(I thought I'd write a long one this time so that my enemies won't have the strenght to read all of it!!
)
I hope I've given Tbontob and CaptRR something to work with here.
As people in other threads have written before. Any feedback is wanted, if anyone actually manages to read all of it.
This is the first time I've written any stories since grammar school!
I've had a tough time finding the right way for the story but now I think I've narrowed it down to the characters I will follow in the future.
I've put in an explanation to "The One", even if I already explained it before the previous explanation hsa sedimented down to the beginning of this thread.
If anyone of my allies think I tell too much of the in-game secrets please let me know!
Nuff said, here it is (Rewritten after being deleted, ouch)
--------------------------------------------
Weyrling Empire 2405.9
-----------------------
On the Destroyer "Responder";
"-All hands prepare for docking in 10 minutes. Open shuttle bay doors and seal all internal air locks", Ariea's voice sounded over the ship.
Turning towards Elyssandra she turned off the intercom and continued.
"Matriarch. Admiral Gryt from the "Indestructible" contacted me five minutes ago. He said he had vital information for you and requests that you transfer flag to the Indestructible as soon as possible."
"-Good." Elyssandra started to say.
"My secretary is heading to the shuttle bay with my stuff. I'll be ready when the shuttle arrives. It's been a pleasure travelling with you Areia. You run a good ship.
Official orders as to the task of this fleet will arrive tomorrow. We have some difficult times ahead but I'm quite convinced you will pass the coming battles with flying colours.
Don't forget what I've said about continued military school after this operation is finished. I think you have a concise strategic mind and that you will benefit from higher education, and that the fleet will benefit from that aswell.
Goodbye Captain, give my thanks to the rest of the crew. "
Elyssandra turned and started walking towards the shuttle bay.
"-Goodbye, admiral", Areia spoke silently.
Thurya came up beside Areia.
"-I was glad she joined us but I'm even happier that she's leaving.
She unsettles me, I don't know why but she makes me nervous. I guess it's all that power she represents."
"-I've spoken alot with her during this voyage. She's really nice when you disregard all that surrounds her. All that power means alot of responsibility aswell you know!"
"-Ofcourse I can see that Ari. But still. I'm glad we're rid of her."
Later onboard the Battlecruiser "Indestructible";
Elyssandra strode quickly into the strategy room and seated herself at the head of the strategy table.
"-Admiral Gryt. You wished to see me?"
A large broad shouldered man with a long tail stood up.
"-Matriarch. Yes, we have analyzed the battle in the Lasat system.
We were quite surprised by the events there. It was supposed to be an easy victory for the 'Reconsider'.
Initially we couldn't understand what went wrong. We analyzed all telemetrical data looking for weapon malfunctions or errors in the handling of the ECM or sensors. But we found nothing!
Then we started looking at the ships manouvers. We were amazed. The Terrans has no respect for their technological disadvantages. They press their ships and weapons far beyond all safety limits, it shouldn't be able to do what they did.
Their agressivness is unpreceded.
Our ship was following our standard tactic. Staying as far away from the enemy as possible to avoid harm and still within optimal range for our own weapons.
That tactic can't be used against the Terrans it seems.
Therefore I have developed a new tactic.
It means that we are to close with the enemy until the hulls nearly touch and then open fire! It should win the day.",
He turned proudly towards the Matriach and awaited her response.
"-I don't like it."
She said and continued,
"But I see that it is necessary. Also the fleet tactics needs to be revised. Upon engagement all ships are to break formation and engage the enemy at point blanc range.
It will be a bloody carnage!
It will also open up our ships to boarding from the enemy. As you know all ship crews has been disarmed and all hand weapons are locked away, requiring two seperate people to open them. This is ofcourse to stop someone afflictad with the madness from killing of an entire crew."
Admiral Gryt, somewhat surprised at the negative response when he had awaited praise replied,
"- The psi Corps has two ships in the fleet, they can retake any captured ship if the need arises."
"-Very well. Issue the order to the fleet and see to it that they start training the new tactics immediately. Also give the order for operation Sledgehammer to start.
