Milo Tyranne
Character
[member="Mishka Tu'ru"]
There's a darkness out between the stars, that any eye can see
There's a deeper dark within me, where no light will ever be
There's an empty place beside me, where my lover ought to stand
And there's a burning star before me, and the throttle's in my hand
Three months ago I lost her, to a fear without a name
I thought we could be together, that our hearts could beat the same
I was laid out but a short time, and I barely saw her fall
I only know I failed her, chilled by her final call
I grieved for her so deeply, as I'd hoped for me she would
I remembered her that final time, and I said what words I could
Let those bright stars hold her gently, for she came so far to sleep
Then I took the ship that was our home, and I blasted for the deep
But deep space holds no comfort for one broken and alone
And the ship held only memories of the joys we once had known
And I could not live without her, in a life no longer whole
So I chose to die by starlight and let fire cleanse my soul
And now the view is blinding bright, the fires burn ahead
The hull around me whispers as it glows an angry red
There's a high, cold wail behind me, as though starships too could cry
But my hand is firm and steady, for the time has come to die
But now my love comes back to me, 'cross gulfs I do not know
And I hear her voice within me, and I hear her crying "no!"
And I pull the throttle to me, and the retro thrusters burn
And the ship cries out in agony as she fights to make the turn
My vision starts to fail me as the forces mount and grow
And I wonder when the ship will fail, and I wonder if I'll know
Then the view before me darkens, and a coolness strikes my face
And there's nothing left before me but the endless depths of space
There's a darkness out between the stars, that any eye can see
But there's a light within that darkness, touches even a fool like me
For I know my love forgives me, and I know she loves me still
Once we roamed the stars together
Now I know we always will
[ Aboard MEV Ranger, near Lamaredd ]
Milo lay still in his crash webbing, staring off at nothing through the view-ports of his ship's bridge.
He had lived.
Gods help me, I'm still alive...
This had not been in the plan, such as there had been one. The young Miln couldn't go on anymore; he had tried to outrun his grief, tried to jump through hyperspace until he was far away from that horrible, horrible star cluster where Udrusa had cast herself adrift, and been driven mad by the dark and savage power the holocron had shown her.
But the memory of those stars had burned itself into Milo's soul, as had his lover's final, terrified moments...
And I couldn't save her.
The Miln let out a low moan, and clutched his head, closing his eyes tightly as he tried to make the images go away.
It really wasn't his fault, he had tried to convince himself. Udrusa had knocked him cold, and in any case, he was not yet skilled enough in the Force to have helped her. By the time he knew what had happened, his lover had accelerated her launch close to 3/10ths of C, and even a ship with a drive as powerful as Ranger's could never have caught up to her in time.
Try as he might, though, Milo could not make himself believe it.
The guilt had eaten at him for months. He jumped from star to star, but the thrill of discovery had abandoned him; all he could think of was what had happened. It was, he knew, slowly driving him mad, but he eventually ceased to care.
Eventually, when he believed he could stand no more, he had decided to follow his lover to where she had gone.
He wondered if he had really heard Udrusa's voice in those crucial moments; had that truly been her he felt? He had obeyed, of course, and he still breathed...
Why should I live, though? He thought to himself, looking back up at the star-field past his view-port. Why would she want me to be away from her? Is there something left for me to do?
Udrusa had been special to Milo. Though hardly his only love, her abilities had allowed the two of them to become close in a way the young Miln had not thought possible. Next to her, past lovers seemed but shades.
I suppose it's hard to imagine moving on after being with someone who actually does know what you're thinking. He mused to himself.
It was at this thought that Milo felt a tingle, a feeling he had learned to recognize as his own Force-derived precognition. It guided his gaze toward the nearby sensor screen, which a half second later flashed to life with an urgent ping and a readout.
"...what's this?"
Ranger's computer had detected a vessel exiting hyperspace, a few megameters away according to sensor data. At the speed of flashing electrons, it processed the information, taking in radar, optical tracking and other data, including transponder codes, which identified the little ship as a Lambda-class shuttle.
Automatic queries were exchanged between Ranger and the newcomer, which registered significant damage. Almost as quickly as the ship had arrived, all of this information came up on the appropriate bridge readouts.
From his command chair, Captain Milo Tyranne of the Miln Astrogational Corps felt training and duty reassert themselves in his mind.
He reached for the comm switch, his expression steeling.
"Lambda-class shuttle, this is MEV Ranger. Sensors detect that you are damaged, do you require assistance?"
Milo waited for a reply.
No answer.
