might want to rethink your ?wording, ?internal logic/consistency:
in the first instance Selkirk had to wait for the bubble to collapse before securing the guy, in the second, he goes in the bubble and trusses them up before it collapses......
Just doesn't quite feel spot on....
I think I'll let Engineer Selkirk explain this one.
"Well, I'm no' an expert on temporal phase mechanics Laddie, but I ken it has something to do with a dedicated circuit in the stasis rifle. It allows the user to pass through the stasis bubble without being effected by the field. Plainly stated, Whoever holds yon gun has all the fun."
"Ah, 'scuse me. I haven'a slept at all well lately. Something to do with certain fellows creeping around without doing me the courtesy of announcing their arrival, an' all.
Still, I'm sure it's all just a huge misunderstanding, and I'm quite prepared to give youse the benefit of a doubt."
Tomar glared daggers at me. I shrugged in his face.
"Suit yourself. I was only trying to be neighbourly. Speaking of which... Och, ye poor wee lambs. You've bumped your nosies and blurted blood all down your fronts. Here's an old housewife's tip: Soak yer sarks well in cold, salted water, so the stains don't take. Your mammy will have your outfits all tickety-boo again in no time."
"What's your game, Selkirk? Are you bent on trying to drive me mad with your inane chatter?"
I fixed Tomar with a look of pure, cold steel. I could practically see the colour drain from his face.
"No. You will tell me what I want to know. No lies. No threats. No head games. Now."
"And what if I don't?" Tomar sneered, albeit somewhat unconvincingly.
"You'll be getting that salt-water rinse at a considerable depth, Mister Tomar. I think that it's time you met your new best friend."
Under my direct control, the S-01 began rotating. JUNO had simply elbowed the sub's resident AI aside while I was transferring Tomar's unconscious party back to their sub. From what she told me some time later, it didn't put up much of a fight.
"Like that, do you? It's a canny job of work, I must admit. Anyways, back to your immediate predicament. Now, I'm a generally amiable sort, Mister Tomar. However, these past few months might have taken a slight toll on my higher mental faculties." I leaned closer, looming in Tomar's display screen, "Just between you and me, I think I might have become a wee bit... Peculiar. Ye ken what I'm saying? No human company, adverse survival situation, some difficult choices to make. It wears a fellow down over time. I'm no' a daftie or nutter yet, but some of the finer points of humanity could well have suffered in the process. D'ye ken what I'm trying to say, Mister Tomar?"
I didn't take much pleasure in watching his eyes take on that old familiar darting, haunted look.
Well, maybe just a wee bit.
I had it timed almost to the second. Ahab's stasis field collapsed as the sub's bow swung around. The Reaper surged forward, roaring its displeasure mightily. IANTO snapped off another shot with the stasis cannon defence turret, catching the creature neatly in mid-charge.
"This is a Reaper Leviathan. As you can see, he's awful fired up at the moment. That's his natural state, by the way. He's very fast, practically invulnerable to everything but military-grade weapons and he eats Seamoths like dainty Tunnock's tea-cakes.
His name is Ahab... And he's all yours."
I backed off the zoom on the remote camera to gauge the crew's reaction. There was a sizable puddle on the deck where they lay, and I'd hazard a guess it wasn't entirely composed of seawater.
might want to rethink your ?wording, ?internal logic/consistency:
in the first instance Selkirk had to wait for the bubble to collapse before securing the guy, in the second, he goes in the bubble and trusses them up before it collapses......
Just doesn't quite feel spot on....
I think I'll let Engineer Selkirk explain this one.
"Well, I'm no' an expert on temporal phase mechanics Laddie, but I ken it has something to do with a dedicated circuit in the stasis rifle. It allows the user to pass through the stasis bubble without being effected by the field. Plainly stated, Whoever holds yon gun has all the fun."
you misunderstand me, if he could go in and bind 'em up before it collapsed, why not do that to the first guy?
my concern is not with him going in the field, it's with the inconsistency between the 1st guy, and the party of 4....
Rhys, read this again: 'The Torgaljin goon froze in the stasis bubble. I darted over and slapped two transdermal tranquiliser patches on either side of his neck, then waited for the stasis bubble to collapse. He dropped to the deck, well and truly out for the count.'
Selkirk simply taped him up after he fell. He was able to apply the derms while the stasis field was active. The hacker was working inside the mod console, so it made things easier by having him drop to the ground first. No problem at all.
"So, here we are, Mister Tomar. Standing on the raggedy edge, so to speak. I'll leave your audio link open, purely on the off chance that you might want to say your piece at some stage. Selkirk out."
JUNO and IANTO appeared beside me. I swivelled the chair around almost gleefully to meet them.
"Hey! Nice work, you two! They should be feeling as sick as parrots by now, I'll bet. Belters place great stock in the concept of 'face', and I don't think Tomar's going to be coming out of this without dropping a fair few notches in the hired help's estimation. I conjure that if I keep leaning on him, he's bound to blow a gasket and spill the beans on their whole operation. It might take a bit of time, but I'd say we've got him firmly by the goolies."
"What course of action do you propose, Captain?" JUNO asked.
"Quite simply, I'm going to let him sit there a while longer to reflect upon his sins. The longer he holds out, the more unpleasant this experience will eventually be for him. That hull tape has a particularly irritating adhesive compound, and it won't be long before things start to become a mite uncomfortable for our guests."
"Shall I turn the Reaper loose, Captain? Its respiratory system is beginning to show some minor signs of damage, owing to repetitive application and duration of the stasis field's effect." IANTO inquired.
"Certainly, IANTO. Once the field wears off, goose him with the pom-pom a couple of times and he'll run off pretty smartly. He can't do too much damage to the folks inside S-01, but there's no point in letting them know that. He still has a major role to play in this comedy of errors, and I don't want him to blow all of his A-list material on opening night."
In the end, I simply became too tired to wait any longer. JUNO kept a close eye on our guests and took careful note of their whispered conversations. I slept soundly for over twelve hours, and rose feeling completely refreshed. I took a leisurely shower as is my custom, removed all of that straggly facial hair (with great relief, I might add) and dressed in a freshly-laundered and pressed jumpsuit. Feeling quite chipper, I strolled onto the bridge.
"Good morning, JUNO and IANTO. How are our lovely guests faring on this beautiful new day?"
"Rather poorly, Captain. At least two individuals have evacuated their bowels involuntarily, and I suspect that Invigilator Tomar may have been one of them. He appears to be particularly unhappy."
I sighed heavily. This business was skipping lightly along the fringes of pure psychopathic behaviour on my part, and that was definitely not the road I wanted to travel. Start stripping another man's dignity, and there's no telling where you'll end up. At best, it would be someone exactly like Tomar.
No. Not now. Not ever.
"All right. I've tortured these buggers more than enough to get my point across. Please prepare five meal packs and ready them for underwater transport, JUNO.
Make them all good and hearty."
"Affirmative, Captain. Will you be transporting them personally, or shall I send them via drone?"
"No, the personal touch is absolutely essential at this point. Any coward can hide behind a monitor and let others do his bidding by remote control. I want Tomar to see who he's dealing with."
A few moments later, I stood before Tomar and his crew. They were a truly sorry-looking shower.
"So, you've finally come to gloat. I admire your effrontery Selkirk, although you might as well savour this situation while you still can. This insult will not go unanswered. You have my word of bond on that."
