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nShi Lang was excited when he heard that the target of their mission this time was a band of pirates. Gamma heard their answer and said, “Calm down a bit. We are up against a group that has been wanted through the federation system for the past five years. The charges against them are ravaging, extortion, arson, and raids.

nThis band of pirates is called Celestial Drifters. They have a small fleet of five spaceships. Our task is to track their hideout, then take them all down once and for all. We will be operating in teams of four. Tian you are with Lullaby. Carole with Ace. Sharpnel and Hunk. I will be taking a solo fighter this time. Our probe agent spotted the pirates in the outer periphery of Rafa-tik, sector BX10. We will take fighters, you can select what role you want to play.”

nShi Lang and the rest nodded and the Gamma said, “Okay, roll out. Take bikes.”

nThe people saluted and said, “Yes, Boss.”

nThey put on their masks and walked out of the villa. This time Shi Lang did not have to report to Commander Archie Arkham. The secret division teams were all given a lot of vehicles, two maglev cars, ten bikes, five space combat fighters, and one special class spaceship. A team was allowed to have ten members in a team and the provisions were to accommodate them to the fullest.

nThey all came to a garage next to the villa and got on their bikes. All the vehicles in the division had the same number and the same output. As soon as their communicator came in close contact with the bike the engine ignited. This was a smart ignition system only the army could use these bikes.

nShi Lang was the first to activate his bike despite being the last. He did not wait like the others to put on a helmet, neither did he take care to wear the gloves. He jumped on the seat and then twisted the throttle. With a whoosh, his bike shot out like a bullet. The rest of the people were surprised and Carole said, “This kid is challenging us. Let us race to the spaceport.”

nThe rest nodded and shouted before they rushed out. However, Gamma was still the faster one among them. She moved faster, as she did not waste any time discussing with them.

nSeven black figures riding black bikes flashed on the road making the people ogle at them. Soon the bikes caught up to Shi Lang, however, the boy did not react much. He leaned his chest closer to the bike and when he entered turns, he used his entire body to shift the weight and move ahead. After twenty minutes, they were all standing at the spaceport.

nShi Lang was the first to reach and the boy was patted on his back for this. They all liked to have fun after all. Gamma and they arrived near a spot where their special spaceship was standing. Gamma said, “Get on the fighters, we are going to hitch a ride with a dreadnaught and then scout on our own.”

nThe crew saluted her and then they all got inside a combat class spaceship. This vehicle did not have an engine capable to enable them to take a space jump. The seats were arranged like those in the old fighter jets. One higher and one lower. Carole said, “Ace, I am good at weapon control and navigation.”

nShi Lang nodded and said, “Okay, I will take the flight command.”

nThe training in Ragnarok was not only brutal torture. They had made this kid a one-man army if he had the strength. Shi Lang clicked a few buttons on the panel and he adjusted his seat a bit. As he grasped the joystick. A voice sounded inside the cockpit.

n“This is Gamma, do you all copy?”

nShi Lang nodded and said, “Ace and Carole, Copy.”

n…

nAfter a few basic flight command instructions and introductions of their roles, the people took off vertically, and soon after they reached a height of two thousand meters the ship moved with a boom, breaking the speed of sound in a mere second. They flew in a wing formation. Shi Lang was at the left side of Gamma, while the other two took the right.

nShi Lang did not say anything but controlled the fighter manually. He could use the assistance of the auto-pilot system but he had no such idea. He was trained to fly this vehicle with his own skills and he followed his training.

nHe said, “We are leaving the gravitational pull.”

nCarole replied, “Yes, our ride is just a few kilometers ahead.”

n…

nAnother hour passed by, and four combat-class fighters stood inside the belly of a cargo ship operated by a military business company. None of the secret division people got down the ships. They did not mingle with those outside their division when they were on a mission. Shi Lang asked, “Carole, what do you think they are transporting in this hunk?”

nCarole shrugged and said, “Who knows? I bet they are on their way to ship something back here.”

nShi Lang nodded and said, “You have a high chance of being correct.”

n…

nThe cargo ship entered space jump in a few moments and then it came out of it. After a few minutes, when the crew had all gathered their wits, Gamma said, “We are moving out.”

nThe teams all replied, “Roger that.”

n…

nFour black combat class space ships came out of the hatch door and they moved out to comb through the space. Shi Lang controlled the ship and followed the rest. Gamma said, “You are free to search alone, we will move all over the outer periphery of Rafa-tik. You can pick one. If you find any traces, contact the others and do not engage alone. Is that clear?”

nThe crew replied, “Clear, Boss.”

nCarole suggested that Shi Lang move the ship according to her. The boy moved on her instructions and his speed was fast. The energy source of the ship was a nuclear fusion battery which was almost endless fuel. He did not save anything for later and moved forward. Suddenly he said, “Carole, the radar is showing that we are getting closer to the meteor cluster of Rafa-tik.”

nCarole replied, “Yes, the meteor belt is the best place to hide.”

nShi Lang replied, “It is also the best graveyard. You know that they all move at different speeds, right? A pebble could poke holes through the hull.”

nCarole nodded and said, “I know Ace, but you also know that they can hide inside those destroyer class meteors?”

nShi Lang thought of the possibility and nodded. He said, “I think they can do that. Now that you mention it, Rafa-tik does have a few hundred destroyer class rocks revolving around it.”

nCarole nodded and said, “That is the goal.”

nShi Lang nodded and said, “Boss, this is Ace, we intend to check the destroyer class rocks, to see if the rats dug themselves a hole.”

nThe communication through space in the same region was as fast as they would do on earth. Gamma reverted back to him in an instant, “Go ahead, be wary. Call if you find them, Godspeed.”

nShi Lang replied, “Godspeed.”

n…

nShi Lang moved the ship using a clever thruster manipulation to search through miles of rocks and rocks. The ship was standing at the edge of the Meteor ring. Carole said, “The more beautiful it is, the deadlier it is.”

nShi Lang chuckled and said, “Indeed, true.”

nThey searched slowly and lost count of time. The ship cockpit did have a lot of dry ration stuffed inside for the pilots. The boy said as he was chewing a protein bar. Suddenly the radar went off.

nCarole said, “We have company.”

nShi Lang said, “Ugh, of all the times, they could not have chosen another five minutes to show up.”

nCarole said, “Boss, we have movement in the meteor belt.”

nThe message was reverted instantly, “All teams are moving over to your position, do not be discovered before we reach there.”

nShi Lang said, “Boss, it is a bit late for that. These guys have counter-tracking systems. We are discovered.”

n…

nThe boy put down the protein bar and took control of the ship. He moved through the meteor belt as he found ships moving towards them. Carole said, “Ace, they have us locked down with phaser beams.”

nShi Lang cursed, “Fuck, I am moving in the open. If a bloody rock hit, it will kill us earlier than the phasor.”

nCarole said, “Do what you want, I will handle the defense shields and counter-attack.”

nShi Lang nodded and said, “Roger that.”

n…

nThe boy moved the ship to the outside of the meteor belt when they received an incoming communication request. Carole said, “What to do?”

nShi Lang said, “Relay it to me.”

nThe next moment a silky voice sounded in the cockpit, “Brave soldiers of The Federation. I invite you to the humble abode of Celestial Drifters.”

nShi Lang replied, “Who might you be to invite us, kind sir?”

nThe person chuckled and said, “I am the leader of the drifters, Man Hua.”

nShi Lang said, “Man Hua, I will take a rain check on this invitation. See you.”

nThe communication was disconnected and the chase began.

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