The morale amongst our crews is at an all time low.
We have never won a victory in a ship to ship battle before. Our neighbours are battle hardened but our military have had a peaceful existance so far.
We need a quick decisive victory to boost moral. Contact the Draven flag ship and tell them that we will take the lead. If they see any enemies they should avoid engagement and alert us.
From what I know of the Dravens that shouldn't be too hard to convince them of."
Turning towards the Intelligence officer she continued.
"What have the Intelligence service to report? Have you had any success in your covert operations and what resistance are we about to encounter?"
The Intel Officer stood up and begun speaking,
"Matriarch. We have successfully planted and exploded 14 ship bombs in the Terran fleet. No ships has been completely destroyed but we assume that some has been crippled. They seem to have been completely unaware of the presence of our agents.
As to the fleets coming battle;
We belive the Terran destroyer 'Defiant I 0001' will depart the Lasat system when our fleet arrives there. It will propably join up with the armada of Heavy Carriers that are waiting inside the Kuat system. The Terran Imperator Star Destroyer Class Fighter Carrier is a behemoth of a ship. It masses at 1000kt. We belive our first battle will be with six of these carriers and five defiant class II destroyers. They will deploy atleast 100 heavy fighters but propably no more than a thousand.
We would have thought that we should win that battle with acceptable losses to our side. But due to the recent battle where the 'Reconsider' was lost we recommend utmost caution when engaging the enemy."
Elyssandra stood up and raised her voice,
"- Have you not been listening to what we've said? We can't use 'utmost caution' when we engage the Terrans! We can't use any caution at all, we must cast our crews at highest speed straight towards the enemy guns or we will be lost."
She sat down again.
"I need to see the Foreign office attache in my quarter in 15 minutes, and arrange a FL communication with the Chief in command at the Gamma Umi system, then patch it through to my quarter.
Was there anything else?"
As there were no replies she stood up and left the room.
A couple of minutes later it knocks on the door to her quarter.
"-Matriarch. Foreign Office Internal Attache Rhyt Reporting."
"-Come in attache", Elyssandra said and indicated a seat to her right,
"please sit down."
After Rhyt was seated she continued.
"I'm about to talk to the Commander at Gamma Umi and I don't want to seem uninformed then. Give me a concise update about the dealings in the west."
"-Matriarch. The Earth Allaince accepted our trade treaty and it has been carried out. We will contact them later to set up a population transfer to send the populations of the respective planets back to their empires.
The Sons of Thunder however declined your offer. They have also made demands that we remove our satellites in the Hermes system.
The Ghouls are as usual making threats, we are still not sure what they want. They've made no clear demands or spoken of their intentions."
"-Good report, attache. You people usually bores me with lengthy detailed information. This was very concise and to the point.
Can you open the com pad?"
Attache Rhyt leaned over and switched a knob on the com pad on the wall and pressed the appropriate places on the screen to let the com link through to the cabin.
The Screen lit up and showed an old man with white fur and an iceblue steady gaze.
"-Matriarch. Admiral Tbon at the Gamma Umi heaquarter reporting."
"-Greetings Tbon. What is the current threat situation in the west?"
"Matriarch. The Sons of Thunder has a small force in the Gamma Umi system, three destroyers a frigate and a cruiser. No big threat there.
In Hermes the situation is different. They have massed six destroyers, five cruisers and ten battle cruisers there. Most of the ships are named to give the impression that they are deploying defensive satellites and mines. This can ofcourse be a rouse.
So far we have seen no sign of agression from them but they've stationed most of their ships at the worm hole leading into Gamma Umi. I would prefer it if our fleet aswell was situated at the wormhole but I don't want to provoce them. They are upset enough as it is about our satellite in their system.
In the South the Ghouls are coming with threats as usual. Our allies says that they have mostly fighter Groups in the area and not so much offensive capacity at the moment. This might change in the future but we've been assured of updates from our allies who have insight into the Ghouls force concentrations, so we should be forewarned. Personally though I prefer to be forearmed. We have dispatched a third of the Gamma Umi response force to Alpha 2 Lib to stand there as a defensive force. We will continue a slow buildup of the defences in that system.