"Ah, hauld yer wheesht Tomar... I'm here to talk straight, man to man. I conjure you were looking for your CEO's whereabouts. Here's Paal Torgaljin's PDA, data integrity 100 per cent." I placed the device on the command chair. "As for you lot, I'm letting you all go. You're of no bloody use to me, and yer offer of rescue is politely declined, thank ye very much. Like as not, you'd gully me the second I stepped aboard. I'm no' as green as yez think I am. Now, here's a diamond blade..."
Tomar's eyes went wide. He squirmed away from me. That cost him points in the eyes of his men.
I smiled benignly. "As I was saying, here's this diamond blade. Youse can use it to cut your bonds. This is a bottle of MEK solvent. Ye use it to prevent losing a muckle strip of skin when ye peel off that tape. I've cooked up some food, since youse are lookin' sair famished and there's med-kits in yon crate as well, for any as needs some patching up. I canna be any fairer than that."
"You've offered nothing but empty threats and cheap scares so far, Selkirk. This pathetic attempt at appeasement shows a distinct lack of resolve on your part. You are weak, and you will die again. As soon as we locate your Valkyrie Field source, you are finished."
I shook my head slowly. "Aw, there ye go again. I'm offering ye a chance to walk away from this mess entirely scot-free, and now yez have to go an' say that.
Och, there's no pleasin' some people."
Tomar smiled tightly, thinking he had struck a nerve. I leaned casually against a bulkhead, also smiling.
"Right you are, Mister Tomar. However, you might find this will clear up any misconceptions you may have about me. First of all, I have cleared out this sub's weapons lockers. You had some very nasty shooters in there, if I do say so. The submersible Gauss cannon and flechette rifles will be particularly useful. Secondly, you have more or less handed me your purpose for being here on a silver platter. And lastly, I know precisely where your mothership is located, and the dropship that brought you here is well within range of my defensive systems. Oh, and just to make things perfectly clear, 'defensive' does not mean exclusively non-lethal. Observe."
I moved over to the sub's CIC display. The scene on the monitor switched to a large submerged vehicle. The readout identified it as a Fènghuáng ('Phoenix') tactical transport shuttle. Current complement: 16 security personnel, 20 ship's company. Cargo capacity: Two Cyclops-class submersibles or 10,500 metric tonnes of containerised cargo. Weapons: 2 x twin plasma batteries.
"This image is being fed directly to me via a reconnaissance drone. One of many, in fact. Keep watching your Cyclops S-02, if you please. I believe that it is currently docked and unmanned."
I spoke into my wrist link.
"Proceed to the following coordinates: X:257, Y:621, Z: Minus 150. TRIDENT. Execute."
Without the slightest bit of fuss, S-02 undocked and headed off to a quiet part of the ocean. Meanwhile, Ulysses, Aegis and Red Dragon moved silently out of their dispersal points and began converging on the target vessel. I dispatched a drone camera to follow the S-02, having it fall in line astern with the sub, and set on a high angle so that Tomar could watch what was about to happen.
Twenty minutes later, Cyclops S-02 arrived at its destination. Ulysses, Aegis and Red Dragon were already there waiting for it. As the target sub cruised into the designated area, all three opened up on it. The water around S-02 began to effervesce wildly, and the sub slowly started sinking as the water density changed abruptly around it.
"Twenty per cent."
The sub's forward observation dome suddenly cracked across its diameter. The drone shifted position to show what was happening inside. Unbelievably thin but powerful jets of water now speared into the bridge, scything into instrument panels, lockers and equipment like laser beams.
"Fifty per cent."
The observation dome collapsed instantly, allowing the full force of the surrounding water to roar into the hull. S-02 nosed down sharply and started to sink with increasing speed. Sections of hull plating buckled along the entire length of its hull. The sub keeled over in its death throes, shuddering violently as internal explosions gutted what remained of the equipment inside. The water around it boiled like the vent of a runaway black smoker. It was truly terrifying to watch.
"One hundred per cent."
What little remained of S-02 disintegrated instantly as if slammed by a gigantic fist. Shattered fragments of its hull drifted away like a cloud of pulverised seashells, falling into the abyss below.
"All units, disperse."
Tomar's face had turned an ashen grey. "Blessed Maker... What kind of weapon is that?"
"The only thing I'm telling you is that any crew members would have been dead at five per cent of its total output. You've seen what it can do, and you should be aware that I am fully prepared to use it in anger. My proposal is straight to the point. You have 24 hours to leave this planet. Do what you need to accomplish here, and then make yourselves scarce. This is of course, non-negotiable."
"Our mission requires us to establish an outpost! You cannot interfere with Torgaljin Corporation's operations on this planet. You have no legitimate claim to 4546B... We have already claimed it!"
"I sincerely doubt that your company has claimed it legally, Mister Tomar. However, I'm politely asking you and your people to leave. Mainly because you killed me in an act of cold-blooded murder, but also because I don't particularly like the look of your face. So, once again... You have 24 hours."
Tomar's face turned its customary shade of crimson. He was just about open his mouth to begin yet another pointless tirade. I held up a cautionary finger, instantly silencing him.
"Shush. Your CEO's dead, and both Alterra field bases have been completely destroyed. Your move."
WheeljackChilling in the Grand ReefJoin Date: 2016-03-17Member: 214338Members
I don't think this Tomar fellow is particularly bright. Something tells me this guy either won't leave or he'll bring back buddies. Either Mr. Selkirk will just have to teach him the errors of his ways or the planet and its denizens will.
He'd better hope it's our more reasonable protagonist. XD
Yeah, this is great! I really haven't seen much better than this in terms of fan-fiction (then again a fair bit of the fanfiction I've read all-time is a kingdom hearts 3 thing, writing.com things excluded). So nice job with that. Also, the Torgaljin or however it's spelled corporation made it into the actual game. Dunno for sure if you came up for it first at least in the field of Subnautica, but whatever. Even if this is in alternate reality now, still is mostly or some accurate to the game's story. Also, hype for the emperor leviathan, anyone? No? :c okay
Yeah, this is great! I really haven't seen much better than this in terms of fan-fiction (then again a fair bit of the fanfiction I've read all-time is a kingdom hearts 3 thing, writing.com things excluded). So nice job with that. Also, the Torgaljin or however it's spelled corporation made it into the actual game. Dunno for sure if you came up for it first at least in the field of Subnautica, but whatever. Even if this is in alternate reality now, still is mostly or some accurate to the game's story. Also, hype for the emperor leviathan, anyone? No? :c okay
He added it into the story after it was introduced into the game sadly. But I do think the devs have read and have introduced some small things into the game that are based off Bugzapper's story here.
He added it into the story after it was introduced into the game sadly. But I do think the devs have read and have introduced some small things into the game that are based off Bugzapper's story here.
Right you are, ComicalSkate. I did have to retcon the existence of Torgaljin Corporation to maintain some degree of congruence with the game's actual story line. Same goes for any new creatures and features. Since I'm playing the Stable version, I have to wait a little longer to proceed with the story occasionally, although I wouldn't entirely discount the possibility of some crystal-ball gazing as well. It's like trying to play football with someone constantly moving the goal-posts.
Glad you're enjoying the story so far. More to come.
For once in his life, Tomar was speechless. I turned on my heel and walked towards the airlock. As I climbed down the ladder, he must have felt biologically compelled to have the proverbial last word.
What a pillock.
"This isn't over, Selkirk! I'll blow your base to pieces from orbit, and there's nothing you can do to stop me!"