"Lambda-class shuttle, do you require assistance? Please respond."
Nothing.
On the screen before him, Milo watched additional data flash up before him. The newcomer was adrift; drive systems were offline, station keeping thrusters were not firing.
Milo nibbled his lower lip briefly.
"Lambda-class shuttle, stand by, I am moving in to dock."
Minutes later, Milo had connected a cofferdam to the newcomer, and made his way over to a ventral hatch. Fitted out in a vacuum suit with the visor open, he studied the alien hatch controls, rubbing his chin.
The young explorer was not yet skilled in the Force, but he could sense presences, and knew that there was at least one aboard the damaged ship. It was not a vibrant one; perhaps the pilot was unconscious, perhaps badly hurt.
Perhaps both. He thought, hoping such was not the case.
Manipulating then controls, Milo managed to trigger the release, watching as the hatch slid open before him.
Gulping, he climbed up into the damaged alien ship.
The vessel was not large; only a small shuttle, Milo knew, of the sort used to ferry cargo and personnel between planets and large vessels, though it did have its own hyperdrive. Obviously, it had taken a beating; the interior lights flickered, and though the vacuum seal had evidently held, ruptured coolant pipes sprayed steam at irregular intervals, leaving everything foggy and indistinct.
The Miln explorer looked around.
Nobody was in this part of the ship; not to surprising, as Milo could only sense one aboard. Carefully, he picked his way through wreckage to the cockpit hatchway, tapping the button to open it.
He frowned when it didn't budge.
Facing a locked door, the explorer puzzled. Why would someone lock their door on an otherwise empty vessel?
Perhaps they were afraid of being boarded? He considered. Maybe they were escaping something? Would explain the damage...
He fished in an equipment pouch for tools, and set to work taking apart the door controls. As he worked, he could feel the presence on the other side; present, but inert.
Definitely knocked out, at least.
The door finally hissed open, and Milo stepped inside.
The first thing that came to him was the scent of blood.
The coppery odor was not as strong as it might have been, but it set Milo's rodent instincts on edge. Someone was definitely hurt, even if not badly, and the young Miln made his way cautiously toward the high-backed pilot's seat.
When he reached it, he looked at the occupant, and his cup-shaped ears went flat against his skull.
For his first sense was of soft, feminine curves, and distinctive crimson skin...
No karking way...
There's a darkness out between the stars, that any eye can see
There's a deeper dark within me, where no light will ever be
There's an empty place beside me, where my lover ought to stand
And there's a burning star before me, and the throttle's in my hand
Three months ago I lost her, to a fear without a name
I thought we could be together, that our hearts could beat the same
I was laid out but a short time, and I barely saw her fall
I only know I failed her, chilled by her final call
I grieved for her so deeply, as I'd hoped for me she would
I remembered her that final time, and I said what words I could
Let those bright stars hold her gently, for she came so far to sleep
Then I took the ship that was our home, and I blasted for the deep
But deep space holds no comfort for one broken and alone
And the ship held only memories of the joys we once had known
And I could not live without her, in a life no longer whole
So I chose to die by starlight and let fire cleanse my soul
And now the view is blinding bright, the fires burn ahead
The hull around me whispers as it glows an angry red
There's a high, cold wail behind me, as though starships too could cry
But my hand is firm and steady, for the time has come to die
But now my love comes back to me, 'cross gulfs I do not know
And I hear her voice within me, and I hear her crying "no!"
And I pull the throttle to me, and the retro thrusters burn
And the ship cries out in agony as she fights to make the turn
My vision starts to fail me as the forces mount and grow
And I wonder when the ship will fail, and I wonder if I'll know
Then the view before me darkens, and a coolness strikes my face
And there's nothing left before me but the endless depths of space
There's a darkness out between the stars, that any eye can see
But there's a light within that darkness, touches even a fool like me
For I know my love forgives me, and I know she loves me still
Once we roamed the stars together
Now I know we always will
[ Aboard MEV Ranger, near Lamaredd ]
Milo lay still in his crash webbing, staring off at nothing through the view-ports of his ship's bridge.
He had lived.
Gods help me, I'm still alive...
This had not been in the plan, such as there had been one. The young Miln couldn't go on anymore; he had tried to outrun his grief, tried to jump through hyperspace until he was far away from that horrible, horrible star cluster where Udrusa had cast herself adrift, and been driven mad by the dark and savage power the holocron had shown her.
But the memory of those stars had burned itself into Milo's soul, as had his lover's final, terrified moments...
And I couldn't save her.
