Bio-scanners are very handy gadgets, although they do have certain serious limitations. Right now, we're experiencing their most inconvenient design flaw. Surrounded (as we are) by a significant number of Kharaa warrior forms, our long-range sensors have become practically useless. In fact, they're utterly swamped by a massive influx of close-range life sign data, and all of them appear to be throwing a major hissy-fit. This might have something to do with being in a 'target-rich environment', since we're smack-bang in the middle of a morass of dying biofilm and a seemingly endless flow of stealthy attackers. Fortunately, the multi-spectral HUD view is still working effectively, although some advance warning of this current attack would have been greatly appreciated. As DIGBY had predicted, a sizable contingent of Lerks and Fades struck as we were tussling with the second wave of Skulks and Gorges. Suffice it to say, things got considerably more hectic at this point.
Guinevere staggered heavily, blind-sided by a belly-sliding Gorge. JUNO tapped her ExoSuit's jump jet, catching it neatly before it completely overbalanced. The dazed Gorge at her feet barely had time to shriek as IANTO's flechette burst shredded its head. Percival and Gawain pivoted in unison, surging forward to intercept a pack of Skulks closing in on Pasteur. I spotted a sizeable pack of hazy shapes nimbly scaling the rough-hewn basalt walls of the chamber, heading for the ceiling.
Lerks.
"IANTO! Three o'clock, elevation sixty!" I yelled.
IANTO's ExoSuit Galahad spun around, whipping its flechette rifle into firing position. Jenner pounded forward like an enraged rhino, its Gauss cannon spooling up to fire. Anything coming in on the deck for Galahad is in for a very nasty surprise. IANTO opened fire on the Lerks scurrying across the ceiling, snapping off a dozen precise three-round bursts in quick succession. As anticipated, a trio of Fades materialised silently behind Galahad, crouching low as they stalked their prey. Using a millisecond data burst, I let IANTO know what was happening, advising him to keep their attention fixed on Galahad.
As the last Lerk exploded in a spray of vile fluids and spattered on the deck, all three Fades sprang forward for the kill. I managed to nail two of them before they covered half the remaining distance to Galahad, but the third was just that little bit quicker than my Gauss cannon's recycle time. Even so, IANTO knew what was about to happen, and acted accordingly. A split-second before the remaining Fade slammed into Galahad, IANTO pivoted to the left as skilfully as a matador, causing the beast to sail harmlessly past him, landing in a crumpled heap. It was back on its feet in seconds, snarling defiantly and slashing the air with its massive scimitar-shaped forelimbs. IANTO shifted his ExoSuit into a braced stance, poised to absorb the creature's impact.
With a deafening shriek of rage, the Fade launched itself at Galahad, its scything talons a blur of unearthly speed. IANTO stood his ground until the beast was barely two metres away. I was about to yell out a warning that my shot was blocked, although IANTO appeared to be squaring up to melee with this one, regardless of the danger those talons posed. I've heard stories of TSF power armour being torn apart like tinfoil by Fades. If he's about to do something clever, now's the time...
He shot it. Point-blank with a plasma burst. No fuss, no flashy footwork. Just one big plasma flash.
Well played, Doctor Jones.
Today's lesson: Never bring scimitars to a gunfight.
I'll say one thing in the Kharaa's favour. Those bastards definitely know how to fight. I wouldn't say I actually admire their tenacity, since these creatures are merely tools of the malign Intelligences goading them into battle. Even with their Hives knocked out of commission, the warrior forms exhibited far more intelligence and outright battle-savvy than most Terrans would give them any credit for, although it was now obvious that the tide of battle had turned against them.
The massed attacks became noticeably less frequent. Occasionally, one or two Fades would attempt a stalking attack on the outermost elements of our force, only to be met with a devastating barrage as all weapons were brought to bear on a single target. For all intents and purposes, we appear to have broken the main Kharaa assault force, although I'm not about to start handing out any cigars just yet. A moment later, DIGBY confirmed my suspicions.
"Sir, I have completed a tactical analysis of the battle up to this point. According to verifiable data, we have accounted for an estimated eighty-five per cent of all Kharaa forces encountered so far. However, this is an estimate based upon unreliable data provided by our life sign scanners, and as such, is best interpreted with an appropriate measure of caution. During the last sortie, only ten per cent of Kharaa units within visual range were actually committed to that attack. The remainder apparently withdrew as we engaged their vanguard. Most unusual, since that particular attack pattern had a significant probability of inflicting some serious damage to our force."
"You got that impression too, DIGBY?" I drummed my fingers on the display console absently, trying to nail down an errant train of thought. "Aye. Something wasn't quite right about that last wave. I'm dead certain of it. Seemed a wee bit half-hearted towards the end, wouldn't you say?"
"More than a little, Sir." DIGBY observed. "One might even suppose that the Kharaa are actively adapting their strategy to counter the ExoSuits. They have apparently realised that they can no longer achieve their objectives by direct assault. Logically, one might assume an ambush is being laid somewhere deeper inside the complex. Any one of the four recreational spaces would be ideal."
"Fair comment." I agreed. "However, all those minor corridors are a tight squeeze for a Mk. V ExoSuit. Jenner and Pasteur won't fit at all. We'd all be lined up like dominos, easy pickings for the first beastie lurking around the next corner. I cannae see the sense in walking into a trap like that."
