Forshadows of War

Forshadows

To Start a War

Lorn Manolin, a trader living on the desert moon Coriolis, is called back into the service of the Derilict Navy. His mission is to destroy Borea's battle group preparing to attack Derilict. He is given command of four Derilict ships.

Eyrina Haford, a young IceStar mercenary, is sent by the Alliance to stop Derilict, hoping to draw the war out and keep the two distracted from the nearby Coruscate system.

While en route to the Borean fleet, Lorn's strike force is ambushed in dead space (Where the engines powering Derilict vessels are useless) by Haford's ship, the ISA Phalanx. A short but intense battle ensues, and she is successful in crippling the Derilict force. She takes Lorn and the heavily-damaged frigate Cloudsoarer, planning on ransoming them off.

The Phalanx and the Cloudsoarer are returned to the IceStar System. The Phalanx is given a new mission and is heavily repaired and modified. Lorn, taking advantage of standard Derilict implants, escapes, losing a lot of blood in the process.

Haford becomes curious and looks through the Cloudsoarer's computers, and comes to believe that she killed her brother, one Captain Jenneke Haford of the Derilict Navy. She plans on traveling to Derilict IV to find the truth.

Lorn unknowingly hitches a ride on the Phalanx to travel to Derilict, but Haford does not recognize him during the trip due to his extreme blood loss when escaping. She takes him for an IceStar mercenary. However, several events happen during the trip:

• Lorn learns that Haford is of Derilict descent.
• She reveals to him the identity of her brother, who Lorn recognizes (Jenneke served under Lorn in the recent Borea Strike). Lorn informs her that her brother is alive and well, and she asks him to tell her if she sees him again.
• Lorn learns of the presence of an IceStar outpost in the Derilict system.

Haford and Lorn leave the Phalanx, she to Derilict IV and he to the nearest Derilict vessel, to inform them of the mercenary presence.

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