Omega Force: Rebellion (OF11), стр. 77

around won't be a bad thing, that's for sure. That ship could probably outgun one of those Luex-class boomers."

"This has gotten very complicated, very quickly," Mok sighed. "I can hardly be expected to run my own affairs and manage this new military I've just been saddled with."

"Let Kellea do it." Jason shrugged. "She was managing the Cridal fleet already and the Eshquarians respect her."

"And you?"

"I prefer to remain an independent operator for now."

"Of course," Mok deadpanned. “So, how bad is the Phoenix?"

"Pretty bad, but she's been through worse," Jason said. "Twingo is getting it all sorted out now, and then I'll have to figure out how to source the parts. Damn near everything on her has to be custom made anymore."

"Have you ever thought about moving on to a newer, more modern ship?"

"Those clunky looking shitboxes you all fly around in now? No thanks. Besides, the fact she looks outdated works to my advantage."

"Except that the ship is becoming more and more recognizable," Mok argued. "I didn't say get rid of it, I just thought maybe it would be smart to go to something a little less…conspicuous."

"We may be forced to for the time being anyway," Jason admitted as he looked back at his beloved ship. They'd been together since the very beginning of his adventures, when he was accidentally abducted from Earth. The idea of parting with the DL7 was analogous to going on without one of his appendages. "The repairs aren't going to be cheap or quick thanks to losing one of the main engines. We'll have to have four brand new ones fabricated, tested, and installed. I don't think we have that sort of time to just sit around and wait."

"No, we don't," Mok said. "Let me guess, you're about to ask me for a ship to borrow."

"Well, since you're offering."

"Luckily, I've already been giving it some thought. A combat shuttle is too small since you guys like to live aboard the damn things, and they stopped making gunship-class vessels about the time Jepsen was bought and split up, so the best I can do for you is one of the Deruno-class corvettes I've recently acquired. They're new and mostly automated, so it shouldn't be a problem with even your small crew and your piloting."

"What do you want in return?"

"My ship back in one piece," Mok said. "And I'm serious about that. The ship is being brought up with two others I'm attaching to this new fleet we have. An added bonus for you is that the Phoenix will fit inside its hangar bay so you can take it wherever you're performing the repairs at."

"That's…unbelievably generous." Jason had no idea what to say in the face of such an offer. Mok was basically tossing him the keys to a brand-new starship for a loaner, so to speak. "Don't worry about her. Not a scratch…promise."

"I already regret this," Mok said.

"I think the best thing to do for now is to lay low, assess the damage, and wait for the Machine's next move," Jason said, steering things back on topic. "We really can't plan much until we know what its reaction is going to be."

"Agreed. We'll have a preliminary meeting shortly, and then begin moving ships out of here and into the Cluster for safe keeping. Do you have any idea where you'll be heading?"

"I actually need to stop at Pinnacle Station to pick up some people I've hired from Earth for a new business venture and take them back to S'Tora," Jason said, referring to the planet he and his crew had called home for the last few years. "I may as well just take her there and let the engineers and technicians who have already worked on her handle it."

"Good luck, Jason," Mok said, sticking his hand out to imitate the human gesture. "We'll be in touch. Don't damage my ship."

"Get those ships stashed and get clear of this," Jason said, shaking the proffered hand. "We might have surprised the ConFed, but they'll be pissed and looking for blood."

"Holy shit! Do we have to give it back?"

"We're just borrowing it!" Jason yelled as Crusher and Kage raced down the wide corridor. "Don't fuck anything up!"

"The Phoenix is secure in the hangar bay," Twingo said. "The deck had these nifty automated tie-downs that grabbed the landing gear trucks and secured it without me really having to do anything. This is a damn fine ship."

The corvette-class ship that Mok had lent them was more than nice. It was basically brand new and still smelled of fresh upholstery and gleamed inside in a way only a ship that hadn't been lived in yet could. Mok had been cagey about where he'd gotten the ship from, far too nice a vessel to have been in any actual military service, but assured him the codes were clean, and it wasn't stolen.

"It came out of the Aracoria Shipyards, so it's probably as good as it gets," Jason said. "Any trouble in Engineering?"

"All highly automated." Twingo fluttered his ears, his species equivalent to a shrug. "There's not a lot for me to do other than direct the damage control bots if something goes wrong. How are you for piloting this thing? It's a lot bigger than a gunship."

"It's not that much bigger," Jason said defensively. "It's a standard helm configuration so it won't be any trouble, just different from the stick and rudder in my own ship."

"Who are these people we're picking up?"

"Six humans Marcus Webb was nice enough to get immigration papers for and a ride out to Pinnacle Station," Jason said as they walked towards the lift that would take them up to the bridge. "They're staying as guests of the United Earth Navy in the offices and suites they keep at Pinnacle."

"That only half answers my question."

"These boys are from a place called Ireland back on Earth," Jason explained. "I figured the demand for Earth coffee has already made me rich, maybe Earth whiskey will make me richer. Besides,