To Do the Impossible

[Admiral Hart]

One week had passed since the battle of the ships, and no one had seen hide nor hair of Captain Hart, except possibly Morgan, and even then, it seemed, only to bring her meals.

In one day, they would pass Callisto. And the next day, they would be upon the military convoy. Repairs were going as quickly as they could, and were, thanks to the "volunteer" help TK had wrangled, be completed by the time of the assault.

In the middle of the prime shifts, Captain Hart left her bunk, dressed fully, minus her horribly bisected hat. She strode onto the bridge and pressed the intercomm with little fanfare, not talking or greeting any member of her staff.

"Plunder's Heart, this is your captain, Josetta Hart, speaking. As you may know, I have been lying to you about my true identity. If this has hurt any of you or made you doubt me or my abilities, then I apologize. It wasn't my intention.

"In two days, we are going to engage a military convoy guarding a state-of-the-art warship. Given our secret weapon and superior skill, we will probably win this fight. However, it is time to come clean to you all about this. This is my fight. We are doing this for me. Aboard that ship is...is the man that stole my baby. He is also that child's father. I am doing this to punish him and recover my darling Clara.

"This is not to say, however, that there is no plunder to be had. Salvaging parts and robbing officers alone will bring in a monumental haul. But, I'm not going to lie. This is going to be the most dangerous mission we have ever done. Some of us will not survive. And Anton LeValle will have priority over any and all booty.

"Which is why, as this is my fight, I am giving you the option not to fight. In one day's time, we will pass Callisto. Anyone who does not want to fight in this fight will be dropped off at Jove City. We will come back by there, assuming we survive, after the mission, so anyone who, at that point, still wants to be part of my crew may return. I will not think any less of you if you decide not to fight, or decide not to come back.

"You have until fourteen hundred tomorrow to decide. I hope some of you decide to stay. Hart, out."

After that, Hart went back into her room, still without additional words to the crew, and a shocked look on most everyone's, even Morgan's, faces.

[Dr. Andromeda Reyes]

Andromeda was tempted.

Oh, how she was tempted. She stared somewhat unseeingly at her data pad from where she sat in her modest office in the med-bay, her face void of emotion but inwardly a maelstrom of it. Why should she continue to martyr herself out for this crew? For their lying, pitiless Captain? What was to stop her from disembarking in Jove City and heading for the first communications terminal she could find to contact Thorn Scarsgard and take him up on his offer?

He might be heavy-handed and more slippery than a garden snake, but at least he was honest about it.

Her fingers rubbed at the edge of the tablet, her vision blurring, though she stubbornly refused to allow any more tears to fall. Instead the slender female let out a slow, shaking sigh before getting to her feet and continuing with her daily routine.

As much as her broken heart wanted to pack up right now and leave, and never look back, she couldn't bring herself to do it. Andromeda Reyes was first and foremost a healer. With the sort of battle that the Plunder's Heart would be engaging in, the wounded would be many. And there was no one else on this ship with the ability to tend to them. If she disembarked in Jove and let them go on without her, then several good men and women could very well die. It was something Andromeda couldn't bring herself to allow.

She would stay on-board the Plunder's Heart for now. She would begin doing some research, however, on any compitant, available medics in the field looking for work. Once she settled on a few that she felt would suit, Andromeda would present them to Josetta Hart, along with her resignation.

[Jane Doherty]

"Well duh, of course he's a girl. I mean seriously, what kind of straight man has that kind of fashion sense. How could you guys not figure that out?" Jane commented to anyone who asked her what she thought.

[Dane]

Dane just smirked after the announcment, like hell I'm going anywhere. This ship is my home. Besides, he was a wanted man. No civilized place in the universe would take him in. Well maybe the cove, but it'd be only a matter of time before the UE tried something.

He smirked to himself, walking down the halls of the Plunder.

And really bad eggs...avast me hearty's yo ho!

[T.K.]

After the announcement, T.K. shrugged it off, and went back to work. After a few minutes, he noticed that Ryan and George were still standing around. And very obviously not working. Two flying parts from the Power Junction they were rebuilding brought their attention back tot he task at hand.

“You two can go speculate about the Captain on your own time. Right now, you're on my clock.”

The two men still hesitated a moment.

“I could always get Shinigami out.”

He blinked, and missed it as both men hurriedly resumed their work.

[Admiral Hart]

Jo had only lost ten people to Jove City. None of that was her core crew. Not even Andromeda, who she had been convinced was going to leave.

And the convoy was ahead of her. Hart stood right by Jane, staring into the viewscreen. She could see the Heart Breaker and several other frigates and escort ships, all dwarfed by the massive warship carrying Anton.

