5ZXX-K V Mordu's Legion Testing Facilities
"Docking request accepted. Welcome home, Captain."
20 mins later
Hong steps from the boarding ramp of his Merlin, wearing his traditional black boots, pants, and high-collared tunic, the tunic adorned only with the bright silver talon and vermilion rising raptor insignia of the Harriers. An armed, three-man security detail awaits, the lead guard stepping forward, "Follow us, please, sir."
He bites back the planned jaunty, sarcastic remark, instead nodding and following the lead, the other 2 guards flanking him as they proceed to the station innards.
Minutes pass as they wind through the high-security capsuleer section, passing increasingly strict security protocols, with equally-increasing scrutiny of biometrics. Upon arriving at an impressive blast door cut from rolled tungsten battleship plating, Hong blinks, noticing a distinct lack of obvious "prove again who you are, and that you are unarmed" technology, supplanted by a blank steel pad nestled next to the door. A quirked eyebrow providing all the prompt required for the lead security officer to instruct: "Sir, place your right palm against the pad. This is as far as we go."
As Hong placed his hand against the cool metal, a short, seemingly thick needle lanced out and quickly bit his palm. Eyes narrowing as a light flashes green, he removes his hand to see a single droplet of blood ooze out and begin to coagulate in the center of his palm.
"Final blood test," explains the lead guard, "and a little 'cocktail' to destroy anything truly harmful: viral, bacterial, or nanomechanical, that you may have had in your person. You may pass, sir."
Stepping in to a long, dimly lit corridor, Hong walks briskly -- seeing a dimmer red-and-blue lit room ahead, arriving seconds later to find the Command Hub: a vault-like room with regional starmaps displaying various data hovering at the ceiling, a central display dais, and 2 levels of computers, displays, and ground-level holo projectors, manned by a number of technicians. In the center of it all, conferring with two techs at a holo projector displaying a single star system, stood Muriya Mordu -- in loose, lightweight blue pants and top most likely better suited for bed than work, and a bright red, pointy hat, adorned with white fuzz around the headband, and a small white ball of fuzz at the top.
Mordu turns, beaming brightly at the new arrival. "Ah Captain! So good to see you! I hadn't expected to make your acquaintance in-person so... quickly? shall we say."
Hong nods, as he adopts a casual position of attention. "Neither had I. I have some things to discuss, that I don't think should be trusted to even 'secure' encrypted comms. I also have a somewhat-related request to make."
Mordu walks over quickly, wrapping his arm protectively around Hong's shoulder, "Well then, my boy, let us step into my office," he exclaims, as he guides Hong through another corridor opposite the entranceway, and around a corner, giving a quick retinal scan before the door slides open to admit the two. He turns behind his desk, gesturing for Hong to take a seat, and flops into his own chair, putting pointed-toed green boots up on his desk.
Four hours later
"Those are awfully risky ideas, Captain. It might work in small squads, but large fleets you would have some trouble managing in that style. But these are your resources, and it is your ISK you're putting up for that, so do as you please. I find it difficult to believe you can pull it off, but if you can," he giggles gleefully a moment, "you may just surpass me as the daredevil tactical genius!"
Hong sits forward, "If my ideas work, we won't NEED large fleets. I don't forsee us as becoming an army unto ourselves. I'm content to leave the armada-building to you and the other capsuleer CEOs who work with you. Which brings me to the other thing -- this flies in the face of conventional warfare. I understand the Legion has a standing policy of recruiting only highly experienced and trained people, and I understand the reasoning for that. What I want to do will go against the grain of that experience and training. I need new people, those without much experience, who can be trained and molded, to do things 'across the grain', so to speak."
"It IS 'across the grain', as you say. But, as with a fine steak, some things are easier to cut across the grain. As I said, it's your resources, your company. If there's nothing else, you have my blessing on your plans, and ... I have a request of my own to make. Intaki is still your priority, but when you have time and forces to spare, I would like for you to conduct some recon-in-force again -- in Outer Ring. Of course, you and your people are always welcome here as well, and I'm sure you would enjoy harassing the local Goon and TEST population as they do us here at times. If there are no further questions or discussions to be had? Good hunting."
Mordu stands, smiling broadly, as Hong stands and sketches a salute, turning to exit the office, crossing the command hub, making his way back to his Merlin, half on autopilot as he thinks about how to make this all work...
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Topic: New, Eccentric, Mordus-aligned Corp Seeks (kinda)Qualified Applicants (Read 9938 times)