Therein lies the rub. We had turned the atrium into a perfect kill-zone, although we could no longer count on the Kharaa to stroll obligingly into our line of fire. So what do we do now? We could simply wait them out, picking off whatever comes our way, or stooge around hoping that the Enzyme 42 cloud finishes them off sometime before Alpha Hydrae becomes a cold, dark cinder.
Stalemate.
We stood there like a bunch of complete wallies as I tried to devise an acceptable course of action. Naturally, the crew were too focused on sweeping the area for potential threats to comment, although Héloise drew attention to this apparent loss of forward momentum in her own inimitable fashion. Before I could stop her, she opened Pasteur's canopy and dismounted. Muttering inaudibly, she uncoupled the Gauss cannon, slung it across her body and glared accusingly at me.
"Hoy! M'sieur! What's with the blerrie holdup? Allons-y!" She bawled.
Well, since you put it so nicely, Dear Heart... How can I possibly resist?
the_marinerUS of AJoin Date: 2016-12-29Member: 225653Members
Hello Bugzapper! Just wanted to tell you how much I've enjoyed reading Borealis Rising! I've followed Aurora Falls since the start, and I just wanted to say thank you for writing this!
Just one thing: is it just me, or is Rising significantly shorter than Aurora Falls? I mean, Selkirk discovered the Lost River, went to assist the colonists in the Lava Castle, and then actually evacuated the colonists to Kaori-san no-shima. Heloise and Selkirk hooked up, construction on Borealis began, and then there was a meeting with Father of Tides. After that, Selkirk went to investigate the Lava Castle, met with Keeper of Memories, killed Polyakov and his team, went back to Kaori-san no-shima, and now has returned to the Lava Castle a second time to purge it of Kharaa.
What I'm trying to say is it seems kind of early to be at the climax already. I'm not trying to offend you or anything, I'm just wondering how Borealis is so short compared to Aurora Falls.
@the_mariner I admit to a certain amount of time compression in the storyline of 'Borealis Rising', although it has little bearing on the actual length of the story.
I usually step up the pace whenever I sense folks are getting restless. Most times, I rely on my own gut feeling to crank things up.
Rest assured that 'Borealis Rising' isn't a quickie sequel. We're up to 120 pages so far, and there's quite a bit more story to come. If the updates seem to be coming in too slowly, please bear in mind that I'm still in holiday goof-off mode. Just kicking back a little, that's all.
I honestly didnt think this was the main climax. There are a LOT of ways the story can go from here, and things can get MUCH more dangerous, especially dependent on if the respawners in Kaori bring back any analyzed Kharra DNA on our hosts from the lava castle before their last respawn. (Kaori could be turned in to a hive while everyone is outside of comms range in the lava castle) Then we have a LOOOONG trip back to civilized space, where you can get in to real interpersonal drama, not to mention that all hell will likely break loose when criminal Selkirk the android gets put up on charges when he returns, that is if society is even cohesive when he gets back.
Anything can happen, and I trust Bugzapper to ensure that we have no idea what's coming until it hits us in the face.
"All units, disperse your suits to cover. Hull down, minimal radiated power signatures. Set internal AI to MARTIAL overwatch mode. Can't have those dirty scunners sneaking up behind us."
After finding a suitable spot for Gawain to hunker down, I guided Pasteur to its own hiding place and set its combat protocols accordingly. Any Kharaa attempting to launch an attack from the rear would be cut to pieces. No questions asked. Woe betide anything approaching without an active IFF beacon. Naturally, Héloise had free passage back into the atrium, since her dive suit's PDA had been registered as a valid authenticator before commencing this operation. Absolutely zero chance of a 'friendly fire' incident happening, particularly when you add her personal biometrics to the equation. She's the only human in here, and even a Kharaa organism with some vestigial traces of human DNA won't pass unnoticed. You can count on that.
I turned to face Héloise, my expression apologetic.
"As much as hate to say it, Hen... You'll have to stay out of trouble as much as possible this time around. The atmosphere in here is lethal to pretty much anything organic at this point. One rip in your suit, and that's it. Best guess is that you'll have less than five seconds to slap on a repair patch. In fact, you'd best move a couple to a more accessible position than that belt pouch, since we may not be able to reach you in time. Stay close."
Héloise nodded wordlessly. There was nothing more to be said.
Every Spacer has an almost identical secret nightmare, and now it unfolds before us. The darkness looms around us as a malevolent presence, replete with unseen horrors. What scant light fell in that hellish maze of corridors offers little comfort, only serving to throw distorted shadows and cast dire uncertainty upon my decision to enter this place. If I were wholly human at this point, I would not hesitate to turn back. Play the safe hand and obliterate the Lava Castle with nuclear devices. This is no place for heroes. In time, I might be able to sleep soundly once more. No more waking drenched in a cold sweat. No half-choked scream of terror rising in my throat. If I were human once more.
I do not have this luxury. Although I feel apprehensive, I am not afraid of the darkness and all it conceals. My greatest fear is that we fail to carry out this mission to its absolute end. If only a single strand of Kharaa DNA survives intact in this place, we will have failed. Given time, the Kharaa may gradually adapt to the effects of Enzyme 42, emerging triumphant to lay waste to all life on this planet. It will emerge from the withered remains of its weaker self; reborn with new-found strength and a burning purpose. Then it will leave the confines of Manannán and find other worlds to conquer.
True darkness shall descend.