He was absolutely correct, of course. All of my defence systems were orientated towards underwater attack, and I didn't feel confident that a single man-portable Gauss cannon would be of any use against an orbiting starship. Still, he was utterly convinced that he held the upper hand, and I would be only too happy to dissuade him of that notion at the most appropriate time.
Once I had swam clear of the S-01, I gave JUNO the heads-up.
"JUNO, take the S-01 past the outer perimeter and point them in the general direction of the Phoenix. Just slap 'em on the bahookie and then bail out as soon as you please. We'll leave these nasty wee bawbags to their own nefarious devices."
"Affirmative, Captain. Please be advised that I have significant information obtained during my data dive on the Torgaljin AI construct. Decryption pass successfully completed, all data awaiting review."
"Excellent work, JUNO. There's no sense hanging around Reef Base waiting for Tomar to make his next move. Have IANTO put the kettle on at The Broch. I'll pick up Harpoon One and make my own way over there. If you'd be so kind as to shut Reef Base down and prep its active defences as soon as I get clear, we'll regroup to make preparations for Round Two of this daft piece of nonsense."
Although the TRIDENT weapon system was devastatingly effective, there were some serious drawbacks to using it. Sure, it was the Devil's own tool in an underwater combat situation, but its acoustic signature was an unmistakable pointer to your sub's exact position. I had equipped all three Cyclops with a phased-array, variable frequency sonar, with each of the sub's four sonar transducers capable of emitting 20 kilowatts of finely tuned acoustic energy under maximum power. Even a single Cyclops would be a truly formidable opponent in a subsea knife-fight, but as soon as the fleet's sonar systems were linked into the TRIDENT configuration, it became an unholy abomination.
It was a relatively simple matter to discover the resonant frequency of any particular substance, then pound the living hell out of it until it falls apart. Fortunately, I had selected a comparatively lifeless area largely composed of sand dunes for the demonstration staged for Tomar's benefit. The sand dunes would have 'liquefied' to some extent under the sonar bombardment, and there would have been some catastrophic terrain slippage in that location. This was unavoidable, although far more preferable to using solid rock as a backboard for the target. If you ever need a Mercalli-12 magnitude earthquake made precisely to order, just drop me a line.
In its simplest possible terms, being a TRIDENT target was the next best thing to having a front-row centre seat at a Disaster Area concert.
Back at The Broch, it seemed that IANTO had taken my orders rather literally. Apart from making the base ready in all respects, a fresh pot of tea stood brewing on the galley fabricator's platen. Splendid.
Mug firmly and gratefully in hand, I sat down at the command console.
"Okay JUNO, what information do you have for me?"
"The Torgaljin mothership is the De Ruyter. Lloyd's Registry number CV-3372. Port of origin, Ceres industrial cluster, Sol system. A commercial frigate of 275,000 tonnes unladen mass. Its drive system is a standard Generation II antimatter FTL model, capable of warp factor five velocities. Transit time ex Sol system is calculated at three Solar years, requiring extensive use of cryostasis in order to conserve all on-board resources. Crew complement: Two hundred. Vehicle capacity, two Phoenix-class tactical transport shuttles, four SK-20 Gladius space fighters with in-atmo flight capability. Weapons systems: 2 x 5 megawatt mass driver cannons, 10 x 1 megawatt laser turrets, 2 x particle beam CWIS batteries and numerous man-portable weapons. Threat evaluation: Significant."
"Aye, that's more or less as I expected it. You'd be wanting to bring some serious backup this far away from your ain home patch. I'm guessing Tomar's next move is to get his base fully established, then send more of his boys back down for another shot at me. Unfortunately, he's going to find that rather difficult with our old mate Ahab constantly snip-snapping away at their heels. I buried that transponder package nice and deep in S-01's hull, and Tomar's going to drive himself mad trying to find it... Assuming he makes the connection at all, that is."
JUNO regarded me sternly. "Frankly, I'm shocked, Captain. You are prepared to let them go unharmed on one hand, only to have the reaper leviathan Ahab handle their extermination. This mode of behaviour is clearly indicative of an emergent psychopathic personality disorder. I urgently recommend that you commence a prescribed course of appropriate counseling and corrective therapy immediately."
I laughed heartily for at least half a minute, which only served to intensify JUNO's concerned gaze.
"Nay, Lass. You've got it all wrong. I would'na put it that way at all. As long as everyone stays snug inside the Phoenix or the Cyclops, they'll come to nae harm. Ahab can't touch them. However, this also means that Tomar and his mates can't gain a proper foothold on Manannán. It's going to be awful hard for them to build anything at all with Ahab hawking away at anyone who dips a toe in the water. The beauty of this plan is that they can't touch Ahab either. He'd have to be chewing on the muzzles of one of their plasma batteries for them to even score a hit. They only work properly in a vacuum or on dry land. As you already know, massive energy dissipation is a real problem when you're firing plasma weapons underwater. I'll let that 24-hour deadline pass without any further response. Here's hoping that Tomar will eventually call it a day and simply bugger off."
IANTO stepped forward and gave me his two Credits worth.
"Captain, you are now in an excellent position to launch a retaliatory strike. Invigilator Tomar has suffered considerable disgrace as a direct result of your actions thus far. His team exhibited clear signs that a breakdown in their command structure was imminent. It would be most unwise to allow the Torgaljin any opportunity to regroup and consolidate their forces. We would not prevail."
"I'll take that under advisement, IANTO. The very last thing that I want to do is goad Tomar into an irrational response. Let's keep things as predictable as possible, at least for the time being. Now that things have quieted down a piece, I wouldn't mind catching up on a bit more sleep. Please continue monitoring the Phoenix for now, and give me a nudge when it looks like there's something interesting about to happen. Thank you."
"Affirmative, Captain. Please define 'interesting', if you would be so kind. I do not wish to repeat my previous misinterpretation of your orders."
"Oh, you mean that teapot episode? Och, that was a reasonable mistake and as it turned out, quite fortuitous. By the time I got back to The Broch I was well ready to murder a brew-up anyway. Think nothing of it, IANTO old mate. Oh, and by 'interesting', I mean any unusual activity around the Phoenix that might indicate a sneak attack is imminent. Thank you, and goodnight to you both."
The twenty-four hour deadline passed without incident. Apart from several futile attempts to send divers out to continue work on the Torgaljin base, the surveillance drones had nothing much to report. Tomar's plan should have worked, in theory. He was sending his divers out in teams of four; two to build and two to keep the workers covered. It wasn't until I assumed manual control of the drone that I had any real idea of what was going on. Ahab was still cruising silently around the landing site, keeping mostly to the shadows and using the grassy plateau columns as cover.
According to JUNO, this was the third team Tomar had sent out so far. Both previous teams had been slaughtered within minutes of leaving Phoenix's airlock. As soon as his contingent of mercs had been used up in more of these pointless forays, he would probably start sending ordinary 'expendable' crew members to take their place. That does it. This murderous business ends now.
"JUNO, IANTO... Saddle up. We're heading out to have another quiet word with Invigilator Tomar."
I sprinted down to the sub pens. Aegis and Red Dragon stood ready, waiting for me to board Ulysses. JUNO already had the sub prepped and good to go. I fastened my crash harness and punched in for flank speed. The launch tunnel walls roared past as Ulysses headed for open water. To hell with stealth this time around. I want Tomar to know full well he's crossed that line.
