We organized near the Gate to Earth sector. After everyone arrived, we moved up to Zhao's location. The assault began. We attacked Zhao's ship with everything we had, but our weapons were clearly inferior to Zhao's. As quickly as his weapons acquired target locks on our ships, we were shot down. Single volleys from his cannons were capable of disabling or destroying individual ships. Our assaults only resulted in the most minor of damage to his shields. Even with emergency jumpstarts and using the ECS Dauntless for emergency repairs and refits, it was becoming clear that Zhao would prevail.

It was when things looked the bleakestthat something remarkable happened. A galaxy-wide transmission was sent carrying news of the attack. Although the source of this transmission and the technology used to make such a wide-ranged communication remains a mystery, it proved to be the turning point in the attack. Hearing the news, more and more ships arrived in Asteroid Belt Alpha and joined in the assault.

As additional ships arrived, the battle began to turn. More damage was inflicted. Zhao's targeting systems were overtaxed attempting to prioritize the ever growing number of ships. His weapons continued to incapacitate, but explorer jumpstarts kept us alive. His shields continued to fall, and eventually they failed. Weapons fire impacted his massive hull armor. Breaches began to form. Zhao's ship began venting coolant and oxygen. Still the assault raged.

Then it was over. The damage sustained was just too much for Zhao's ship. His reactor overloaded and his ship exploded. We had won. The most notorious criminal in the history of space piracy had been defeated. But out of the mass of ships and debris, my targeting computer picked out something unusual: an escape pod. Zhao had survived.

I moved in and tractored the pod onto my ship. Zhao could not be allowed to escape. I set course for Detention Center Oronom. I docked and went in to find the warden. But the warden ignored my requests for the incarceration of this wanted criminal. So I left for Alpha Centauri. Certainly Earth Corps would want to bring this man to justice. But it seems the reach of the Red Dragon is indeed long, because again I was ignored. One of the station's vendors must have overheard my conversation with Admiral Hererra, because he came up to me, "Look, I'll give you 14 credits for what you have in your hold, I think you should take it," he said in a whisper. I returned to my ship without giving him a second look.

Back onboard my ship, I was just about to undock from the station when I noticed the cargo hold bay door indicators on the main computer were lit. They were open! It was as I was reaching for my side arm to go and investigate when someone from behind me dealt me a blow to the head. I was left bleeding and unconscious on the docking bay floor.

I awoke in an Earth Corps medical facility the next day. The doctors told me that I would recover, but may suffer from some amnesia. Unfortunately they were right, there were gaps in my memory, and even worse, I had lost all of the skills I had learned during my employ with Infinity Corp. Upon release from the facility, I found my ship was gone and my accounts liquidated. Zhao had escaped.

It has taken me a lot of time and effort to recover much of what I lost on that day. Some of what I was may never be recovered. And Zhao is still out there somewhere. Despite reports to the contrary, I know Zhao is alive. One day I'll find him. And on that day, I'll have my revenge, and Zhao will be brought to justice.

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Merchant Prince Banesword
CEO Trade Consortium

(Image courtesy of SpacerX)