Even the furious light of nuclear fire may not prevail here. The Kharaa blight will certainly take advantage of the slightest chance of survival, and that is why we are here. Every last trace of the organism must be obliterated before we can leave this planet. Sky Watcher will burn us before allowing Borealis to launch and spread the contagion any further. This is a definite fact.
The corridors were becoming eerily silent. Only a few minutes before, the air had been alive with enough frenzied shrieking, howling and roaring to shred the nerves of all but the hardiest souls. Without our ExoSuits, we were effectively naked. Even Héloise's customary steely composure began to erode as we ventured deeper. She flinched at the slightest sound now, searching desperately for its source. In its own way, that gaunt silence was infinitely more terrifying.
I hope it's not the case. But I can't help but think that Héloise is too exposed to pass through this unscathed. I would hate for it to happen, but innocent people dying due to his actions seems to be a trend in his existence. At any rate I am completely entralled. Keep up the great work bugzapper!!
By the time we caught up with the fleeing Kharaa, they were in no condition to put up any kind of fight. Judging by the number of dead and dying that littered the foyer of the Executive quarters, they were obviously trying to prepare a last-ditch ambush for us. A handful of Skulks and Gorges that still clung doggedly to life were quickly dispatched with single shots, speeding their journey Beyond. I'd like to believe there was some small measure of mercy in this action, although to be perfectly honest, it was done more out of simple necessity. I had discovered a way of tuning out most of the background readings in the bio-scanners, reducing the amount of visual clutter to more manageable levels. Not that it mattered now. The Kharaa biofilm was in the final stages of dissolution, as were most of the more heavily-affected warrior forms. Walls, ceilings and decks were coated in an inert slime, oozing and dripping from every surface in the Lava Castle.
Their ambush location was no coincidence. Baat Torgal's research facility lay behind a concealed door, some fifty metres ahead. As far as I know, there's a strong possibility that almost no Enzyme 42 aerosol has penetrated the research section yet. We all carry a 15-litre backpack sprayer charged with a full-strength solution, although this system was purely intended for spot decontamination of biofilm and Kharaa defensive structures, not melee combat.
And yet, we may well have to jam our spray-guns down the throats of our attackers, if need be. That corridor ahead is not much larger than a standard shipboard passageway, so the ExoSuits won't be much use in there. Absolutely no room to spare for capering about with a pack of Skulks snapping at your heels. I wanted to leave Héloise and DIGBY outside, ostensibly serving as our rear-guard, although she would have none of it. End of discussion.
I studied the access door carefully, evaluating the best and safest way to breach it. Half a metre of layered armour-grade titanium, packed with at least 50 kilograms of Molanex shaped-charge explosive, give or take a gram. Setting it off posed no problem at all. Getting the big badaboom to go in the right direction was the tricky part. After running the numbers and checking them thrice, I conjured enough mass piled in front of the door would tamp the explosion sufficiently to reverse the direction of the blast wave. However, there is a slight catch to this clever solution I've devised. We need to pile at least ten metric tonnes of matter in front of that door. Not just any old junk, either. Each piece has to be selected for its physical properties and placed in a carefully defined sequence.
Och, ma poor achin' servos.
Suffice it to say, this process took quite some time. Six point seven-five hours, to be precise. Mattresses were the first items on the list. Their composition is ideal for absorbing kinetic energy, although they aren't particularly resistant to physical damage on this scale. However, they are compressible to a miraculous degree, and that property makes them well suited to this particular application. We had to compress a three metre-thick wall of mattresses into a 200mm-thick barrier layer. That alone involved some serious effort... And, Baat Torgal's exceedingly shiny basalt table. I had attached a precise pattern of eight seismic survey charges to the door before our shoving match with the mattresses began, guaranteeing a slightly smaller (but well-tamped) counter-explosion occurring mere picoseconds before the main blast.
In theory, the shockwave from the charges would still be propagating as the booby-trap fired.
I eyed our carefully-built pile of garbage with a wicked grin, and keyed the trigger.
We had to compress a three metre-thick wall of mattresses into a 200mm-thick barrier layer. That alone involved some serious effort... And, Baat Torgal's exceedingly shiny basalt table.
As explosions go, this one was almost embarrassing. No earth-shattering ka-boom. Sorry.
There was a lifeless whump from somewhere deep inside the mound of rubbish. The entire mass bulged and shrugged briefly, slumping back into itself with a weary sigh. A few thin tendrils of smoke escaped from the tightly-packed material a minute or so later, probably emanating from what remained of the mattress stack. Polymer aerogels are designed to have excellent fire-retardant properties, although experience has shown that anything will burn when enough heat is applied. Fortunately, there won't be enough available oxygen to support combustion inside the pile. Even so, we'll have to be careful as we're clearing this lot away from the door. I don't recommend plunging your hands blindly into a mass of molten plastic.
In fact, the true magnitude of the explosion was far more obvious through the soles of our feet. The basalt floor of the foyer rang like a huge, dull bell underfoot. My sensors detected two discrete detonations, almost perfectly overlapping. Precisely how I wanted it to happen. Those seismic charges may have been much lower in mass than the 50 or so kilograms of Molanex embedded in the door, although those charges were loaded with a particularly powerful compound called GelMax. Seismic survey techniques require a long, steady boom to image deep geology clearly, and GelMax is the right stuff for the job. Most definitely a case of 'more bang for your buck'.
Eventually, we managed to clear a path through the wrecked barricade. The door was well and truly gone, along with most of its reinforced support frame. If anything had been waiting for us on the other side, its last couple of milliseconds may have been quite interesting, if somewhat abrupt. Apparently, the connecting corridor served admirably as a shotgun barrel, as witnessed by the swathe of devastation that scythed halfway through the agricultural research bay.
