Zheeves suggestion after only a few minutes of thought. If the Navy were to start poking around the HJG-1034 system for any reason, they'd probably reclaim both the shipyard and the Tera Incarnadine for themselves. But as you get your first good view of Dagda, your breath is all but stolen away. For a Deathworld, it looks stunning from space: large continents the deep green of abundant plant life, wide seas of deep blue, and small enclaves of gridwork lights marking the boundaries of cities and towns.

"I love the stars, but there's three things I'll always miss about Dagda," Morrigan says as she steps up next to you to stare at her homeworld, "One, not having to watch my step all the time. Two, well... forget about two." She gives a small smile and shakes her head, "and three, I'll always miss the songs. Oh, there's singing and chanting and hymns and so on, but the people of Mag Mell always knew how to carry a tune. Half-smashed on Goibihniu's latest brew and singing along to the fiddler. Those were the days."

You scratch your chin at that, "so I owe Frank a drink, and from the sound of it you know a good bar. Anything I need to watch out for down there?"

Morrigan shakes her head, "Nah, not if ye don't pull a weapon and stay inside the town. The wilds' eat ye alive, but the towns are safe enough so long as ye don't do summit stupid. For the bar, try The Fen and tell Goibihniu I said hello. Frank knows the way, It used to be our watering hole after the Eldarim Incident."

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Two hours later, and working your way through the third pint of the best beer you have ever had, you finally get to Franks old war stories. "So where in blazes did you learn so much about xenos species? I never knew anything besides rumors and bullshit."

Frank takes a deep drink, "mostly from piloting escorts and talking to the old salts who've seen and lived through more fights that you and me both combined. Never actually fought them, mind. My first real fight was in the Eldarim Incident, and that was over as soon as it started. Defense monitors are tough as old boot leather, but the can't stand up to a void pirate CL who jumps in already shooting. I hit the burners, but the engines were already gone. Simo got most of they boarding craft I think, and Morrigan held off the borders themselves for longer than I thought possible. Psyker of some sort was in the fray somewhere, because hoarfrost was crawling up the bulkheads. The three of us got in an escape pod at the end of it all, though Simo was all kinds of messed up, and we wound up down here."

"So what about these 'Tyranids'? How dangerous are they?"

"As bad as it gets, and then some. Heard stories about all sorts, but only one guy knew about the 'nids. Old hand by the name of Alexei. Missing a third of his face, melted off by a screamer-killer, so I know he's fought them close-in. He said that no matter what you throw at them, they won't stop until there all dead or you are. Mindless, hungry, and no sense of self-preservation. One other thing he said stuck in my head: when 'nids are around, astropaths go 'deaf' and navigators 'blind'. That’s why I think it's 'nids aboard that shipyard."

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The rest of that night is something of a blur when you wake up the next morning back aboard the Aegis. After another three weeks of boring paperwork and scanning assorted hunks of rock in the asteroid belt, it is time to head back to Viking to turn in your report and prepare for the next stage of your Endeavor.

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