U.S.C. RODOMONT

For talking about images, videos, and all that other bandwidth-killing stuff. Put ALL your media-related stuff that is not similarly Housepets-related here: Stories etc.

Moderator: ArcWolf

User avatar
Welsh Halfwit
Posts: 14121
Joined: Sun Mar 17, 2013 3:09 am
Location: Wales, a luverrly land with noisy neighbours.

Re: U.S.C. RODOMONT

Post by Welsh Halfwit »

NINETEEN

The Mican did their best to look innocent as he sat across the table from Chief Yarkin. The time ticked past ten in the evening as she waited until he looked uncomfortable before starting the questioning. “I have to be up early in the morning,” the Mican advised.

“If you’re at work at all, Prendegast,” Yarkin replied drily. She pushed her feet out under the table. “Which rather depends on what you tell me about the illegal fighting that’s going on.”

The Mican nurse smiled genially and leaned forward. “Illegal fighting? Why, that’s illegal, isn’t it?” He smirked. “I don’t know anything about any of that.”

Yarkin made a noise in mirth and tapped a padd she was holding. “What fun,” she remarked. “Access logs record every time files are… accessed,” she told her prey, pausing only when she failed to come up with an alternate word to one she’d already used. “Which is interesting as, when we started looking for certain injuries that might, in themselves, be regarded as accidental or sustained in the line of duty, we came across three who keep seeing Doctor Cobalt or Doctor Jul for wounding.” The Feline raised an eye-ridge mischievously. “Never Doctor Flakk. Despite him being the best Doctor on the ship. And what’s really curious is that some of these visits to the sickbays take place hours after their shift has finished…”

“I still don’t get what it has to do with me,” Prendegast remarked. He spread his hands. “I’m not exactly a fighter…”

“But you’re someone who has access to the duty logs in the medical division. And I don’t mean your own shifts, as is available to everyone, but details of everyone’s shifts. Those were accessed only by Doctor Flakk – who wrote them – and, apparently, you.” She showed him the padd. “That IS your access code, isn’t it?” She took it back again. “Accessed from your quarters computer terminal. And, before you blame anyone else, the access system shows you were the only in at the time. Not surprising at 0346.”

Prendegast looked a little abashed and twiddled his thumbs after clamping his hands together.


“Interesting that he’s not denying it,” Caldan muttered, watching the interrogation via the video link.

“Not much point in denying it,” Harmony Appleby said as she leaned against the wall. “Not directly, anyhow. Evidence leads to him so she follows it. It’s not super criminal mastermind territory here. Just investigating a ring in which people batter each other and try to hide it. And Mr Prendegast there knows more than he’s telling…” She curled her neck around and winked at the Celican. “Well, more than he’s telling her anyhow.”

“It must be something to have a neck that flexible,” Caldan observed.

“My mate certainly thinks so,” Appleby replied, turning her head back around. “Uh, oh… Mobile emotional thunderstorm coming in,” she announced, twenty seconds before Doctor Flakk entered the room.


“Where’s Yarkin,” he thundered, making Caldan flinch despite being across the room from the extremely annoyed medic. He towered over Appleby. “She in there?”

“Interrogating a suspect involved in illegal fighting,” Appleby said, turning slightly to give Caldan a surreptitious message to turn the picture off. “What seems to be the problem, Doctor,” she asked placidly.

“I KNOW about the fighting,” the Doctor stormed. “And, thanks to talking to Dorney Rayle, I know where they are right now. Cargo b…”

“Cargo bay three,” Harmony said simply, before indicating the closed door. “Our friend in there just told me. Didn’t tell Yarkin, though. Can you stand there and look furious? Don’t answer that. Stupid question.” The Erminean knocked on the door before opening it.

Caldan watched the recognition in the Mican’s eyes as he saw the Wolf standing behind the Erminean. The widening eyes. The mouth hanging open. The shivering limbs. The dipping ears. Everything about his face sagged and he cringed back in the seat as Appleby spoke. “Doctor Flakk’s here. He’s wondering if he might have a quiet word with Predegast? Apparently some problem’s come up in Sickbay?”

“THEY’RE IN CARGO BAY THREE,” Prendegast blurted quickly. “they paid me for the information! Put me in the brig! Please!”

Appleby shut the door. “Sometimes they just need incentive,” she said brightly.

Flakk huffed. “I’d rather inspire confidence in my staff,” he grumbled, “but fear works too.”


Five minutes passed quickly as Yarkin and a small team headed to the bay, accompanied by Flakk ‘in case medical assistance was needed’ and the security team readied their shock sticks for action as they assembled outside the door. “Three,” Yarkin said urgently as Jak in control confirmed no-one had left the room in the last few minutes and that lifesigns were being detected in there and no-one was supposed to be there. “Two… Open it!” Her officer opened the door and the group moved in fast as a match between a Canine and a Raitchian continued. There was an audience of ten watching them and most of them started to move towards the door. “Everyone stand where you are,” she called. One decided to swing at her. She ducked it and delivered a stunning blow to a part other shock sticks might fear to shock.

With the shock of discovery broken, the others tried for the door and to overwhelm the incoming group as the Canine fighter ran for the door. He felt someone grasp him from behind and swung a strong fist around towards his assailant. Flakk caught the fist in his free hand and, with a slight look of glee, twisted the fist out to one side to bring the dog off-balance. “No wonder you’re trying to keep this secret,” he said before chopping a hand down onto the exposed elbow and, in the same move, cracking the back of his hand against the side of the fighters’ face. “Freakin’ amateurs,” he said, balling his hand into a fist and driving it into the canine’s gut. He released his grip on the coughing Canid, put a hand around the back of his head and thrust him onto the floor. “I’d win every fight,” he stated.


“I want them gone,” Postain thundered. “Something so… How much money exchanged hands?”

Yarkin checked the computer. “About three thousand credits,” she said. “According to Prendegast, it’s all civilian specialists looking to increase their fitness and… Yeah,” she added, seeing the Captain’s face, “I don’t believe it either. It might have started that way but the addition of credits changing hands with odds on every fight…” She shrugged. “Can we afford to take twelve people off duty for that long?”

“We’ll have to,” Postain told her. “And, at some point, we’ll off-load them to jail. But not yet. We’ve still got a mission to accomplish.”

“Aye. When do we arrive at the… whatever?”

“Fifteen hours, Yarkin. Get some rest. We’ll need it.”
Commander Hawle. U.S.C. Loper. By the talented DDeer.
Kilo - 2-8-3-9-10-2-5
Kilo
Leslie – 4-6-4-5-6-9-7
Leslie
David Campbell - 7 – 8 – 9 – 5 – 4 – 4 – 6
Corp Davidstow 6 - 6 - 7 - 3 - 6 - 6 - 5 (reactions 7 Combat 9)
User avatar
Amazee Dayzee
Posts: 25880
Joined: Tue Aug 12, 2014 6:24 pm

Re: U.S.C. RODOMONT

Post by Amazee Dayzee »

This story continues to hit all of the right notes! Awesome work!
User avatar
Welsh Halfwit
Posts: 14121
Joined: Sun Mar 17, 2013 3:09 am
Location: Wales, a luverrly land with noisy neighbours.

Re: U.S.C. RODOMONT

Post by Welsh Halfwit »

Every so often, I let Flakk hit someone...
Commander Hawle. U.S.C. Loper. By the talented DDeer.
Kilo - 2-8-3-9-10-2-5
Kilo
Leslie – 4-6-4-5-6-9-7
Leslie
David Campbell - 7 – 8 – 9 – 5 – 4 – 4 – 6
Corp Davidstow 6 - 6 - 7 - 3 - 6 - 6 - 5 (reactions 7 Combat 9)
User avatar
Amazee Dayzee
Posts: 25880
Joined: Tue Aug 12, 2014 6:24 pm

Re: U.S.C. RODOMONT

Post by Amazee Dayzee »

For that I am sure that he is happy you do it. LOL
User avatar
Welsh Halfwit
Posts: 14121
Joined: Sun Mar 17, 2013 3:09 am
Location: Wales, a luverrly land with noisy neighbours.

Re: U.S.C. RODOMONT

Post by Welsh Halfwit »

TWENTY

Whilmot considered banging his head on the console and only just decided it wouldn’t be useful. The console they’d found was obviously an upgrade in computer language to the one the Fauntleroy had recorded all those years ago and he was having to patch things together and extrapolate data that would end up being only about ninety percent accurate at best. The Captain wouldn’t be happy with a mistranslation that had them making some sort of error. He had a thought of the Captain picking him up by his shoulders and putting him on a coat rack hook. At least he’d get some sleep. He figured he’d be close to breaking the shell of the programming soon, though. It’d be easier with the main computer but he wasn’t going to link an unknown computer to the network. The clock ticked to midnight silently.


The morning saw Darren Levan slouching his way to a state of consciousness as he lay alone in his bed. He pulled his lolling tongue in from the left hand side of his face and spat out the loose bits of fur it had picked up whilst out there. He ran a mental check on whether Kerri had been with him last night and remembered that she hadn’t. They were doing a night on/night off routine at the moment. They’d decided that at the pictures last night. Perhaps it was a good way to keep the relationship going but, as far as he was concerned, his heart belonged to her. He pushed the covers back on his bed and swept himself around to stand up as his clock turned to six thirty. He yawned, stretched, stood up, stretched again and yawned whilst making his way to the shower. He walked back out of the wardrobe and went into the correct room. Apparently Yarkin wanted him on the team that was going over to the beacon later and he wanted to be washed and dressed and ready for..? He didn’t know what he wanted to be ready for really. He just hoped it didn’t involve zero gravity.


He stepped back out from the bathroom smelling of Primroses after accidentally using the gel Kerri had left in his bathroom. Darren knew that half the Science Division was going to rib him about it this morning. He wondered if he could spin it as to it showing how much he loved her? Sadly, he thought, such a cheesy line would only make it worse. He pulled on his uniform, finishing with the tunic jacket being the last part. Then, remembering he hadn’t had breakfast, he took the jacket back off again and took a bar and coffee from the replication system. He considered the bar and decided to check to see if any of that two day old pizza was still in his fridge. Vegetarian with hazelnuts. The things he did for love. He smirked as he remembered helping Kerri with some of the loose cheese off her chin and settled down to deal with the leftovers. It tasted of… well, something. It took him five minutes.


Twenty minutes later he bumped into Kerri at the shop, where he was buying a replacement pizza. “Heya, Kerri,” he said happily as she paid for a nut bar and a soft drink.

“Heya,Darren,” she enthused, grinning up at him. “Gettingareplacement,” she asked, bewildering the server with the speed of her chattering.

Darren shrugged slightly. “Well, it… didn’t taste as bad as I’d feared?”

Now she laughed outright. “You liked it! Admitit!” She poked his chest. “Comeon!”

“All right, all right,” he laughed. “I liked it. Not half as much as I love you, though.”

She grimaced. “And youcalled the pizzacheesy?” She started to head out but turned around. “Don’tforgetthe garlicbread thistime!”

He inclined his head towards the door. She’s definitely something,” he told the server.

“Are you adding the bread, sir,”

Darren decided he’d probably better.


Senny looked over the scans that had been taken of the area the ship was currently headed towards to see if she could tell them anything about the beacon. From what she could tell, it was either in orbit of a moon or actually the moon itself. It definitely appeared to be a small world covered in moss and water but that could easily be a trick of colour. She’d have to get closer to see if there were any rivers she’d like to swim in or if they’d burn her fur off and taint her skin. She’d been surprised when she’d received the instructions to be the pilot for this next mission, especially as the Captain was on the team. Senny had no suspicions that he didn’t like her, she had certainties. He’d told her as such shortly after carrying out her mating ceremony with Harmony. But he’d mellowed a little but this was quite a step forward. She reached down to scritch the ankle underneath the tag. She looked around as Harmony stepped from the bathroom. “You took your time,” she told her black jacketed mate.

“Some take longer to achieve perfection,” Appleby replied. “I don’t get it easy like you.” She leaned over, kissing the top of Senny’s head. “Watercress and Olive,” she said appreciatively. “Your favourite. How’s the planning going?”

“As done as I can be right now,” Senny breathed, half sighing as she spoke. “I’ll need to do more work later, on the way to the destination.”

Appleby used her hands to deliver a shoulder massage against the tension she knew Senny was feeling. “Postain actually likes you these days, y’know?”

Senny put a hand atop one of Appleby’s and gave it an appreciative squeeze. “You know that for a fact, huh?”

“Can’t hide much from me, love, you know that.” Appleby chuckled slightly. “I used to get feelings of absolute disgust from him whenever your name came up. Disgust and rage. Now? It’s just the same dislike he has for most people.”

Senny laughed her guttural laugh. “Well, I suppose that’s progress. I’ll have him saying my name without clenching his fists soon!”

“If anyone can, it’s you.”


Whilmot woke with a start and wondered why he ached. Then he worked out it was because he was lying flat on a hard surface and he consented to working out why he wasn’t in bed. Or, even, his room. “Oh, yeah,” he told himself as he held the back of his aching head. “All nighter.” He heaved his painful joints off the floor and looked at the console that was fast becoming his enemy before stepping to the isolated terminal it was linked to. It looked like they had some medical files. Well, he knew a few of the terms as medical anyhow. It might mean nothing but he probably needed to tell Flakk. Or Cobalt. Yeah, he thought, moving with uncharacteristic stiffness, Cobalt. He decided to take them up himself after scanning for viruses and contaminants. He held his back as he went.


“Yup,” Senny said as she watched the visual on the screen. They’d arrived in the remote system the signal had been sent to and could see it visually on the screen. “That’s a satellite station, all right.”
Commander Hawle. U.S.C. Loper. By the talented DDeer.
Kilo - 2-8-3-9-10-2-5
Kilo
Leslie – 4-6-4-5-6-9-7
Leslie
David Campbell - 7 – 8 – 9 – 5 – 4 – 4 – 6
Corp Davidstow 6 - 6 - 7 - 3 - 6 - 6 - 5 (reactions 7 Combat 9)
User avatar
Amazee Dayzee
Posts: 25880
Joined: Tue Aug 12, 2014 6:24 pm

Re: U.S.C. RODOMONT

Post by Amazee Dayzee »

If they go explore the satellite station I want to say that I hope there is nothing worrisome in there but at the same time that wouldn't be very entertaining now would it? ;)
User avatar
Welsh Halfwit
Posts: 14121
Joined: Sun Mar 17, 2013 3:09 am
Location: Wales, a luverrly land with noisy neighbours.

Re: U.S.C. RODOMONT

Post by Welsh Halfwit »

TWENTY-ONE

Postain sat at the co-pilots station and Senny had the thought that the Rottian pain in the posterior desperately wanted to take the controls as they approached the relay station with Yarkin, Levan, Whilmot, two of Yarkin’s team, Doctor Cobalt and Maldak aboard. There wasn’t much space left in the small vehicle after the gang and their combined ‘stuff’ and suits so the pilot hoped they weren’t going to bring back souvenirs and certainly nothing as bad as the computer bank that had managed to damage the metalwork on shuttle three. She slowed the shuttle down to scan the construction that she was hoping was empty. She was hoping it was empty because it was the size of a small village and/or military complex. And she needed to find the entry way. According to the system, the docking port was down and to the starboard side so she angled towards the aperture. She pulled up the details. “Looks like it’s taken a few weapons hits,” she said, indicating pock marks on the hull. “According to this it has a just about breathable atmosphere in most sections,” she told the others, “but it’s running on minimal life support. Possibly because there’s no-one there but I can’t be sure.”

