"If you see anything unusual or illegal, make sure you report it. Vanguard's here for a reason - we'll take care of it."
You see a lot of action out here?"Might be counterintuitive, but no. No we don't. It's pretty quiet, and some of us deal with that better than others. We get the occasional distress call, sometimes Va'ruun stirs up trouble, but there's a lot of downtime. I'm not complaining, but others, like Bastien there... It's not what he was expecting. Certainly not what he wanted."
What does the Vanguard do here?"The same thing we do everywhere else: fill in the gaps for the UC Navy, help keep the Settled Systems peaceful and safe. Sometimes a little bit of a challenge all the way out here, but we try our best. I wouldn't mind a little more support from New Atlantis, but I know things are tough all over."
"Fly safe."
Show: The Devils You Know
"Looking to lodge a complaint? Then you want UC Security, not the Vanguard."
Actually, I'm with the Vanguard. Supra et Ultra, Captain."Oh. So you are. Sorry about that, Captain. People mistake us for peacekeepers most days. Wasn't expecting someone from the actual military. So what can I do for you?"
Captain Marquez. I need to speak with you."You're here for me? Uh, did I miss a briefing or something?"
No complaints. I was told you could help me."Can try, I guess. Why? What do you need?"
There's a wanted man hiding out in this sector. I need to find him."Think you got some bad information. If there was a wanted man in our skies, he wouldn't still be out there. Unless.... Are you talking about the Warlock?"
Reginald Orlase. I heard you might know him."Orlase? Doesn't ring a bell. Anything you can tell me about him?"
I need to get to Etherea."Etherea? Not an area that gets a lot of visitors. You mind me asking what you're looking for?"
It's a sensitive mission. I can't say too much."Ah. Mum's the word, then. Well, Etherea's not hard to get to. Only the two planets orbiting Wolf. But all you're going to find out there is ice, scrap and... The Warlock. Say no more. I can give you some coordinates that should get you headed where you need to go. But, uh, if you're really going out there, you'll want to be extra cautious. That part of Etherea's orbit's plenty hazardous."
There's a criminal hiding out there I'm planning to bring to justice."Really? Living around Etherea?"
Someone's hiding out there. Someone I need to find."Hiding? Around Etherea?"
"Are you talking about the Warlock? There's been rumor of a ship out there for years now. Doesn't respond to hails. Never docks. More than a few amateur investigators have tried to find it... and at least two never came back. Etherea's debris fields are plenty dangerous if you're not used to flying in 'em. But if you're suggesting it might not've been the fields that got 'em, well, I can give you the coordinates of the Warlock's last sighting."
Excuse me. I need to take care of something."Understood."
Anything I should know about Den?"Things you should know? The Den's not really that kind of place. This is a quiet assignment. Keep an eye out for pirates, make sure smuggling's kept to a minimum, occasional rescue job out in the debris fields. Otherwise, it's mostly long haulers and staying ready for the day the Collective wants another round or House Va'ruun comes back in force."
Anything else can you tell me about the "Warlock?""I mean, I honestly thought it was just a story bored haulers told to amuse each other. But if the pilot of the Warlock really has been dusting our people... well, hopefully you're about to make our skies a whole lot safer."
What's so dangerous about that part of Etherea's orbit?"Well, the original Den starstation was destroyed decades ago during the Serpent's Crusade by marauding House Va'ruun zealots. Big part of the remains from those battles ended up gathering around Etherea, forming a nasty debris field. Every now and then some headstrong scrapper comes limping back because they hit an eighty-year-old mine... or sometimes they don't come back at all. Though maybe it's not just the field that's been picking them off."
I'll take those coordinates."Sure thing. Here. This should get you pointed in the right direction. Good hunting... and stay safe."
Conversations[]
Tensions[]
Bastien:"How about my foot up your ass, newsboy? That a big enough "scoop" for you?" Holden:"I really don't think that's appropriate talk coming from a Vanguard pilot..." Bastien:"That's exactly your problem - you don't think! If you weren't such a lousy reporter, you wouldn't be stuck all the way out here!" Holden:"I mean, I guess maybe that's true, but... uhh, if so... you're just as stuck out here as I am. So what does that say?" Bastien:"Oh wow. You really do want me to kick your ass, don't you?" Marquez:"All right, that's enough! Bastien, go cool off. Get a drink." Bastien:"Whatever. Fine." Marquez:"Holden... I appreciate that you have a job to do. I really do. But you need to consider that you don't operate in a vacuum. If you're stationed here long-term, that means you're around these people all day, every day. And they're not going to like it if you're making them look bad." Holden:"I can't just... not report. They need to know that I'm out here working hard. And lately not much is happening..." Marquez:"I'm sure they do know that, Holden. I'm just saying, maybe use a little more discretion in your reporting. Maybe a lot. Don't worry. When the next big story breaks out here, I'll be sure and help you get the scoop, okay?" Holden:"I will... think on that. Thank you."
Quotes[]
"I should be grateful that things are so quiet here, but it just makes me uneasy."
"I know we're not a priority for the Vanguard or the UC, but it's still space worth protecting."