"Music files, Orchestral. Wagner, Richard. Track, Die Walküre. Patch it through to active sonar."
Aegis and Red Dragon slid efficiently into vee-formation with Ulysses. Tomar's scopes would show three extremely loud and fast targets bearing relentlessly down on his position, and there wasn't a gorram thing he could do about it. We swept up from the depths as vengeful Furies, scattering all that stood before us in chaotic, terrified flight.
As the subs approached Phoenix, I dialled the volume down to scarcely below an utterly obnoxious level. Even though I was barely tapping into TRIDENT's potential output power, conditions must be horrific inside that hull. All those bare metal walls and floors, resonating in sympathy with the cacophony raging outside. The strident, ear-punishing music faded gradually until silence reigned once more. After allowing a brief moment of blissful, absolute silence to pass, I spoke into the UQC microphone. Even at a drastically reduced volume, my voice sounded as that of a furious deity.
"Tomar! You were warned. You are still here. Leave immediately, or face the consequences!"
Epic story! By the way, it's probably too late to ask this but it's been bugging me since I saw it: back on page 8, was Selkirk's favorite dessert a Young Frankenstein reference?
I find Tomar's defiant attitude almost admirable in a way. He's been humiliated in front of his subordinates (Surprised they haven't staged a mutiny by this point if he keeps sacrificing them needlessly), had a reaper breathing down his neck the whole time and borne witness to a weapon that could obliterate him and his men in seconds, but is still intent on his mission. Bravery...or stupidity?
Also, I like how Selkirk is sympathetic towards the Torgalijin goons that are being sent to their deaths. It looks to me like he's intervening to prevent more of them from being eaten by Ahab. Goes to show that the extended isolation hasn't caused him to develop psychopathic tendencies.
Honestly, I'd be surprised if all this activity or the TRIDENT system hasn't attracted attention from the Warpers by this point. I've never been much of a fanfiction reader but this one is superb and I can't wait for the next update.
GalacaticSurvivorNY, United StatesJoin Date: 2016-02-12Member: 212919Members
edited April 2016
It's really amazing how well Bugzapper has been able to portray Selkirk as human. He needs company, can go slightly crazy, still has a sense of fear, and isn't a huge hero like you'd think. He didn't just sucker-punch the Phoenix into orbit, but rather is slow and methodical, rather like a normal, psychopath human. But, congratulations to our favourite author!
Epic story! By the way, it's probably too late to ask this but it's been bugging me since I saw it: back on page 8, was Selkirk's favorite dessert a Young Frankenstein reference?
Not a direct Young Frankenstein reference, but I had a 'hunch' someone would pick up on that.
Besides, who doesn't like Black Forest Cake? It's totally wicked.
I lowered the UQC transmission volume to slightly more tolerable levels. Now everyone aboard Phoenix would be able to hear this discussion without wanting to stuff their ears with epoxy putty. If there's any cracks in discipline on that ship, it's time to apply precisely the right amount of leverage to the crowbar. I wanted this Tomar guy to show his true face, and I'm hoping that human nature will take care of the fine details.
"Engineer Selkirk. How delightful to hear your voice once more. I am pleased that you show a keen appreciation of civilized cultural pursuits, after all. You are indeed a man of many facets, totally unlike your half-crazed alter-ego with his constant stream of inane, archaic gibberish. I salute you, sir."
"Consider that an unconscious affectation on my part, Tomar. I am fully able to converse in standard Anglic, as you are well aware. When I am speaking to someone and wish to make my meaning absolutely clear, I will certainly use a more formal manner of speech. Now, back to the question of why you have elected to remain on this planet and proceed with your objectives, Invigilator Tomar."
"Our mission is none of your concern, Selkirk. You are interfering in an enterprise far greater than you or anyone else, for that matter. It is only a matter of time before the main colonization fleet arrives. You are already a dead man."
I smiled. "Thank you for providing this information. I admit that I have yet to fully examine the data collected during my recent intrusion of your systems. You have saved me a considerable effort. On the subject of colonization, I would strongly recommend against it. The sentient inhabitants of this planet have already taken extreme measures to ensure that this will not happen. The Aurora was destroyed as it attempted to land. This should be proof enough. I can only assume that your safe landing was only possible due to an opportunity afforded by favourable atmospheric conditions. You were able to pass through the eye of a hurricane, using the storm as cover for your landing. Correct?"
"I'll admit you did a passable job in trying to convince others that it was dangerous to approach this planet, although I am inclined to believe that it was merely a ruse to discourage any further exploratory missions from landing here. What have you discovered, Selkirk?" Tomar prodded slyly.
I sighed in exasperation. "Tomar, listen. The only significant thing I have discovered is that we simply shouldn't be here. The entire planet stands on the cusp of a dramatic evolutionary breakthrough. And from what I've seen so far, we definitely don't want to be around when it happens. The planet's life forms are adapting to our presence here, and it's happening at a frightening rate. The reaper leviathan may well be at the top of the food chain right now, but there's no telling what might come to replace it. Honestly, you would be better off walking away from this world. Cut your losses."
"No. Do your worst, Selkirk. I refuse to accept your hollow threats and wild fantasies. Tomar out."
Gorram it.
I slumped back in the command chair. Nothing short of a full TRIDENT barrage would change his mind now, and I don't want that much blood on my conscience. A complete and absolute impasse.
The safest thing to do was let the crew of Phoenix take matters into their own hands. However, I felt compelled to hurry things along in my own inimitable fashion. It was plainly not enough for Tomar to know that I was still out here. I had to demonstrate that I was able to apply the requisite amount of incentive to force him to change his mind.
"IANTO, what is the resonant frequency of the human gastrointestinal system?" I inquired casually.
"Eight cycles per second, Sir." IANTO replied.
"Please calculate the required amplitude and waveform required to manifest severe levels of non-lethal physical distress in a typical human body. Display the parameters onscreen."
"Captain... Surely you're not planning to do what I think you're about to do?" JUNO asked warily.
"I'm afraid so, JUNO. I would rather take this approach than destroy them outright."
The UQC channel began broadcasting again. The sound levels were considerably lower than before.
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Since you are experiencing some difficulties in reaching a mutually satisfactory decision, I thought that you might appreciate some excellent 20th. Century music to help pass the time. This track is called 'Experiment IV' by Kate Bush. I highly recommend it."
The music began its driving, catchy beat. Unknown to anyone aboard Phoenix, there was a secondary sound channel riding far below the audible layer. A pulsating tone of eight Hertz, rich in significant harmonics of that frequency, transmitted at 0.5 per cent of TRIDENT's total power rating. Although the perceptible sound pressure level was set precisely at 75 decibels, the crew of the Phoenix were also being bombarded with several thousand watts of pure infrasound energy. It wouldn't take long before its effects became all too apparent.
Two hours later, my careful efforts finally bore substantial fruit.
"Engineer Selkirk. This is Commander Sen Varyx, pilot of the Phoenix. Cease attacking this vessel immediately. Be advised that Invigilator Tomar has been taken into custody, and will answer for his actions here accordingly. Preparations are currently underway for our imminent departure. No further intervention is necessary. Varyx out."
"Understood, Commander. I shall withdraw my forces immediately. Godspeed, Phoenix."
I breathed a silent sigh of relief.
"Well, that was easy." I said cheerfully.
JUNO walked over and addressed me directly. "Captain, I detected some anomalies in Commander Varyx's speech patterns.
