Star Raiders: The Adventures of Saber Raine

Saurian attack fighters have broken through the front lines.

- We are in route to target... - Evasive maneuvers!

Initiate attack vector at coordinates Six J Alpha 12.

Affirmed.

They're coming in too fast! I can't...

Saurian target acquired. Squadron X, move in!

Directly ahead, vector 1-1-3-8.

Direct hit! Defensive aura holding.

- It's on a collision course! - Break formation!

Target reacquired.

- Senjo formation five. - Senjo five.

Position locked. Nova, engage ion bridge.

Engaged.

Okay, boys and girls...

...let's remind this Saurian viper how the Terran empire deals with invaders.

Fire!

Target locked!

We broke through the defensive aura. Secondary engines severely damaged.

It's adrift. Stabilizers down.

Let's finish this.

Target primary atomic engine.

What?

Terran Squadron commander, stand down. That ship is protected.

Unidentified vessel, do not interfere, we are under orders.

I've just given you new orders.

And who are you to issue orders to Squadron X?

Captain Saber Raine, Terran special operations.

Captain Raine?

I must inform you, you are interfering with extermination orders from the rear admiral.

And I'm telling you, Commander, that order is wrong.

I will bring that ship and its captain in.

You will stand down!

Its engines are coming back on line!

It's breaking away, sir.

Sorry, sir, no can do. Squadron X, Senjo formation two.

Senjo formation two.

Bad move.

I'm under fire! Evasive maneuvers!

Commander, your shields have been disrupted.

Stand down!

You just fired on your own forces.

That is an act of treason!

Circe, open a channel.

The channel's open, sir.

Captain, this is a direct order. Disengage!

I can't obey that order, sir.

This is your last chance, Saber.

That's a negative, sir!

Then you leave me no choice. Commander Squadron X...

...Terminate with extreme prejudice!

Affirmative. Squadron X, take him out!

Always gotta be the hard way.

The system's core has reached maximum capacity.

- They can't get through his shields. - Engine core levels at full power.

Plasma torpedo.

- Plasma torpedo away. - Coordinates alpha six four seven.

Initiate attack vector.

- He's headed straight at us! - I can see that, thank you, Orion.

- Open fire! All batteries! - Focus firepower toward the engine.

All hands brace for impact.

We're venting tri-plasma, dispatch repair crews.

- He's launched a fusion mine! - Evacuate the ship!

All hands abandon ship! I repeat, all hands abandon ship!

Damn you, Saber.

Sensors.

No heat signature at all.

Must be cold blooded.

Control, what is this thing?

Scanning, sir.

Unknown, sir, there is no match in the database.

Switch to motion sensors.

- Captain Raine. - Saber, and don't salute me.

I'm Commander Voss, I lead this operation.

This is Ryll, my arms master, and reconnaissance specialist Fade.

We should get out of here.

- What were those things? - And why didn't they emit life signs?

Mutates, and they didn't emit life signs because they aren't alive.

They're corpses animated by some kind of larvae...

...that feeds off the bodies of the dead.

Part of the reason no one comes to this planet.

It's a consequence of what happened here centuries ago.

About that, there's no data available, no records.

Just a quarantine ordering all vessels to stay clear of this sector.

And this planet isn't on any known chart.

It's a good thing you got the coordinates I sent you.

I'll tell you what I know.

This world...

...was once called Goros Prime.

- Never heard of it. - I have.

A planet of legend, ruled by a ruthless overlord.

Stories I was told it was merciless and sinister...

...but ruthless will work.

When they rediscovered this planet, they quarantined it.

But some have ignored the quarantine.

They come here to conduct their... business beyond prying eyes.

- People like you. - People way worse than me.

Renegades, smugglers.

Your enormous bounty got me here.

But your transmission...

...neglected to give me the specifics on what we're after exactly.

We could not transmit that information for fear it would be intercepted.

I don't think anyone's listening.

Members of the Aresian royal family were taken.

The prince and princess.

The king's only heirs.

They also took a single piece of treasure from the king's vault.

Whoever abducted them, managed to leave the planet undetected.

Tell me about the treasure.

A single jewel, a relic acquired centuries ago on a xenoarcheological dig...

...on the planet Phobos.

Valuable?

Insignificant, an information storage device.

He's more concerned with the treasure than with the lives of our people.

I'm surprised your planet only dispatched the three of you.

We alone were responsible for their protection.

Our code of honor dictates that we must find those responsible.

And kill them.

Discretely.

If the king dies before we return with his children...

...we will be honor bound to join him in the afterlife.

I have a...

...friend.

If it's happening on Goros, he'll know about it.

I trust you are comfortable.

My comfort is irrelevant. Where is my brother?

He has been enjoying my hospitality.

You will tell me what I want to know...

...and with that knowledge I will conquer the universe.

I'll tell you a secret.

We may be royalty, but we are still warriors.

Our father will not stop searching for us.

But he won't find you, no one will.

- Who are you? - I am Sinjin!

But you, along with all living creatures...

...need only call me Master!

Warriors?

Pathetic!

- You got a problem? - I don't trust you.

- You don't know me. - Really?

Control, information on an individual known as Saber Raine.

Saber Raine, origin...

...Earth 2762.

Decorated officer in the Cyber-Corps.

Given command of his own unit in 2784.

- That doesn't sound so bad. - 2790.

Records indicate his entire team was lost during the Saurian invasion on Mars.

Saber Raine was the sole survivor.

Subject was sent into deep cover to gain intelligence on the Saurians.

Weeks into his mission subject disappeared, believed dead.

But you didn't perish, did you?

Resurfaced in 2792...

...just as a massive Terran force was assaulting the Saurian homeworld.

Subject sided with the enemy. Labeled a traitor.

Thank you, Control.

Ryll, this is accomplishing nothing.

He's a mercenary.

Unworthy.

I don't need you to tell me about my past.

I lived it.

We're here now. You need my help, and I need to know you got my back.

Or are your personal feelings more important than those lives you swore to protect?

Your weapons, they fire projectiles propelled by exploding gas.

Bullets, T-2 explosives. Saved your ass!

Primitive and inferior!

Can we stop trying to compare the size of our guns...

...and go find your people.

It's just over that ridge.

Keep your red eye open, we're in annelid territory.

- What's an annelid? - You don't want to know!

After you.

Hold it right there.

Bad move.

On this planet, you always have backup.

Saber Raine.

In the flesh.

I'm surprised to see you...

...alive.

Hello.

What have we here?

Aresians.

Traveling in some elite circles, I see.

Yeah, we're old pals.

That's good, cause you haven't got many 'round here.

We're looking for some friends. I thought maybe you could help.

This a bounty?

'Cause if I gotta betray one of my friends, it's gonna cost more.

Visitors. They're...

Brought against their will.

Slavers, maybe. There's been an increase in traffic lately.

A Denarian you might remember.

Lorthos?

Known in this part of the galaxy as the slave master.

Lorthos is a thug!

Preys on unarmed vessels and isolated encampments.

- We're trying to find... - Find other Aresians.

And we'd appreciate any information you can provide.

Pretty. But you'll have to sweeten the pot.

Say...

...one power cylinder.

I've heard many tales in my line of work...