We advanced quickly but cautiously through the corridor, fanning out into a widely-spaced skirmish line. A quick search of the bay revealed it to be almost devoid of life, although the bio-scanner detected dense outcroppings of Kharaa biofilm clustered around Baat Torgal's laboratory. We could spare a dose of Enzyme 42 on these growths as we passed through, although it would be pointless to cleanse those infestations until all larger organisms that occupied this section of the base had been destroyed. The biofilm posed no actual threat at this point.
The creatures that it nurtured were a different story.
As we neared the laboratory, the bio-scanner's readings became increasingly unreliable. The readout screen showed absolutely no detail, just an amorphous mass of heaving Kharaa life all around us. Even visual data proved to be highly dubious, at best. This infestation seemed different somehow; strange growths and structures had emerged from the slimy mass underfoot, making it seem as though an alien forest had taken root here. One growth resembled a young fern shoot, all coiled up like a fiddle-head. Apart from its size, it looked completely benign. Based on its appearance alone, we deliberately gave this one a wide berth. Something wasn't quite right about the way it tensed up as we drew near. Likewise, we avoided getting too close to the ones that resembled long-necked barnacles. Too much like a Tiger Plant for my liking. As I've discovered over the years, a little caution might take you the long way round, but at least you'll arrive in one piece.
We've had enough unpleasant surprises today, thank you very much.
Second paragraph Mr.Zapper I noticed a small error your tired eyes may have over looked!
In fact, the true magnitude of the explosion was far more obvious through the soles of our feet. The basalt floor of the foyer rang like a huge, dull bell underfoot. My sensors detected two discrete detonations, almost perfectly overlapping. Precisely how I wanted it to happen. Those seismic charges may have been may have been much-needed lower in mass than the 50 or so kilograms of Molanex embedded in the door, although those charges were loaded with a particularly powerful compound called GelMax. Seismic survey techniques require a long, steady boom to image deep geology clearly, and GelMax is the right stuff for the job. Most definitely a case of 'more bang for your buck'.
Sorry to just point it out like that!
But back to the point! The way this is shaping up I feel like for better or worse our dear Selkirk and Co. Are about to under go somthing very dramatic and or "life changing"
The cavern's silence was shattered by a thunderous roaring. A pair of shrouded Onos emerged from their hiding places, de-cloaked and charged towards us. Caught with almost no reaction time, IANTO and I looked to bear the full brunt of their initial assault. Héloise and the crew were already pivoting to face their closest targets. Their flechette rifles lit up first, sending a furious swarm of titanium darts at the rampaging beasts. In a situation such as this, three seconds is too gorram long to wait for your Gauss cannon's capacitors to spool up.
I was airborne. Even though I tried to sidestep out of its path, the Onos simply tossed its head to one side and caught me as it charged towards our line. It was a glancing blow, but heavy enough to toss me aside like a rag doll. My HUD lit up like an old pinball table, displaying a litany of critical systems damage that tallied up too fast for human eyes to follow. Aye, he's definitely nailed me.
My mangled body slammed heavily into one of the raised cultivation beds. There goes my warranty.
If anything, the constant barrage of flechettes only served to enrage the Onos even more. Our dart guns were practically useless against their dense hides, inflicting less damage than a bad patch of stinging nettles. Only a Gauss cannon could make a dent in these beasts, and mine was laying fifteen metres away. From what I could hear, IANTO managed to land a solid hit on one, although it was still very much alive. Take it from me, that shrieking roar does not bode well for anyone facing an Onos. It doesn't necessarily mean that you've mortally wounded it. Far from it. Consider that sound a fair warning that this tussle has lost any remaining semblance of civility. You've just flipped the Onos' Berserker switch. Good luck with that one, chum.
I attempted to struggle upright, but couldn't even raise myself on an elbow. My efforts were rewarded with another flurry of system alarms and a jet of coolant from somewhere in my lower torso. Face it, there's absolutely no chance of walking away from this one.
"Captain!" JUNO cried. "DIGBY is on his way over, hang on!"
"Belay that! I'm no use to you. Look to yourselves!" I yelled.
I tried piecing the battle together from what meagre input my functioning sensors could provide. The Onos were hawking away at the crew, charging in and wheeling away with frightening speed and agility. Above the angry hornet's buzz of flechettes ripping through the air, I heard a second Gauss cannon open fire, most probably JUNO or DIGBY. IANTO's piece had hit its stride, chugging out a round every five seconds as its capacitors recycled. Even with an android's superb reflexes and advanced targeting systems, the Onos proved to be cunning targets in spite of their massive bulk. Time and again, their unpredictable jinking and darting charges frustrated the aim of our Gauss gunners, and I actually heard JUNO swear in a most unladylike manner. Can't say as I'd blame her.
The cacophony around me rose to a cataclysmic pitch. All I could do was stare at the ceiling of the cavern, feeling drained and utterly useless. We're all going to die here.
Suddenly, Héloise shrieked. I felt heavy footfalls reverberating through the basalt floor beneath me. Its pace was unhurried, almost as if it was savouring my imminent demise. Helpless, all I could do was analyse its rate of approach as if this were an abstract exercise; one calmly considered without consequences. At five metres, the Onos loomed over me like a collapsing rock face, its craggy features drawing into a bestial grin.