“Why not,” Doctor Cobalt asked.

“Because I’ve never met a living member of this species so I don’t know if they show up or not.”

“Point,” the Doctor conceded. “I’d suggest wearing sealed armour anyhow. We’re still working through the medical files Whilmot found.”

“Thanks,” the Lemurian replied dismissively. “It was nothing… Well, nothing beyond hard work,” Whilmot was a little annoyed with himself. He’d needed sleep and rest and had forced himself to take the information to the sickbay before heading home. It was there that Kelly had told him she was intrigued by the upcoming mission and asked if he was excited to be going too. He’d looked at her in confusion until she’d realised he hadn’t checked his mails and let him access the account from her terminal. Then she’d gotten him a drink to calm his nerves.

“You do your job well,” Postain conceded. “And it’s probably a good idea to take our leading expert on their computer systems with us. Same for Maldak.”

“I’m here because I can work several languages and can work on dialects,” the Quokkan told them.

“That’s in case we run across one we’ve not run across before.” Yarkin chipped in.

“Will everyone shut up so I can concentrate,” Senny demanded. “Appreciate the silence, Captain.”


She brought the ship in slowly as they closed in on the docking station and she started running through recognition patterns to lock on around the hatch. “Helmet’s on,” Postain commanded. The group complied as air was injected into the airlock. The door opened with a hiss and Doctor Cobalt checked to make sure no pathogens had entered. None she could detect. She picked herself off her seat and was about to lead the way when Postain moved past her. He ordered them all to check in as he unlocked the door. He assigned their positions and dictated that Senny was to be up front with him. Where he could see her. So she was one of the first to see the shining metal inside. She noted there was no sign of artificial lighting so guessed at their having harnessed a way of creating phosphorescence in metals. She supposed it saved power in communal areas. Made sense. She could hear Levan say he wanted some to take back. Postain told him that they weren’t to take anything that was fixed down. They’d have to find something loose. The Captain led on until they came to a locked door where Whilmot, acting as an ersatz engineer for the group, made his way forward to interact with the panel. The door chunked open slightly and Postain put his strength to the test to force it open further. They advanced into the next chamber. “Why don’t we have the details on this ‘Star chamber’ lot down on file,” Senny asked.

<”We – huff – DO, Pirate,”> Postain replied as he forced the protesting door. <”After the first… time, they made clear they didn’t want to… deal with us and we had other things to deal with so we didn’t pursue relations. Neither did they.”>

“I hope we don’t need to close that door again, sir,” Senny mentioned, slipping through past him with Yarkin.


The chamber they entered was almost a football field in width and length, with a walkway over and around a large drop that Darren thought to be at least two storeys down and three up. He scanned down the hole. “I’m picking up some sort of power source down there,” he advised. “Can’t tell exactly what it consists of but it’s telling me something’s still on.”

<”Can you get down there,”> Postain demanded, looking down as the others stood back.

<“Only if I can find some stairs,”> Darren replied.

<”Uh, lemee try something,”> Maldak remarked. The others turned around as the Quokkan lay flat on the walkway, next to the wall and rested her feet on it. <”Trying the magnetic effect,”> she warned before slowly raising her left foot and setting it against the wall again. With extremely uncertain moves, she managed to place the right foot further up and looked extremely uncomfortable as her back arched and her head stayed on the floor. <”Boots work,”> she offered.

<”And now you see why they’re only used in emergencies, Maldak.”> Postain stated. <”Good thought.”> He indicated one of the security officers. <”Help her down. We’ll look for stairs. If we find none, Levan, you’re going down the wall.”>

Darren hoped they’d find some. The Chief asked him something. Something about what the room was for? Ah, well. “There’s often a room like this,” he explained. “They make a chamber for air circulation or it’d get really hot. There could be a power plant manufacturing air down there or, possibly, an engine room or computer bank. Something that needs cooling.”

<”Or they could just be showing off,”> Whilmot chipped in as Maldak returned to a standing position.

“Doubt it,” Darren said. “From everything seen and heard, this ‘Star Council’ doesn’t seem the type.” He paused. “The hints are of an empire in decline, though.”

<”Why?”>

“There’s no-one here,” he opined. “We’ve detected no life forms and, more blatantly, there’s been no ship come out to intercept us after we powered up that signal. This station’s been damaged and no-one’s repaired it. They used to be here,” Darren concluded, “now they’re not. Seems like a retreat to me.”

<Still to be seen,”> Postain snapped. <”Don’t judge on limited evidence!”> He made the way over to the next chamber. This one opened without any effort and the group assembled in the hallway as the door shut. Maldak quickly checked to make sure it would open again. <”still has power,”> he reckoned. <”Interesting.”>

<”They might,”> Doctor Cobalt reasoned, <”but the section beyond here doesn’t. Reading vacuum.”>


They checked their seals before Senny opened the door and they found themselves in the control centre of the station. Bodies floated in the void as they looked around. <”Same thing as the ship,”> Postain asked.

“Doubt it,” Cobalt replied as she turned one towards him. “I’d say that hole in his torso matches the hole in the viewer, wouldn’t you?”
Commander Hawle. U.S.C. Loper. By the talented DDeer.
Kilo - 2-8-3-9-10-2-5
Kilo
Leslie – 4-6-4-5-6-9-7
Leslie
David Campbell - 7 – 8 – 9 – 5 – 4 – 4 – 6
Corp Davidstow 6 - 6 - 7 - 3 - 6 - 6 - 5 (reactions 7 Combat 9)
User avatar
Amazee Dayzee
Posts: 25880
Joined: Tue Aug 12, 2014 6:24 pm

Re: U.S.C. RODOMONT

Post by Amazee Dayzee »

This is still coming along really nicely! Marvelous work!
User avatar
Welsh Halfwit
Posts: 14121
Joined: Sun Mar 17, 2013 3:09 am
Location: Wales, a luverrly land with noisy neighbours.

Re: U.S.C. RODOMONT

Post by Welsh Halfwit »

Senny makes a point.

TWENTY-TWO

“Alright,” Postain remarked, “Whilmot, if you can’t patch those holes I want you to get the computers up and running. Yarkin, take one of your people and see if you can find a way down to those power readings Levan picked up. Maldak, check them over. See if any of them is carrying any sort of identification. Cobalt, continue doing what you’re doing.” He looked out of the shattered viewscreen at the planet beyond. “Pirate, stay here. If we get details of that world from the memory banks, I’ll want you to study the topography. Their maps will be better than ours.”


Senny cursed his presumption. And the fact that she was going to point out that they could do that from the shuttle and he’d given a fully logical explanation. Of COURSE they’d have better maps. Probably. She saw him talking to himself and figured Xarra was on the line from the Rodomont. Suited her fine. If Postain wasn’t talking to her, she sure wasn’t talking to him. The Castoran wandered the command centre, examining the various things. She crouched by the three legged thing that passed for a chair at one of the stations and reached out for something under the console…

“Explore with your eyes, Pirate, not your fingers,” Postain barked. Senny smiled inside her helmet. She liked thinking of him doing that. Like a quadruped Canine from Earth or wherever. All flashing eyes and flowing spittle. Annoyingly – again – he was right.

“Looks like a fallen weapon, Rottian,” she told him, from her crouched position.

He strode towards her. <”You call me Captain, Pirate,”>

“Oh,” she commented drily, having decided that now was the best time for this, “you mean you’re not just a Rottian?”

He stood over her now, looking as though he wanted to pull her up by her shoulders. <”It’s a matter of respect,”> he declared.

She stood properly, putting her helmet close enough to his to touch. “Then why can’t you respect that I am more than just a ‘pirate’? That I’ve renounced their company beyond what’s useful and served YOU for the best part of a year? We’ll probably never be friends but if you want respect – Sir – you could try giving a little, yes?”

He was silent for a few seconds. <”We will discuss this later,”> he said, making her think she could hear icicles in his tone. <”No touching… Specialist,”> he told her.

Senny nodded serenely. “Absolutely… Captain.”

The Captain crouched to see what she’d seen. <”Does seem you found something.”> He ran one of the command scanners over as he isolated the channel to Senny. <”You have some little respect for how you’ve become a member of the crew, Appleby, but it’s not done to say that publicly. And shuttles are not fighters. Understood?”>

“Aye, Cap’n,” she admitted with a twinge of sorrow. She’d be stuck helping fighters in any fight from the hologram room, it seemed. She could work with that.

<”Seems safe,”> Postain told her before carefully taking the weapon. <”Armourer can check it over later.”>


Darren wanted to whistle as he worked but wasn’t sure it would be appreciated by the others, especially with how he tended to mangle tunes beyond description. Dad had once joked that he had the artistic eye of Kelba the harmonious and the whistling ability of Rydran the painter. Fortunately he’d discovered he had the science analysing skill of Javstan the… well… scientist so that was his field. And now he was leading a team in the field. Just a shame the field wasn’t actually a field but a metal passageway but you couldn’t have everything, could you? He stopped by a door. “This one looks a bit different to the others,” he remarked. They’d taken a second route out of the command centre for the simple reason that there were no new doors between the centre and the hole chamber the way they’d come and it made sense to go a different way. So far they’d gone past four doors and this one, that had slightly trimmed corners, was different. Well, the trimmed corners were, anyhow. He pulled out his little device that Kerri had loaned him for just this sort of thing and was about to set it to work when Yarkin tapped a decal and the door opened. “Oh. You realise that could have been a mistake,” he asked.

<”Only if it had shot you,”> she replied.


Carefully, Darren stepped into the new capsule and, with his headset visually translating the ‘numbers’ on the buttons, he pressed for three floors down as Yarkin got in with him. “When we’re out,” he said, “press that but…” He stopped as the doors shuffed shut and travelled down at speed. “Definitely something running at power here,” he advised. “Which is a little odd, really.”

<”Why so,”> Yarkin asked.

“Well, there’s no-one here, it seems. So why hasn’t the computer reserved power by cutting life support?”

<”Maybe it can’t,”> Yarkin replied. <”Not everyone gives the computer life and death capabilities. Are we close to the power source,”> she demanded as they stepped out at the bottom of the shaft.

Darren moved his arm around as he scanned and pointed a finger towards where the signal was strongest. “That way. Starbuck,”

<”You’re really a geek,”> Yarkin said, leading the way.

“Was there ever any doubt?”

<”Shut up the pair of you,”> Postain said from the control room, making Darren jump. He’d forgotten that.


They found themselves entering a small room with a dais in the middle. On top of it, a cylinder glowed dully as they looked at it. <”Think we’ve found the power source,”> Yarkin told Darren. He almost commented that it was obvious but realised she was telling the Captain as well.

“Some sort of battery, I’d say,” he added, turning on a console. “Ah.”

<”What’s ‘ah’,”> The Captain demanded to know.

“If I’m reading these right,” Darren said, “this is a power room, yeah. But there’s nothing to control the power here. It’s all up there with you. Which is where the problem lay, I’d imagine. It’s why they couldn’t shut off power to the parts they couldn’t get to. Because the place they needed to go was one of the places they couldn’t get to and the power kept draining...”

<”Who are you talking about, Levan,”> Postain challenged.

Darren answered him directly but he engaged his suit’s speaker first. “Why, the three people we’re here to rescue, of course,” He looked past the two suited troopers at the thin, emaciated, forms behind them, looking at them with fear. “Hello,” he said..
Commander Hawle. U.S.C. Loper. By the talented DDeer.
Kilo - 2-8-3-9-10-2-5
Kilo
Leslie – 4-6-4-5-6-9-7
Leslie
David Campbell - 7 – 8 – 9 – 5 – 4 – 4 – 6
Corp Davidstow 6 - 6 - 7 - 3 - 6 - 6 - 5 (reactions 7 Combat 9)
User avatar
Amazee Dayzee
Posts: 25880
Joined: Tue Aug 12, 2014 6:24 pm

Re: U.S.C. RODOMONT

Post by Amazee Dayzee »

This was a really exciting chapter! I love how it came out!
User avatar
Welsh Halfwit
Posts: 14121
Joined: Sun Mar 17, 2013 3:09 am
Location: Wales, a luverrly land with noisy neighbours.

Re: U.S.C. RODOMONT

Post by Welsh Halfwit »

TWENTY-THREE

“You want to repeat that, Levan,” Postain commanded, linking the comms to all in his party, including those in the Command centre. “For the group.”

<”He said,”> Yarkin warned, <”That we have locals in present tense here now.”> She paused for a second. <”They are making no hostile action at the moment and I don’t think they’re in condition to do so. We may need Doctor Cobalt down here.”>

“You’re getting us all, Chief. We’re coming.”

<”I’d rather stay here,”> Whilmot told them, unaware he was speaking to everyone. <”See if I can get some power, maybe find out what happened here.”>

“We stick together, Whilmot,” Postain declared. “I’ll send you back up with security if needed. Finish up what you’re doing. Chief, send someone to show us the way.” He pushed past Senny on his way to the door Yarkin and Levan had taken. He waited until his group was assembled and the door had closed before he opened the other internal door. He knew that, every time they opened this door, the stored atmosphere would be getting somewhat thinner. It was probably already hazardous and stripped of beneficial effects by repeated scrubbing and circulation in a sealed system for… months? Years? He had a suspicion it would be around about eighteen months but, in space, there was no way to tell time for a corpse. These three might have some answers. He isolated comms to the Rodomont. “Xarra,” he stated.

<”Sir,”> the Mican replied, surprising him with her speed. Was she sitting at Maldak’s station?

“Tell Flakk to get ready. Apparently we’ve found some locals alive.”

<”Wilco, sir. I’ll keep the channel to your helmet open.”>

“Understood.”


One of Yarkin’s people met them next to the elevator, having taken three attempts to get back to the correct level. He’d recognised the symbol on the wall opposite as the door had opened and only now realised that they were on the panels in the booth as well. He figured he wouldn’t tell anyone about that… He let the group step in and pressed the decal for the floor he’d just left.

“Don’t think much of the layout of this place,” Postain advised. “Seems you have to go through Command to get to anywhere.”

<”Seems a bit off,”> Yarkin replied. <”But it does seem that Control want to… control everything, sir.”>

<”Are your guests trying anything,”> Kelly Cobalt asked.

<”I think we’re their guests,”> Levan cut in. <”But I don’t think they can. If I were a medic, I’d say they’re suffering extreme malnutrition and lack of fluids.”>


He looked at the three emaciated skeletons that just hung there on their feet, tattered uniform trousers tied around their waists by shirts that might once have fitted. Sunken eyes stared from mottled black and white fur stained with… he didn’t want to think about it. “Hello,” Darren said, speaking through his suit speaker. “We… We’re totally non hostile. We… We’re here to help you. Can… Can you understand me?”