The Sarnaks have massproduced a new type of light cruisers called Novas. We don't know anything of the placement or defence of these ships but they are popping up in increasingly worrying numbers in the south.
As to our own forces we belive we have enough forces in the south to counter anything the Sarnaks, Romulans or Ghouls might be plotting against us.
The hot spot at the moment is ofcourse the Gamma Umi system.
Here we have a strong force that can take out anything the Sons of Thunder might throw at us. I do not think we have enough to be assured of a successful offensive attack though. So I'd recommend against that."
"-You seem to have the situation under control Tbon. I want you to continue as you have started. Maybe improve defences towards the Sarnaks, they have declared war against the Thermolians and we don't know how far that might go.
When it comes to the Sons of Thunder I must strongly order you not to initiate any aggression. If in doubt, back off. I think we agree on this strategy for now.
But I also want you to make a strategy in case the Sons of Thunder attacks. Primarily you shall in that case free the Sons of Thunder occupied planets in the Gamma Umi and Fronabywlax systems. Then the plan shall make room for an expansion into and annihilation of the Sons of Thunder territory.
We shall not start a war there but if it comes to us we shall finish it.
Any questions Admiral?"
"-Matriarch. None."
"-Good. Elyssandra out", she reached out and turned off the FL com link.
Turning towards attache Rhys she continued.
"I want the foreign office to concentrate on the Argon confederacy for awhile. Try to see what you can save from the failed alliance plans. The Argons might be a good ally should we ever come into internal struggles in the Central Powers alliance.
And also send a message to the Thermoilans where you express our concern over their expansion into Argon territory.
If all is clear you may leave now."
Elyssandra stod up and opened the door, Rhys left with bow
Later aboard the Weyrling Destroyer "Responder";
The Com pad buzzed to life in Thurya's cabin.
"-Thu, Get your *** up here! I need to talk to you and you're supposed to relieve me in five minutes anyway so stop that snoring and get moving!"
Before Thurya could respond the com pad shut down.
She put on her clothes and quickly brushed her teeths, then started running in the small leeway up to the command bridge.
The Responder was a Destroyer and quite a large ship compared to earlier frigates and escorts. Still, most of the bulk of the ship was made up of weapon generators and the auxiliary battle technology. The rest was mostly engines and a small part left for the crew. The ship was quite crowded despite the small crew of 19. Four officers and 15 crewmen. At the aft a small shuttle bay also served as gym when no shuttles were expected. Most of the crew served in two or three positions. One or two routine tasks and one battle position. Thurya was anselm and second in command. The reason she was aboard was that her sister Areia had gotten her first commission and was allowed to choose her own crew. Secretly Thurya thought that if Areia hadn't choosen her she would never have been given a ship position. Most propably she would sit shuffling paper at an office now if it wasn't for her sister.
Entering the small bridge with room for four people, currently only occupied by Areia though, Thurya took her seat at the left of the bridge and swiwelled her chair towards Areia.
"-What's up Captain?"
"-Thurya, We've been given new orders. Some of them were expected but some I can't understand. I want your opinion on them.
"-Sure, Captain"
"-First and not so unexpected. We are to proceed at full speed, holding our position in the fleet. Destination is a system called Kuat. There we will engage any Terran force we can find. Destroy all planetary defences and open the way for a Draven Army landing force. That's clear to me what it's all about, politics.
But here comes the strange part. We are to adopt and train a new tactic. Close to hull contact range and then open fire, no fleet formation, all ships for themself.
I mean this goes against everything we've practiced. The only time I used point blanc tactics was when we were b-force during the manouvers, and then we were supposed to loose! And we are to train this new tactics while heading for Kuat.
It'll be hard but still alright for us as we have a fast ship, but some of the ships won't have any speed left to train when we're going at S7 towards Kuat.
What do you make of this?"
"-If you don't get it I'll never will. You are the strategic genius in the family, remember. Still, if the order comes from the Matriarch I'll trust it. She hasn't kicked me out of the fleet yet and for that I'll be forever grateful. I mean with that confused behaviour that she must have observed in me when she was here. I was constantly babbling when she was around, making no sense."
