IOC - On the Sea

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Amazee Dayzee
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Re: IOC - On the Sea

Post by Amazee Dayzee »

I took my time in reading this through and you don't disappoint as always!
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Re: IOC - On the Sea

Post by Welsh Halfwit »

...in which Karl gets to meet the enemy...

TWENTY-THREE

Corp and the others kept firing and taking fire as the two ships closed on each other. Raston had turned his fire towards Corp since he’d shown his ability with the gun and was firing from behind cover so Corp never really had a clean shot. The Canine had at least eight troopers at his disposal and Corp was beginning to think they were better trained than the Militia. They were certainly more accurate, he theorised. As he changed position, a grenade sailed in from Raston’s launcher, rolled on the deck and detonated close to the main cannon. Corp could hear the gun powering down from where he was, the whine betraying the damage to the power lines as they closed to within 50 feet. Time, he thought, for discretion. “Get inside,” he called. Prepare to repel boarders!” He opened a commline. “Adriette,” he called, “we’re coming in!”

On the bridge, Adriette took the call. She’d made the strategy. She had to see it through now. Both ships had lost their main guns, it was coming down to close quarters combat and the team had a feeling they knew how Raston planned to give his side the advantage If they were wrong, it was going to be trouble. If they were right, they might be in less trouble. “Acknowledged, Corp,” she reported. “Make sure they see which door you go in when they board us, yeah?”
<“Won’t be a problem,”> Corp replied.
“Beran to Whitestar.”
<”Harmony online,”> the younger agent replied.
“Retreat plan Beta now in effect. Ready yourself.”
Harmony sighed. <”Acknowledged,”> she replied. <”I’ll activate the beacon for your next call. Out.”>
Mitcheltroy glanced over at Adriette. “Why her?”
“Guy’s known to use grenades,” she said, “comes to internal work, he’ll use stun. Sound and fury. Anyone else would be too disoriented to do what needs to be done. Shame we couldn’t set up timers.” She heard the shoes of retreating Militia coming through the deckplates as they returned to the insides of the ship.
“Cut Engines, uh, sir,” Mitcheltroy told Grantley.
“Careful with giving orders in combat,” Grantley advised, doing as commanded. “It marks you as the leader.”

Patcha and her team did their best to keep the Militia vessel between them and the enemy, hanging back in the larger ships’ shadow until the engines began to stop. “Boardin’ gangplanks comin’ now,” Goldstein remarked, hoping whoever had come up with the plan knew what they were doing. They watched as the planks extended from one ship to the other and mercenaries started running across. “We’s on,” she said, starting the engine to take the small boat around to the other side of the mercenary’s vessel. Karl got ready. She took the rope ladder from one of the others. Ordinarily, she told herself as they pulled alongside, she’d jump this but she’d probably disturb the launch if she did so she had to throw the weighted end up over the railing and climb. And she WAS going first…

Harmony waited in total silence amidst the madness around her as she readied for what they believed was coming. They had a small amount of confiscated explosives to hand from where the fisheries vessel had raided a boat a week or so back and they’d been positioned close to the bulkhead door and she was further down, keeping herself out of the line of fire as the door opened. She knew that all the Militia were behind her so that could only be the enemy in front of her. She fired off a shot that, as usual, missed. It had the effect of making them back away for a moment, though. Next would come… The door opened again and an object came through, rolling at speed towards her. It stopped and she looked away as it detonated in a flash of light that would have dazzled her if she’d been looking and not keeping her eyes shut. A bolt of energy scorched across the top of her muzzle and had her open her eyes with the pain and the first of the enemy came in. Time to surprise, she thought as she detonated the explosives on either side of the Canid. Both sides blasted into him and the two behind him as they entered. She felt the vibrations echoing along the walls from all the blasts as people approached behind her. A couple of able seamen fired on their assailants, driving them back as Corp knelt by Harmony and asked if she was OK.
“What,” she asked, before remembering to turn her cochlear implants back on. “Oh, yeah,” she replied, feeling sick, “I’m fine. Let’s turn them back, yeah?”