The trio looked slowly at each other, then one chose to speak, clearly for the first time in ages. “W...whi...which si...si..?”

Levan thought on this. He hoped the translators were working but he’d had to turn the receiver up to hear him clearly. He spoke again as the others arrived on the correct floor. “I...I’m Darren Levan,” he told them, putting a hand to his own suit over the chest area. “We’re with the United Security Council. We got your message and came to investigate?”


<“Those conversations can wait,”> Doctor Cobalt said, stepping in to the room, around the trio – which made them start and almost fall over, just being stopped by Postain and the guard gripping the two. The one Postain had grasped whimpered. Doctor Cobalt engaged her speaker before Postain could tell her not to. “It’s all right,” she told them, “I’m a Doctor. I just need to scan you.”

<”Why’s this one whimpering,”> Postain asked.

“I think you just fractured her wrist,” Kelly replied, shocking Postain into releasing the wrist as the Doctor finished her scans. The one the Captain had released held her arm protectively. A tear seemed to be in the corner of her eye. “Darren was right,” Kelly said. “Extreme dehydration and malnutrition according to these scans. Based on ‘other’ scans, their muscles are almost totally wasted away, their bones are quite brittle. We need to get them back to the Rodomont and nutrient baths. As soon as possible.”

<”Do they have contagions,”> Maldak asked without the three hearing.

“None that I can read.”

“How do we get them back to the ship,” Levan asked. “We can’t take them back via the bridge and the only other way up we’ve found is by that large chamber and there’s no was up there.”

<”Yes, there is,”> Maldak reminded him with a smile. <”I showed you, remember? We’ll just have to carry them, is all.”>

“Is this all of you,” Doctor Cobalt asked the trio. Postain listened in. He was VERY interested in the answer.

“Wh… who w...won the…” The speaker coughed.

“Don’t try to speak,” Kelly told them, earning an earful from the Captain. “We...we’ll answer all questions when we’re back aboard ship and you’re stronger.” She took the hand of the nearest one and patted it gently. “We have a way to get you out,” she told them. “Can you take us to the large, empty, room?”

The faintest of head shakes. They led on.


With Whilmot and a guard staying behind to access the computers, Senny and the others helped the trio to the cavernous chamber and, after Maldak showed how it was done, clamping to the wall with her boots, Kelly, Levan and Senny carried the trio up the wall in their arms as the others headed back via the elevator and control centre. Kelly thought she heard her passenger chuckle as they went up the wall. She handed him off to Postain on the upper walkway before stepping down as the others had done. “We’ll need to go gently,” she told Senny. “Everything gently or we might hurt them.” More, she didn’t say.

Postain didn’t feel she needed to. They’d found out how delicate these people were already and he had no plans to repeat the mistake.


The trio looked scared as the shuttle disengaged and, frankly, Senny figured they’d have wet themselves if they’d had any spare fluids after they saw the faces that had saved them didn’t look anything like them. Only the soft spoken words of Kelly and Darren were stopping them having heart attacks, she reckoned as Kelly linked onto the comm system and asked Doctor Flakk to stay away for now and send Jul with the baths.
Commander Hawle. U.S.C. Loper. By the talented DDeer.
Kilo - 2-8-3-9-10-2-5
Kilo
Leslie – 4-6-4-5-6-9-7
Leslie
David Campbell - 7 – 8 – 9 – 5 – 4 – 4 – 6
Corp Davidstow 6 - 6 - 7 - 3 - 6 - 6 - 5 (reactions 7 Combat 9)
User avatar
Amazee Dayzee
Posts: 25880
Joined: Tue Aug 12, 2014 6:24 pm

Re: U.S.C. RODOMONT

Post by Amazee Dayzee »

The chapter is really spooky and intriguing! Great work again!
User avatar
Welsh Halfwit
Posts: 14121
Joined: Sun Mar 17, 2013 3:09 am
Location: Wales, a luverrly land with noisy neighbours.

Re: U.S.C. RODOMONT

Post by Welsh Halfwit »

TWENTY-FOUR


Having refilled her suit’s air supply by the simple solution of switching tanks, Senny piloted the shuttle back out towards the relay station after the ‘guests had been taken into a sealed section. The bay would be pressurised again with a variation in air quality to more or less match the quality over on the station. The better to help the guests lungs, she supposed. Whilmot and a guard needed her over there, she fancied. No-one appreciated the teleporter unless in a hurry. She had noted the alarm in the wounded eyes when Kelly had taken her helmet off and how the Doctor had needed to implore that they weren’t going to hurt anyone and they were safe and they were just going to help them. What made her smile most was the obvious decision from Postain to keep his helmet ON. The pilot glanced across to Maldak in the co-pilots’ seat as they headed back. “Figured you’d want to stay in case there was any communication problems,” she said.

<”Nah,”> the Quokkan replied, <”computer’s got most of it in the translation systems. And I don’t think they’ll be up to talking for a while. In other news, the transmission picked up from the Captain on that ship we found is still being recovered, the files on that computer we found are still being decoded and restored and Commander Xarra’s sat in my chair on the bridge. I think I’d rather be doing something, even if it’s just helping Whilmot with the computers.”>

Senny shrugged. “With me, it’s the need to fly that’s hard to shut down. Any ship. Big, small. Just the freedom.” She snorted a laugh. “Reckon the Captain will let me fly the Rodomont sometime?”

<”Only if everyone else capable is dead, Appleby,”> Postain’s voice cut in over the system. <”Work hard and I’ll promote it to ‘incapacitated’ rather than dead.”> His light on her heads up blinked out as he took himself off comms, probably by taking his helmet off.

Maldak laughed. <“I think he’s beginning to like you, Senny!”>

“Nah,” Senny replied, starting docking procedures, “he’s just bringing his hatred down to reasonable levels.”


With docking complete, the linguist led the way this time, back towards the Control centre. “It’s quite impressive architecture,” she said, looking at the walls as they glowed with similar phosphorescence as seen a day or so back. “The way they’ve managed to imbue something rather brutalist with such an energy saving measure. No need for artificial lights draining the power. It’s novel.”

<”If I admit it tells us something about them, will you change the subject,”> Senny responded from her side.

“Sorry,” Maldak stated. “Thought you might be interested.”

<”I was but I’d figured that out. Got anything I haven’t figured out?”>

“How to feign interest in other peoples interests?”

<”I’ve got something of interest,”> Whilmot put in from the command centre. <”I have managed to pull up their communications system. Coming for a look?”>

Senny knocked on the door they were about to open. The airlock to the bridge in effect. Then she remembered he couldn’t hear that. Maldak closed the door behind them and Senny opened onto the bridge.


Doctor Cobalt helped the third of the newcomers into the nutrient solution Doctor Flakk had created based on his analysis of their medical files and their biology and gently moved the breathing mask onto the females face. Well, it was probably a female anyhow. “We need to help your body regain its strength,” she told her gently. “This will help. And the supply of air is like that you’ve gotten used to. Because yours wasn’t fun for us,” she confessed, allowing a small smile in the hope it would reassure the Brock-like alien. She moved the skeletal hand as it tried to take the mask off. “No, no,” she soothed, “don’t do that. You need the strength to talk before you do so. I’ll see if we can find something liquid for you to drink in a short while, O.K?” The figure still looked scared. “I’m a Raitchian, by the way. That’s my species. Kelly is my name. Kelly Cobalt. And I’m not going to leave you,” she added.


Darren Levan, on the other hand, had left. He’d taken his leave as quickly as possible, saying he had something to do. He had a report to fill in for Chief Tavin but that was, of course, only part of the reason and the reason he’d done the report in double quick time. Now he was walking Kerri towards his rooms and telling her, in an excited hushed tone, about his trip. “Youthinkyou shouldbetellingme this, Darren,” Kerri asked as he got to the bit about the aliens and their first sighting.

Darren shrugged his slight shoulders and tried to stop his tail going like a pendulum as he worked through what she’d said. “Figured you’d be interested,” he professed.

“Butisn’tit a secretorsomething?”

“Everyone will know soon,” Darren told her as he opened the door to his quarters. “And who shouldn’t hear about it,” he asked as he invited her in first.

Caldan Ravel, who absolutely hadn’t been following the pair whilst trying to get background on the type of conversations that happened on ships, wondered if it would be a good plot point. Alien intruders:- Friend or foe?


Darren, for his part, stepped into what was laughably called a kitchen and started preparations. Despite himself, his mother had managed to make a halfway decent cook out of him and he knew how to follow most instructions, even in a kitchen where it wasn’t wise to try and turn around or your tail would get caught in something. But he was excited, he was happy and he was in love. He’d even introduced Kerri to his folks – over vid-com, of course – a month or so back and they’d approved. Mostly. His dad was a bit upset about her not being Celican but he professed that he was happy that Darren was following his example. Then his mom had kissed his dad and Darren had wanted to look elsewhere for a few moments. Now he just had to put the pizza and Garlic bread in and idle for fifteen minutes.


”I’m into their comms log,” Maldak told what passed for her team. ”I can’t put it on screen but I might be able to run it through to this panel here.” She gestured towards a wall mounted screen. ”I’ll put sound through the comms.” She pressed a few buttons and a badly damaged record came up on the screen.

<“….der M...rikk to St…...uncil,”> it said and Maldak thought she recognised the corpse hanging behind her in the picture. <”Ho…..ding for the
re…….sion to the U.S.C re…… th.. biologic.. wea… unleashed by Stalkar…..ces. S...s …..headed our way. W...ed backup bef...”> The screen fizzled into nothing.

“That’s it,” Maldak said. “I’ll save the rest.” She sighed. “For clean up. But it seems they were attacked.”

<”We may be heading into a warzone,”> Whilmot mentioned.

<”We’ve seen no ships headed our way,”> Senny remarked. <”War may be over.”>

“You say that like it’s not a good thing,” Maldak told her.

<”I’m not sure it is,”> Senny finished.
Commander Hawle. U.S.C. Loper. By the talented DDeer.
Kilo - 2-8-3-9-10-2-5
Kilo
Leslie – 4-6-4-5-6-9-7
Leslie
David Campbell - 7 – 8 – 9 – 5 – 4 – 4 – 6
Corp Davidstow 6 - 6 - 7 - 3 - 6 - 6 - 5 (reactions 7 Combat 9)
User avatar
Amazee Dayzee
Posts: 25880
Joined: Tue Aug 12, 2014 6:24 pm

Re: U.S.C. RODOMONT

Post by Amazee Dayzee »

Incredibly well-written again Welsh! Really nice work!
User avatar
Welsh Halfwit
Posts: 14121
Joined: Sun Mar 17, 2013 3:09 am
Location: Wales, a luverrly land with noisy neighbours.

Re: U.S.C. RODOMONT

Post by Welsh Halfwit »

TWENTY-FIVE

Another late night, Captain Postain mused as the communications officer on duty waited for the relay to, well, relay Sector Command to his personal rooms. At least he could take the call in some sense of comfort. He pondered using the official channel to call Chichester but he doubted that would go over well with Postlethwaite, especially with the reports he’d had to send about the fighting club Yarkin and Flakk had dealt with. All of those could look forward to a Mican military prison for several months after the trip, he hoped. It was going to be something of a surprise to them and he was quite looking forward to telling them if he got his way. At least they’d get dishonourable discharges if they were Council and thrown out of work if they were civilians. But, generally, he had good things to report. Always best at 1am, he thought. Proved the lie of ‘good news waits, bad news knocks the door in’. The line clicked into life as he drank from his mug.


“I’ve received the report as regards the fighting club,” Henry Postlethwaite remarked after pleasantries. He was sat in his own rooms on the Communal station as it was so early in the morning. He hoped this wasn’t what Marius was calling on at this time in the morning. “I have no trouble with following your lead on discipline. After all, you’re a ship in uncharted waters. You could be called into combat at any time. It’s dangerous enough repelling boarders but, if you’re fighting alongside someone with an undeclared injury…” He paused and then resumed. “But the prison on Pandera might not be the best place for them.”

<”Why not?”>

“Well,” Henry said, pausing slightly, “as of ten O’clock this evening, it’s empty. Empty and on fire following a riot. So prisons on other worlds have stepped in to help so… Cell space is limited. Community orders are, temporarily, going to go over better. Take them through the Captain’s court and get them out of your brig.”

<”I have to admit,”> Postain admitted over the shaky line, <”that, of all the reasons you’d have to thwart my plans for them, that wasn’t one of them.”>

Henry crossed his legs on the sofa and hoped Postain hadn’t seen he was wearing bed shorts under his official shirt. “What’s the real reason you’re calling,” he asked. “Situation update.”


Marius filled him in on his recent actions and discoveries and Postlethwaite nodded on regular occasions whilst he related the tale. “...and that’s where we are at the moment, sir,” he finished, wondering about a rogue Churro that still lay uneaten on his plate. Would the Sector Commander mind if he ate it on screen?

<”So this station’s not in Star Council territory,”> Henry asked curiously.

“No, sir,” Postain told him. “Not from what we’ve discovered. It’s just a relay station above a planet that’s not occupied. Whilmot and Maldak have…” He yawned, then apologised. “Whilmot and Maldak have located where it’s relaying to. It’s about three days from here at best cruising speed.”

<”You want to know if you should continue on, don’t you? There’s been no response to any hails?”>

“According to Maldak,” Postain advised, “someone or something is receiving. They’re just not talking. I do think we need to proceed, just to find
out the situation. I have a sneaking suspicion that there’s been a war out here and a nasty one. Biological weapons and spacing. It’s not a good look. We need to know if they’re a threat. And our new guests give us a medical reason to proceed. Cobalt says they’ll live but she’d rather have their own medics check them over.”

<”Understood,”> Henry replied, <”but be careful. And we don’t hand over political prisoners for execution so remember that. And get to bed, Marius.”>

Postain smirked slightly. “You too, sir.”

<”Why bother? I have to be up in seven hours. Hawle’s weekly report. Always amusing but he should never be told.”>

“Hmph,” Postain replied before ending the call. A moment later the churro had ‘vanished’.


“If I find out who told you,” Yarkin advised Caldan Ravel, “I’ll have their guts for garters and you can quote me on that.” The Feline dipped a bread soldier into her medium boiled egg and poked it into her mouth at breakfast. The author had found her in the rest station, preparing a Rauka Egg as her favourite morning meal and had accompanied her to the table. It was virtually the first thing he’d said to her, enquiring as to the aliens that now lived amongst them. From the description, she had rather an idea as to who it had been – the ‘Celican’ part kind of gave it away – but, without official naming, she could let it go. “So don’t tell me,” she added quickly, swallowing half the bread soldier.

“But are we safe with them,” Caldan urged. “They could be carrying anything and…”

“One,” Yarkin hissed, “keep your voice down and two. Flakk’s confirmed they don’t have anything dangerous in their make up or on their form and that’s good enough for me.”

Caldan lowered his voice. “But what if it’s something we can’t detect?”