The Miln let out a low moan, and clutched his head, closing his eyes tightly as he tried to make the images go away.
It really wasn't his fault, he had tried to convince himself. Udrusa had knocked him cold, and in any case, he was not yet skilled enough in the Force to have helped her. By the time he knew what had happened, his lover had accelerated her launch close to 3/10ths of C, and even a ship with a drive as powerful as Ranger's could never have caught up to her in time.
Try as he might, though, Milo could not make himself believe it.
The guilt had eaten at him for months. He jumped from star to star, but the thrill of discovery had abandoned him; all he could think of was what had happened. It was, he knew, slowly driving him mad, but he eventually ceased to care.
Eventually, when he believed he could stand no more, he had decided to follow his lover to where she had gone.
He wondered if he had really heard Udrusa's voice in those crucial moments; had that truly been her he felt? He had obeyed, of course, and he still breathed...
Why should I live, though? He thought to himself, looking back up at the star-field past his view-port. Why would she want me to be away from her? Is there something left for me to do?
Udrusa had been special to Milo. Though hardly his only love, her abilities had allowed the two of them to become close in a way the young Miln had not thought possible. Next to her, past lovers seemed but shades.
I suppose it's hard to imagine moving on after being with someone who actually does know what you're thinking. He mused to himself.
It was at this thought that Milo felt a tingle, a feeling he had learned to recognize as his own Force-derived precognition. It guided his gaze toward the nearby sensor screen, which a half second later flashed to life with an urgent ping and a readout.
"...what's this?"
Ranger's computer had detected a vessel exiting hyperspace, a few megameters away according to sensor data. At the speed of flashing electrons, it processed the information, taking in radar, optical tracking and other data, including transponder codes, which identified the little ship as a Lambda-class shuttle.
Automatic queries were exchanged between Ranger and the newcomer, which registered significant damage. Almost as quickly as the ship had arrived, all of this information came up on the appropriate bridge readouts.
From his command chair, Captain Milo Tyranne of the Miln Astrogational Corps felt training and duty reassert themselves in his mind.
He reached for the comm switch, his expression steeling.
"Lambda-class shuttle, this is MEV Ranger. Sensors detect that you are damaged, do you require assistance?"
Milo waited for a reply.
No answer.
"Lambda-class shuttle, do you require assistance? Please respond."
Nothing.
On the screen before him, Milo watched additional data flash up before him. The newcomer was adrift; drive systems were offline, station keeping thrusters were not firing.
Milo nibbled his lower lip briefly.
"Lambda-class shuttle, stand by, I am moving in to dock."
Minutes later, Milo had connected a cofferdam to the newcomer, and made his way over to a ventral hatch. Fitted out in a vacuum suit with the visor open, he studied the alien hatch controls, rubbing his chin.
The young explorer was not yet skilled in the Force, but he could sense presences, and knew that there was at least one aboard the damaged ship. It was not a vibrant one; perhaps the pilot was unconscious, perhaps badly hurt.
Perhaps both. He thought, hoping such was not the case.
Manipulating then controls, Milo managed to trigger the release, watching as the hatch slid open before him.
Gulping, he climbed up into the damaged alien ship.
The vessel was not large; only a small shuttle, Milo knew, of the sort used to ferry cargo and personnel between planets and large vessels, though it did have its own hyperdrive. Obviously, it had taken a beating; the interior lights flickered, and though the vacuum seal had evidently held, ruptured coolant pipes sprayed steam at irregular intervals, leaving everything foggy and indistinct.
The Miln explorer looked around.
Nobody was in this part of the ship; not to surprising, as Milo could only sense one aboard. Carefully, he picked his way through wreckage to the cockpit hatchway, tapping the button to open it.
He frowned when it didn't budge.
Facing a locked door, the explorer puzzled. Why would someone lock their door on an otherwise empty vessel?
Perhaps they were afraid of being boarded? He considered. Maybe they were escaping something? Would explain the damage...
He fished in an equipment pouch for tools, and set to work taking apart the door controls. As he worked, he could feel the presence on the other side; present, but inert.
Definitely knocked out, at least.
The door finally hissed open, and Milo stepped inside.
The first thing that came to him was the scent of blood.
The coppery odor was not as strong as it might have been, but it set Milo's rodent instincts on edge. Someone was definitely hurt, even if not badly, and the young Miln made his way cautiously toward the high-backed pilot's seat.
When he reached it, he looked at the occupant, and his cup-shaped ears went flat against his skull.
For his first sense was of soft, feminine curves, and distinctive crimson skin...
No karking way...