Karl launched herself over the railing as the thump of a distant stun grenade cracked the air. She knew the others would be up after her but, frankly, she didn’t much care. The mercenaries had left a guard but he was too busy looking forward to see her approaching from behind. She decided the Equinna would pay for that and swiftly, silently, ran up behind him, slapped one hand across his muzzle to mute him and brought her other hand, claws exposed, across his throat. His blood spurted between her fingers as his eyes widened even more than usual. He tried to pull free with his strength but Karl growled lightly and tightened her grip, slicing further into his muscular neck, cutting the artery. He sagged forward, losing control of his knees before Karl let him fall forward, onto his face with a thump. The last Merc, ready to board the Militia vessel, turned and fired on her as she swooped towards him. The snapshot hit her side, burning through flesh to the left of her ribs before she powered into the Raitchian, bearing him down onto the deck. She worried at his chest with her teeth until he passed and spat out a chunk of him as the second and third blasts sounded near simultaneously from the Militia boat. She glanced sideways. Goldstein and the others had done their job, releasing the gangplank and trapping the mercenaries aboard the Militia boat. Now they were pulling back and she decided she wanted to take the boar anyway so joined the Leading Seamouse on the inside.

With the gangplank gone and armed Militia covering them, the group on deck chose surrender as the best way to avoid being shot. Corp ran a check over them and quickly realised something. “Raston’s not here,” he growled. “Take over, Whitestar,” he called, heading towards one of the other bulkhead doors.

“Take cover,” Grantley called as the grenades rolled onto the bridge...
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Re: IOC - On the Sea

Post by Amazee Dayzee »

Hope he can be prepared for what is about to happen! I can't wait to see how this goes!
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Re: IOC - On the Sea

Post by Welsh Halfwit »

TWENTY-FOUR

The white was so noisy it blotted out all hearing and sounded louder than anything Adriette had heard since the hotel explosion a year ago. The impacts blotted out all thought and the blaze of light had scorched her retinas through closed lids that left her half blind and deaf to what was going on around her. Although she could guess as her nose was still working and energy had a particular scent all its own. So did blood and she could sense both of them right now.

Grantley pushed himself away from the navigation station a few seconds before a shot sailed into it. He was still off balance, certainly, but his lenses had adjusted to shear some of the damage from the flash itself. He was in no condition to fight but moving was possible, as opposed to the militia member the Canine had just executed at close range. He was still having trouble concentrating. The choice of where to go next was near infinite. Everything was swimming. That bolt of energy that hit the door next to the Canine… was it a Canine? That bolt was quite pretty. It spoke of rainbows that had the bad guy turning to look at who had shot at him. He didn’t send a rainbow back at the person. He put the gun down, which confused Grantley. He opened his mouth to talk but Grantley couldn’t hear the words over the buzzing in his head. A wave swept across his mouth as he stepped across and back out of sight. Grantley thought it was a smile. A few seconds later, the monster returned and threw something that looked a lot like Molly across the room into the staggering figure of Mitcheltroy. Both of them fell to the deck as the Canine ripped apart the hand weapon she’d tried to use to defend them. Grantley could read something like pleasure in the Canine’s lip movements. From the girl’s reactions, he was claiming to have killed someone close to her. He couldn’t recall who that would be as the Canine took the nearest staggering seaman and broke her neck. He dropped her body and turned as though hearing something outside again.

Raston jumped backwards as a knife blade creased his stomach from left to right. He backed towards his gun but a wavering shape called Molly nipped across and kicked it across the room. Grantley half managed to hear as Raston slapped her back angrily. The Dog had range on Corp, the Captain knew that, but he couldn’t reach for him or Corp would have a free shot. Corp himself couldn’t attack as that would bring him within range of the obviously stronger Canine. The older Mican was still moving, into the room but keeping himself between it and the Canine. Stalemate, Grantley reckoned.

“Stand down and you get taken in,” Corp said, still poised to strike again. He’d gotten in a decent shot across the Canine’s midriff but he knew it wasn’t a killer blow. There wasn’t enough blood seeping from it for that. Couldn’t help but hurt though. He didn’t look around the room, he couldn’t. Take his eyes off Raston and the Canine would be on him or moving for the weapon that wonderful kit had kicked away. Pity she hadn’t picked it up and shot him but you couldn’t have everything. He flashed a blade across as Raston tried to move in. It missed the Canine’s fingers as Corp took a half step back. “Not keen on that idea,” he asked as he moved again.
“I’m not one for getting taken anywhere,” Raston replied bitterly, “but I AM one for getting away. Which you lot are stopping me doing. So I have to fight you all.”
“Word to the wise, fellah,” Corp cut back, “You’ve already lost. We’ve taken your ship. Half a dozen people are about to enter this room. Most of them know those you just killed. Might even love them. Have loved them. Revenge is on their mind. So many dead and hurt here and across the seas, it’s certainly on mine.”
“You’re all talk,” Raston said, feinting an attack and catching Corp by surprise as he bolted for the door…

