She walked the empty corridors, all occupancy evacuated hours ago, save for a single capsuleer in the gunner seat. She peered at the reinforced blast widows, picturing the fleets. The fleet she belonged to was of Stribog Clade, her new family. They were here to ensure the Astrahus’ destruction, with help of fellow Kybernauts and Pandemic Horde. A crackled voice of her XO broke through the angry warning sirens.
“Captain, how long we stayin’? Window’s closin’ for a safe undock”
“If it gets too much just undock without me, I am going for a drink” she laughed.
“Wha-” Cutting the feed, she carried on down the corridor.
A faded marking of ‘SECTOR 3-T’ and a list of facilities, indicated she was near her destination. Ducking through the hatch she found herself staring into the open and empty hanger, save for a few abandon crates. All prefab “rooms” had been packed and shipped. The discolouring and empty bolt holes of the deck betrayed the recent modulated street, a street that maybe a few days ago was bustling with life. Clementine walked idly down the street looking up as the entire hanger shook. The warning sirens were interrupted by the station’s AI announcing that the structure hull was past fifty percent integrity.
Scanning a few of the unmarked crates, she finally found one labelled ‘The Lawn’. As expected, it cradled bottles from all four of the Empires. Liberating an emerald coloured bottle, she popped the cork. A sweet floral aura drifted across her senses, almost teleporting her back home. She took a moment, closing her eyes to savour it before taking a generous swig. Wiping her mouth with the back of her arm she poured a trickle on the deck.
“Rest in Peace Smokey, you will be remembered.” She whispered replacing the cork.
An explosion at the other end of the hanger knocked her out of the melancholy, signally it was her time to leave.
“Is everything ready?!” she shouted, bottle in hand walking up the rampart.
“It was ready half hour ago Cap’ain. What’s that for? We got plen’y of booze onboard?” Her XO giving her a confused look pointing to the bottle.
“Good, looks like Lux is a no show, so we got a clean ride out.” Lifting the bottle “And this? A souvenir. Now lets get ■■■■ out of here!”