Yarkin shrugged slightly, dripping a drop of the green yolk onto the table. “That’s the thing about unexplored space,” she told the author, “it’s full of excitements and wonders and things that’ll kill you if you’ll let them. The best way to get through is to concentrate on what your own responsibilities are and don’t fret about the other stuff.” She put a hand on his arm and gave it a small squeeze. “Best way to get through things, trust me.”

To his own surprise, the touch did have a bit of a calming effect on Caldan and his mind stopped racing with unconventional plot lines. “Um,” he asked…

“No, you can’t see them until the Captain agrees. And Doctor Cobalt. So don’t ask,” Yarkin finished off her egg. “Aren’t you having food,” she asked.

“Huh,” Caldan remarked, before realising what she’d said. “Oh, yeah! One minute!” He sprung over to the machine as Yarkin sipped her morning tea.


Kelly Cobalt yawned herself awake and stretched in the chair as one of the ones in the beds looked over at her and managed a smile. “Yeah,” she said, “I’m told I look cute when asleep.”

The male opened his mouth slightly. He seemed to be trying to speak.

“Don’t speak,” Kelly urged. “We’re still trying to get your strength up so…”

“Lef...leftenant Ko...Kohlich,” he said hesitantly. “I… I am…”

“Leftenant Kohlich,” Kelly said softly, deliberately mispronouncing Lieutenant as the guest had done. “Got it.” She gently took the closest hand in hers and felt it trying to flex. She was beginning to think they got there just in time. Or a few weeks too late. “Get your strength back, yeah. No talking. Yeah? Doctor’s orders.”

She let the hand go and examined the chart readout for the patient, tapping in his name.
Commander Hawle. U.S.C. Loper. By the talented DDeer.
Kilo - 2-8-3-9-10-2-5
Kilo
Leslie – 4-6-4-5-6-9-7
Leslie
David Campbell - 7 – 8 – 9 – 5 – 4 – 4 – 6
Corp Davidstow 6 - 6 - 7 - 3 - 6 - 6 - 5 (reactions 7 Combat 9)
User avatar
Amazee Dayzee
Posts: 25880
Joined: Tue Aug 12, 2014 6:24 pm

Re: U.S.C. RODOMONT

Post by Amazee Dayzee »

Kohlich had better be careful now. I think the title Leftenant is gonna stick. :lol:
User avatar
Welsh Halfwit
Posts: 14121
Joined: Sun Mar 17, 2013 3:09 am
Location: Wales, a luverrly land with noisy neighbours.

Re: U.S.C. RODOMONT

Post by Welsh Halfwit »

A morning chat.

TWENTY-SIX

Captain Postain straightened up when morning came and finished the light grooming he had to do to look immaculate for the crew. He pulled on his shirt over his scarred torso and was halfway through putting his jacket on when the door booped. He paused for half a second, one arm in the jacket, one out. “Come in,” he called, using that phrase so voice ident would allow the door to open.

Xarra was stood the other side, hands behind her back. “Oh,” she said, ears flattening slightly at the sight, “I wasn’t thinking you’d be dressing. I, uh…”

“...am going to come in before everyone else sees, I hope you were going to say,” Postain told her. She complied. “What is it, Xarra?”

“Uh, permission to speak freely?”

“So ordered,” Postain grumbled.

“Well, uh… I was, um, wondering if… Is everything all right, sir?”

Postain paused whilst putting his gold bar on his jacket. “Exactly what is that supposed to imply,” he asked,.

Xarra squirmed slightly. “Well, it’s just that… since you’ve got back, sir… You’ve seemed a bit… different. Not in a bad way, of course but it still implies something’s changed… Sir.”


Postain thought of how many ways he could respond to the impertinence of such a question. How he could simply snap at her and throw her out of his room. How he was used to keeping things to himself but… Well, who was the Captain supposed to confide in if not the first Officer? He didn’t trust councillors further than he could throw them into bulkheads and he didn’t have one on board anyhow. To the superiors he needed to seem completely in control. The same for the lower ranks. There was only one person he could treat as an equal and she, in truth, was part of the problem. Was she? Was it a problem? “It goes no further than this room,” he told Xarra and pointed to the seat she was to take on the sofa. She complied, wondering how long this was going to take.


“Chichester brought it up when we were on the forest weekend,” he started. “She asked why I’d signed up all those years ago. I could have had the Canine Navy but I’d chosen the Council and it had got me thinking.” he took a breath. “The reason I signed on for the Council, Hilla, was because the Council ships explored. We probed new frontiers and examined worlds. We never stood still. It made me think of how this all seemed so exciting at first. My command. Going places. And now I stay in one place all the time. The ship travels between the same old colonies all the time. We come to the rescue of the same ships under the same perils. Fight the same foes. It’s just… a bit stagnant,” he finished in exasperation, not expecting her to get it. “It made me question my own value.”

“I’d say we value you highly but you know that already,” Xarra said haltingly. “but I can see why you latched on to this job, sir.” She produced a wan smile. “A little of the unknown bringing the enthusiasm back. The thought’s invigorating but…” She shrugged. “It’s not so much what was asked, I think.. if I may say and you said I could… it might, er, be WHO asked?”

His face clouded over but Postain allowed the Mican to continue. He had a personal saying. Hard truths hurt more but healed things faster. It was why he often spoke stridently, brooking no argument. But he supposed that to give it meant he should take it.

“Chichester Dundee’s great,” Xarra mooted. “A Mican of the people, popular in all she’s set out to do and never stopping until she got to the top rung. She’s driven and a few years your junior. She’s strong willed and matches you move for move. It’s something I don’t think has happened with you before, sir. At least, not in this way?”

Postain huffed. “You might be right. There was one in the academy but, on graduation, she was assigned to a different ship. I was thankful for that. Command Officers should never get too personal. You never know when you might need to order someone to their deaths. Makes it easier.”

Xarra grimaced. “In some ways, yeah. In others it keeps us alone. I mean, I’m with you but I still think that, somewhere out there, there’s a gardener or a fur-dresser with my name on them. Someone I can get close to, sir. Secondary to duty and all that but… Still. From what I know, she’s the first to make you feel that way in years.”

“You’re getting close to insubordination, Xarra,” Postain warned.

Xarra put her hands up. “Don’t mean to be. Really, I don’t. But I met one once, y’know? I was a lieutenant, junior grade. Fell head over tail tip for an archaeologist on Denab. Quite a guy. Refused to be scared off by my rank.”

“Lieutenant JG’s no rank, Commander,” Postain jibed.

“Tell that to any recently promoted from Ensign,” she replied. “We had some great months, even seeing each other a week at a time. But my mind got in the way. He was with intelligent female Micans all the time so what was he doing with me?” She took a breath. “Was I, like, on his level? If I wasn’t, was he slumming? There were things he talked about that went whoosh! Over my head,” she continued, simulating the action. A humble grin. “Due to security, there were things I couldn’t tell him either but I figured that, if I knew them, everyone must, eh? So I kinda broke it off. Then, a few years later, I saw him again. With his mate and babe. He sat down, introduced them. Know what his wife said when he told her who I was?”

Postain shook his head.

“The one that got away. Heh. I wanted to punch her. But, as he said, there’s something I’d never asked. All those fears I had? I’d never asked if he’d felt I was beneath him. And he never did. That’s why the babe was named Hilla. The other love of his life. What I can say about yourself and Chichester, sir? You love her. She loves you. It’s why she keeps clearing her schedule when the Rodomont’s in the area. Or hadn’t you noticed, sir?”

Postain considered that he had, in fact, noted that fact. It just hadn’t fully registered, perhaps.

“So she considers you worth her time, sir. You’re her equal.”

Postain decided he’d had enough reassuring. “Fair enough. Thank you, Commander. To business. Ready the Captain’s court. I’ll deal with our idiots at nine. Then keep us on track for the Star Council. I’ll join you for full debrief after I’ve imposed discipline.” he inclined his head towards the door. “Dismissed, Hilla,” he said, with a slight twinkle in his eye.

“Of course, sir.” She left him alone.

He was a little lighter now. As though a weight had shifted.
Commander Hawle. U.S.C. Loper. By the talented DDeer.
Kilo - 2-8-3-9-10-2-5
Kilo
Leslie – 4-6-4-5-6-9-7
Leslie
David Campbell - 7 – 8 – 9 – 5 – 4 – 4 – 6
Corp Davidstow 6 - 6 - 7 - 3 - 6 - 6 - 5 (reactions 7 Combat 9)
User avatar
Amazee Dayzee
Posts: 25880
Joined: Tue Aug 12, 2014 6:24 pm

Re: U.S.C. RODOMONT

Post by Amazee Dayzee »

I can't imagine that Postain would have trouble with ANY weight given you at one point described him as incredibly muscular.
User avatar
Welsh Halfwit
Posts: 14121
Joined: Sun Mar 17, 2013 3:09 am
Location: Wales, a luverrly land with noisy neighbours.

Re: U.S.C. RODOMONT

Post by Welsh Halfwit »

This is more emotional weight than anything. He's getting older. His career has stalled - at the point he wanted it to but, still... - he's finally got a girlfriend and, other than Chich, he has no-one he feels he can talk to now Mikkel's gotten hitched, become a dad and left the ship. It's just pressing on him a bit.
Commander Hawle. U.S.C. Loper. By the talented DDeer.
Kilo - 2-8-3-9-10-2-5
Kilo
Leslie – 4-6-4-5-6-9-7
Leslie
David Campbell - 7 – 8 – 9 – 5 – 4 – 4 – 6
Corp Davidstow 6 - 6 - 7 - 3 - 6 - 6 - 5 (reactions 7 Combat 9)
User avatar
Amazee Dayzee
Posts: 25880
Joined: Tue Aug 12, 2014 6:24 pm

Re: U.S.C. RODOMONT

Post by Amazee Dayzee »

But it still is onward and upward for Hawle right? :mrgreen:
User avatar
Welsh Halfwit
Posts: 14121
Joined: Sun Mar 17, 2013 3:09 am
Location: Wales, a luverrly land with noisy neighbours.

Re: U.S.C. RODOMONT

Post by Welsh Halfwit »

TWENTY-SEVEN

Xarra moved aside as Postain entered the bridge and the transition of power was more or less seamless. She’d heard his clumping and guessed he was back in the perennial bad mood after attending the court and he waited for him to make the first comment.

“Status, number one,” he demanded.

“Still on course for the nearest known Star Council planet, sir,” she replied. “Extreme long range scanners have picked up moving objects but, at this range, we can’t tell if they’re ships, rocks or space animals. Other than that, we’re still transmitting ‘hello’ in the required direction.”

“No reply, of course.”

“Not yet. They could easily be preparing an ambush.”

“I thought I was the dour one?”

“No comment, sir. Court?”

“Two dismissed from service when we get back. One demoted in rank. One sacked and one for whichever penitentiary is still standing when we get back. All punishments suspended, of course. They might still be able to convince me not to apply the penalties during this mission. How are our guests?”


Doctor Martin Jul moved carefully between two of the emaciated guests as they lay in his bay beds, taking fluids based on Flakks’ analysis of the bodies they’d found. They’d not had a negative reaction to the fluids in the IV which the Mican was quite happy about. He’d noted that the Wolven Chief hadn’t been down to see them yet so, with Doctor Cobalt taking forty winks in her quarters, they belonged to him and his nurse now. Well, and the guard outside who was serving to keep them in and others out for security. Gelligan turned and looked in as Jul helped one to sit up. The nurse helped the individual stand up and acted like a crutch for them to take a short walk around the bay. Jul didn’t want their muscles resting completely. “When you’re stronger – and more used to our full gravity, we’ll take you for walks around the ship,” he told her.

“Under escort, of course,” Gelligan called from the doorway.

Jul inclined his head to tell he’d heard. “Of course.”

“Un...under...understood,” the alien gasped.

Jul tutted. “We’re still not sure you’re strong enough to talk so…”

“I...I can tell… better than you…”

Was that a smile flicking onto the female’s stained, paper thin lips? Jul decided he hoped it was. He helped his nurse move the patient back onto the bed and started on reaction skills and monitoring blood pressure. He moved onto the next patient. “Your turn, my sir,” he said in greeting.

“Are...are you t...the senior Do...Doctor,” the one called Kohlich asked.

“For this bay, yes,” Jul admitted. “We have two bays on the ship. I control one. Doctor’s Flakk and Cobalt run the other one.”

He raised his head a fraction as the nurse lifted him off the bed. “Co..cobalt is… is the Ra...raitchian,” he coughed.

Jul sat him back on the bed. “Ah, yeah, your lot know our Raitchians, don’t you?”

“Mother was… in business.”

Jul nodded as he made a mental note of the information. Without knowing how old Kohlich was or how long a year was on his planet, it didn’t tell him much. But it told him his mother had money. Or had had money before doing business with a Raitchian anyhow.

“Not.. met Flack yet,”

Jul sucked air through his teeth as he checked things over. “Be happy. He’s gruff, rude,”

“...coming,” Gelligan cut in.

“...and the best Doctor on the ship,” Jul finished effortlessly, as though he’d been planning to say that anyhow.


Flakk swept into the bay. “Now that you’re pre-warned,” he declared, “I take it you’re only telling them good things about me?”

“Are there any other facts, sir,” Jul said innocently as Flakk checked the charts.

“Yes, plenty,” he told as the door closed between the bay and Gelligan. “I’m gruff and rude apparently. I also have superb ears and no tolerance for insincere flattery. I’m Flakk, by the way,” he told the trio. “How are they getting on, Martin?”


“So,” Caldan asked Hadrian as the Cervidian walked his patrol area and tried to concentrate, “how do you do it,” he asked. “I mean, what sort of feelings do you get from this sort of thing?”

Hadrian looked back at the author and his notebook. “How do I do what?”

“Go from exploring new places to just… walking the beat when there’s things going on around you?”

“I’m generally the person who’s called to a situation when it’s got a chance of getting out of control,” Hadrian said with a smile. “So, if I’ve not been called, there’s no danger. Security doesn’t go looking for a fight,” he continued, “we’re just ready to take the fight if it comes to it.” He glanced in through the window of one of the schoolrooms as he passed by, giving one of the kids a wave as they waved at him. “We’re here to protect these people,” he elucidated, “and, hopefully, to inspire trust from these people. You get good guards…” He paused as a teacher bustled past. “And you get bad ones. Ones the people don’t much like. But the most important thing about security? When that alarm goes, we run towards the trouble, not away from it.”

“Isn’t that contrary to Cervidan nat… uh, no offence.”

“Absolutely,” Hadrian allowed, tapping the entry code on one of the ships ‘safe zones’. He stepped into the room.

“What’s this,” the author queried.

“A safe zone,” Hadrian told him. “If we get into active combat, we need somewhere safe for the civilians. This is one of them. It has several days air supply, it’s not near the hull, the door doesn’t open from the outside without a command code if it’s sealed from inside. It can hold up to fifty people and has an emergency replication station for food supplies. Secure but you don’t want to spend too long in here.” he grinned. “Only one latrine. Downside is that, without external imaging, the guard stationed in here is not just literally the people’s last line of defence, they may well not have a clue as to who’s coming through the door.”