"-You got a point there. Hell, I'm surprised they let you into the military to begin with. You've never made any sense", Araia laughed a little and continued.
"Still, somehow you do seem to get to the truth of things in the end. Give me your best assesment of this new strategy. Why change strategy just prior to our first real battle?"
"-Well. As you know rumours has it that the 'Reconsider' was destroyed in combat. I belive that aswell. They might have learned something from that which forces us to change tactics.
Perhaps the Terrans has a really powerful long range weapon that's inefficient at short range?"
"-You see. Even you can come up with a good idea from time to time. Now you have the bridge. I'm feeling tired so I'll hit the bunk now. I think I might have catched a cold that doesn't want to break out. I've been tired for over a week now. Have fun here and don't touch anything, Goodnight", Areia stood up and left.
Meanwhile at Kalzeroon I the Free council was in session.
Marit the Warrior was speaking to the assembled council;
"-I've got good news for you. Our scientists belive they are close to awakening The One. I've been promised a demonstration in a couple of months of what they've come up with so far."
Local mayor Gris spoke up,
"-How do they propose to wake The One?"
"-They told me but I don't understand half of it. It seems that they are planning to use the alien Mind Implant devices. They've been experimenting by implanting devices into Womba cats that seems to resemble us in their central nervous systems.
The MI devices works by gaining energy from the limbic system when that is energized by emotions. It seems to have a lowest level of energy required to generate a transmission, it's all or nothing. When the device initiates a transmission it gathers all cortical information and transmits it in a short psi burst wave. This is what they belive after experimenting with the devices, they implanted it on womba cats and really teased the cats, then they could use the new psi weapon technology to catch the psi burst waves sent out.
What our scientists have tried to do is to make it work the other way.
They generate a phased shift psi burst wave wich resonates at the same frequency as the MI device transmitts in. The signal is picked up by the device wich then short-circuits and is destroyed. But before it self destructs it sends a harmonic alpha wave up to the limbic system which then stimulates the amygdala that is located close to the Celia vortex gyri. In the Celia vortex gyri we belive our native psi generator is located. In the Womba cats the Celia psi generator enables them to warn each other of dangers and to coordinate hunts in the pack even if they are out of sight of each other. We Weyrlings have the same structures in our brains but it seems to be dormant in us right now. We belive this is the key to awaken The One.
When the Celia vortex is stimulated it starts to transmit a specific continous psi burst that attunes individual brains to each other, creating a network of brains working as one, The One.
Another good thing about this is that the transmitter we are building to awaken The One might also shut down the receiver that receives the transmissions from the MI devices. That ought to come as a surprise to whoever it might be that has inplanted the device into our population.
The problem is that we are short on devices. We have aquired 27 of them. But each experiment ends with a broken device. We can't use volounteers as we have no way of knowing who has the device and who hasn't.
So if anyone of you can get some MI devices let me know. Official numbers says that over 20 000 has been found so we should be able to get some more."
After alot of questions and discussions the meeting was ended.
As Mayor Gris came home he immediatly called his intelligence service case officer.
"-This is Gris. You said I should call if we needed anything. Now we do.
We need alot of the alien Mind Implant devices."
"-Will a hundred suffice?"
"-Yes, good, good. Can you send them over to my house?"
"-No. So many devices is a truckload. You must get a truck and then call us again. Then we'll set up a rendesvouz and transfer the devices to your truck, we'll make it an odd number, 107. Do you need an explanation to present to your council or will you make one up yourself?"
"-Thanks, but I think I'm quite capable of making up a good excuse myself!"
"-Good, call us when you're ready. Bye."
---------------------------------------------------
Weyrling Empire 2406.0
-----------------------
On the Destroyer "Responder";
Chaos reigned on the bridge.
On the floor Areia and Thurya where rolling around with one hand locked at the other's body. Punches were given away like presents on a birthday. Claws dug deep into the flesh and the floor was getting red from the blood that gushed out of the two combatants.
