Hilda
Hilda walked through the corridor of the ‘Jade Grip’ as she made her way towards the hangar bay. The task force had only been in system for a few days since their return from patrol and maneuvers along the northern border of the sector.
Dumgarth had it’s own issues with raiders, like the Furia Sector, or any sector of the Commonwealth. It likely had more issues than most, but it was talked about less, most likely because the worlds of the sector were still largely Fabian Tutha, and the raids they suffered came from their Tutha brothers and sisters.
The Fabian Tutha of Walhaz might have shared the same faith as their kin in Dumgarth, but their hatred of the Old Blood, and the Commonwealth didn’t protect the sector, although most their raids were directed at the Warwick Sector. Nor did the Tutha of Eriu across the Void of Eriu refrain from raiding either Dumgarth, Walhaz, or any world they could. The Tutha of Eriu were the last true bastion of that ancient culture which had once made up most of what was now called Fabian Space. Even the unconquered Tutha of Kaledon had long since abandoned their own faith and embraced the Fabian Faith, and warred against the Tutha of Eriu as much as any in the Dragon’s Head Nebula.
Hilda let out another sigh. The Dumgarth sector might suffer raids from time to time, but it had been clear to her that the System-lord of Isca had quelled those in recent years, and the sights of his fleet in formation had proved how much work her own Task Force still needed.
There had been no fighting on their patrol. A few raiding vessels had been captured, but nothing more than a frigate. They had surrendered without a fight or without trying to run, likely their only smart decision.
Still, the patrol had been an success in Hilda’s eyes. The crews of the Battleship got experience, and above all she had been happy that the System-lord had allowed several of her officers to witness his crews in actions, and several thousands had switched places. She didn’t like the several thousand Furse, and Fabian Tutha on her own ships, but it had been a fair trade.
Hilda had been grateful for the System-lord for allowing those officers to remain in place until the Task Force left the sector. They would prove a wealth of information, but most likely like those on her ships, were being watched, but there was no reason to see them as a threat, and already the System-lord had spoken to her about several operations he would like her to conduct to help with patrolling th sector, and granting her Task Force more training, and experience.
The Hangar came to life as the doors opened to Hilda. She walked through as waited for the shuttled to land, and out came the System-lord, and several children. She hated children, but forced herself to smile. She hoped they would touch anything, and make her ship sticky.
“Welcome Lord Frost,” Hilda called out with a respectful bow.
