Commander Jess Stryker: "Sam Porter Bridges... 'The Man Who Delivers'?"
Sam: "That's me."
Stryker: "Want to work with me? It'll be tough to find another way off planet. We'll be better off sticking together."
Sam: "I can't help you with that. I make deliveries. That's all."
Stryker: "Ok, then... watch yourself. Those things never stay gone for long."
Stryker: "See you around... Sam Porter Bridges."
SKREEEEEEEEEEE
Sam: "Ohshit-"
*PEW*
FWOOOOOSH
Sam: "Fuck!"
Sam: "Oof..."
Bob the Unbuilder: "Need a lift back to HQ?"
Sam: "Sure."
In the skies over Refuge...
Sam: "So this is your new special ops shuttle?"
Bob: "Yup. It's called the Personnel Excursion Quick Unobtrusive Orbital Dropship, if you care."
Sam: "I'm not sure you have any business calling something that can one-shot an Angel a 'dropship'."
Sam: "Also, it's cramped as fuck in here."
Bob: "That's the price you pay for speed. If we'd been any slower, you'd be Tang by now."
Bob: "Anyway, do you have the sample?"
Sam: "Right here."
Bob: "Awesome."
Bob: "I've got something for you as well. Call it a bonus for all your good work."
Sam: "Is that a-"
Bob: "Yup, it's a Positron Rifle. I guess once the Research Division dissected enough Type-5 Angels, they figured out how to scale it down to minifig-portable size. This will go through an A.T. field like it isn't there. Expensive as shit, but I'd rather not lose our porters to an Angel attack."
Sam: "Thanks for that."
Pilot: "Mr. President, message for you from Vanguard Three, high priority."
Bob: "What is it?"
Pilot: "Britannian ships have been detected entering our outlying systems, including Admiral Blackdog's personal vessel. Over twenty so far, and more warp signatures incoming when the message was sent. It looks like a full-scale battle fleet this time."
Bob: "Dammit, it's starting already."
Sam: "What's starting?"
Bob: "For the past year, the natural hazards of the Zone have made the other factions too scared to explore it, but that was never going to last. All those agencies they set up to study weird shit... RARcom, the TRF, the ARA, the Royal Society... they're all going to come pouring in here, looking for new scientific discoveries and new weapons. And when they find out that we weren't completely wiped out, they'll bring in their battle fleets. It's going to be a bloodbath."
Pilot: "This is P.E.Q.U.O.D., arriving shortly at LZ."
Sam: "I thought you liked violence."
Bob: "Hell yes. I love violence. But we need time to rebuild before another major war"
Bob: "Once we're ready, though... none of them will be able to stand in our way."
