Invidious (Individual Merchant-class JumpShip)

This article is about the Gray Death Legion JumpShip ca. 3024–3056. For their other JumpShip, see Invidious (Individual Invader-class JumpShip).


Invidious
Vessel Profile
TypeJumpShip
ClassMerchant

Originally a free trader, the Merchant-class[1] JumpShip Invidious is best known for its association with the Gray Death Legion between 3024 and ca. 3056.[See Notes]

History[edit]

Free trader[edit]

A deck officer by the age of twenty, Renfred Tor and his four brothers bought equal shares in a dilapidated old freighter that they named the Invidious. At some point around ca. 3018[2] they tried to smuggle arms to a rebellion that was crushed (quite possibly Duke Anton Marik's rebellion in 3015), forcing Tor and his crew of fifteen to flee to the Lyran Commonwealth's periphery border. There they spent five years on short-term contracts and one-way cargo hauls, barely enough to keep the ship operable.[3]

House Mailai and the Oberon Confederation[edit]

Eventually, the Invidious arrived at Drovahchein II in the Erit Cluster where Tor accepted a six-month contract with House Mailai in return for a complete overhaul of his ship. In return, he was assigned to ferrying Viscount Olin Vogel from Tharkad to Oberon VI, then to Trellwan under House Mailai colors, followed by moving an assistant of Vogel between Trellwan and Oberon VI several times.[3]

On the last trip from Oberon VI to Trellwan, the Invidious was caught up in a scheme. Jumping to a planetless A2 star for recharging, it was waylaid by another JumpShip. The Oberon personnel were killed, cargo was exchanged and one or both of the freighter DropShips carried by the Invidious was crudely outfitted with weapons. Once the Invidious arrived at Trellwan, Tor was forced at gunpoint to pilot that DropShip down to the planet where it was used for a sneak attack on the local garrison. Tor figured he would be killed as soon as the shooting stopped, hid and later managed to escape from the ship into the city.[3]

Escape from Trellwan[edit]

Meanwhile, the Invidious had remained at the system's nadir jump point, scheduled to move to Luthien under her captor's orders. Together with Grayson Carlyle, Tor managed to secure a DropShip, disable the planetary communication link, and dock the DropShip with the Invidious before the JumpShip could be warned. He found only eight Draconis Combine men aboard, plus the entire remaining crew. Jumping out of the Trellwan system, the Invidious could alert the Lyran Commonwealth of the coup that was occurring on Trellwan, and ultimately avert the world's takeover by Draconis Combine forces.[3]

Working for the Gray Death Legion[edit]

The Invidious subsequently remained with Grayson Carlyle and his newly formed Gray Death Legion when they moved to Galatea. Still registered as a free trader, it was the Invidious that deployed her number two DropShip, the Phobos, to the Verthandi system for the Gray Death Legion's first mercenary contract in 3025. It jumped back out again immediately after recharging its jump drive, but returned after a prearranged time. Again the Invidious was used by the Gray Death Legion to relay a critical message off-world, which would ultimately contribute to their success in fulfilling their contracted mission.[4]

The Invidious was officially registered as part of the Legion's Transport Division by the time of the Gray Death Legion's contract with the Free Worlds League and their conquest of Sirius V in 3028,[5] until at least 3055.[1]

Parting ways[edit]

At some unspecified point in time prior to April 3056 Renfred Tor had passed away peacefully, leaving his daughter Katrina to continue the family business. She inherited the old Invidious and the business ties with Gray Death Legion, becoming the Legion's senior ship captain.[6] "A year or two" before December 3058 the Invidious parted ways with the Gray Death Legion.[7] Its ultimate fate is unknown.

This seems to have been a gradual process. Katrina Tor was still with the Legion when the Second Skye Rebellion saw them attacked on Glengarry in April 3056, but the Legion already had a second JumpShip named Invidious among their roster, this one an Invader-class vessel which was also the one to bring critical relief forces to Glengarry eventually.[8] (It also was the Invader-class ship that was destroyed in the Hesperus system in 3065, and not the original Merchant-class vessel.[9])

Notes[edit]

^ It should not be confused with the Invader-class vessel of the same name that was operated by the Gray Death Legion by 3056.

References[edit]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Mercenary's Handbook 3055, p. 57
  2. Based on Tor then fleeing to the Lyran Commonwealth, spending five years on small contracts then accepting a six-month contract with House Mailai that would bring him to Trellwan in 3024
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Decision at Thunder Rift
  4. Mercenary's Star
  5. The Price of Glory, p. 17
  6. Blood of Heroes, pp. 71–72
  7. Operation Excalibur, p. 278
  8. Day of Heroes, pp. 63 ("Aerospace Transport Company"), 87 (Invidious shown to transport three DropShips, thus confirming it is has more hardpoints than a Merchant-class vessel)
  9. The Dying Time, p. 102: "Chapter 13"

Bibliography[edit]