Caldan thought. “That might be interesting as a plot point. The hero’s trapped in here with kids. He doesn’t know what’s going on, if his friends are still alive and the kid’s fears are beginning to get to him…” He chewed his writing implement and jotted down notes. Just as Hardian had guessed. He led on.
Commander Hawle. U.S.C. Loper. By the talented DDeer.
Kilo - 2-8-3-9-10-2-5
Kilo
Leslie – 4-6-4-5-6-9-7
Leslie
David Campbell - 7 – 8 – 9 – 5 – 4 – 4 – 6
Corp Davidstow 6 - 6 - 7 - 3 - 6 - 6 - 5 (reactions 7 Combat 9)
User avatar
Amazee Dayzee
Posts: 25880
Joined: Tue Aug 12, 2014 6:24 pm

Re: U.S.C. RODOMONT

Post by Amazee Dayzee »

It is gonna be so interesting to see where this leads. I can't wait for it!
User avatar
Welsh Halfwit
Posts: 14121
Joined: Sun Mar 17, 2013 3:09 am
Location: Wales, a luverrly land with noisy neighbours.

Re: U.S.C. RODOMONT

Post by Welsh Halfwit »

TWENTY-EIGHT

Senny sat back in her chair as space unfurled around her. From here she couldn’t hear the ‘battle stations klaxon going off in the Rodomont as the Vakkaral Tech fighters closed in. They were a favourite for brigands and Militias, being nearly equivalent to Starlancer 11’s and only two thirds the price from the Feline manufacturers. She knew their lead ship was out there somewhere but that wasn’t her concern. The fighters were. Any weapon drained power from the ship shields and could do considerable damage if not stopped. Which was where her lot came in. “Come on, people,” she told the room and the microphones, “shift your tails!”

<”Don’t have one, Commander,”>

“Shut it, Katz,” Senny gave a wry grin as she ticked that off. She knew her people and how they’d react. Katz the Human would be the first out, she knew that. Everyone else tended to take a second to shift their backsides in the seat so they weren’t sitting on their tails and… There he was, Alpha three, spitting from the launch bay ahead of Fallon the Raitchian, Entwhistle the Mican, Grek the Canine and the others. The group of fifteen split up into three teams of five and spun towards intercept. “Shields up, people.”

<”Acknowledged,”> someone responded and Senny watched as the name displays, hanging in mid-air above her, changed from green to yellow. She watched as the third group held back slightly and noted the enemy forces doing likewise. The planet in the background looked still, like a painting between the action and the local sun, only the halo visible around the edges. Senny wondered how long that would last. Not long, she reckoned.


She watched as the conflict between the tiny ships began, her forces splitting into ‘hammer position’, where they’d try to flank the enemy from either side. She watched as the enemy reciprocated with calcotta, where they twisted back around on themselves with the rear fighters covering them so her people couldn’t gain much of an advantage. “Alright,” she warned, “I think they’re going for Diamond star.”

<”Correct response is Kellaman’s loop,”> Grek responded.

“Assume they know that, Grek,” Senny warned. “They’re almost as good as you are. Be ready to cut in a Uvra screw to keep them on their toes… Yaxley, cover Porton! There’s an enemy targetting him!” She watched as Yaxley pushed to head off the fighter that was headed for Porton as the Lappinean swung his ship down to evade. “Remember something, people,” Senny shouted. “Vakkaral Tech isn’t as fast as you but it’s built with better gravity dampers. It means they can turn a lot tighter than you without blacking out from the pressure. If you’re having trouble keeping a lock on your target, don’t fixate or you’ll expose your backside to his or her friends. Break off and choose a new target!”


A few minutes later, Senny exited the hologram room and almost walked into Kerri Kerrison. “What are you doing here, Kerri,” she asked. “Nice to see you, by the way,” she added.

“Workingonthe powersupplyto thelights,” Kerri replied, before grinning. “Nicetosee youtoo. Beenhavingfun?”

“Nope,” Senny replied, waving her mug in the air. “Virtual training with the squad. The ship’s not stopping so we can’t do it physically.” She shook her head. “They’re all sat in their own rooms with daft headsets on.” She growled. “You should have seen the destruction when Caldy forgot and raised his arm to take a drink. Never, in ANY wargame, have I ever lost two fighters due to coffee!”

“Soundslike she’sa hasbean,” Kerri commented.

“I have to punish you for that joke,” Senny warned. “You’ll never see it coming.”

Kerri put her hands to her chest in mock surprise and played at looking scared. “Ohme,ohmy! Whatwill Ido?”

“Suffer, perhaps,” Senny told her little friend. “How’s the nerd?”

“Hmm? Oh,Darren?” Kerri put a fingerclaw to her teeth. “he’spretty great, Senny.And Harmony?”

“She’s great too. You fixed those lights yet,” the Castoran asked. The light blinked off as on cue.

“Wouldyou believe’no’,” Kerri replied, scurrying over to the panel she needed to work on as Senny slipped off towards the debrief room to tear a strip off a few pilots and congratulate a few more.


Maldak and Whilmot had had a full hour to themselves over on the station before being called back and she’d got down a lot of communications files for decrypting on the isolated terminals. She wished she had the key, of course, but it did, apparently follow patterns that could be read by the computer. The Lemurian apologised that he couldn’t do it himself but they’d have to open up the terminal to the main computer and that meant an extreme, intricate, viral and trojan check first. So Maldak had a different idea as she headed down, diverting to the medical bay.


“And you want,” Martin Jul asked as Maldak tried and failed to get past Gelligan on the door.

“I was hoping to talk with the guests,” she asked. “See if I can get any information that would make our mission easier. The computer’s working too slowly.” She held up a padd with a star map on it. “I’ve, er, brought a padd,” she said cheesily, realising how obvious the fact was.

“So they can point rather than speak,” Martin guessed. “I’ll ask them. But they are still weak, Martina, so I can’t let you push them.”

“How… How do you know my first name,” Maldak queried. He glanced at her curiously. “It’s on my medical files. Right. Silly of me. Unethical of you, perhaps, though?”

“I never use my powers for evil,” Martin said, darting back inside.

“I rarely deal with him. Is he always like this,” Maldak asked casually.

“Yup,” Gelligan commented.

“Had much of an urge to hit him?”

“It comes and goes.”

The door opened and Jul told her she had three minutes.


She stepped in and Jul directed her to a chair next to Kohlich’s bed. She sat down as the fragile Officer looked at her. “Hello,” she said softly. “You’re looking… well, exactly the same as yesterday.”

“Good to… know,” he managed. “You… wanted..?”

“information mostly,” Maldak replied. “Can you tell me where you were relaying signals to on here?” She turned the padd towards him so he could see the star chart they’d taken from the station. “We need to try and contact them and no-one’s talking.”

Shakily, he lifted a hand and put a claw tip to the screen. It zoomed in on a system consisting of four planets and a sun. Numerous moons could be seen. “Culta,” he said. “Culta.”

“Is that the name of the world,” Maldak asked. He nodded slightly.

“If… it survived t...the war.”

War, Maldak thought. Great. She zoomed out again. “Is there a closer colony,” she asked gently.

He coughed and brought up another world. “Karrin. Safe,” he said before he started coughing and Martin moved her out. She headed up to the bridge to confess what she’d done before Postain found out.
Commander Hawle. U.S.C. Loper. By the talented DDeer.
Kilo - 2-8-3-9-10-2-5
Kilo
Leslie – 4-6-4-5-6-9-7
Leslie
David Campbell - 7 – 8 – 9 – 5 – 4 – 4 – 6
Corp Davidstow 6 - 6 - 7 - 3 - 6 - 6 - 5 (reactions 7 Combat 9)
User avatar
Amazee Dayzee
Posts: 25880
Joined: Tue Aug 12, 2014 6:24 pm

Re: U.S.C. RODOMONT

Post by Amazee Dayzee »

Better hope she gets there in time. It will not be good if she doesn't.
User avatar
Welsh Halfwit
Posts: 14121
Joined: Sun Mar 17, 2013 3:09 am
Location: Wales, a luverrly land with noisy neighbours.

Re: U.S.C. RODOMONT

Post by Welsh Halfwit »

TWENTY-NINE


“It’s about six hours closer than our previous destination,” Makilla told the Captain as she examined the exact position of Planet Karen – as she’d heard it – on her console. “If we go from the old maps provided by Fauntleroy, it’s on the edge of Star Council territory. It’s barely a mention in the logs they provided and only slightly more often in the Raitchian records.”

“How did we get the details of the Raitchian records,” Postain asked directly.

“Not a clue, sir,” she replied. “I just looked and there they were. They mention that the capital is called Sikra and it’s not a good colony to do business with.”

“Probably means they’re sharp and against sharp practice,” Postain remarked, “But I want to start learning things. Put us on a new course and move to velocity three, Makilla.”

“Aye, sir,” the Shrew replied, twitching her nose and altering the course.

Behind her Maldak, trying not to be offended by the lack of congratulations for her good idea, started listening for transmissions coming from their new destination. It would make a change, she thought, as she dropped off another relay buoy. All they’d been getting this last week was interference and fragments of conversations carried out months, years and decades ago that had finally carried this far on subspace or ancient radio. She’d recorded those for the etymologists and linguists, of course, but the news of centuries past wasn’t exactly of up to the minute interest.


Doctor Flakk looked at his monitor and set his face to ‘frown’ as he worked out what it meant. More files had been recovered from the computer terminal and he had a depressing feeling he knew what it was now that he’d been able to cross refenece samples from his cadavers and samples from the three living specimens in the second sickbay. Taking into account their potential illnesses and wastage and their general poor health, he was prepared to make a diagnosis of some sort on the given fact. “It’s a virus,” he told Kelly, whilst she buzzed around the beds, keeping them clean and ready for use.

“Pardon,” she asked.

“It’s a virus,” he repeated. “I can see the nucleus and the protein spikes now I know what I’m looking for. It’s all right here. Now we’ve had living samples of the Valtrovians…”

“Vitronians,” Kelly corrected.

“Write that down somewhere,” Flakk ordered. “Now we’ve had basic information from both living and dead and the living don’t have any sign of THAT” – he tapped the screen – “we can tell it doesn’t belong. I can also tell,” he continued, “that it does far more damage to the lungs than our friends have had, which makes me think they were never exposed to it. Which is interesting.”

“How so? Uh, I’m not saying you’re wrong…”

“Good,” Flakk growled, “because I’m not. It’s interesting because I wondered why they were calling us for help if it wasn’t threatening everywhere. So I took to going into it in detail.”

“And you found something?”

Flakk smirked slightly.


Darren looked over the latest data from stellar cartography and ran the analysis for anomalies, gases, sun spots and everything else he could think of lest he got the blame for the ship crashing into something it never should have crashed into. Things looked fine but you could never tell… “Are you taking a break anytime soon,” a voice asked from his shoulder. The Celican turned at the sound of Chief Tavin. “I can get someone else to cover this,” he added.

“It’s not needed, sir,” he replied. “I mean, I’m wide awake and…”

“It’s not a matter of ‘wide-awake’, Lieutenant,” the Chief replied, “it’s all health and safety. You’ve been here for hours.”

Darren sighed and supposed he wasn’t going to win this argument. “I could take an hour,” he supposed. “Get some of what’s laughingly called ‘food’ here or something.”

“Sounds like an idea. Kridd can take over for you for a lunch break. He’s probably the only one I have that’s as enthusiastic as you are.” Darren felt his ears flatten and popped them back up with an effort of will. “I know he has a bad rep,” Tavin told him sharply, “but so did you until you lost it, Darren. He just needs the chance to be as confident as you are.” He gave a gentle smirk. “Or that you pretend to be, anyhow, hmm? Anyhow, you’ll be called if there’s a need. Kridd’ll be here in a few moments and then it’s off to a bit of downtime.” The boss headed off and Darren decided to lock down all the current operations on the terminal so they couldn’t be stopped. He didn’t mind Kridd starting new ones he hadn’t thought of, mind. He wasn’t that much of a narcissist.


Simone Jak stepped down from the stage in the sport hall and wandered towards the eaves in her stage costume. It was the first dress rehearsal for the play and she’d wanted to find out if the tailor had gotten the weight right on her outfit. After getting used to modern fabrics and their ease of movement, wearing the antiquated gown and jerkin get up had been a little like trying to move with a shuttle wrapped around her torso but the director was adamant that he was going for authenticity in this. Simone had thought of asking how authentic being a Cervidian with a feline foster sister was in a play written before the Canines had had first contact with any other races but he’d pointed out he had leeway with that. It was now set on a world where all the species had evolved together. Sounded like a nightmare world and how, she wondered, wasn’t everyone a crossbreed at least five times over after millions of years? But she’d considered it a moot point and not worth talking about. So she’d shut up and gotten on with it. “Thank you,” she said as she spotted Hadrian applauding quietly, “but we’ve still got a long way to go.”

Hadrian opened his mouth and moved a finger but paused. “That’s a trap, isn’t it,” he asked. “I either say ‘yes’ and get accused of saying you’re awful – which you’re not – or ‘no’ and you accuse me of bias.”

“Just say I’m not perfect and I won’t hit you, Hadrian,” she replied.

“Well, the performance isn’t quite perfect,” Hadrian told her. “But the actress is perfect in my eyes.”

“So it’s just your eyes that are biased?”

“Nah,” Hadrian said, thinking fast, “the whole of me is biased but my legs are jealous of the eyes as they can see you. Oh, just checking, is Lieutenant Cawley supposed to get that close to you during that scene?”

“Well,” she replied, doing a small twirl, “he IS supposed to be trying to seduce me throughout the show, y’know?”

“Tell him he’s quite good,” Hadrian advised. “Good enough that your husband’s thought of thumping him.”

Simone laughed as she took his arm. “I’ll warn him. Now, food?”

“Verily, madame,” he allowed.


Three hours to arrival, Postain mooted. Why did they so often seem to arrive in the evening these days? Well, ship evening anyhow. Maldak had told him she’d been picking up some general transmissions back and fore from the colony and he’d asked her to see if she could make contact as soon as. But now Flakk had called him down to the sick bay and told him his theory about the virus. “So it’s coded directly to their species,” he asked.

“Seems so,” the grouchy surgeon reported. “Although it stands a chance of infecting Brockians and, possibly, jumping species from there. So we should still be careful. But that’s not the worst problem. The worse problem is that the proteins it’s made of aren’t anything known to exist naturally.” He put his hands on the table and looked up at Postain. “It’s feasible they COULD be natural out here but the most likely implication is…”

“...that someone made this virus,” Postain finished.
Commander Hawle. U.S.C. Loper. By the talented DDeer.
Kilo - 2-8-3-9-10-2-5
Kilo
Leslie – 4-6-4-5-6-9-7
Leslie
David Campbell - 7 – 8 – 9 – 5 – 4 – 4 – 6
Corp Davidstow 6 - 6 - 7 - 3 - 6 - 6 - 5 (reactions 7 Combat 9)
User avatar
Amazee Dayzee
Posts: 25880
Joined: Tue Aug 12, 2014 6:24 pm

Re: U.S.C. RODOMONT

Post by Amazee Dayzee »

Whoever made the virus is gonna have a lot to answer for. I can't WAIT to see how this goes!
User avatar
Welsh Halfwit
Posts: 14121
Joined: Sun Mar 17, 2013 3:09 am
Location: Wales, a luverrly land with noisy neighbours.