"Entering maximum range." Morgan said.

"Jane, right before Morgan says we're at minimum safe range, veer away. Casper, you launch the warhead at the same time Mr. Halcyon announces that." Hart said calmly, eyes never leaving the Heart Breaker.

Then, the blue and white ship, and several frigates, suddenly veered for Plunder's Heart. At that same moment, Jane, thanks to her precognition, knew to start turning the ship around.

"Minimum safe distance!" Morgan called out a split second later, and the Plunder's missile launcher fired several rapid-fire missiles towards the convoy.

The frigates gave chase, firing several waves of blasts and bullets at the Plunder, before the Heart Breaker suddenly veered off to give chase to the missiles.

Then, the missiles detonated, right before the convoy. There was a bright flash of light, and eletrical sparks seemed to shoot over everything within minimum safe distance, including half of the Heart Breaker and a decent chunk of the warship and all of the convoy, except those chasing Hart's ship.

The Heart Breaker, once racing to intercept the missiles, was now coasting eerily, as were all non-pursuing members of the convoy.

"EMP bomb has worked! Most of the convoy is on backup power only!" Mr. Cook exclaimed. "Well worth the ten million credits I paid for it." Hart said appreciatively as an explosion rocked the ship. "Now, to take care of the rifraff."

No sooner had she said that that the frigates took massive fire and began to drift in space. A familiar, smaller vessel shot by the Plunder than, and Hart smiled despite herself.

"Thorn, you son of a bitch. Thanks for the help." She murmured under her breath. "Alright, people, we got a job to do and it's not even half over. We're gonna dock with that warship, abscond with Anton LeValle, and then, we're gonna take everything that's not bolted down on the ship, and some of the things that are!" She called over the intercom. "Yo-ho, you scurvy bastards, let's get this show on the road!"

[T.K.]

T.K. didn't even pay attention, to the Boarders he was with, as they continued to mop up the EU soldier's that kept trying to take pot shots at them. He was too busy pushing his shopping cart, and doing just as the Captain had suggested. Any electronic or mechanical gizmo that looked worth using on the Heart was tossed into the cart.

Tailing behind him, and flinching at all the gunfire, and looking as though hey expected to drop dead at any second, were Michael and Eric from Cassie's crew. They were pushing the large Anti-grav lift that T.K. had insisted they bring along.

It wasn't much longer, before T.K. had led them to the heart of the massive ship. A large, overly secured door barred their way.

“Ah, good. We found it.”

“Found what Boss?”

“The greatest piece of loot on this whole ship. Well, Unless they were transporting several tones of Gold for some reason.”

Everyone eyed each other nervously behind T.K.'s back, while he fiddled with the security locks on the door.

“Gotcha!”

With a hydrolic hiss, the door opened up, revealing a treasure trove of computer equipment. However, T.K. had his sights set on only one thing.

The massive VAILIENCE 8400 Super Computer in the center of the room. He took a casual swing of his wrench at a Tech who tried to feebly fight him off, before he walked up, and caressed the colossal piece of technology.

“Baby, you and me and going to do great things.”

He ignored the deadpan stares his group gave him, and instead waved at Michael and Eric.

“What are you waiting for? Load her up.”

[Dane]

Dane plowed through many waves of UE soldiers trying to stop him and his massive boarding party, it was quite pathetic really. Captain had allowed him to bring some of his heavier guns for this run, so it really wasn't a challenge when soldiers were meet with a Gatling gun shooting out 100+ rounds every couple of seconds, each round meant to pierce light armor, body armor and light bulk heads, while leaving thicker armor like...the walls around him intact.

To say he was having fun was a understatement.

Dane whistled a happy tune as he rounded another corner, then ducked back behind said corner to avoid loosing his head, he turned to look at the scorch mark against the back wall. The weapons expert clucked his tongue as he reached into his pocket, pulling out a small grenade.

So glad I brought these.

He pulled the pin out with his teeth and tossed it around the corner, not three seconds later the small explosive detonated, along with it a cry out of soldiers dying. Dane continued walking down the hall till he reached its end, his boarding party behind him all the way. He smiled foolishly as he stared at the name plate on the door.

Armory

"Boys, jackpot. Grab the expensive stuff, and don't forget the hand guns, I can't stress this enough." Dane smiled as his crew ran past him, picking up heavier armaments, he turned to his left and stared at the unmarked door, he contemplated for a moment before spraying the door lock with bullets. The door slid open pretty easily after that.