Voice-stress analysis strongly indicates that he is lying about something."
I shrugged. "Of course he is, JUNO. I conjure Tomar is still holding the whip, and he wants me to think otherwise. We'll simply allow him to keep thinking that. Meanwhile, I'll keep my end of the bargain and head back to The Broch. Make ready for super-quiet departure in all respects."
"Just what I wanted to hear. Please dispatch a recon drone to the surface for visual flight path tracking, JUNO. I don't want them sneaking back underwater, or it's back to bloody square one again."
"Understood, Captain. Current trajectory indicates that Phoenix is vectoring for rendezvous with the Torgaljin frigate De Ruyter, which is currently shadowing the orbit of the primary moon, Damocles."
I rubbed my chin thoughtfully. "Hmm... I would have chosen the smaller moon, Phryne to hide behind. Not an ideal choice of cover, given the distance at which Aurora was attacked. Far too close to the planet. Let's have that up on the main display, please."
Phoenix broke surface 200 metres from the drone. Seen in its entirety, it was a brutal, graceless block of a ship. Gunmetal grey and completely unadorned, save for a stark white 01 painted on its aft hull plates. It rose steadily on gravity repulsion drive until it was clear of the water, then slowly tilted skyward and rose steadily under the impulse of its atmospheric rocket motors. I was able to track its progress easily, since the stabilised optics of the drone kept the image rock-steady, in spite of the light surface chop. The drone remained locked on Phoenix as it passed through the upper atmosphere, whereupon the shuttle's sub-light engines smartly cut in. The shuttle accelerated, swept behind Damocles and passed into obscurity.
"Okay. We'll call that a potential approach vector, JUNO. Keep the drone watching that area of sky, and task another drone to watch the starboard lower quadrant of Damocles in particular. I wouldn't put it past Tomar to attempt a quick double-back once he's safely aboard De Ruyter."
I imagined all sorts of nefarious goings-on aboard De Ruyter. Tomar being his usual bombastic self, of course. Orders being barked out left, right and centre, hurried preparations for an assault, weapons made ready. I won't say that I was actually looking forward to Round Three. Far from it.
But it was coming. It was inevitable.
Six hours later, the inevitable happened.
"Captain! Condition Red! De Ruyter is inbound and vectored for atmospheric entry!" JUNO yelled.
I snapped awake from my fitful doze. A brief moment of confusion. "Give me the numbers, JUNO."
"Distance, 150,000 kilometres and closing, Captain. Current velocity, 120,000 kilometres per hour and decelerating steadily for direct atmospheric entry. Estimated time remaining until the frigate's primary weapons are within effective firing range, 25 minutes. Your orders, Captain?"
"Bring Reef Base back online. Route all communications from The Broch through there."
Comments
I think I'll let Engineer Selkirk explain this one.
"Well, I'm no' an expert on temporal phase mechanics Laddie, but I ken it has something to do with a dedicated circuit in the stasis rifle. It allows the user to pass through the stasis bubble without being effected by the field. Plainly stated, Whoever holds yon gun has all the fun."
Still, I'm sure it's all just a huge misunderstanding, and I'm quite prepared to give youse the benefit of a doubt."
Tomar glared daggers at me. I shrugged in his face.
"Suit yourself. I was only trying to be neighbourly. Speaking of which... Och, ye poor wee lambs. You've bumped your nosies and blurted blood all down your fronts. Here's an old housewife's tip: Soak yer sarks well in cold, salted water, so the stains don't take. Your mammy will have your outfits all tickety-boo again in no time."
"What's your game, Selkirk? Are you bent on trying to drive me mad with your inane chatter?"
I fixed Tomar with a look of pure, cold steel. I could practically see the colour drain from his face.
"No. You will tell me what I want to know. No lies. No threats. No head games. Now."
"And what if I don't?" Tomar sneered, albeit somewhat unconvincingly.
"You'll be getting that salt-water rinse at a considerable depth, Mister Tomar. I think that it's time you met your new best friend."
Under my direct control, the S-01 began rotating. JUNO had simply elbowed the sub's resident AI aside while I was transferring Tomar's unconscious party back to their sub. From what she told me some time later, it didn't put up much of a fight.
"Like that, do you? It's a canny job of work, I must admit. Anyways, back to your immediate predicament. Now, I'm a generally amiable sort, Mister Tomar. However, these past few months might have taken a slight toll on my higher mental faculties." I leaned closer, looming in Tomar's display screen, "Just between you and me, I think I might have become a wee bit... Peculiar. Ye ken what I'm saying? No human company, adverse survival situation, some difficult choices to make. It wears a fellow down over time. I'm no' a daftie or nutter yet, but some of the finer points of humanity could well have suffered in the process. D'ye ken what I'm trying to say, Mister Tomar?"
I didn't take much pleasure in watching his eyes take on that old familiar darting, haunted look.
Well, maybe just a wee bit.
I had it timed almost to the second. Ahab's stasis field collapsed as the sub's bow swung around. The Reaper surged forward, roaring its displeasure mightily. IANTO snapped off another shot with the stasis cannon defence turret, catching the creature neatly in mid-charge.
"This is a Reaper Leviathan. As you can see, he's awful fired up at the moment. That's his natural state, by the way. He's very fast, practically invulnerable to everything but military-grade weapons and he eats Seamoths like dainty Tunnock's tea-cakes.
His name is Ahab... And he's all yours."
I backed off the zoom on the remote camera to gauge the crew's reaction. There was a sizable puddle on the deck where they lay, and I'd hazard a guess it wasn't entirely composed of seawater.
you misunderstand me, if he could go in and bind 'em up before it collapsed, why not do that to the first guy?
my concern is not with him going in the field, it's with the inconsistency between the 1st guy, and the party of 4....
also - brilliant as usual!
Selkirk simply taped him up after he fell. He was able to apply the derms while the stasis field was active. The hacker was working inside the mod console, so it made things easier by having him drop to the ground first. No problem at all.
JUNO and IANTO appeared beside me. I swivelled the chair around almost gleefully to meet them.
"Hey! Nice work, you two! They should be feeling as sick as parrots by now, I'll bet. Belters place great stock in the concept of 'face', and I don't think Tomar's going to be coming out of this without dropping a fair few notches in the hired help's estimation. I conjure that if I keep leaning on him, he's bound to blow a gasket and spill the beans on their whole operation. It might take a bit of time, but I'd say we've got him firmly by the goolies."
"What course of action do you propose, Captain?" JUNO asked.
"Quite simply, I'm going to let him sit there a while longer to reflect upon his sins. The longer he holds out, the more unpleasant this experience will eventually be for him. That hull tape has a particularly irritating adhesive compound, and it won't be long before things start to become a mite uncomfortable for our guests."
"Shall I turn the Reaper loose, Captain? Its respiratory system is beginning to show some minor signs of damage, owing to repetitive application and duration of the stasis field's effect." IANTO inquired.
"Certainly, IANTO. Once the field wears off, goose him with the pom-pom a couple of times and he'll run off pretty smartly. He can't do too much damage to the folks inside S-01, but there's no point in letting them know that. He still has a major role to play in this comedy of errors, and I don't want him to blow all of his A-list material on opening night."
In the end, I simply became too tired to wait any longer. JUNO kept a close eye on our guests and took careful note of their whispered conversations. I slept soundly for over twelve hours, and rose feeling completely refreshed. I took a leisurely shower as is my custom, removed all of that straggly facial hair (with great relief, I might add) and dressed in a freshly-laundered and pressed jumpsuit. Feeling quite chipper, I strolled onto the bridge.
