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Kraiklyn's Free Company (KFC) was a private armed group active in 1331 CE. It was led by Kraiklyn. Their base was Clear Air Turbulence.[1]

History[]

Misadventures[]

By 1331 CE all members aside from Kraiklyn had joined after Kraiklyn's acquisition of Clear Air Turbulence. That same year the Company spend two weeks near Sorpen and managed only to pick up a drifting Horza. Horza killed Zallin in a duel and took his place.[2] The Company was 18 strong.[1]

Main article: Raid on the Temple of Light

It took fifteen days for the Company to from Sorpen to Marjoin, where it attacked the Temple of Light. It was repulsed by the unusually heavily-armed occupants and the fortifications. During the raid kee-Alsorofus, Rava Gamdol and Tzbalik Odraye were killed, Gow committed suicide, and the Bratsilakins went missing.[1]

Vavatch Orbital[]

The Company arrived at Vavatch Orbital after at least a six day journey[3] where they attempted to secure one of the bow lasers from the Megaship Olmedreca‎‎. They boarded by shuttle, which was piloted by Mipp. At the start Lenipobra fell to his death after trying to use anti-gravity to leap from the shuttle down to the deck. As the remainder moved to the bow the ship crashed into an iceberg. In the confusion Mipp managed to rescue Horza. Lamm was almost rescued and, in anger at being left behind, shot at the shuttle and detonated the nuclear bomb he was carrying.[4] The shuttle later crashed while fleeing. Mipp died in the crash[5] but Horza survived and later rejoined the Company at Evanauth. Both were Kraiklyn remotely instructed Clear Air Turbulence to pick up the survivors before the authorities arrived. The ship damaged its warp units operating so close to the Orbital's mass. The Company made its way to Evanauth where the ship could receive repairs on The Ends of Invention.[6]

Jandraligeli resigned and joined Ghalssel's Raiders after Kraiklyn spoke rudely to him being spoken to rudely by Kraiklyn. By this time the Company was seriously understrength with only Kraiklyn, Aviger, Neisin, Dorolow, Wubslin, and Yalson remaining. With the company understrength Kraiklyn recruited Gravant, not knowing she was actually Culture agent Balveda under orders to neutralize Horza. The Company managed to procure a replacement bow laser for the ship. Unaha-Closp was assigned to help repairs. While the ship's repairs were carried out Kraiklyn went to Evanauth to participate in the Damage game.[7]

The Ends of Invention[]

Horza murdered and took Kraiklyn's identity after the game. The Changer returned to Clear Air Turbulence as repairs were completed. Horza recognized Balveda and rescinded her membership. Yalson protested giving the Company's need for recruits but was placated when "Kraiklyn" claimed Horza would soon be rejoining. Horza ordered an immediate departure when Wubslin alerted him to the other Culture agents. To expedite the undocking request Horza told traffic control there was a bomb aboard.[7]

The other agents disrupted the normal undocking procedure; first they cut communications between CAT and traffic control, and then depressurized the Smallbay to force the Company to keep Balveda aboard. The agent with a stun gun. Clear Air Turbulence then made a powered exit through the GSV on its own power instead of waiting for a tug. It caused property damage and personnel casualties before exiting. Police ships gave chase but were caught in the explosion of the bomb in Balveda's ejected kitbag. The Company escaped.[7]

As they sped away they witnessed he destruction of Vavatch by gridfire.[7]

Horza Takes Command[]

Horza consolidated his position. He announced they were going to Schar's World. The real reason, and his true identity, was revealed by a reawakening Balveda. The Company was not particularly perturbed by Kraiklyn's murder, who had only regarded him as a lacklustre manager. They also agreed to participate in Horza's mission to the recovery the Culture Mind for the Idirans as just another job. The Changer would leave the Company after his mission was complete.[7]

Unaha-Closp was given the option of being thrown overboard to make its own, slow, way back to the GSV or to be temporarily conscripted; the drone chose the latter under protest. Balveda agreed to cause no trouble in exchange for her life[7]; while she was nominally a prisoner few restrictions were placed upon her.[8]

Horza intended to rendezvous with the Idiran 93rd Fleet near Schar's World, where he would part ways with the Company and continue on alone. This was pre-empted by Culture subterfuge and forced the Changer to take the Company all the way to the planet. "Mr. Adequate", the Dra'Azon overseer of Schar's World, permitted entry and the journey through the Quiet Barrier was uneventful.[8]

Schar's World[]

Main article: Raid on the Command System

The Company landed 200 metres from the Command System's entrance. Horza went alone to meet the caretakers to explain his mission and possibly secure their cooperation. He found the four Changer caretakers dead. The survivors of an Idiran raiding party, send to capture the Mind prior to Horza's dispatch, had killed the caretakers and were now in the tunnels beneath.[8]

The Company was ordered into the tunnel's to assist in finding the Mind. They would be insurance against the Idirans if they proved hostile, and Horza did not believe they could adequately guard Balveda. Heavy weapons like plasma cannon and micronukes were left behind; they were dangerous in tight quarters and they could incur Mr. Adequate's displeasure by damaging the Command System.[9]

The Company killed a medjel runner returning to the surface before heading underground.[9] They followed the raiding party's tracks and met the surviving Idirans, Quayanorl and Xoxarle. in station six. The Idirans proved hostile. Dorolow and Neisin were killed and Horza's suit heavily damaged. Xoxarle was taken prisoner while Quayanorl was left for dead.[10]

The Company was destroyed attempting to capture the Culture Mind in the planet's Command System.[11]

Known Members[]

See: Kraiklyn's Free Company entities.

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Consider Phlebas, chapter 4
  2. Consider Phlebas, chapter 3
  3. Consider Phlebas, State of play: one
  4. Consider Phlebas, chapter 5
  5. Consider Phlebas, chapter 6
  6. Consider Phlebas, chapter 7
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 Consider Phlebas, chapter 8
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 Consider Phlebas, chapter 9
  9. 9.0 9.1 Consider Phlebas, chapter 10
  10. Consider Phlebas, chapter 11
  11. Consider Phlebas, chapter 13
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