Captain Rabin was especially proud of his crew today. They had just completed their third bounty contract this month and were getting everything squared away in the cargo hold. The Vae Victus was just a little battered with a little sail damage from that last fight but she was still the fastest ship in the galaxy.
Captain Rabin took the most pride in that last part. As an important Bounty Hunter for the Cadar Syndicate his job often required him to enter enemy territory in search of his prey. His infamy with the other governments meant he had a sizeable bounty on his head. But he never bothered with facing down his pursuers, he simply ran. Rabin rarely took on anyone after him, earning him the name Captain “Rabbit.” He didn’t consider it an insult but as a badge of pride. After all, a rabbit is fast, agile, and difficult to corner. But if you do happen to corner a rabbit, it has a set of claws and teeth ready for you.
Rabin was in the cargo hold inspecting the crates of Artifacts his crew had just settled in. One item caught his eye, a metallic skull with ruby-like eyes and a wicked grin. He tried to match the grin himself but instead found himself unsettled by it. The klaxons sounded. Bounding to the bridge he was astounded by what he saw; the largest battleship he had ever seen. It was over fifty times the size of the Vae Victus and bristled with cannons from every conceivable surface. It bore the fifteen yellow suns of the De Valtos Syndicate. They currently considered him a “Troublemaker,” but he had previously never had any beef with them.
“Open communications,” was Captain Rabbit’s command and his crew obeyed. On the viewscreen appeared the captain of the Battleship, an stern-looking man in a stiffly starched De Valtos uniform of burgundy and grey. “Unidentified vessel, you have been accused of committing acts of piracy in De Valtos space. Identify yourself, stand down, and prepare for inspection. If there is nothing untoward, you will be sent on your way,” the Captain intoned in a bored voice.
Captain Rabbit gave a mischievous grin to his First Mate and crew and gave his signal. “Of course, of course we will stand down. I am Captain Rabin of the Vae Victus and I will welcome your inspectors on board my ship. We have nothing to hide.” As soon as the Battleship started to open its boarding gear the thirteen engines of the Vae Victus roared to life and Captain Rabbit made his run.
Rabbit watched in satisfaction as the Battleship shrunk down to a tiny dot on the viewscreen. He was congratulating his First Mate on another successful escape when the viewscreen snapped to life again. The De Valtosan was back now with a grin of his own. “Are you trying to run, little rabbit? Let’s see about that.”
In space there is no sound. Nothing outside your ship makes any noise. Missed gun or missile fire is silent. Your ship computer simulates sound so you can compensate for what you believe you ought to hear. It is an old holdover from ancient pre-spaceflight interstellar fantasy movies. Captain Rabbit heard the loud roaring of the Battleship’s engine when visually for him it was only a speck in space. Which was rapidly becoming larger.
“The Battleship is gaining on us Captain,” said the Sensor tech. “I know!” Rabbit retorted. “Make evasive maneuver set 5!” But it didn’t help. They dodged, twisted, and angled in several of his favorite tricks but nothing got the leviathan off their tail. The viewscreen snapped open again. “You know you can still just cut your engines,” the De Valtos Captain actually seemed relaxed now. “I promise my men will give you and your crew the same deference Captain Rabbit has given to all the crews he has previously “inspected”. Or perhaps I need to demonstrate what we COULD do. Fire once!” An explosion knocked the Vae Victus into a tailspin. In one shot five engines and half of the armor was gone.
“Shut that screen off and keep it off!” yelled Captain Rabbit. “So you want to corner me, huh? I’ll show you what I can do! Turn about, ready the cannons, and let them have everything we got!”
Against any previous foe Captain Rabbit had fought, he probably would have come out either victorious or at least alive. Against the De Valtos Battleship the Vae Victus never stood a chance. Captain Unom looked out at the carnage with little surprise or sympathy. “Communications, message to Price Kashmire that the Rabbit has had his last run.”
(Captain Rabbit was my second character in Star Trader RPG. This was a romanticized account of his final battle which was against a freaking huge battleship I could not get away from. Just as in the story I turned around and fought and died rapidly.)
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