"Good morning, JUNO and IANTO. How are our lovely guests faring on this beautiful new day?"
"Rather poorly, Captain. At least two individuals have evacuated their bowels involuntarily, and I suspect that Invigilator Tomar may have been one of them. He appears to be particularly unhappy."
I sighed heavily. This business was skipping lightly along the fringes of pure psychopathic behaviour on my part, and that was definitely not the road I wanted to travel. Start stripping another man's dignity, and there's no telling where you'll end up. At best, it would be someone exactly like Tomar.
No. Not now. Not ever.
"All right. I've tortured these buggers more than enough to get my point across. Please prepare five meal packs and ready them for underwater transport, JUNO.
Make them all good and hearty."
"Affirmative, Captain. Will you be transporting them personally, or shall I send them via drone?"
"No, the personal touch is absolutely essential at this point. Any coward can hide behind a monitor and let others do his bidding by remote control. I want Tomar to see who he's dealing with."
"So, you've finally come to gloat. I admire your effrontery Selkirk, although you might as well savour this situation while you still can. This insult will not go unanswered. You have my word of bond on that."
"Ah, hauld yer wheesht Tomar... I'm here to talk straight, man to man. I conjure you were looking for your CEO's whereabouts. Here's Paal Torgaljin's PDA, data integrity 100 per cent." I placed the device on the command chair. "As for you lot, I'm letting you all go. You're of no bloody use to me, and yer offer of rescue is politely declined, thank ye very much. Like as not, you'd gully me the second I stepped aboard. I'm no' as green as yez think I am. Now, here's a diamond blade..."
Tomar's eyes went wide. He squirmed away from me. That cost him points in the eyes of his men.
I smiled benignly. "As I was saying, here's this diamond blade. Youse can use it to cut your bonds. This is a bottle of MEK solvent. Ye use it to prevent losing a muckle strip of skin when ye peel off that tape. I've cooked up some food, since youse are lookin' sair famished and there's med-kits in yon crate as well, for any as needs some patching up. I canna be any fairer than that."
"You've offered nothing but empty threats and cheap scares so far, Selkirk. This pathetic attempt at appeasement shows a distinct lack of resolve on your part. You are weak, and you will die again. As soon as we locate your Valkyrie Field source, you are finished."
I shook my head slowly. "Aw, there ye go again. I'm offering ye a chance to walk away from this mess entirely scot-free, and now yez have to go an' say that.
Och, there's no pleasin' some people."
Tomar smiled tightly, thinking he had struck a nerve. I leaned casually against a bulkhead, also smiling.
"Right you are, Mister Tomar. However, you might find this will clear up any misconceptions you may have about me. First of all, I have cleared out this sub's weapons lockers. You had some very nasty shooters in there, if I do say so. The submersible Gauss cannon and flechette rifles will be particularly useful. Secondly, you have more or less handed me your purpose for being here on a silver platter. And lastly, I know precisely where your mothership is located, and the dropship that brought you here is well within range of my defensive systems. Oh, and just to make things perfectly clear, 'defensive' does not mean exclusively non-lethal. Observe."
I moved over to the sub's CIC display. The scene on the monitor switched to a large submerged vehicle. The readout identified it as a Fènghuáng ('Phoenix') tactical transport shuttle. Current complement: 16 security personnel, 20 ship's company. Cargo capacity: Two Cyclops-class submersibles or 10,500 metric tonnes of containerised cargo. Weapons: 2 x twin plasma batteries.
"This image is being fed directly to me via a reconnaissance drone. One of many, in fact. Keep watching your Cyclops S-02, if you please. I believe that it is currently docked and unmanned."
I spoke into my wrist link.
"Proceed to the following coordinates: X:257, Y:621, Z: Minus 150. TRIDENT. Execute."
It's all pretty twisty from this point onward.
Twenty minutes later, Cyclops S-02 arrived at its destination. Ulysses, Aegis and Red Dragon were already there waiting for it. As the target sub cruised into the designated area, all three opened up on it. The water around S-02 began to effervesce wildly, and the sub slowly started sinking as the water density changed abruptly around it.
"Twenty per cent."
The sub's forward observation dome suddenly cracked across its diameter. The drone shifted position to show what was happening inside. Unbelievably thin but powerful jets of water now speared into the bridge, scything into instrument panels, lockers and equipment like laser beams.
"Fifty per cent."
The observation dome collapsed instantly, allowing the full force of the surrounding water to roar into the hull. S-02 nosed down sharply and started to sink with increasing speed. Sections of hull plating buckled along the entire length of its hull. The sub keeled over in its death throes, shuddering violently as internal explosions gutted what remained of the equipment inside. The water around it boiled like the vent of a runaway black smoker. It was truly terrifying to watch.
"One hundred per cent."
What little remained of S-02 disintegrated instantly as if slammed by a gigantic fist. Shattered fragments of its hull drifted away like a cloud of pulverised seashells, falling into the abyss below.
"All units, disperse."
Tomar's face had turned an ashen grey. "Blessed Maker... What kind of weapon is that?"
"The only thing I'm telling you is that any crew members would have been dead at five per cent of its total output. You've seen what it can do, and you should be aware that I am fully prepared to use it in anger. My proposal is straight to the point. You have 24 hours to leave this planet. Do what you need to accomplish here, and then make yourselves scarce. This is of course, non-negotiable."
"Our mission requires us to establish an outpost! You cannot interfere with Torgaljin Corporation's operations on this planet. You have no legitimate claim to 4546B... We have already claimed it!"
"I sincerely doubt that your company has claimed it legally, Mister Tomar. However, I'm politely asking you and your people to leave. Mainly because you killed me in an act of cold-blooded murder, but also because I don't particularly like the look of your face. So, once again... You have 24 hours."
Tomar's face turned its customary shade of crimson. He was just about open his mouth to begin yet another pointless tirade. I held up a cautionary finger, instantly silencing him.
"Shush. Your CEO's dead, and both Alterra field bases have been completely destroyed. Your move."
He'd better hope it's our more reasonable protagonist. XD
He added it into the story after it was introduced into the game sadly. But I do think the devs have read and have introduced some small things into the game that are based off Bugzapper's story here.
Right you are, ComicalSkate. I did have to retcon the existence of Torgaljin Corporation to maintain some degree of congruence with the game's actual story line. Same goes for any new creatures and features. Since I'm playing the Stable version, I have to wait a little longer to proceed with the story occasionally, although I wouldn't entirely discount the possibility of some crystal-ball gazing as well. It's like trying to play football with someone constantly moving the goal-posts.
Glad you're enjoying the story so far. More to come.
What a pillock.
"This isn't over, Selkirk! I'll blow your base to pieces from orbit, and there's nothing you can do to stop me!"
He was absolutely correct, of course. All of my defence systems were orientated towards underwater attack, and I didn't feel confident that a single man-portable Gauss cannon would be of any use against an orbiting starship. Still, he was utterly convinced that he held the upper hand, and I would be only too happy to dissuade him of that notion at the most appropriate time.
Once I had swam clear of the S-01, I gave JUNO the heads-up.
"JUNO, take the S-01 past the outer perimeter and point them in the general direction of the Phoenix. Just slap 'em on the bahookie and then bail out as soon as you please. We'll leave these nasty wee bawbags to their own nefarious devices."