Dane's jaw went slack as he stared at the rooms contents, he grabbed the nearest crewman and tugged him over to see what was inside the room, his jaw went slack as well.

"I'm seeing this right?" the man nodded weakly.

"Aye sir...thats a shit ton of booze." Dane smiled and turned back to his boys.

"Crew, grab a cart. Tonight we drink till we forget what feelings felt like."

[Admiral Hart]

Hart herself lead the boarding party to find Anton. Luckily, they had exact instrcutions on where to find his room, thanks to Cassi.

"Now, remember men. He's being watched by a Mamba. These are deadly people. They don't know pity or remorse. They've been conditioned to be relentless killing machines." Hart cautioned as they snuck up on the door.

The pretty, messy black haired young man in the Mamba uniform, however, heard them coming. Instead of attack, he held up his hands and said, "Don't shoot. If you're looking for Anton, he's in there. I'm tired of watching that sadistic bastard."

Hart was even more surprised when a small, blue sprite appeared on his shoulder, a fox girl in a kimono, and said, "Big brother! You'll get court martialed for this!"

"Shush, little sis." The Mamba replied. "Hey, when this is done, could one of you knock me out, for realism?"

Hart chuckled. "Sure, least I could do." She walked to the door and opened it.

Anton was rather startled, though he hid it well. "J-Josetta....you..."

"Found you." She said, smirking.

"You...you won't get away with this, you know." Anton stammered. Her men put cuffs on him and shoved him forward.

Something clicked in Jo's head at that point. "This ship was taking you back to my Clara. But we're past Europa. Where was this ship headed?"

Anton laughed darkly. "The moment I tell you that is when I lose my value to you. I think not."

Jo turned to the Mamba. "Where's this ship headed?"

"Titan." He replied, smirking at a pale Anton. The sprite on his shoulder stuck her tongue out at the scientist.

"Take him back to the ship, boys. And don't be afraid to rough him up." Hart ordered, standing beside the Mamba.

"What's your name?"

"Miller. Randolph Miller."

"Well, Mr. Miller, I owe you one. And if you ever decide the pirate's life is for you, gimme a call." Hart said. Miller smiled. "Thanks, I..."

He was cut off when Hart's hilt smashed into the back of his head and he collapsed to the ground.

"Oh! He's going to have a headache when he wakes up!" The sprite said worriedly.

Hart, however, was grinning nearly ear to ear as she walked back to her ship.

Clara was finally in her reach.

[Dr. Andromeda Reyes]

Andromeda stiffened a little when the Captain suddenly swept into the med-bay, though most wouldn't have caught her subtle reaction. The doctor gave Cooper a reassuring smile, finishing with his bandage.

"You should be fine with a few days rest, Mr. Cooper."

The boarder crewman nodded his thanks, then--taking one look at the Captain's determined stare--mumbled a goodbye and beat a hasty retreat. Andromeda didn't turn to acknowledge her at first, cleaning up her supplies with quick and efficient movements.

After the door shut behind Cooper, Josetta suddenly sighed.

"Andi, I need you to do something for me. It's important."

"Yes, Captain?" she questioned, still not turning and pretending to be very engrossed in re-wrapping her gauze.

"Look at me."

Andromeda was so stunned by that soft plea--and by the fact that that's what she wanted so badly--her head turned and met the Captain's clear blue eye immediately. Only to be met with a small, shadow of her former smirk. "Well, that wasn't really the important thing I was talking about, but I appreciate that just the same."

Andromeda felt her cheeks heat, her eyes narrowing. Yet, somehow, despite all of the pain and humiliation she was feeling, Andromeda still found herself returning blandly, "you're still not funny, Captain."

Josetta's smirk widened considerably. "And I still beg to differ." A moment passed before that smirk softened into a more serious expression. "I wanted to ask you to come with me when we land on Titan."

Andromeda's brow furrowed in confusion. "Why? I'm no boarder crewman, Captain." Josetta shook her head.

"My daughter Clara, she's being held there." Her crystal blue eye became pleading, and Andromeda felt her insides turn to mush just like before.

Despite the fact that that mesmerizingly crystal blue eye was now sitting in the face of another woman.

"I have no idea the condition that she's in," the older woman admitted, voice going a little rough with pent up emotion. "I would ask someone else, but . . . it's my little girl, Andi. I want the best for her."

Andromeda stoutly refused to acknowledge the fact that she was blushing. She wasn't attracted to women. She wasn't.

Was she?

Andromeda drew on her unflappable calm, ignoring the tell-tale heat in her cheeks. "Very well Captain," she pronounced, nodding. "She'll have it. You have my word."