...Where he was caught by Patcha. She shoved him against the frame and growled at him as he tried punching her in her bandaged wound. The shock of pain merely redoubled her intent as she looked at the hurt form of Molly and tightened her grip, her face growing more intense by the second as her claws penetrated his skin. His fists hit the side of her head, claws drawing lines of red down her cheek. “She’s the LAST you get to hurt, creature,” Karl warned.
“We need him alive if possible, Patcha,” Corp advised, putting his blades away and getting his pistol ready.
“I don’t care,” Karl hissed. “His people killed all these people! And for what?”
“Telepathic interrogation,” Corp said, checking on Molly, “and prison cells for the rest of their lives.” He helped the girl stand to her feet. “And you probably don’t want her to see you do it,” he added.

The looks of fury and confusion waged war across Karl’s face as she looked between Corp, Molly and Raston and her internal emotions battled. Her arm tensed and, then, with a growl of frustration from the Wolven agent, released, dropping the Canine to the floor where he sat, holding his throat until Karl practically yanked his arm around to his back and applied the strongest, tightest, cuffs she could find. She laughed harshly as Molly, gathering herself together, freed herself from Corp’s grip, ran across and booted Raston between the legs. He doubled over, sliding to the deck. “Didn’t see that,” Corp said absently.
“See what,” Karl asked, before picking the Child up.
“You have red on you,” Molly said.
“Most of me, probably,” Karl said as Molly indicated the area around her muzzle. “Yeah, there too. Whitestar! Take over here. I need to clean up.”
Harmony stepped up and kept watch on Raston as Corp ran to check on Adriette.

He took her head in both his hands and mouthed some words to her. “What,” she replied loudly. “I can’t hear you!”
He sneakily gave her a quick kiss and repeated the silent words.
“Although I can read you,” she replied loudly.
“Can you hear me now,” he asked aloud.
“Nope,” she replied. “Say what you said earlier, but louder!”
He grinned and lied. “I said I have to save the day, I’m the guy!”
She shook her head. “Never heard that,” she said. “Heard something else…”
They stopped as Grantley gestured towards them and indicated they should come over. Corp assisted Adriette, despite her protests. Grantley helped a confused Mitcheltroy up to the shattered front of the bridge and the consoles there. He pointed at a sonar contact that was standing still on the detector. “It’s stopped in one point,” Corp asked?
“No,” Grantley replied, still somewhat louder than he’d intended. “it’s coming up!”

Three hundred yards ahead of them the flat surface of the sea began to roil and foam as something huge fought to free itself from the confines of the underwater world. The water pushed at the damaged boats around it and Grantley had to work to keep the ship stable – a fact not helped by having the other boat so close – as the nose of something exponentially larger than both of them combined broke water and settled on the surface.
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Re: IOC - On the Sea

Post by Welsh Halfwit »

The end. For now.

TWENTY-FIVE

The clipper ship watched the two surface vessels carefully as the systems for atmospheric flight started their take over sequence from the subaqua systems. The commander Monta had selected, an able old Celican veteran, didn’t think much of the weaponry mounted on either ship but understood that, right where he was now, either of them could do serious damage to propulsion and the hull. He ordered that, as soon as it was possible, the energy shields should be raised. The Raitchian at the helm agreed. A voice fizzled through on the comm system and his third officer put him on. <”This is...IOC offizzzer Corp Davidzztow aboard the P.N.V. Sibi to unnamed vessel, come in,”>
The Commander took the Comm. “This is Captain Grayvak,” he said darkly. “What do you want?”
<”Medical assist and a tow would be nice,”> Davidstow said. <”We’ve taken a lot of damage in defending you, Captain. Our visual comms are off-line, the ship’s taken on several holes, people are dead and the engine is a lash-up from a previous repair job. We also have several captured mercenaries.”>
Grayvak almost broke the comm, his grip was so tight. “How the hell did this happen,” he demanded, “security was supposed to be water-tight!”
<” Excusing the naval metaphor,”> Corp said, <”Your schedule was leaked. They attacked the control ship a few days ago.”> Even over the comms, Grayvak could hear the venom in Davidstow’s words now. <”That’s how we found out you even existed, Captain. Over dead bodies. Now, we can discuss this more at Dassiran but we need your assistance NOW.”>
The Captain sighed. He hated having to do this but he had his orders. “I regret I am not permitted to assist you, Agent Davidstow. If it gets back to Monta that I dealt with the Council without their say so, no-one here will get paid.”
<”If you don’t, you won’t be going BACK to Monta!”> Corp spat. “If you’re getting near orbital scans now you should be seeing a USC ship up there, in orbit above this station. Her orders, direct from our command, are to keep that ship of yours here until WE tell her to let you go. And we’re not going to do that from here. For one thing, our comms won’t reach her.”>
The Captain smiled. Now he could state that he’d been coerced into doing what he knew had to be done. “Alright,” he said, happily conceding. “We’ll be over in a few minutes. Needed to test out the launch anyhow.” He hung up.