"Affirmative, Captain. Please be advised that I have significant information obtained during my data dive on the Torgaljin AI construct. Decryption pass successfully completed, all data awaiting review."
"Excellent work, JUNO. There's no sense hanging around Reef Base waiting for Tomar to make his next move. Have IANTO put the kettle on at The Broch. I'll pick up Harpoon One and make my own way over there. If you'd be so kind as to shut Reef Base down and prep its active defences as soon as I get clear, we'll regroup to make preparations for Round Two of this daft piece of nonsense."
Although the TRIDENT weapon system was devastatingly effective, there were some serious drawbacks to using it. Sure, it was the Devil's own tool in an underwater combat situation, but its acoustic signature was an unmistakable pointer to your sub's exact position. I had equipped all three Cyclops with a phased-array, variable frequency sonar, with each of the sub's four sonar transducers capable of emitting 20 kilowatts of finely tuned acoustic energy under maximum power. Even a single Cyclops would be a truly formidable opponent in a subsea knife-fight, but as soon as the fleet's sonar systems were linked into the TRIDENT configuration, it became an unholy abomination.
It was a relatively simple matter to discover the resonant frequency of any particular substance, then pound the living hell out of it until it falls apart. Fortunately, I had selected a comparatively lifeless area largely composed of sand dunes for the demonstration staged for Tomar's benefit. The sand dunes would have 'liquefied' to some extent under the sonar bombardment, and there would have been some catastrophic terrain slippage in that location. This was unavoidable, although far more preferable to using solid rock as a backboard for the target. If you ever need a Mercalli-12 magnitude earthquake made precisely to order, just drop me a line.
In its simplest possible terms, being a TRIDENT target was the next best thing to having a front-row centre seat at a Disaster Area concert.
Mug firmly and gratefully in hand, I sat down at the command console.
"Okay JUNO, what information do you have for me?"
"The Torgaljin mothership is the De Ruyter. Lloyd's Registry number CV-3372. Port of origin, Ceres industrial cluster, Sol system. A commercial frigate of 275,000 tonnes unladen mass. Its drive system is a standard Generation II antimatter FTL model, capable of warp factor five velocities. Transit time ex Sol system is calculated at three Solar years, requiring extensive use of cryostasis in order to conserve all on-board resources. Crew complement: Two hundred. Vehicle capacity, two Phoenix-class tactical transport shuttles, four SK-20 Gladius space fighters with in-atmo flight capability. Weapons systems: 2 x 5 megawatt mass driver cannons, 10 x 1 megawatt laser turrets, 2 x particle beam CWIS batteries and numerous man-portable weapons. Threat evaluation: Significant."
"Aye, that's more or less as I expected it. You'd be wanting to bring some serious backup this far away from your ain home patch. I'm guessing Tomar's next move is to get his base fully established, then send more of his boys back down for another shot at me. Unfortunately, he's going to find that rather difficult with our old mate Ahab constantly snip-snapping away at their heels. I buried that transponder package nice and deep in S-01's hull, and Tomar's going to drive himself mad trying to find it... Assuming he makes the connection at all, that is."
JUNO regarded me sternly. "Frankly, I'm shocked, Captain. You are prepared to let them go unharmed on one hand, only to have the reaper leviathan Ahab handle their extermination. This mode of behaviour is clearly indicative of an emergent psychopathic personality disorder. I urgently recommend that you commence a prescribed course of appropriate counseling and corrective therapy immediately."
I laughed heartily for at least half a minute, which only served to intensify JUNO's concerned gaze.
"Nay, Lass. You've got it all wrong. I would'na put it that way at all. As long as everyone stays snug inside the Phoenix or the Cyclops, they'll come to nae harm. Ahab can't touch them. However, this also means that Tomar and his mates can't gain a proper foothold on Manannán. It's going to be awful hard for them to build anything at all with Ahab hawking away at anyone who dips a toe in the water. The beauty of this plan is that they can't touch Ahab either. He'd have to be chewing on the muzzles of one of their plasma batteries for them to even score a hit. They only work properly in a vacuum or on dry land. As you already know, massive energy dissipation is a real problem when you're firing plasma weapons underwater. I'll let that 24-hour deadline pass without any further response. Here's hoping that Tomar will eventually call it a day and simply bugger off."
IANTO stepped forward and gave me his two Credits worth.
"Captain, you are now in an excellent position to launch a retaliatory strike. Invigilator Tomar has suffered considerable disgrace as a direct result of your actions thus far. His team exhibited clear signs that a breakdown in their command structure was imminent. It would be most unwise to allow the Torgaljin any opportunity to regroup and consolidate their forces. We would not prevail."
"Affirmative, Captain. Please define 'interesting', if you would be so kind. I do not wish to repeat my previous misinterpretation of your orders."
"Oh, you mean that teapot episode? Och, that was a reasonable mistake and as it turned out, quite fortuitous. By the time I got back to The Broch I was well ready to murder a brew-up anyway. Think nothing of it, IANTO old mate. Oh, and by 'interesting', I mean any unusual activity around the Phoenix that might indicate a sneak attack is imminent. Thank you, and goodnight to you both."
The twenty-four hour deadline passed without incident. Apart from several futile attempts to send divers out to continue work on the Torgaljin base, the surveillance drones had nothing much to report. Tomar's plan should have worked, in theory. He was sending his divers out in teams of four; two to build and two to keep the workers covered. It wasn't until I assumed manual control of the drone that I had any real idea of what was going on. Ahab was still cruising silently around the landing site, keeping mostly to the shadows and using the grassy plateau columns as cover.
According to JUNO, this was the third team Tomar had sent out so far. Both previous teams had been slaughtered within minutes of leaving Phoenix's airlock. As soon as his contingent of mercs had been used up in more of these pointless forays, he would probably start sending ordinary 'expendable' crew members to take their place. That does it. This murderous business ends now.
"JUNO, IANTO... Saddle up. We're heading out to have another quiet word with Invigilator Tomar."
I sprinted down to the sub pens. Aegis and Red Dragon stood ready, waiting for me to board Ulysses. JUNO already had the sub prepped and good to go. I fastened my crash harness and punched in for flank speed. The launch tunnel walls roared past as Ulysses headed for open water. To hell with stealth this time around. I want Tomar to know full well he's crossed that line.
"Music files, Orchestral. Wagner, Richard. Track, Die Walküre. Patch it through to active sonar."
Aegis and Red Dragon slid efficiently into vee-formation with Ulysses. Tomar's scopes would show three extremely loud and fast targets bearing relentlessly down on his position, and there wasn't a gorram thing he could do about it. We swept up from the depths as vengeful Furies, scattering all that stood before us in chaotic, terrified flight.
As the subs approached Phoenix, I dialled the volume down to scarcely below an utterly obnoxious level. Even though I was barely tapping into TRIDENT's potential output power, conditions must be horrific inside that hull. All those bare metal walls and floors, resonating in sympathy with the cacophony raging outside. The strident, ear-punishing music faded gradually until silence reigned once more. After allowing a brief moment of blissful, absolute silence to pass, I spoke into the UQC microphone. Even at a drastically reduced volume, my voice sounded as that of a furious deity.
"Tomar! You were warned. You are still here. Leave immediately, or face the consequences!"