Re: U.S.C. RODOMONT

Post by Welsh Halfwit »

THIRTY

Bartleby knocked on Postain’s office door and waited until he called to enter. He frowned. He hadn’t expected the Ensign to be the one who came in. He’d expected Xarra. But he was curious as to if the question the Tortie Lappinean would ask would be the one he was expecting. “What is it, Ensign,” he asked.

“Well, um…” her left ear drooped. “About these Raitchian files..?”

“Yes,”

“Well, um… shouldn’t we find out where they came from? It could… it could be important, sir.”

Postain chuckled. “Bit above your pay grade, Bartleby,” he mooted. “but you don’t need to be concerned. I have a good idea how we got them and it’s not a threat. You can trust ME.”

“Sir.”

Postain was guessing Postlethwaite had sent them through under the last communique. It was the only thing that made sense. Especially since the old Mican knew the identity of the Chief of Raitchian Intelligence in the zone – who Raitche claimed they didn’t have – and may have ‘asked’ him for the information with the clear, implied, threat that, if he didn’t help, his identity would be publicly revealed. He hated politics. “Anything else,” he asked, wondering why Bartleby was still stood there.

“I was wondering if you’d selected your away team yet, sir,” she asked.

“I have ideas,” he admitted, “but I need my best helm officer ready at the helm. In case we make a mistake and need to get out of here quickly. If we’re here a while, you may get a chance. Out.”

“Sir,” she said, trying to hide disappointment as she left, passing Xarra at the door.


“Bring one back with you,” Flakk ordered Kelly Cobalt as he leaned on the doorway to his office.

“Huh,” the Packer asked, seemingly not having been listening to the Wolf.

“I said ‘you’re going down with the team, find one of their Doctors and bring one back with you. You got fluff in your ears?”

“Uh, no, boss.” She shook her head. “I was just wondering how to ask you to assign me to the away team.” She frowned. “Don’t you want to go?”

“No. There’s little of use I can do down there. You go. Be charming. Be the face of the department. And go get a fresh jacket on. You have goop staining that one.” He indicated the gel marks on the hem.


“Can’t I come with,” Caldan asked, almost plaintively. “I’m… not used to being inside this long without a run,” he told Chief Yarkin, as she readied her kit for the mission. Apparently Maldak had located something like a leader in the colony and had managed to contact them – at Postain’s command, of course – to tell them they were coming. Five were to land in a prescribed location that, on scans, certainly looked like a shuttle landing zone. It was Yarkin who had insisted that it be three security guards escorting the Captain and the Doctor but she suspected it was the images of damage that had convinced him. Some areas of the main town appeared to be damaged by high energy weapons, as did the defence platforms in orbit above it. Three of them were ‘looking’ at the Rodomont but it was evident there had been at least six of them at one point It was beginning to add more credence to the ‘war’ theory that was becoming prevalent. “I’m going to sound out things first, Caldan,” she told him. “Can’t have our up and coming celebrity lost on my watch, can I?” She smiled genially at him. “Commander Xarra has graciously allowed you access to the bridge whilst the Captain’s not there so that should be interesting for you.”

“Doubt it,” Caldan snorted. “But I, er, suppose I should go and have a look, yeah? And I might get on the second group down?”

“If we have one.” Leaving the author in Jak’s sensible hands, Chief Yarkin made her way to get ready.


Keri had another few bad relays in her pack as she stepped back into main engineering. Stepping over to the division chief, she took them out of the pack and slapped them on the tabletop, taking a breath to control her talking. “Found one inthe Hologramroom imaging circuitry,” she said. “Anotherwasin areplication machineusedfor replacingplating ondeckseven andTHISone,” she added, hoisting out a nearly melted tube, “was inthe secondaryfighter launchsystem. IfTHAT had failed, fightersmighthave launchedintoa bulkheaddoor!”

“I’d hope you were joking,” the Equinna replied after getting her to repeat what she’d said with breathing, “but I know you’re not. Others have found a few. Trouble is,” he told her, “that they don’t read as going wrong until they actually start going wrong. They’ve been installed for almost three months now…”

“Iknow,” Kerri interrupted. “Theypassed inspection.” She stepped away and slapped her hands against her thighs in frustration. “Theywere clearlymeant to! Passall theruns, letusget complacent andthen sh…”

“Yeah,” the Equinna replied. “And then shut us down.”

“Notquite whatI was goingto say,” Kerri grinned, “butclose enough.” She huffed. “So,what do wedo?”

“You and the others keep looking for dodgy ones, prioritising main systems, of course. I see if I can identify where all the substandard… cr…”

“Crud,” Kerri asked cheekily, looking goofily at him.

“...crud, yes, comes from. Then I’ll send it all in reports to The Commander and the Captain. They’ll tell sector command when we get back and IOC will probably investigate the company.”

Kerri waved a hand. “Iheard nothingmore than ‘Domore work,Kerri’.”

The Equinna shrugged. “There’s always more work, Kerri.”

“Iknow,Iknow…” The two split off. One to help recalibrating the engines now they were settling into orbit and the other to prey on a doughnut.


“According to Maldak, they’re a nervous people,” Postain advised the others as he piloted the shuttle into the atmosphere. “They didn’t say much about whatever conflict happened but I think it’s scarred them. Bartleby says there looks like a lot of agricultural waste. Poor harvests or, possibly, unsold produce. She’s from a farm background so it’s possible she’d know. As it is, we’re coming up on the landing zone now.” He looked over at Cobalt. “You’re qualified to fly this?”

“Uh… I mastered take off and basic flight,” the Raitchian Doctor admitted. And I landed three of the five times in simulation…”

Postain nodded. “There will not be a scratch on this, Doctor. Remote piloting will land it for you when you head back.” She looked at him quizzically. “THAT button!” He pointed at one of the controls. She took note of the button pilots generally tried not to talk about. The button that could carry out an automatic landing under standard conditions.


And they came to land. “What the..?” Postain asked as he sighted the small band ready to play...
Commander Hawle. U.S.C. Loper. By the talented DDeer.
Kilo - 2-8-3-9-10-2-5
Kilo
Leslie – 4-6-4-5-6-9-7
Leslie
David Campbell - 7 – 8 – 9 – 5 – 4 – 4 – 6
Corp Davidstow 6 - 6 - 7 - 3 - 6 - 6 - 5 (reactions 7 Combat 9)
User avatar
Amazee Dayzee
Posts: 25880
Joined: Tue Aug 12, 2014 6:24 pm

Re: U.S.C. RODOMONT

Post by Amazee Dayzee »

Think this is another great chapter! You continue to outdo yourself!
User avatar
Welsh Halfwit
Posts: 14121
Joined: Sun Mar 17, 2013 3:09 am
Location: Wales, a luverrly land with noisy neighbours.

Re: U.S.C. RODOMONT

Post by Welsh Halfwit »

THIRTY-ONE

The shuttle landed amid the fanfare of instruments that looked a lot like drums and trumpets and Postain looked over the odd assembly of peoples there to meet them. One wearing chains that maybe signified office stood next to one in a Police chief’s hat and some sort of badge? There was a small one holding something cheap looking that may well have been in the ground this morning and one holding something curiously like a video camera. They all had the same, mottled black and white faces and clothes that generally looked a few seasons old. Except for the mayoral type. His clothes looked like he’d kept them for special occasions. “Lock the holsters,” he advised Yarkin as he clipped his own weapon into the holster securely. “I think we’ve got the welcome mat.”


He shifted position, locked the shuttle down and strode towards the exit after checking the atmosphere.


The door opened onto a quiet spring day with the wind blowing gently across the open space, ruffling the Rottian’s fur as he stepped into the warm, mid afternoon, sun to a cacophony of noise that he assumed was the Colonial anthem. He stepped down as one of the adults pushed the slightly scared little one forward. She/He had probably never seen a Canine before and was a little knock kneed as Postain crouched. “Th...these are for you,” the girl stammered, thrusting the flowers out like a weapon. The Captain felt like he wanted to sneeze but that probably wouldn’t be a good look so he held it in. “As a… as a…” The Child looked as though it was trying to remember it’s lines. “As a gesture of friendship between our peoples and, um, yours?” She looked confused as Doctor Cobalt came out and she could see the first one and the second weren’t anything alike.

“And it is accepted in freedom and friendship,” the Captain said, wondering if he had anything for her. He mentally patted his pockets down and reasoned he didn’t have anything so…

...A hand appeared over his shoulder, bearing a small telescope/microscope. “The gift, Captain,” Kelly said carefully.

“Ah, yes,” Captain Postain said, taking it. “And this,” he said, swapping the flowers for the microscope, “is yours. My Doctor can show you how to
use it.” He straightened up as Yarkin appeared in the doorway and the girl – as Postain now reckoned – looked positively bewildered at the trio. “We’ll explain later,” he told her as the girl nipped back to the protection of the adults.

The one in chains stepped forward. “I am Gerak Pulsen,” he said. “Leader of this colony.”

He introduced a few of the others before the Captain reciprocated. “I am Captain Marius Postain, of the United Security Council ship Rodomont. These are my associates, Doctor Kelly Cobalt and Security Chief Ellan Yarkin.”

The leader nodded to the others. “We are gratified by your presence,” he told them. “It has been, seemingly, an age since we had visitors from other worlds. Our isolation has cost us much in so many ways…”

Postain had a feeling he wasn’t going to get too many answers as to what had happened here but he could press that later. “We have also come in search of answers,” he confessed, “but there are no reasons why we cannot offer solutions at the same time. We do, however, require a little of your assistance first off.”

“Oh,” Gerek said, putting on what Postain assumed to be a frown. “How… how can we assist you?”

“We came across a derelict relay station a few days back. It had decompressed in several sections but, in one section, we found three survivors. They had been there, trapped, for over 18 of our months. They are being treated in our Medical bay but we do not have up to date information on your medicines and biologies so…” He paused as Gerek and his others gathered in a small huddle. Eventually they shook their heads in agreement.

“I will arrange for one of our Doctans to return to your ship and observe them,” Gerek said. “But I must ask you to remain quiet about them for now. And you,” he added to the one with the device, “should wipe that section of the recording.” He looked to Postain. “I think we should talk of events. After all, we wish your three no harm but others might. After all, they could have been on the wrong side.”


Xarra glanced over her shoulder at Maldak, who seemed to sense the observation without turning around. “No distress calls yet, Commander,” the Quokkan said towards her console.

“Wasn’t expecting any for at least an hour, Ensign,” Xarra replied.

“The Captain’s qualified in diplomacy, isn’t he, sir,” the Weapons Officer, a Canid called Fallen asked.

“Of course,” Xarra snapped, irritated by this seeming lack of confidence in the Captain’s skill. ‘He just hasn’t got top marks’ she thought to herself.


“What’s it about,” Postain asked Gerek as they sat in his office. They’d passed through several streets that the Rottian would have taken for derelict if he’d not seen the people walking about, leaving their small vehicles unused and dusty on the roadside. “What’s caused the decline?”

Gerek sighed. “It used to be that we dealt strictly with the Star Council,” he professed. “They bought our produce and brought us things we couldn’t make. Traded coin for grain, to use a cliché. But, almost two years back, the Council split. A schism down the middle over some administrative issue or other.”

“Hmm,” Postain mused. He’d lost his older brother in something similar, almost twenty years ago. He rarely talked of him but lines like this brought it back.

“Anyhow,” Gerek continued, “we’re an outlying colony, right on the furthest point so there were only one or two skirmishes here, destroying several of our defence satellites but they called in ALL available space craft, leaving us with nothing. Of course,” he paused, taking a drink from his mug. It was something Postain had yet to sample from his own container but it smelled like Beef and Onion tea, despite its green hue. “Of course,” Gerek repeated, putting his mug down, “it meant we avoided much the worse of it. We heard of genetic plagues and fusion bombs…” He sighed. “We’d about given up hope.” He brightened. “But now, here you are! Hope restored! Our first contact with the outside universe in two years!” He leaned forward. “How is it out there?”


“That’s strange,” Fallen mooted.

“What’s strange,” Xarra questioned.

“Well, the weapons are powered down at the moment, offline?” The Canid turned to look at the Commander. “According to the power display, they’re trickle charging automatically.”

“What does that mean, precisely?”

“A small amount of power is getting through to the weapons,” the Canid explained. “Charging them up. I’ve tried but… I can’t stop it. In about a half hour, the cannons will be fully charged and then it’ll keep charging until they explode.”
Commander Hawle. U.S.C. Loper. By the talented DDeer.
Kilo - 2-8-3-9-10-2-5
Kilo
Leslie – 4-6-4-5-6-9-7
Leslie
David Campbell - 7 – 8 – 9 – 5 – 4 – 4 – 6
Corp Davidstow 6 - 6 - 7 - 3 - 6 - 6 - 5 (reactions 7 Combat 9)
User avatar
Amazee Dayzee
Posts: 25880
Joined: Tue Aug 12, 2014 6:24 pm

Re: U.S.C. RODOMONT

Post by Amazee Dayzee »

I assume that explosion is gonna do a LOT of damage then from the way they are so grim. Can't wait to see how they deal with it!
User avatar
Welsh Halfwit
Posts: 14121
Joined: Sun Mar 17, 2013 3:09 am
Location: Wales, a luverrly land with noisy neighbours.

Re: U.S.C. RODOMONT

Post by Welsh Halfwit »

Remember those little malfunctions from earlier in the story...

THIRTY-TWO

“Pardon,” Xarra said, unsure if she’d just heard correctly. Fallen repeated himself and Xarra scuttled over to check things for herself. The power build up was still very much in the green area, reading at seven percent. The trouble was, with the power not being needed there, it was supposed to be at two percent. “And you can’t stop it,” she repeated, testing a few controls that were designed to override the system.

“No, Commander,” Fallen repeated.

Xarra straightened up and slapped her comm. “Xarra to Engineering.”

<“Harra here,”>the Equinnan chief replied.

“We have a problem up here,” Xarra told him. “The weapons are trickle charging whilst not actually being turned on. Are you doing something down there?”

<”If we were, I’d have cleared it first, Commander,”> the heavy set voice thundered. <”I’m reading the build up from here now I’m looking at it. Leave it to us. We’ll sort it out.”>

“Could it be to do with that problem you told me about regarding parts?”

<”It’s a possibility. Leave it to us.”>

“OK. Bridge out.” Xarra cut the link. “Keep an eye on it, Fallen,” she advised. “If it gets to the yellow zone, we might have to move.” She crossed back to the Command chair and sat. “The other way to stop it overloading is to fire the weapons,” she advised. “And we can’t do that here without annoying the defence platforms.”

“Aye, sir,” Bartleby put in from the helm. She was already working out the best place for them to be if they had to fire. She was also wondering how much damage the fifth planet in the system could take.

“Doctor Cobalt’s calling in, sir,” Maldak reported from her station. “She’s on return. Says she’ll be using autoland.”

