Space Pirate Captain Luna

BY THE TIME dreadnought Freiheit arrived at the desolate Maru sector of the Marwara star system, Captain Luna Mondschein was exhausted beyond measure. A month had passed since she agreed on this job, and although it was lucrative at first, now all she wanted was to punch the man and shut him up. It was her way of affection, or so she wanted to believe.

Walking a few paces from the helm, Luna placed her palms over the cold glass of the bridge. Beyond it lay the glittering expanse of this sector. Her gaze followed the trails of neon star dust, and within them red flickers—a remembrance of the dead stars. A tiny smile tugged her lips; it reminded her of her home planet.

There were three beeps from the command module and a click from her watch. Instinctively, she waved her finger, opening up the holographic map. Red dots scattered across the space around her, and beams of blue followed, creating three-dimensional contour lines. Her eyes gravitated towards the amber blips that were quietly approaching her armada.

Her eyes beamed as she paced towards the command module with renewed rigour. It was finally time. The Imperials, her sworn enemies, had finally shown themselves, and with them was her beloved. The long-awaited date he had proposed was finally at hand.

Luna flipped her white locks, took a quick glance at the holographic mirror, and punched in the commands to wake the crew.

"Good morning, Freiheit," Luna beamed. "This is your captain speaking. It is time for the hunt to begin."

"FOR THE HUNDRETH time, Captain, this is not a hunt," Fiona, her vice-admiral, shot her a glare and adjusted the trajectory of their fleet. It was a routine procedure to make sure they made contact with the enemy at the best possible moment. Although Luna preferred to go as fast as possible, she had a face to maintain.

"I say, beating the corrupt Galactic Empire's ass is always a hunt." Luna grinned.

"I second that." Eira, the Squadron leader of the Mech division, chimed in. Meanwhile, the entire bridge erupted in cheers of acceptance.

"I hate you guys," Fiona grumbled and returned to her task. It was still twelve hours until Luna could finally get that date.

THE HANGAR THAT morning was thrumming with life. Luna had authorised the Mech division to use the freshly stolen Garuda Nexons. It was a state-of-the-art military tech; she was fortunate enough to pillage from the Universal Accord Corporation (UAC). They were the interstellar capitalist pigs who masqueraded as philanthropists, funding the wars that Luna fought to end.

Six clear beeps echoed through the zero-g chamber, and Luna propelled herself towards the docking bay. Engineers all over gestured at each other; it was time for deployment. Following the trails of Neon strips, Luna crossed the fuel umbilicals and towed drones, making her way towards a towering silver mech unit. Her magenta eyes were strained on the unit's cat-like head, as a smile tugged at her face. Ever since Luna assumed the role of a full-fledged captain of the Mondschein pirates, she had barely deployed herself to the frontlines. It was an occupational procedure, and she obliged, but today, circumstances were different. If she didn't see herself in, the time she had been yearning for over months would wither. away.

Slipping in through the chest hatch, Luna made herself comfortable over the cockpit seat and pushed the buttons to activate the sleeping Mech. With a droning hum, the system came to life, and then, with a series of beeps, the monitors and the life support system hissed with delight. This was their way of welcoming her back.

"I am home, Sekhmet," Luna chuckled and gazed upwards at the rotund ceiling. It was covered in the starry sky of her home planet. That was the Mech's reply to her greeting.

It took another fifteen minutes or so for the ground staff to complete the checks, and another ten for Fiona, in tow with Eira, to complete their briefing. Luna had a scowl through it all. She wanted to be put out already.

"Lastly," Fiona's voice redounded from the intercom. "Please don't engage with the Prince. Your current bounty is already too much for us to handle. If UAC adds even a few trillions, the Galactic Wardens will send their elite hunters for your head."

"I am sure we can handle the hunters." Luna shot her a smug smile. "And as for avoiding the Prince." She pursed her lips, her fingers curled over the joysticks. "We have a score to settle."

There was a pause. Luna could hear the static from the comms, and the whiff of ozone followed by the burnt fuel that came from the deployment of the rest of the squadron. It made her feel calm. This was her zone, the place where she could be her truest self.

"Please don't do it where others can see you," requested Fiona, with a strained voice.

"That was the plan all along, Vice-admiral." Luna punched the deployment command and closed the hatch. "Not even a single soul would be able to figure out what went down between us."

"I will take your word for it, Captain."

FROM THE ENCLOSURE of her panoramic cockpit, Luna could sight legions of Imperial ships approaching her in a wedge formation. It was the oldest trick in the war books, and she was all in for it. Pushing the thruster pedals to their maximum, Luna sailed past the flickering star dust and brought out her beam axe. Flicking her joysticks to the right, she positioned the arm of the Mech, Sekhmet, in a vertical arc and swung it, slicing the heads of nine Imperial legionnaires in one take.

She smirked and gave them a side glance. If she had wanted, she could have ended them, but she had promised there would be no bloodshed today; this wasn't a battle against the corrupt, but a step towards triumphant romance.

Feeling her cheeks heat up at the thought, Luna quickly shook her head and directed Sekhmet towards the peripheral zone of the Maru. It was where the Imperial Flagship, Luna II, was stationed, and also the home of her sworn enemy, the Crown Prince: Ashoka Maurya. Pressing the joysticks forward and the pedal in sync, she thrusted past the beams of friend and foe alike, and then, with a downward spiral, she sailed towards her six o'clock.

The static in her comm was reverberating, as Sekhmet cruised past the dense star dust. The visuals were blurred outlines, and even the noise of the battle only a few paces away had drowned. Luna was aware of the amalgamation of dead star particles in this sector, but she had not expected an interstellar storm to brew up today.

Quickly pulling her joystick downward, Luna blasted a visual beacon. The panoramic screen flickered along the beacon's trail, showing dotted lines, allowing her to cruise through the cosmic tempest without hitting any obstacles. The navigation module still displayed the coordinates of Luna II. It made Luna purse her lips. Sending out a signal in enemy territory was a dumb mistake, unless they were taunting her. But knowing the Prince Luna was sure it was not. He was a crafty one, and behind this invitation was a scheme which satisfied his wants. And although she was aware of it, she could still not resist gravitating towards him like a moth to a flame.

"At least I can sink his ship this time," Luna smirked, inputting commands for a projectile attack. "This can be the payback for the last skirmish, and punishment for making me wait."

<Are you sure?> Sekhmet's faulty AI system hummed to life with a concerned tone. <Fiona specifically asked you to not create a scene.>

"With all due respect, Sekh, we'll be fine," Luna gave her a reassuring glance. "And as for the bounty, it was bound to increase either way, so may as well make sure it is for the right reasons."

<Fiona will be angry, you know?>

"When is she not?"

"Fair enough."