Also, I like how Selkirk is sympathetic towards the Torgalijin goons that are being sent to their deaths. It looks to me like he's intervening to prevent more of them from being eaten by Ahab. Goes to show that the extended isolation hasn't caused him to develop psychopathic tendencies.
Honestly, I'd be surprised if all this activity or the TRIDENT system hasn't attracted attention from the Warpers by this point. I've never been much of a fanfiction reader but this one is superb and I can't wait for the next update.
Not a direct Young Frankenstein reference, but I had a 'hunch' someone would pick up on that.
Besides, who doesn't like Black Forest Cake? It's totally wicked.
"Engineer Selkirk. How delightful to hear your voice once more. I am pleased that you show a keen appreciation of civilized cultural pursuits, after all. You are indeed a man of many facets, totally unlike your half-crazed alter-ego with his constant stream of inane, archaic gibberish. I salute you, sir."
"Consider that an unconscious affectation on my part, Tomar. I am fully able to converse in standard Anglic, as you are well aware. When I am speaking to someone and wish to make my meaning absolutely clear, I will certainly use a more formal manner of speech. Now, back to the question of why you have elected to remain on this planet and proceed with your objectives, Invigilator Tomar."
"Our mission is none of your concern, Selkirk. You are interfering in an enterprise far greater than you or anyone else, for that matter. It is only a matter of time before the main colonization fleet arrives. You are already a dead man."
I smiled. "Thank you for providing this information. I admit that I have yet to fully examine the data collected during my recent intrusion of your systems. You have saved me a considerable effort. On the subject of colonization, I would strongly recommend against it. The sentient inhabitants of this planet have already taken extreme measures to ensure that this will not happen. The Aurora was destroyed as it attempted to land. This should be proof enough. I can only assume that your safe landing was only possible due to an opportunity afforded by favourable atmospheric conditions. You were able to pass through the eye of a hurricane, using the storm as cover for your landing. Correct?"
"I'll admit you did a passable job in trying to convince others that it was dangerous to approach this planet, although I am inclined to believe that it was merely a ruse to discourage any further exploratory missions from landing here. What have you discovered, Selkirk?" Tomar prodded slyly.
I sighed in exasperation. "Tomar, listen. The only significant thing I have discovered is that we simply shouldn't be here. The entire planet stands on the cusp of a dramatic evolutionary breakthrough. And from what I've seen so far, we definitely don't want to be around when it happens. The planet's life forms are adapting to our presence here, and it's happening at a frightening rate. The reaper leviathan may well be at the top of the food chain right now, but there's no telling what might come to replace it. Honestly, you would be better off walking away from this world. Cut your losses."
"No. Do your worst, Selkirk. I refuse to accept your hollow threats and wild fantasies. Tomar out."
Gorram it.
I slumped back in the command chair. Nothing short of a full TRIDENT barrage would change his mind now, and I don't want that much blood on my conscience. A complete and absolute impasse.
"IANTO, what is the resonant frequency of the human gastrointestinal system?" I inquired casually.
"Eight cycles per second, Sir." IANTO replied.
"Please calculate the required amplitude and waveform required to manifest severe levels of non-lethal physical distress in a typical human body. Display the parameters onscreen."
"Captain... Surely you're not planning to do what I think you're about to do?" JUNO asked warily.
"I'm afraid so, JUNO. I would rather take this approach than destroy them outright."
The UQC channel began broadcasting again. The sound levels were considerably lower than before.
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Since you are experiencing some difficulties in reaching a mutually satisfactory decision, I thought that you might appreciate some excellent 20th. Century music to help pass the time. This track is called 'Experiment IV' by Kate Bush. I highly recommend it."
The music began its driving, catchy beat. Unknown to anyone aboard Phoenix, there was a secondary sound channel riding far below the audible layer. A pulsating tone of eight Hertz, rich in significant harmonics of that frequency, transmitted at 0.5 per cent of TRIDENT's total power rating. Although the perceptible sound pressure level was set precisely at 75 decibels, the crew of the Phoenix were also being bombarded with several thousand watts of pure infrasound energy. It wouldn't take long before its effects became all too apparent.
Two hours later, my careful efforts finally bore substantial fruit.
"Engineer Selkirk. This is Commander Sen Varyx, pilot of the Phoenix. Cease attacking this vessel immediately. Be advised that Invigilator Tomar has been taken into custody, and will answer for his actions here accordingly. Preparations are currently underway for our imminent departure. No further intervention is necessary. Varyx out."
"Understood, Commander. I shall withdraw my forces immediately. Godspeed, Phoenix."
I breathed a silent sigh of relief.
"Well, that was easy." I said cheerfully.
JUNO walked over and addressed me directly. "Captain, I detected some anomalies in Commander Varyx's speech patterns.
Voice-stress analysis strongly indicates that he is lying about something."
I shrugged. "Of course he is, JUNO. I conjure Tomar is still holding the whip, and he wants me to think otherwise. We'll simply allow him to keep thinking that. Meanwhile, I'll keep my end of the bargain and head back to The Broch. Make ready for super-quiet departure in all respects."
"Captain. Launch transient detected. Distance 3.5 kilometres, depth 75 metres, bearing 042."
"Just what I wanted to hear. Please dispatch a recon drone to the surface for visual flight path tracking, JUNO. I don't want them sneaking back underwater, or it's back to bloody square one again."
"Understood, Captain. Current trajectory indicates that Phoenix is vectoring for rendezvous with the Torgaljin frigate De Ruyter, which is currently shadowing the orbit of the primary moon, Damocles."
I rubbed my chin thoughtfully. "Hmm... I would have chosen the smaller moon, Phryne to hide behind. Not an ideal choice of cover, given the distance at which Aurora was attacked. Far too close to the planet. Let's have that up on the main display, please."
Phoenix broke surface 200 metres from the drone. Seen in its entirety, it was a brutal, graceless block of a ship. Gunmetal grey and completely unadorned, save for a stark white 01 painted on its aft hull plates. It rose steadily on gravity repulsion drive until it was clear of the water, then slowly tilted skyward and rose steadily under the impulse of its atmospheric rocket motors. I was able to track its progress easily, since the stabilised optics of the drone kept the image rock-steady, in spite of the light surface chop. The drone remained locked on Phoenix as it passed through the upper atmosphere, whereupon the shuttle's sub-light engines smartly cut in. The shuttle accelerated, swept behind Damocles and passed into obscurity.
"Okay. We'll call that a potential approach vector, JUNO. Keep the drone watching that area of sky, and task another drone to watch the starboard lower quadrant of Damocles in particular. I wouldn't put it past Tomar to attempt a quick double-back once he's safely aboard De Ruyter."
I imagined all sorts of nefarious goings-on aboard De Ruyter. Tomar being his usual bombastic self, of course. Orders being barked out left, right and centre, hurried preparations for an assault, weapons made ready. I won't say that I was actually looking forward to Round Three. Far from it.
But it was coming. It was inevitable.
Six hours later, the inevitable happened.
"Captain! Condition Red! De Ruyter is inbound and vectored for atmospheric entry!" JUNO yelled.
I snapped awake from my fitful doze. A brief moment of confusion. "Give me the numbers, JUNO."
"Distance, 150,000 kilometres and closing, Captain. Current velocity, 120,000 kilometres per hour and decelerating steadily for direct atmospheric entry. Estimated time remaining until the frigate's primary weapons are within effective firing range, 25 minutes. Your orders, Captain?"
"Bring Reef Base back online. Route all communications from The Broch through there."