Enough mucking around. Make it quick, you bastard.
I've a feeling Selkirk is going to regret a certain amount of knowledge about the Valkyrie field that certain individuals possessed prior to their assimilation. Assuming the Kharaa can actually use that to their advantage (ie, capture, not kill, thus preventing its activation).
I've a feeling Selkirk is going to regret a certain amount of knowledge about the Valkyrie field that certain individuals possessed prior to their assimilation. Assuming the Kharaa can actually use that to their advantage (ie, capture, not kill, thus preventing its activation).
Unfortunately, the Lava Castle's Valkyrie Field is currently offline, due to massive damage to the base's power grid. The only operational Field is on Kaori-san no-shima.
And it won't work on Selkirk... He's an android.
If the Kharaa Hive wants to use the Field to resurrect their own warriors, they'll have to reverse-engineer a working version and tailor it to suit their physical characteristics.
Might be a tricky proposition for a species that doesn't directly use any form of 'hard' technology.
I've a feeling Selkirk is going to regret a certain amount of knowledge about the Valkyrie field that certain individuals possessed prior to their assimilation. Assuming the Kharaa can actually use that to their advantage (ie, capture, not kill, thus preventing its activation).
Unfortunately, the Lava Castle's Valkyrie Field is currently offline due to massive damage to the power grid. The only operational Field is on Kaori-san no-shima.
And it won't work on Selkirk... He's an android.
I was under the impression Selkirk didn't need one due to daily backups while he dreams (same for the AIs although they're actually kind of omnipresent IIRC?). So that means bad news for Heloise then, unless there's a way to manually trigger a Valkyrie field upon return (maybe by bringing a body back? But the Kharaa.. so you'd need to override it I'd think?)
I'm just thinking that the Kharaa are going to want to assimilate Selkirk like the Borg Queen wanted to do to Data, but I don't know if that will work given the safeguards built into an Android mind.
I guess it'll be interesting to find out! Looking forward to it. (:
Truly an amazing story so far dude! Both Borealis Rising and Aurora Falls are incredible stories. I remembered the title of your story during class today, it was very painful to wait until the end of class. I finally got home and immidiatily started my reading marathon.
Keep up the good work, Bugzapper!!
Also is it okay if I putt all the posts in a document??
Comments
Guinevere staggered heavily, blind-sided by a belly-sliding Gorge. JUNO tapped her ExoSuit's jump jet, catching it neatly before it completely overbalanced. The dazed Gorge at her feet barely had time to shriek as IANTO's flechette burst shredded its head. Percival and Gawain pivoted in unison, surging forward to intercept a pack of Skulks closing in on Pasteur. I spotted a sizeable pack of hazy shapes nimbly scaling the rough-hewn basalt walls of the chamber, heading for the ceiling.
Lerks.
"IANTO! Three o'clock, elevation sixty!" I yelled.
IANTO's ExoSuit Galahad spun around, whipping its flechette rifle into firing position. Jenner pounded forward like an enraged rhino, its Gauss cannon spooling up to fire. Anything coming in on the deck for Galahad is in for a very nasty surprise. IANTO opened fire on the Lerks scurrying across the ceiling, snapping off a dozen precise three-round bursts in quick succession. As anticipated, a trio of Fades materialised silently behind Galahad, crouching low as they stalked their prey. Using a millisecond data burst, I let IANTO know what was happening, advising him to keep their attention fixed on Galahad.
As the last Lerk exploded in a spray of vile fluids and spattered on the deck, all three Fades sprang forward for the kill. I managed to nail two of them before they covered half the remaining distance to Galahad, but the third was just that little bit quicker than my Gauss cannon's recycle time. Even so, IANTO knew what was about to happen, and acted accordingly. A split-second before the remaining Fade slammed into Galahad, IANTO pivoted to the left as skilfully as a matador, causing the beast to sail harmlessly past him, landing in a crumpled heap. It was back on its feet in seconds, snarling defiantly and slashing the air with its massive scimitar-shaped forelimbs. IANTO shifted his ExoSuit into a braced stance, poised to absorb the creature's impact.
With a deafening shriek of rage, the Fade launched itself at Galahad, its scything talons a blur of unearthly speed. IANTO stood his ground until the beast was barely two metres away. I was about to yell out a warning that my shot was blocked, although IANTO appeared to be squaring up to melee with this one, regardless of the danger those talons posed. I've heard stories of TSF power armour being torn apart like tinfoil by Fades. If he's about to do something clever, now's the time...
He shot it. Point-blank with a plasma burst. No fuss, no flashy footwork. Just one big plasma flash.
Well played, Doctor Jones.
Today's lesson: Never bring scimitars to a gunfight.
Or gore for that matter. If you excuse me, I'm going to go throw up.
FTFY.
"Distant roar"
Oh noes...
I'll bet you set a trail-cam up for Santa, too.
*gasp* *splutter*
Oh, thank you! Lloyd Bridges bless and keep you, o intrepid aquanaut!
How can I ever repay you?
I know just the thing...
This.
The massed attacks became noticeably less frequent. Occasionally, one or two Fades would attempt a stalking attack on the outermost elements of our force, only to be met with a devastating barrage as all weapons were brought to bear on a single target. For all intents and purposes, we appear to have broken the main Kharaa assault force, although I'm not about to start handing out any cigars just yet. A moment later, DIGBY confirmed my suspicions.
