The one wherin things go boom and the Alliance acts nice

Organizing the colony for something that would pass as a military operation is like herding cats. In some cases, almost literally. The folks here will pull together just fine when it all drops in the pot as Reavers, Raiders, and Alliance alike have all found out at one time or another. But plan an operation? That's a concept is as alien as fresh made sushi at Fook Yoo's. Sure. People talk about it. But actually do it?

In the days since we'd first taken on the Reavers on that rock base they'd found I'd worked with General to figure out where to place the charges to have maximum effect with minimal waste. He's good with explosives. As good as any of the miners. But he likes his booms big, so keeping it down to a manageable and portable load was the challenge.

While we were planning the best way to crack the rock, and convincing Lily that it really was in everyone's best interest to do so, she was keeping an eye on the place, augmenting our little recee sat with her own trips out to check on the place. Not surprisingly, the Reavers came back and started to restock within a couple days of our leaving so our net gain on the first attack was just some dead Reavers. Worse, morning we'd planned for the operation, she reported she'd seen little AuroraBlue up there on the rock.

Having the Little One up there on the installation would complicate things immensely. The original plan called for just coasting in quiet, deploying a couple of people who know how to handle explosives to blow the airlocks inward systematically. Add a few charges to burst the tunnels where they were close to the surface, and we'd be able to clear the rock without having to risk anyone in close quarters with the Reavers. What we should have done in the first place. But Tiny Dragon made that impossible. Now, we'd have to go in, make sure we could get her to safety, then blow the base. That meant confronting the Reavers who'd reclaimed the rock and that just didn't give me a warm fuzzy feeling about the Op.

Then the Alliance showed up.

Not too long before we were staged to take off we got a wave from an Alliance Lieutenant off the Sun Tzu. Otsuka his name was. Asking for permission to set down to grab a bite, something to drink, and use the facilities. Timing wasn't so good for us, but Silvermane had kept her word and the Alliance patrols of late had been downright polite, if still a bit skittish around us "colonials". Otsuka was like that. Polite, well spoken, didn't give anyone any grief, and even left a tip when he left.

Problem was, Lieutenant Otsuka was out in a recon boat doing a solo patrol to check out the reports of "unusual activity," never admit to Reavers, out in Beetle's Baily. That could put a real dent in our Op. Since I'd sanctioned it from the Mayor's office, it was technically legal. But we hadn't bothered to tell Regional what we were up to and an actual Alliance Military presence at the installation would make things dicey as to who'd be in control. Technically, Lieutenant Otsuka told us to back off, we'd have to if we wanted to stay shiny with the Alliance out here.

Couldn't be helped though. I couldn't call off the Op whether I wanted to or not at this point. Not with Aurora out there. Couldn't take the chance of the Alliance somehow getting their paws on her, or of her getting hurt with the Reavers. Not that they were my biggest worry. If she was anything like her mother, she could walk amongst the Reavers and be treated as one of their own. Not sure whether it was her scent, or just her presence, but unless it was the thick of battle they'd leave her be.

We did a quiet approach to the rock just like we had before. Only this time, in addition to a couple of small Reaver transports like last time, the Lieutenant's recee boat was soft docked on the main platform.

Shiny. Just shiny.

Half figured things to get real bad real fast. Except they didn't. In fact, they turned around the other way. For the life of me I never expected an Alliance Regular to offer to cooperate with a local militia op like ours. 'Cept that's exactly what he did. Offered to take up arms and fight alongside us against the Reavers.

I wished we'd been able to execute to plan though. Having to fight the Reavers on their own turf wasn't my idea of a fun Op. After the previous engagement, they'd be ready for us. Run in, blow it from outside, leave, would have been perfect. But this time we didn't just have to get in and plant the charges, we had to get in, find AuroraBlue, convince her to come away with us, tranqs were not an option, even if some people wanted to, then blow the base. All that without getting 'et.

Not surprisingly, the fight was tough. Tougher than last time. Belize had her hands full patching people up when the Reavers got the drop on them. While we managed not to get anyone killed, it wasn't the overwhelming victory we'd had before. Fact was, we probably got lucky last time around. Caught the Reaver's B team taking a siesta, because this time around it was ugly.

I had to hand it to the folk who went in with us. Leo, Jubal, Thoth, and the rest. Fighting as hard as they could, knowing little Aurora was down there and had to come out alive. Belize tending the wounded. Lily managing to find her daughter down in the midst of all that chaos. Me, jacking the station's comms then sneaking down past the Reavers to set the charges with anti-tamper sensors on them.

By the time I worked my way back out, I figured Lily'd be able to convince AuroraBlue to come back with us. Only, it wasn't working out that way. She wanted to stay, and I couldn't let anyone tranq her so we could just carry her out. Which meant I had to go back in and talk to her myself. Twice. Since the first time she decided to go out with Lily, only to head on back into the rock for whatever reason she had.

The second time, I found her with a couple of Reavers. Just . . . talking. Talking to Reavers. Telling them they should probably leave, because we were going to blow up the rock. Telling them that they weren't going to assault Hale's in retaliation. Talking to them like she was their gorram Queen. And damned if they didn't listen.

A couple of them gave me the eye when I stepped out of concealment to tell Tiny Dragon it was time to go. She told them to leave me be, but my cold glare had stopped Reavers in their tracks before. Seems even a Reaver can still recognize 'If you approach me I will kill you, and you will have no say in the matter.' She agreed to come out with me this time, then when we were saddling up to depart, she loaded into Lily's boat.

Only, when we got back to Hale's where I was buying a round of drinks for all involved, including our new Alliance friend, she was no where to be seen. Lily said she'd loaded her up, then the little one hopped out and went for some kind of small craft of her own. Punched out into the Black in a skiff no bigger than an escape pod. Well clear by the time I saw the charges go - the little Recee sat doing its duty one more time - but once again lost to us.

Damn.

Just damn.

At least I was able to keep my promises. We cracked the rock to keep the Reavers from using it. Managed to get everyone home alive, if not uninjured. Kept my promise to Sabrina that I wouldn't get hurt. And got AuroraBlue out alive and safe.

Just wish she'd come home.