Thurya was clearly getting the worst deal. She could hardly see for all the blood that flowed past her eyes, one ear was hanging on by a thread of skin connecting it to the rest of her. As they were rolling around Thurya felt Areias fangs dig into her neck, ripping apart the fur and flesh while compressing the vital blood supply to the brain.
So this is how it ends, Thurya thought before the world blackened out.
When Thurya came to again she was lying on one of the tables in the combined mess and infarmary. She knew this as she heard the boiler bubbling away making hot beverages. She could only see some light when she tried to open her eyes. The eyebrows where to swollen to allow her to open the eyes.
The siren that had awoken her belched again and Jugg spoke on the com channel.
"-All hands prepare for docking in 10 minutes. Open shuttle bay doors and seal all internal air locks."
Thurya made an effort,
"-Areia?", she managed to press out through her sore throat.
She heard fotsteeps approaching and then the voice of Fyor, the ships cook and medic spoke,
"- She's strapped down in her bunk. You where lucky that Jugg and Frej decided to go and practice on the bridge when they did. They arrived and saw Areia standing on top of you, blood everywhere. They didn't know what to think but Areia solved it for them by attacking them. Jugg hit her on the head with a spanner and she passed out. A minute more and you'd been dead due to the bloodloss. As it is you'll be up again tomorrow. You have mainly bruises, hematomas and flesh wounds. I've stitched you up proper but you'll have to stay here tonight so that we can monitor the swellings. They should go down before the morning.
There's a shuttle coming in to clear up this situation.
I'm sorry about Areia, she was a good captain."
Thurya turned over and closed the swollen eyes.
I should have known, she thought to herself. The tiredness, the irritability and when she wasn't eating properly. I should have known she was getting the madness. It's my fault, I should have known. Now the agression, followed by a couple of days of anorexia and then death from lack of fluid and nourishment.
Lying there blaming herself she didn't notice someone coming up beside her.
"-Hi Thurya", Matriach Elyssandra spoke softly.
"I heard about Areia. I'm sorry. I got to know her quite well during our journey together and it's a great loss for all of us, especially now when we are facing our biggest challenge ever.
We have a shortage of officers in the fleet now, the madness is taking people indiscriminately. So you are hereby given the battlefield commission of captain."
She raised her voice,
"Thurya Kyli, I give you this sword, the destroyer Responder, keep it well and wield it with honour in combat."
She lowered her voice again and continued,
"Your two junior officers are also raised a rank and you'll have to appoint a new corporal instead of Frej who becomes sergeant. You may chose anyone from the crew that you belive is suitable. I've brought along a crew replacement, he's being assigned a bunk now and will report to you tomorrow. I heard you'll be up again tomorrow. Anselm Jugg will have command until then.
Are you listening to me Thurya?"
Thurya turned over and pressed the eyelids open somewhat.
"-I'm listening, Matriarch"
"-Enough of that matriarch stuff. We've travelled together for months, call me Elyssandra.
You have an obligation towards your crew now Thurya. You'll get ample of time to mourn your sister when operation sledgehammer is over, and propably other reasons to mourn aswell.
It might very well be so that Areia only shortened her lifespan with a couple of weeks, you might go the same way soon, we're heading to war. Consider that. And think about your crew, they rely upon you now. I know you have doubts concerning yourself. It's time to cast those away now.
We can take Areia with us on the shuttle if you like. Then we can arrange transportation home for her when it's over."
"-No.", Thurya raised her voice.
"This is her ship! She'll remain here as long as she lives. Then I'll give her a military funeral and space her remains.
Please, go now."
"-It's alright. I'll leave now. If there's anything you wish to talk to me about, contact me at the Indestuctible", Elyssandra left for the shuttle.
Thurya closed her eyes again and wept slowly.
The next day Thurya was able to function again. After having taken official command of the ship she went to see her sister who was still strapped down in her bunk.
"-Hi Ari", Thurya didn't get any response except from a wild gaze and a growling.
"I'm not ready for this Ari. It should have been me instead of you lying there.