"Sir, I have completed a tactical analysis of the battle up to this point. According to verifiable data, we have accounted for an estimated eighty-five per cent of all Kharaa forces encountered so far. However, this is an estimate based upon unreliable data provided by our life sign scanners, and as such, is best interpreted with an appropriate measure of caution. During the last sortie, only ten per cent of Kharaa units within visual range were actually committed to that attack. The remainder apparently withdrew as we engaged their vanguard. Most unusual, since that particular attack pattern had a significant probability of inflicting some serious damage to our force."
"You got that impression too, DIGBY?" I drummed my fingers on the display console absently, trying to nail down an errant train of thought. "Aye. Something wasn't quite right about that last wave. I'm dead certain of it. Seemed a wee bit half-hearted towards the end, wouldn't you say?"
"More than a little, Sir." DIGBY observed. "One might even suppose that the Kharaa are actively adapting their strategy to counter the ExoSuits. They have apparently realised that they can no longer achieve their objectives by direct assault. Logically, one might assume an ambush is being laid somewhere deeper inside the complex. Any one of the four recreational spaces would be ideal."
"Fair comment." I agreed. "However, all those minor corridors are a tight squeeze for a Mk. V ExoSuit. Jenner and Pasteur won't fit at all. We'd all be lined up like dominos, easy pickings for the first beastie lurking around the next corner. I cannae see the sense in walking into a trap like that."
Therein lies the rub. We had turned the atrium into a perfect kill-zone, although we could no longer count on the Kharaa to stroll obligingly into our line of fire. So what do we do now? We could simply wait them out, picking off whatever comes our way, or stooge around hoping that the Enzyme 42 cloud finishes them off sometime before Alpha Hydrae becomes a cold, dark cinder.
Stalemate.
We stood there like a bunch of complete wallies as I tried to devise an acceptable course of action. Naturally, the crew were too focused on sweeping the area for potential threats to comment, although Héloise drew attention to this apparent loss of forward momentum in her own inimitable fashion. Before I could stop her, she opened Pasteur's canopy and dismounted. Muttering inaudibly, she uncoupled the Gauss cannon, slung it across her body and glared accusingly at me.
"Hoy! M'sieur! What's with the blerrie holdup? Allons-y!" She bawled.
Well, since you put it so nicely, Dear Heart... How can I possibly resist?
(Julian got banned and brought a lot of threads to the top, somehow burying this one.)
Just one thing: is it just me, or is Rising significantly shorter than Aurora Falls? I mean, Selkirk discovered the Lost River, went to assist the colonists in the Lava Castle, and then actually evacuated the colonists to Kaori-san no-shima. Heloise and Selkirk hooked up, construction on Borealis began, and then there was a meeting with Father of Tides. After that, Selkirk went to investigate the Lava Castle, met with Keeper of Memories, killed Polyakov and his team, went back to Kaori-san no-shima, and now has returned to the Lava Castle a second time to purge it of Kharaa.
What I'm trying to say is it seems kind of early to be at the climax already. I'm not trying to offend you or anything, I'm just wondering how Borealis is so short compared to Aurora Falls.
I usually step up the pace whenever I sense folks are getting restless. Most times, I rely on my own gut feeling to crank things up.
Rest assured that 'Borealis Rising' isn't a quickie sequel. We're up to 120 pages so far, and there's quite a bit more story to come. If the updates seem to be coming in too slowly, please bear in mind that I'm still in holiday goof-off mode. Just kicking back a little, that's all.
Anything can happen, and I trust Bugzapper to ensure that we have no idea what's coming until it hits us in the face.
Take your time and enjoy your holiday break!
After finding a suitable spot for Gawain to hunker down, I guided Pasteur to its own hiding place and set its combat protocols accordingly. Any Kharaa attempting to launch an attack from the rear would be cut to pieces. No questions asked. Woe betide anything approaching without an active IFF beacon. Naturally, Héloise had free passage back into the atrium, since her dive suit's PDA had been registered as a valid authenticator before commencing this operation. Absolutely zero chance of a 'friendly fire' incident happening, particularly when you add her personal biometrics to the equation. She's the only human in here, and even a Kharaa organism with some vestigial traces of human DNA won't pass unnoticed. You can count on that.
I turned to face Héloise, my expression apologetic.
"As much as hate to say it, Hen... You'll have to stay out of trouble as much as possible this time around. The atmosphere in here is lethal to pretty much anything organic at this point. One rip in your suit, and that's it. Best guess is that you'll have less than five seconds to slap on a repair patch. In fact, you'd best move a couple to a more accessible position than that belt pouch, since we may not be able to reach you in time. Stay close."
Héloise nodded wordlessly. There was nothing more to be said.
Every Spacer has an almost identical secret nightmare, and now it unfolds before us. The darkness looms around us as a malevolent presence, replete with unseen horrors. What scant light fell in that hellish maze of corridors offers little comfort, only serving to throw distorted shadows and cast dire uncertainty upon my decision to enter this place. If I were wholly human at this point, I would not hesitate to turn back. Play the safe hand and obliterate the Lava Castle with nuclear devices. This is no place for heroes. In time, I might be able to sleep soundly once more. No more waking drenched in a cold sweat. No half-choked scream of terror rising in my throat. If I were human once more.