Personal musings of Harmony Whitestar.

Clipper ships are HUGE when they’re just a mile or so from you! I’d never have guessed from when you see them in space! They always looked so small on the viewers but this one was really… big. They totally didn’t have much in the way of medical and engineering crews but they did what they could and slapped a tractor beam on the Sibi and the other one to tow us into Dassiran. Corp, the Captain and myself, being the only ones not really needing medical assistance – Mikkel doesn’t count as he’s not got any rank – discussed things further on the bridge of the clipper ship. We weren’t under arrest but I have a feeling the armed guards weren’t going to let us go further off the bridge than the toilet – the head, Mitcheltroy called it on the Sibi. Even then we’d probably be charged if we used the cleaning facilities. Monta charge for everything down to the stembolt, whatever that is.

It was Karl needed most attention, having had several small chunks shot out of her and broken a tooth somewhere – not sure I wanted to know where – and Agent Beran had to convince her to take treatment before the other Doctor started checking her audio/visual capabilities. They were quite happy to hand her over to the medical team at Dassiran, I can tell you. I was confused, mind, by how polite Agent Davidstow and the Captain were when they met. It was almost as though neither had meant the threats they’d made over the comms. In fact, I know Corp hadn’t. I’d asked him straight after how he knew about the ship in orbit when our comms had been down. He’d shrugged and said it’s what Feldar would have tried to arrange if he had a brain. I’m not sure I should put that in my report.

Anyhow, we’re back at the Port town and Adriette’s on the comm to base to update them and tell Jones that she has something for him to do. Apparently Molly’s going to need a guardian as she has no family left. Patcha Karl’s ready to rip half the social care people apart (according to Agent Beran anyhow) so it might be a good idea is one of the gang takes her on? As they’re all in the field, with the dangers that entails, it would seem more likely to succeed if Jones did it. Well, that’s what she and Corp planned to tell him when they were in private and I absolutely didn’t have my aural implant turned up to maximum to hear them. It’ll probably work. If not, he’ll probably try to put her in with the tea lady(!)

Captain Grantley’s already planning on heading back to sea with a rescue tug to get his boat back. Mikkel was thinking of going with him but the Captain gently ordered him to remember that he had leave coming and he should take it now. Besides which he was just getting his ship and headed back and, in that time, he wanted the Doctor of Communication Engineering to make a decision. Mikkel’s face was a picture. I had nothing to do with that.

No, really.

There are things, apparently, that are still loose ends. The Celica team – I’d love to visit there (so long as I avoid the hunt zones) – found a scientist had legged it towards Pandera but, when the ship got to Talvary Communal station to switch to the local services, he wasn’t on board. They had to stop to help a stricken freighter when they’d just entered the patch and they reckon he’d hopped onto that. We still don’t know who’s behind it – although Corp reckons Mr Raston knows and he’s going to tell the interrogators sooner, rather than later. Oh, the Clipper tests were all green, apparently. I think that means it worked. With the intel problems, I can’t be sure if that’s a good thing.

But things like that are for tomorrow. For tonight, we have prisoners in the Police station cells, cheap hotel rooms (cheaper than the gang thinks, as I got us upgrades on the promise that Council Officers would probably re-use their facilities if we put in a good report), and I’m able to have a root around the charity shops for new stuff before going to dinner with my boyfriend. Then he’s spending the night at the same hotel we are.

And no, I didn’t get him a room…

Musings End.
Commander Hawle. U.S.C. Loper. By the talented DDeer.
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Re: IOC - On the Sea

Post by Welsh Halfwit »

New story is up.

A Briar Patch tale
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Re: IOC - On the Sea

Post by Amazee Dayzee »

Great work on this chapter! At some point I will send you another PM but my life is sometime too hectic at points so bare with me. >_<
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