You were always an excellent captain. The whole crew looked up to you. They know me, they know who and what I am. How in the hell are they going to trust me?
And how will I be able to go on without you?"
Thurya sat looking at her sister and captain.
She could feel the loneliness inside of herself. As every Weyrling did, she feared that she would fall to the madness next.
She knew that all Weyrlings felt the loneliness. They weren't meant to be individuals. The Weyrlings had been a collective for countless thousands of years before the one became dormant three generations ago.
After having made radio contact with the Earth Alliance and discovering that it wasn't alone in the universe, the One had started worrying. It had taken the old Weyrling race a long time to develop that crude radio communication device. From the long continious transmission from the humans in the Earth Alliance the One discovered that the young human race had developed the same technology in what compared as a millisecond in the one's life.
It wasn't that the one was slow or stupid. It could process almost endless amount of data and come to a decision instantaneous. That was the problem the One decided, it came to one decision, that it didn't try anything else as it had already decided what was best. There wasn't any trial and error, no competition and no struggle. There was too much harmony. The One decided that to ensure the survival of the Weyrling race, it had to become individuals. In the beginning it seemed as the plan worked. With help from the Earth alliance in the beginning there was a quick technological spurt. Since then developments in all fields had reached unprecedented heights. The drawback was that all Weyrlings felt an inner ache, a longing for something missing, a loneliness.
Thruya knew all this, but knowledge didn't stop the aching loneliness. The feeling was even worse now when it was augmented by the grief over Areia.
The ways to deal with the loneliness differed. Thurya had used sex as a comfort. Her motto had been, if it walks and talks! Since coming to the ship Responder, the past night in the infarmary was the first one spent alone.
Before they were assigned to the ressponder Thurya and Areia had spent alot of nights together exploring. But since they came to the Responder Areia had always turned down the invitaions from her younger sister. She said that a captain couldn't indulge in such things with the crew. Thurya hadn't been offended but always thought that Areia made too much fuss about being in command.
She was already beginning to understand Areia better. The Responder was a small ship, arguments and quarrels where legio. Since taking command three hours ago she had already been forced to resolve an issue that had arised between anselm Jugg and crewman Jon, a misunderstanding really. Jugg had ordered Jon to take the third shift in engineering, without knowing that Jon had just finished the second shift. Jon thought Jugg was using his new command power to revenge himself on Jon as Jon had won the Last card game and had gained half of Juggs salary. It was a mess to clear up, especially as Thurya had used Jon as her lover almost the entire Last week. No one said anything but from the looks from Jugg she knew he wasn't glad about the outcome of her decision. He meant that she should have backed him as he had been the highest ranking officer at the time, any misunderstanding wasn't really an issue he thought.
From now on, I'll have to be satisfied with my own company, Thurya thought sadly. Right now she could use some comfort.
"-Captain to the Bridge", Anselm Juggs voice sounded on the intercom tearing Thurya from her thoughts. She let go of Areias tail that she had been holding. Holding the paw was to dangerous as Ariea still was too agressive from the madness but not weak enough from the anorexia to be trusted not to use her claws.
Thurya looked again at her sister and whispered as she went to the door.
"-I'll miss you Ari, why you, why now?"
She wen't slowly towards the command bridge.
After discussing implentation of the new tactic to be used in the coming training that was scheduled later that day, she went to her cabin to meet the new crewman that had arrived yesterday, at the same time thinking about who among her crew that would make the best corporal, it wasn't an altogether easy decision.
Standing outside her cabin door when she arrived was the new crewman. As she approached he stood to attention.
"-Captain. Crewman Try Eliason reports for service."
"-At ease. Come in and sit down crewman Try.".
As they went in Thurya thought about the information she had just received, Eliason, that was the family name of the Matriarch. So this crewman was a close relative to Elyssandra, interesting but mostly complicating, she thought. As if I didn't have enough of **** to deal with right now without this pile being dumped on me.
Not that he looked bad though she thought.
As he reached his files over to her and she started reading it she realized that he was quite competent too, high grades and good recommendations.
"-What is your preferable area?", she asked.