I do not have this luxury. Although I feel apprehensive, I am not afraid of the darkness and all it conceals. My greatest fear is that we fail to carry out this mission to its absolute end. If only a single strand of Kharaa DNA survives intact in this place, we will have failed. Given time, the Kharaa may gradually adapt to the effects of Enzyme 42, emerging triumphant to lay waste to all life on this planet. It will emerge from the withered remains of its weaker self; reborn with new-found strength and a burning purpose. Then it will leave the confines of Manannán and find other worlds to conquer.
True darkness shall descend.
Even the furious light of nuclear fire may not prevail here. The Kharaa blight will certainly take advantage of the slightest chance of survival, and that is why we are here. Every last trace of the organism must be obliterated before we can leave this planet. Sky Watcher will burn us before allowing Borealis to launch and spread the contagion any further. This is a definite fact.
The corridors were becoming eerily silent. Only a few minutes before, the air had been alive with enough frenzied shrieking, howling and roaring to shred the nerves of all but the hardiest souls. Without our ExoSuits, we were effectively naked. Even Héloise's customary steely composure began to erode as we ventured deeper. She flinched at the slightest sound now, searching desperately for its source. In its own way, that gaunt silence was infinitely more terrifying.
Kind of like how Bugzapper's silence is terrifying. Come on, @Bugzapper , one last push before the end! I've been on pins and needles for days!
Their ambush location was no coincidence. Baat Torgal's research facility lay behind a concealed door, some fifty metres ahead. As far as I know, there's a strong possibility that almost no Enzyme 42 aerosol has penetrated the research section yet. We all carry a 15-litre backpack sprayer charged with a full-strength solution, although this system was purely intended for spot decontamination of biofilm and Kharaa defensive structures, not melee combat.
And yet, we may well have to jam our spray-guns down the throats of our attackers, if need be. That corridor ahead is not much larger than a standard shipboard passageway, so the ExoSuits won't be much use in there. Absolutely no room to spare for capering about with a pack of Skulks snapping at your heels. I wanted to leave Héloise and DIGBY outside, ostensibly serving as our rear-guard, although she would have none of it. End of discussion.
I studied the access door carefully, evaluating the best and safest way to breach it. Half a metre of layered armour-grade titanium, packed with at least 50 kilograms of Molanex shaped-charge explosive, give or take a gram. Setting it off posed no problem at all. Getting the big badaboom to go in the right direction was the tricky part. After running the numbers and checking them thrice, I conjured enough mass piled in front of the door would tamp the explosion sufficiently to reverse the direction of the blast wave. However, there is a slight catch to this clever solution I've devised. We need to pile at least ten metric tonnes of matter in front of that door. Not just any old junk, either. Each piece has to be selected for its physical properties and placed in a carefully defined sequence.
Och, ma poor achin' servos.
Suffice it to say, this process took quite some time. Six point seven-five hours, to be precise. Mattresses were the first items on the list. Their composition is ideal for absorbing kinetic energy, although they aren't particularly resistant to physical damage on this scale. However, they are compressible to a miraculous degree, and that property makes them well suited to this particular application. We had to compress a three metre-thick wall of mattresses into a 200mm-thick barrier layer. That alone involved some serious effort... And, Baat Torgal's exceedingly shiny basalt table. I had attached a precise pattern of eight seismic survey charges to the door before our shoving match with the mattresses began, guaranteeing a slightly smaller (but well-tamped) counter-explosion occurring mere picoseconds before the main blast.
In theory, the shockwave from the charges would still be propagating as the booby-trap fired.
I eyed our carefully-built pile of garbage with a wicked grin, and keyed the trigger.
"Knock-knock."
Suck it, corporatism!
There was a lifeless whump from somewhere deep inside the mound of rubbish. The entire mass bulged and shrugged briefly, slumping back into itself with a weary sigh. A few thin tendrils of smoke escaped from the tightly-packed material a minute or so later, probably emanating from what remained of the mattress stack. Polymer aerogels are designed to have excellent fire-retardant properties, although experience has shown that anything will burn when enough heat is applied. Fortunately, there won't be enough available oxygen to support combustion inside the pile. Even so, we'll have to be careful as we're clearing this lot away from the door. I don't recommend plunging your hands blindly into a mass of molten plastic.
In fact, the true magnitude of the explosion was far more obvious through the soles of our feet. The basalt floor of the foyer rang like a huge, dull bell underfoot. My sensors detected two discrete detonations, almost perfectly overlapping. Precisely how I wanted it to happen. Those seismic charges may have been much lower in mass than the 50 or so kilograms of Molanex embedded in the door, although those charges were loaded with a particularly powerful compound called GelMax. Seismic survey techniques require a long, steady boom to image deep geology clearly, and GelMax is the right stuff for the job. Most definitely a case of 'more bang for your buck'.
Eventually, we managed to clear a path through the wrecked barricade. The door was well and truly gone, along with most of its reinforced support frame. If anything had been waiting for us on the other side, its last couple of milliseconds may have been quite interesting, if somewhat abrupt. Apparently, the connecting corridor served admirably as a shotgun barrel, as witnessed by the swathe of devastation that scythed halfway through the agricultural research bay.
We advanced quickly but cautiously through the corridor, fanning out into a widely-spaced skirmish line. A quick search of the bay revealed it to be almost devoid of life, although the bio-scanner detected dense outcroppings of Kharaa biofilm clustered around Baat Torgal's laboratory. We could spare a dose of Enzyme 42 on these growths as we passed through, although it would be pointless to cleanse those infestations until all larger organisms that occupied this section of the base had been destroyed. The biofilm posed no actual threat at this point.
The creatures that it nurtured were a different story.