Xarra relaxed. Then didn’t. “Notify engineering,” she said. “They need to check autoland’s not malfunctioning NOW.”


“I’d say ‘is that your ship,” the Karrinean Doctor said, peering over Kelly’s shoulder at the imposing shape glowing in the reflected sun ahead of them, “but it’d be a bit redundant, wouldn’t it?” behind her, the two security officers were making sure the devices Doctan Tyla had brought with her didn’t fall over as the ship juddered slightly under the stewardship of the inexperienced Doctor.

“Little bit,” Kelly remarked. Uh, you probably should sit down,” she urged. “Apparently autoland isn’t working.”

“How do you know?”

“That decal’s not lit,” Kelly replied, tapping a dark section on her display.

“Have… you successfully landed a shuttle before,” on of the guards asked.

“I’ve done it a few times,” Kelly replied, deciding not to mention the failure rate on the simulator.

“I have to say, it doesn’t look like a diplomatic ship.”

“It’s not,” Kelly confirmed. “She’s a battleship. We weren’t sure if the communication we received was a call for help or an attack.”

The local frowned. “They’re usually pretty easy to tell apart.”

Kelly shrugged. “What can I tell you? This one was an automated ship that walloped a small planetoid into debris some 18 months back. It was in an area we don’t normally look at so we didn’t find it until a week or so back. Get something looking like a weapon test? Send a warship to be diplomatic. Just in case. THEN send the diplomatics ship when you know it’s safe. Now,” she added as they closed in on the docking bay, “hang on...”


“What was it about,” Postain asked. “The war, I mean. It might help to know as we’re going further in.”

“Well,” Gerek replied, sitting across the oaklike table, “from what we know the colonies in the Ikaerian Nebula wanted to establish greater control over the Council and it’s affairs. The Council didn’t think a great deal of their chances but hadn’t reckoned on the Nebulans manipulating their way into the military command structures. By the time a Yattinian agent… they’re NOT in the nebula, by the way, - managed to uncover the truth, they were almost in a position to strike. They had control of about thirty percent of the ships and stations.” He sighed. “Of course, the ships they had control over were the newer ones, which closed the gap. Their bio-chemists threatened to close the rest.”

“Yes,” Postain chipped in, “we’ve seen some evidence of that. The ship that launched the probe that started all this. We found everyone board dead after the computer extracted the air in a violent manner. We figure it was done so as not to infect anyone who found the ship later.”

“Mmm,” Gerek nodded. “A horrible way to go.” he looked up. “Do you have the personnel files from that ship? So we can note the names?”

“One of my engineers accessed files there. He might have downloaded them. I’ll have to check.”


Kerri heard the grinding and squeaking as she headed away from the main shuttle bay and figured whoever was landing the shuttle hadn’t made enough noise to indicate destruction as she made to back up the Mican pairing of Olssen and Corncob in the weapons control subsystems. Several of the chips were failing and she cursed as she knew what was inevitable now. They were going to have to replace all the affected chips. Well, she mooted, all the ones that hadn’t been replaced already. They had enough but they’d have precious few spares left afterthat. She called in. “KerrisontoCorncob…” She grimaced. “Kerrison to Corncob,” she repeated. “I’m onmyway,” she stated quickly.

<”Figured you were,”> the Mican replied. <”Autoland fixed?”>

“Fewsecondstoo late,” Kerri admitted, climbing a ladder to the next level.

<”We’ll need to clean that up later,”> he told her. <”One more… Olssen, this thing’s too hot! It’s about to bl...”> The line cut into static as the ship shook.

“Corncob,” Kerri shouted into her comm and hanging on tight to the ladder as air tried to take her off it. “Corncob!”
Commander Hawle. U.S.C. Loper. By the talented DDeer.
Kilo - 2-8-3-9-10-2-5
Kilo
Leslie – 4-6-4-5-6-9-7
Leslie
David Campbell - 7 – 8 – 9 – 5 – 4 – 4 – 6
Corp Davidstow 6 - 6 - 7 - 3 - 6 - 6 - 5 (reactions 7 Combat 9)
User avatar
Amazee Dayzee
Posts: 25880
Joined: Tue Aug 12, 2014 6:24 pm

Re: U.S.C. RODOMONT

Post by Amazee Dayzee »

I knew that they would cause massive problems at some point. So happy that it happened and can't wait to see how it is resolved! Wonderful work!
User avatar
Welsh Halfwit
Posts: 14121
Joined: Sun Mar 17, 2013 3:09 am
Location: Wales, a luverrly land with noisy neighbours.

Re: U.S.C. RODOMONT

Post by Welsh Halfwit »

THIRTY-THREE


Darren had been heading to lunch when the thing happened. He didn’t know what it was but he knew it shook the ship and broke open the maintenance hatch close by in the wall. From what he knew of pressures and blast effects, he knew something must have just happened close by in there. He could hear the red alert alarms going off and bulkheads sealing for security purposes. He also knew he was alone in this corridor. He was no hero. But he figured he did know a little first aid, largely from it being demonstrated on him. And it was probably an idea to see what damage had been done. And he didn’t think he could get out through the bulkheads right now anyhow. So he poked the buckled hatch open, looked to make sure things weren’t on fire and crawled into the conduits.


He told himself the walls weren’t closing in on him. It was impossible for walls to move seamlessly, he advised his brain, except in fantasy vids and telepathic con jobs from Harmony Appleby. She’d had him with those a few times, like when she’d been arranging his birthday party and he’d walked in. He hadn’t considered the fact there seemed to be a second wall in his living room, he’d just accepted it as normal and left after a few moments. He’d forgiven her later, of course, but he was reticent about trusting her and there didn’t seem to be much damage in here yet. He could smell cooked blood and flesh so someone was hurt at least. It rumbled his stomach and sickened him at the same time and he felt his mom and dad would both be proud and concerned at those reactions. But it did give him a direction to go in and he turned in that direction. The smell of burning began to tinge his nostrils. Something, he told himself, was burning. Then he told himself off for thinking such an obvious thing.


With Yarkin off ship, Hadrian Jak found himself taking and making calls in reaction to the current situation on his evening off, something he was a little thankful for as he’d been bored by the vid of the film of the play Simone was in and didn’t quite know how to tell her he’d rather spoon his own eyeballs out onto toast and feed them to Doctor Flakk as a Hors d'oeuvres to a Cervidan Liver main course than watch the rest of the film. Of course, Simone was better than the one playing her role in the film, that was a given. But actions were needed. The bulkhead doors between each section had closed automatically after advice following the last bomb on the ship and people were moving towards the secure areas but there was still much to do. According to reports something had gone off in the maintenance conduits. A handful of engineers were unaccounted for although Kerri had managed to report in that she was OK. A look on Hadrian’s computer had isolated the strike as being close to the power systems for forward weapons and, for some reason, that had made Commander Xarra comment that that was, at least, one problem sorted but not in the way she’d wanted. He’d detailed officers to manage the people and sent a couple of Mican Officers into the conduits to check it out. The heat sensors were pinging a fire of some scale so he could direct them from their starting position two sections away and… Who was that other life sign in there? He pulled up the comms but, with it not being a security, engineering or command comm, it wasn’t strong enough to get a signal out. That left a scientist, didn’t it? Or a civilian. He almost wished he could get in there easily. Now, however, he needed to work out who was in there.


Doctan Kira Tyla was slightly impressed by the set up here. She’d seen better, of course, and she’d CERTAINLY seen bigger but this medical bay – apparently the second of two on this ship – seemed to be handling the patients well. The Doctan… Doctor, she corrected… Jul had only been able to give him a very brief list of the things he’d done for the three before his wrist had rung and he’d had to shoot off. It was probably something to do with that shaking she’d experienced. She checked the Glycamine levels on her console under the watchful eye of Doctor Cobalt and approved of the efforts these people had made to cobble up something comparative to vitamin ke to boost the immune system. She figured she might need to take their recipe for it back with her as a cheap substitute that would do when the real thing wasn’t available. It wasn’t near as good but, in a pinch… She took the details of the Officers names and gaped slightly as she heard their tales of abandonment and survival. She had to tell them that she didn’t know anything about who’d won the fighting as Karrin had, largely… completely, in fact… been abandoned by both sides for well over a year. She shook her head in agreement that lack of contact wasn’t a good sign. But that wasn’t important right now. She’d felt her stomach flip at the look of shock and delight on their emaciated faces, the smile that showed blackened and missing teeth and faint, nail like, claws raising in an attempt to wave. Being military, they’d tried not to look intimidated as the fierce eyed alien had looked in, his whyte coat being the only betrayal of his caring duties. The ucrhe staining on the hem a possible affectation. He certainly appeared to have the medical knowledge. He showed her images of the tattered remnants of the uniforms they’d had with them when brought aboard. Uniforms that has since been disintegrated as a bio-hazard. She shook her head in agreement and told him it was probably safest. She didn’t know much about military insignias but it looked like the ones that had been stationed on her world. She’d seen, from first look, that they’d be best building up their strength here. They couldn’t move without trouble, even in the slightly lower gravity of this ship. It must be twice that they’d gotten used to. On a planet they’d have difficulty even raising their heads. Doctor cobalt had been right about their medical records. They were patchwork and out of date. After the charming whatever he was had patched her systems into theirs in a working fashion, she’d let him copy the files. It was fair exchange for their vitamin patch, she thought.


Darren wished he knew quite where he was. It was getting smoky in here and his eyes were stinging. But he could still smell the blood through the ash. It seemed fresh, rather than stagnant. A subtle distinction his father had taught him. Something all Celicans worked with. Fresh meant the heart was still going, still pushing out product. Still alive. The scent changed slightly with stagnancy but he’d never quite been good enough to tell the difference, had he? He hoped… His hand hit something in the off-white gloom. His hand had hit something and it had moved slightly. Hadn’t he passed a grating a little while back? He coughed. It was getting into his lungs. What was it he’d touched? Did it matter? He gripped the thing he couldn’t see and began pulling it backwards, painfully crawling and pulling as the smoke began to fill his lungs. It became harder to move, easier to slide to the floor and sleep but he’d never forgive himself for dying. The thought of that absurdity made him chuckle. It was probably the smoke affecting his brain. Or just nerves. Had he just passed a grille? No, just a vent. Someone was talking out there. Someone was grabbing his legs and pulling him through.


Someone was shouting at him whilst another checked over the Field Mican he’d just pulled free. As much as he could smell now, his brain was telling him it was Jak who’d pulled him free. Jak who was angry at him. Jak who was… hugging him and calling him a hero? He thought he liked that.

“Corncob’s alive,” he heard Jul say.
Commander Hawle. U.S.C. Loper. By the talented DDeer.
Kilo - 2-8-3-9-10-2-5
Kilo
Leslie – 4-6-4-5-6-9-7
Leslie
David Campbell - 7 – 8 – 9 – 5 – 4 – 4 – 6
Corp Davidstow 6 - 6 - 7 - 3 - 6 - 6 - 5 (reactions 7 Combat 9)
User avatar
Amazee Dayzee
Posts: 25880
Joined: Tue Aug 12, 2014 6:24 pm

Re: U.S.C. RODOMONT

Post by Amazee Dayzee »

I like what you did here with the story! Keep it up!
User avatar
Welsh Halfwit
Posts: 14121
Joined: Sun Mar 17, 2013 3:09 am
Location: Wales, a luverrly land with noisy neighbours.

Re: U.S.C. RODOMONT

Post by Welsh Halfwit »

THIRTY-FOUR

“Repeat that, Xarra,” Postain said nastily into his comm after Yarkin had knocked to tell him the ship was calling. It immediately had him on alert for the simple reason that they were only to interrupt his meeting with the colonial leader in cases of dire emergency. Gerek had invited him to use a side room and he’d noted it looked rather like a public convenience. It was probably the ceramic sink and toilet that tipped him off but it wasn’t important and he’d commed up to Xarra and she’d told him of the explosion in the power systems. She repeated the situation to his anger. One dead and two in the medical bay for smoke inhalation. “Get Engineering to replace ALL of those affected systems IMMEDIATELY,” he ordered. “And get weapons power back up and running! Without those, we’re nothing more than a target! Then send the reports to Talvary. This is active sabotage now and I’m not letting whoever did it get away with it scot-free! Add in we’ve made contact with a colony that has much to offer us and much it needs. Tell him to send a second contact team. I’ll call him and tell him the same later!” He scowled and shut off the line before heading back out to where Gerek and Yarkin were trying to not strike up conversation beyond the scale of ‘yes, I’m what’s called a Felid, sir’ and ‘no, it’s been warmer than this this week’. “My apologies,” he said, “the ship’s having a few minor concerns at the moment. An in...accident on board.”

“Do they need us back, sir,” Yarkin asked.

“No,” Postain affirmed, “Jak’s got the security part under control for now. Should emphasise it’s nothing to do with your people, Caldrex Gerek.” He sat again. “Some of the parts of our operating systems appear to have been tampered with.”

Gerek shook his head and Postain took a few seconds to remember that meant he was agreeing with Postain. “Even you have saboteurs,” he asked.

“Hmm. And they’re usually just business types.”

“Had a few of them,” Gerek admitted. “Is there anything we can do to help?”

“I think not at the current moment, sir. But thank you for the offer.”


After the living had been removed from the section affected, the fire suppression systems had kicked in under Jak’s stewardship, sealing off that section of conduit and voiding the atmosphere. He watched as the heat sensors dropped to zero and left it there for a moment before releasing the system again. “Security to Kerrison,” he said into his comm.

<”Yeah,Hadrian,”> Kerri replied, her voice distorted slightly by the echo he could hear. <”yougonna openthe door?”>

“Absolutely. But I figured you’d want to know Darren’s been the hero today. He was in the section and got Corncob out alive..”

<”Darrendid,”> Kerri squeaked in surprise.

“Yes. He could only get Corncob though. He couldn’t save Olssen.” Jak sighed. “You’re going to find him in there, Kerri. You gonna be OK?”

A momentary silence before she replied. <”Yeah. I… Well, I gotta see the damage, haven’t I?”> She swallowed. <”Open the door, Hadrian.”>

He noted the slowness of her speech. It told him she really didn’t want to do this. “Another engineer…”

<”Won’t get there before me. Needthis donefast, Hade.”> Two breaths. <”Open it.”>

He complied as the engineer cut the line.


Kerri decided she was going to run – or, more accurately, scurry - as the faster she got there, the faster she could leave. She could already hear the chief directing every engineer to replace the entire load and knew the big ones would be taking the high up ones and the smaller would be… what had Darren been thinking? She’d have to smack him later. Then kiss him and lie with him as the hero he’d finally proved he was. Not that he’d needed to prove it to her, of course. She adored him as the nit he was. She couldn’t smell him now, of course, the voiding had removed the traces. But she imagined him coming along here. It was better than remembering the last time she’d seen someone badly hurt in the conduits. She still remembered every punch. They kept her awake sometimes. She’d noted, however, that she’d never had trouble sleeping when with Darren. She deliberately didn’t think that two times didn’t prove the rule. Maybe three would… ah.