"-I'm not specialized in anyway, but I do like to fire the big guns!", he smiled as he said this.
Thurya didn't feel in the mood to respond to that smile,
"-Very well. Report to Anselm Jugg. Tell him to send gunner Moi to me and that she will be given a new task. You will be taking her place as gunner.
You are dismissed.", She opened her desk and put the files in amongst the others.
-"Yes Captain", as crewman Try left she thought to herself. So, my first major decision wasn't that difficult. Now I'll just have to give the news to Corporal Moi.
Weyrling Empire 2406.1
-----------------------
Aboard the Battlecruiser Indestructible.
Flagship of fleet Sledge.
The private diary of Elyssandra Eliason, Grand Admiral of the Fleet, Matriarch of the Weyrlings and Hero of the Empire.
/Start recording/
"-Soon I'll again feel the exhilaration of combat. And we will have alot more warriors in the weyrling military in a couple of months aswell. Maybe then my actions at Gamma Umi against the Sons of Thunder won't be such grand feats anymore. It would be nice if the 'Oh great hero Elyssandra' attitude towards me was somewhat diminished.
These Dravens. They never cease to surprise me. When we told them to let us take the first fight they didn't act surprised. Here I thougth they were among the greatest cowards I've met. Always attacking in grand fleets, always outnumbering the enemy plenty to one. And then they go and send two fast destroyers aead of our fleet. Brave but stupid. Maybe they feel they need to prove a point for us. It will end with the destruction of those two destroyers though. I don't think they took our warning about the agressivness among the Terrans seriously. Well, they will soon know.
I haven't heard anything from Illian since I got the confirmation that he had received the divorce papers. I was relived but sad when I got the news that he had signed them. Not a word from him... I thought you'd fight for me Illian...
I guess I can't blame you, the way I've treated you before I went away.
Try asked me on the shuttle to the Responder why I wanted a divorce. 'It's complicated', was the only answer I could give him.
I hope things are going well on the Responder. Seeing the tragedy played out I decided we shouldn't be on the same ship me and my son. If the Indestructible goes he might still make it on the Responder. I know the Responder isn't as well shielded as the Indestructible. But being the flag ship is like painting a big target sign on our back; 'Here I am, come kill me!'. I think he'll stand a better chance on the Responder. If only that Thurya woman can get some grips on herself. Perhaps now that she doesn't have to compare herself to her big sister she can gain some confidence. The One knows she'll need it in the days to come.
Oh those Ghouls, what to do about them. Admiral Tbon want's us to go to war. I don't think we're prepared for a two front war right now. And what about the CCCP, what would they do then. They've always treated us with the greatest respect and courtesy. But they are partners with the Ghouls. What an unbelivable couple they make, the wild Ghouls and the civilized CCCP!
Now what to do with the Argon confederacy? They want our help but aren't willing to commit themself. Like children, always wanting but not prepared to give.
They seem like a noble people atleast and my heart goes out to them, but they've rejected our help so I don't see what we can do! They will have to fend for themselves. Perhaps we can offer the remaining Argon population sanctuary amongst us if things goes really badly? What would the others in the Central Powers say about that? Those bickering goats! Can't they ever agree on anything? The Thermolians always taking the opposite opinion from the Dravens. If they had been in the same room I'm sure they would have started a fight at the Last Alliance Head meeting. I've never seen Yalare so mad. I though he'd explode when the Thermolians refused to agree to his proposal. Strange how he could control himself so quickly though! One moment mad as one can be and then, cool as ice, argumenting the Thermolians right into a corner they couldn't back away from. They just had to agree, that was splendid argumentation! I've never really liked those dead Thermolians, they give me the creeps."
/Stop recording/
The same time at Kalzeroon I the scientist Illian Eliason was explaining to Marit the Warrior;
"-When we switch the transmitter on, you will see the Womba cat in cage one go limp. That is the MI device shortening out. But just a few seconds later, you will see the Womba cat in the cage two also go limp. And that one doesn't have a MI device implanted.