As we neared the laboratory, the bio-scanner's readings became increasingly unreliable. The readout screen showed absolutely no detail, just an amorphous mass of heaving Kharaa life all around us. Even visual data proved to be highly dubious, at best. This infestation seemed different somehow; strange growths and structures had emerged from the slimy mass underfoot, making it seem as though an alien forest had taken root here. One growth resembled a young fern shoot, all coiled up like a fiddle-head. Apart from its size, it looked completely benign. Based on its appearance alone, we deliberately gave this one a wide berth. Something wasn't quite right about the way it tensed up as we drew near. Likewise, we avoided getting too close to the ones that resembled long-necked barnacles. Too much like a Tiger Plant for my liking. As I've discovered over the years, a little caution might take you the long way round, but at least you'll arrive in one piece.
We've had enough unpleasant surprises today, thank you very much.
In fact, the true magnitude of the explosion was far more obvious through the soles of our feet. The basalt floor of the foyer rang like a huge, dull bell underfoot. My sensors detected two discrete detonations, almost perfectly overlapping. Precisely how I wanted it to happen. Those seismic charges may have been may have been much-needed lower in mass than the 50 or so kilograms of Molanex embedded in the door, although those charges were loaded with a particularly powerful compound called GelMax. Seismic survey techniques require a long, steady boom to image deep geology clearly, and GelMax is the right stuff for the job. Most definitely a case of 'more bang for your buck'.
Sorry to just point it out like that!
But back to the point! The way this is shaping up I feel like for better or worse our dear Selkirk and Co. Are about to under go somthing very dramatic and or "life changing"
Tired eyes, indeed. I was completely hammered by 01:30. Good catch!
Thanks!
I was airborne. Even though I tried to sidestep out of its path, the Onos simply tossed its head to one side and caught me as it charged towards our line. It was a glancing blow, but heavy enough to toss me aside like a rag doll. My HUD lit up like an old pinball table, displaying a litany of critical systems damage that tallied up too fast for human eyes to follow. Aye, he's definitely nailed me.
My mangled body slammed heavily into one of the raised cultivation beds. There goes my warranty.
If anything, the constant barrage of flechettes only served to enrage the Onos even more. Our dart guns were practically useless against their dense hides, inflicting less damage than a bad patch of stinging nettles. Only a Gauss cannon could make a dent in these beasts, and mine was laying fifteen metres away. From what I could hear, IANTO managed to land a solid hit on one, although it was still very much alive. Take it from me, that shrieking roar does not bode well for anyone facing an Onos. It doesn't necessarily mean that you've mortally wounded it. Far from it. Consider that sound a fair warning that this tussle has lost any remaining semblance of civility. You've just flipped the Onos' Berserker switch. Good luck with that one, chum.
I attempted to struggle upright, but couldn't even raise myself on an elbow. My efforts were rewarded with another flurry of system alarms and a jet of coolant from somewhere in my lower torso. Face it, there's absolutely no chance of walking away from this one.
"Captain!" JUNO cried. "DIGBY is on his way over, hang on!"
"Belay that! I'm no use to you. Look to yourselves!" I yelled.
I tried piecing the battle together from what meagre input my functioning sensors could provide. The Onos were hawking away at the crew, charging in and wheeling away with frightening speed and agility. Above the angry hornet's buzz of flechettes ripping through the air, I heard a second Gauss cannon open fire, most probably JUNO or DIGBY. IANTO's piece had hit its stride, chugging out a round every five seconds as its capacitors recycled. Even with an android's superb reflexes and advanced targeting systems, the Onos proved to be cunning targets in spite of their massive bulk. Time and again, their unpredictable jinking and darting charges frustrated the aim of our Gauss gunners, and I actually heard JUNO swear in a most unladylike manner. Can't say as I'd blame her.
The cacophony around me rose to a cataclysmic pitch. All I could do was stare at the ceiling of the cavern, feeling drained and utterly useless. We're all going to die here.
Suddenly, Héloise shrieked. I felt heavy footfalls reverberating through the basalt floor beneath me. Its pace was unhurried, almost as if it was savouring my imminent demise. Helpless, all I could do was analyse its rate of approach as if this were an abstract exercise; one calmly considered without consequences. At five metres, the Onos loomed over me like a collapsing rock face, its craggy features drawing into a bestial grin.
Enough mucking around. Make it quick, you bastard.
Unfortunately, the Lava Castle's Valkyrie Field is currently offline, due to massive damage to the base's power grid. The only operational Field is on Kaori-san no-shima.
And it won't work on Selkirk... He's an android.
If the Kharaa Hive wants to use the Field to resurrect their own warriors, they'll have to reverse-engineer a working version and tailor it to suit their physical characteristics.
Might be a tricky proposition for a species that doesn't directly use any form of 'hard' technology.
I was under the impression Selkirk didn't need one due to daily backups while he dreams (same for the AIs although they're actually kind of omnipresent IIRC?). So that means bad news for Heloise then, unless there's a way to manually trigger a Valkyrie field upon return (maybe by bringing a body back? But the Kharaa.. so you'd need to override it I'd think?)
I'm just thinking that the Kharaa are going to want to assimilate Selkirk like the Borg Queen wanted to do to Data, but I don't know if that will work given the safeguards built into an Android mind.
I guess it'll be interesting to find out! Looking forward to it. (:
Keep up the good work, Bugzapper!!
Also is it okay if I putt all the posts in a document??