She knew it wasn’t likely, not with that damage, but something had her check Olssen for a pulse. She owed her colleague that much. She didn’t find one. She was thankful. He wouldn’t have wanted to live past this. It must have been straight into his face, she reckoned. The chipboard had exploded when it overheated and pieces would have gone everywhere if the Corgan hadn’t… intercepted so much of it. The panel was open, of course, but ruptured and dripping. She reckoned it had been mostly electrical smoke tinged with melting metals and chemical fluids. Darren would probably need to be checked for toxins, she reckoned. She tapped her comm. “Kerrisonto engineering,” she gabbled, hoping she’d managed to slow her speech enough to…

<”Harra here,”> the Chief replied. <”Report?”>

“Looks like… minimal physical damage,chief,” Kerri reported, peering up around the board to make sure. “Power’sstill comingthroughso you shouldcutthat. Thentheboard needs replacing. Shouldall be fineafter.”

<”Hate to ask,”> Harra said, <”But do you have the equipment to do it?”>

Kerri closed her eyes. WhatwouldSenny do, she thought. She glanced sideways at Olssen. She was pretty sure what he’d have done. She had the kit. She was here. She had a job to do. “Ican,” she replied. “Butsomeonecome getOlssen, yeah?”

<”Yeah,”> Harra replied disconsolately. <”Turning off power to that board now,”> he continued before disconnecting. Kerri got to work.


“Systems check,” Xarra ordered after a few minutes had passed. She’d check on the wounded in a short while but, with Harra having to change everything to make sure more things didn’t explode, she needed the information to make sure everything was running correctly. Particularly weapons as the chief had had to put in a workaround to keep them online. They’d take longer to build up firing power and took more energy from standard systems IF they worked. The team on the bridge reported in after carrying out their directed operations. She looked to Bartleby at the helm. The Tortie Lappinean was the last to check. “Bartleby,” she asked.

“Uh, yeah,” Bartleby replied. “All systems correct, sir but I was wondering if our long range sensors were one hundred percent?”

“As far as I know. Why,” Xarra asked curiously.

“There’s a ship at extreme long range, sir. Coming our way from Star Council space.”
Commander Hawle. U.S.C. Loper. By the talented DDeer.
Kilo - 2-8-3-9-10-2-5
Kilo
Leslie – 4-6-4-5-6-9-7
Leslie
David Campbell - 7 – 8 – 9 – 5 – 4 – 4 – 6
Corp Davidstow 6 - 6 - 7 - 3 - 6 - 6 - 5 (reactions 7 Combat 9)
User avatar
Amazee Dayzee
Posts: 25880
Joined: Tue Aug 12, 2014 6:24 pm

Re: U.S.C. RODOMONT

Post by Amazee Dayzee »

This is gonna be very interesting in terms of what happens next! I can't wait to see where this goes!
User avatar
Welsh Halfwit
Posts: 14121
Joined: Sun Mar 17, 2013 3:09 am
Location: Wales, a luverrly land with noisy neighbours.

Re: U.S.C. RODOMONT

Post by Welsh Halfwit »

THIRTY-FIVE

Postain looked over the female’s shoulder as she ran her final scans over the three troopers and mused on what to tell her. He’d come back immediately he’d heard about the incoming ship as it meant things were starting to happen. He’d contacted Henry as he’d stated he would and the Mican had said he’d send out a ‘second contact’ ship with someone on board who could discuss trade opportunities. The food situation on the outer colonies could use some help, he’d supposed, so they had things they could offer. So that was a given. There was, of course, another given right now. “How are they,” he asked her.

“Malnourished, extreme dehydration, potential muscular problems, definite bone weaknesses,” Doctan Tyla replied with a slight huff. “They were probably about two weeks from the end, even on their diet. They need to stay here. Until they get some strength back in their limbs. A planet’s gravity could do them real damage right now, possibly even kill them.”

“Good job we found them when we did, I suppose,” Postain grouched.

“I suppose so. Why do I feel there’s something you’re not saying?”

Postain thought on it a minute more. “You need to decide if you want to stay with us for now or head back to the colony. Our extreme sensors have picked up a ship and we don’t know it’s intent. We don’t want to meet it anywhere near the colony.”

She nodded. “Just in case they’re not friendly, I suppose?”

“Yes, that…” Postain paused. “Don’t you people normally shake your heads when agreeing with someone?”

Tyla smiled slightly. “I noted your people do it differently. Thought I’d try to avoid confusing people.”

“That’s diplomacy for you,” he admitted. “Reminds me, we’d need a list of do’s and don’t’s for any diplomatic team.”

Tyla breathed out. “I suppose, in the nature of good relations, I could stay for a day or so. Oversee your Doctors treating my people and help you avoid ny disastrous krupp-ops.”

“You mean rooster-ups?”

“That’s the one. I heard Doctan Jul say it earlier. It means mistakes, yes? I’ll need a room.”

“Yes.” he commed Xarra on the bridge. “Move us out on an intercept course, Xarra. And I need a room for Doctan Tyla.”

The Executive Officer checked her list. <”D-14’s free, sir. I’ll allocate it now.”>

“Good.” He led the way to the simple apartment.


Caldan noted the ankle jewellery the Castoran was wearing from across the room and blinked at it twice. He had his concerns as he knew a tag when he saw one and they were normally given to prisoners, weren’t they? But this one seemed to be holding court with the pilots in the Starwheel bar and generally acting like they were friends, even Katz the Human. He’d still not quite decided on the exact attributes of his hero but he’d decided a Human was going to be a backing character. It tended to open a new market for his work – the Human colonies and even their homeworld… Dirt, wasn’t it? He’d have to check that later. And Humans were a little intriguing to the other worlds. Why, perchance, didn’t they have the correct number of limbs? People wanted to know and he could speculate for all he was worth. It made fiction easy when there were no firm, accepted, facts. He might even include a joke about it, perhaps. But, for now, he was more interested in the device. Particularly as it was walking towards him. “S...Sorry,” he said as the body wearing it sat next to him and let him smell her alcohol free breath.

“For a Celican,” she told him, “you’re almost the sorriest I’ve ever seen. Admiring the bling?”

“Uh… Is there a correct answer to that?”

Senny quaffed from her drink. “You’re the wordsmith, you tell me. Or, if you prefer, ASK me.”

“Well..,”

“I made mistakes and got punished for them. Nothing too dangerous but nothing slight either. I’m working to regain my freedom rather than stewing it away. This way,” she stated, indicating the tag, “allows me liberty, love, a future. Prison would just get me a cell. Which’d you choose?”

“I suppose liberty,” Caldan allowed.

Senny looked at him darkly. “Absolutely. Some pirates are almost decent sorts. Some are forced into it. Some are Kantiko,” she said, referring to a poisonous Castoran slug. “I’m a bit between first and second, if I do say so myself. Captain still doesn’t trust me, even after a year, enough to take a fighter but I have ways of instructing this lot here.” She examined his notepad. “How’s the story going? Not a lot here don’t know what you’re up to…”

“Uh, right. Um, I…” he deflated a little. “I have little trouble with characters but… I need a B-plot idea?”

“You need stories?” Senny looked shocked and aggrieved. “You sit in a room with some of the best story tellers on the ship and say you need stories? What is that?” She sipped his drink without asking. “Dandelion Juice?”

“Bit of alcohol in it,” Caldan protested vainly.

“You need proper stuff if you’re going to have proper stories. Order a beer and come join us at our table. Or we’ll all order you a beer and come join you here. I’m Senny,” she added, not offering a hand as she stood up and moved back to the others.

“Uh, Cal...dan,” he replied, only noting she’d not offered a hand as she didn’t see him offer his. He worked out it was more of a promise than a threat and decided to move across to the offered table.


After leaving the Doctan… Doctor in her room – with a conveniently placed guard ‘wandering around’ near her room in case she needed directions to the medical bay – Captain Postain headed back up to the bridge to check in. “Report,” he told Xarra.

“Well,” the first replied, “we can definitely confirm it’s a ship.” She paused as he say in his chair. “We did a few minor course alterations to test and they matched us every time. They’re definitely looking to intercept.”

Postain steepled his fingers. “Engineering needs to have all those devices replaced. Stay at this speed. And tell them to run tests on the weapons and shielding systems. I’m not in a trusting mood right now.”
Commander Hawle. U.S.C. Loper. By the talented DDeer.
Kilo - 2-8-3-9-10-2-5
Kilo
Leslie – 4-6-4-5-6-9-7
Leslie
David Campbell - 7 – 8 – 9 – 5 – 4 – 4 – 6
Corp Davidstow 6 - 6 - 7 - 3 - 6 - 6 - 5 (reactions 7 Combat 9)
User avatar
Amazee Dayzee
Posts: 25880
Joined: Tue Aug 12, 2014 6:24 pm

Re: U.S.C. RODOMONT

Post by Amazee Dayzee »

Tis was such a well-written chapter that you have posted! I like the direction it went so once again impeccable work!
User avatar
Welsh Halfwit
Posts: 14121
Joined: Sun Mar 17, 2013 3:09 am
Location: Wales, a luverrly land with noisy neighbours.

Re: U.S.C. RODOMONT

Post by Welsh Halfwit »

THIRTY-SIX


“What’s the plan, sir,” Xarra asked as Postain sat behind his desk. They’d left Bartleby in nominal charge on the bridge for the moment as they closed in on the oncoming ship. For now they weren’t having Maldak send communications to the ship. He’d decided communication should wait until they were on a better footing techwise. One or the other might increase speed if communication was made, giving engineering less time to sort out problems and ensure shields and weapons were working. He wasn’t paranoid, he just expected the worst.

“I want our Doctan friend and the Writer to listen in when they call us. Arrange to have communications routed through to her room and tell the pair of them to expect it.”

“Why so,” she asked.

“One’s the closest we have to an expert on the race and politics involved and the other knows how fiction is spun. He might be able to see through any deceptions they try.”

Xarra nodded her agreement, even if she wasn’t totally sure about the accuracy of his position. It was his place to make the order and hers to make sure it was carried out. “Should I have Maldak start running through ways to block their scanners?”

The Captain was prepared to dismiss her suggestion but reconsidered. “Yes. They might be able to isolate Karrinean life forms – along with those of the other three – and I’m not sure I want them to know about them just yet.”

Xarra frowned slightly. “May I enquire why, sir?”

Postain steepled his fingers and rested his muzzle atop them for a few seconds, being careful not to cut himself on his own claws. “What side are they on, Hilla? This ship coming, I mean? Are they on the same side as our guests?”

Xarra thought and shrugged.

“Don’t do that in response to me, Xarra,” Postain remarked. “If they’re on the same side, it’s well and good. If they’re on different sides, they may well demand they’re handed over for punishment. That wouldn’t be a good start to any diplomacy in my book. Go get it started. I’ll be out in five minutes.”

“Coffee time, sir,” Xarra asked cheekily.

“Nope. Time for the ‘other door’,” he rumbled. Xarra guessed which one it meant and, based on him having already dismissed her, headed back to the bridge.


She’d arranged a twenty minute break whilst she was around the sickbay and the Chief had agreed so Kerri knocked for entry to the main medical bay. Doctor Flakk glanced at her. “Expected YOU half an hour back,” he groused. “Five minutes and don’t forget there’s two of them.”

“Willdo,Doc,” she chattered, walking in as slowly as she could, which was more like a run than most people walked.

“And stop hurting my ears,” Flakk ordered as she got to Darren’s bed, where he was laid up with a breathing mask and no shirt.

“Whathappenedto yourshirt,” she asked as his eyes flicked towards her. He put his hand out to stroke her head as he smiled under the plastic. His free hand removed the apparatus. “I never wear <kaff> a shirt in bed,” he coughed. “You know that.”

“I needed to check his chest,” Flakk called over.

“Way to… spoil my fun, Doc.”

“You almost did that yourself you little idiot.” He glanced at Corncob. “OK, Heroic idiot.”

“Myheroic idiot,” Kerri replied, giving him a quick kiss.

“Inhaled some… {koff} gawd knows what in that smoke, sexy…”

“Ugh,” Flakk groused, making Kerri grin as he couldn’t see her.

“You noticed,mylittle snoochiepookums,” she goaded. “Mywhitechested knight…” She tickled his chest as his smile broadened. “Mysweet redcheeked…”

“I’m going to my office,” Flakk said sharply, leaving the room.

Darren coughed a laugh as Kerri laid her head on his chest. “That was cruel,” he said, continuing to stroke his girlfriend’s neck.

“Butfunny,” she replied. “How’s Corncob?”

“Lot more inhalation than… me. And shock from the blast. Doc’s… keeping him out for… a bit.”

“Yousoundlike a Anouran,” she told him.

“Says the Rescue Ranger,” Darren replied. He held her for a few moments before Kerri had to get back to work.


Jul and Cobalt were down in the second bay at the moment, helping out the ‘visitors’. Kelly sighed as Enzo helped Martin give one of them a bedbath. Her own wasn’t going too badly as she finished off gently wetting Kohlich’s arm with the gel filled sponge. “Sorry,” she said, realising she was being a bit rude.

His tired eyes glittered slightly as he looked at her. “Don’t… be,” he said. “Must be boring… for you, doing… this.”

“Little bit,” she replied as the gel cleaned and dried itself, making his arm fur shine slightly. “Usually the nurse would do it but she’s dealing with the third of your team.”

Kohlich slowly turned his head to see. “Palla’s not… on my team,” he confessed. “She was… operations, not… mechanics.” As he looked back at Kelly, she could see what she now assumed to be a happy smile crossing his jawline. “Command and Engineers,” he said, “separate teams, eh? But she’s… ours now.” He managed to point a claw towards Enzo. “He yours? Should be… proud.”

Kelly looked and stifled a laugh. “Oh, he’s not mine,” she whispered as Enzo looked around, knowing someone was talking about him. “There’s many Raitchian’s on the ship.” She nodded to Enzo. “But he’s a good’un alright.”

Enzo beamed before Martin tapped him on the head and directed him to pay attention to what he was doing.

“How soon will… I be able to get up,” Kohlich asked.

“Give it a day or two,” Kelly told him. “Then you should be good for short walks. And not just around the medical bay, either. And THAT’S according to Doctan Tyla.”

A slow shake of the head. “She’d know.”


“Sir,” Maldak said. After having taken a work period off to Quokknap (as she called it), she’d returned to her station and kept listening for communications signals. “They’re calling,” she remarked.
Commander Hawle. U.S.C. Loper. By the talented DDeer.
Kilo - 2-8-3-9-10-2-5
Kilo
Leslie – 4-6-4-5-6-9-7
Leslie
David Campbell - 7 – 8 – 9 – 5 – 4 – 4 – 6
Corp Davidstow 6 - 6 - 7 - 3 - 6 - 6 - 5 (reactions 7 Combat 9)
User avatar
Amazee Dayzee
Posts: 25880
Joined: Tue Aug 12, 2014 6:24 pm

Re: U.S.C. RODOMONT

Post by Amazee Dayzee »

Seems like this story continues to exceed expectations! Really great work here Welshy!
Post Reply