Prey

 

Intaki Prime

Sea in the Southern Hemisphere

01:49 ET

In a tropical sea on Intaki prime an Elasmobranchii class carnivorous fish began its slow and meaningful ascent to the surface of the rich blue sea. Smaller fish that saw it darted away but due to its presence the area around it held few other sea creatures many knowing the dangers that it represented.

4.6 AU away and 6,000km from the Intaki II Federation Logistics station a Rokh class Caldari battleship sat cloaked in space awaiting its prey capsuleer Richard Masseri could feel the anticipation as it played across him, the ship and the crew. The feeling of suffocation was heavy in the air or for Richard heavy in the gelatinous substance that permeated every orifice of his body. Breathing in the common way was not something done inside a pod and considering how long Richard was prone to stay in pod it was a wonder his body knew how to breath at all. The many tubes and wires fed him food, information and air alike, like the carnivorous fish so very far away Richard was used to being submerged he was also used to hunting.

The fish watched its prey as the creatures far above if flittered about around a rotten carcass that had returned to the surface. They were ignorant of its presence oblivious to the danger that  lurked below the surface of the water, they fought each other over the scraps little know another was slowly approaching in readiness to feed upon them.

Richard Masseri watched his crew as they quietly prepared for the upcoming event it was unusual for a ship this large to be so quiet but the silence reassured him that all parties knew the significance of what was coming. A minor act some might call it petty but also a meaningful one an act of wanton violence on an unarmed target. This was not his usual style however that was about to change.

The fish began its steady ascension as it did so it sized up the prey it needed not only surprise but perfect timing there were three birds and with perfect timing all three could be claimed.

"Local Spike. Four federation targets have entered system." The message hit Richards eardrums at the same time it was fed into the active local channel on his neocom. The targets had arrived four pilots two with similar callsigns, a message from Dutch confirmed that they were, as expected, that they were all piloting shuttles. Richard activated directional scan and waited, nothing then yes four shuttle 14AU, 10AU, 5AU, 1AU. Decloak.

The fish sped to the surface breaking through the water it lunged mouth opening wide teeth sharp as knives the birds hardly knew what was happening as the jaw slammed shut two down the third opened its wings in an attempt to escape.

The shuttles popped out of warp and between them and the station stood ILF Kalipela the Rokh class battleship piloted by ILF pilot Richard Masseri. They registered this information just as the smartbombs began to activate eviscerating the shuttles in which the pods of these federation operatives were situated. The pods then sat there unprotected a vulnerable layer between space and there own capsuleer occupants.

The fish lunged again its jaws catching the bird just as it launched into the air the timing was perfect 4.6AU away the smartbombs began there second activation each pilot suddenly was exposed to the pure vacuum of space and the damaging power of a smartbomb blast.

After a small delay salvage drones quickly cleared the wrecks and each frozen corpse was cleared away then Richard cloaked the ship 4.6AU away the carnivorous fish returned to the depths its hunger sated for a time.