The Celia vortex gyri will resonate a harmonic psi pulse that will set the brains in synchronous though patterns. If they where Weyrlings they would think as one, but Womba cats aren't developed for that so they'll just go limp. That wouldn't happen to a Weyrling!
We hope."
"-Ok, Illian. If you say so I belive you. Now turn it on."
Illian reached over to the transmitter and pressed down the green engage button.
Then everything happened at once. The Womba cat in the first cage went limp. Marit who stood beside Illian fell to the floor at the same time.
Illian released the engage button and called for help as he reached down for Marit.
The medics who was there within seconds couldn't wake her. All vital functions where working as they should but the brain patterns where irregular and strange.
"-She must have had a stroke!", one medic suggested.
"-The parameters aren't consistant with a stroke!", another one replied.
As no one knew what to do she was transferred to the city hospital and placed in the neurological ward.
Illian was afraid that the new transmitter might have a side effect, causing brain dysfunction amongst some Weyrlings.
No one else was allowed into the room when they experimented except those who had already participated when the transmitter was sending.
Illian started to check and recheck every step of the theory and the transmitter to try to understand what had happened to Marit.
Naturally this took time from the actual experiments and the work on awaking the one came to a halt.
In the Destroyer Responder Thurya was sitting at the helm talking on a dedicated comm channel with a gunner control seat.
"-Try, you must anticipate the moves of the fighters. The point defence cannon is not a fire and forget weapon. And as you're aiming I'd guess you'd thought it was a forget and fire weapon!", She laughed a bit when saying this.
Gunner Try was really an excellent gunner. Atleast when it was the main guns he was shooting with. Firing on long ranges he could instinctively anticipate where the target would be when the beams reached it. With the point defence cannons it was a different thing! Sometimes Thurya thought he was playing with her. How could such a good gunner miss constantly on close range? She would joke with him first and later she would get frustrated. This time she told herself she would stop the training before she started yelling at him that he was the worst gunner she'd ever seen. And the worst part about it all was the feeling that he was having fun at her expense when she lost her temper. Areia never lost her temper, Thurya thought. Thurya was always thinking; 'What would Areia had done', when faced with a problem. The main problem was, she wasn't Areia, she would never be. She sighed as she thought that and at the same time watched Try's next attempt at killing the target drones. The same results as always, the drones lived to fight another day!
"-Gunner Try. Practice is finished. Go about your non combat duties."
"-Aye captain.", She heard over the comm channel.
Try released the harness and climbed out of the gunners seat. From there he could control all the weapons on the ship. In actual combat all five gunner seats would be manned. Together the five gunners would control the four main cannons and the point defence cannon.
Try started dismantling the point defence cannons sight display to calibrate it.
When he wasn't training he was supposed to calibrate and maintain the weapons aboard. And help out wherever he was needed. Polish the ships interior, help in the kitchen etc. He liked target practice best. He was wondering how long he could keep this up, he had to keep missing the target drones with less and less marginal each time so that the captain wouldn't give up.
The captain. She was a mystery. He could sense she liked him but she hadn't made any move yet. And a crewman didn't make a move on the captain!
Life aboard a small destroyer in the Weyrling fleet was kind of tedious. There wasn't that much space around and not much to do. The 15 crewmen served five at a time in three seven hours shifts, except in battle when everyone was needed. Everyone slept in the same room. When you weren't working you either sleept, ate, trained in the gym, played cards or had sex.
Try knew he was the only one aboard who hadn't done it with the captain. That made him feel like he had a special form of relationship with her. He knew it was self delusion. The captain hadn't had sex with anyone since becoming captain, you couldn't keep something like that secret on a small ship as this. But nevertheless, his relationship with the captain was different than for all the rest.
When they met in the corridors it was mostly; 'Good job' or 'How do you get along on the ship' or something equally neutral.
The only time emotions was shown was during training. As Try was wery slowly getting better the captain had increased his training schedule, he hoped he wouldn't have to prove his real competence at the point defence cannon yet for a while. he liked sparring with the captain over the comm channel. Sometimes she took control of the drones herself, then Try sometimes really tried to hit it, sometimes he actually did, then he shouted as if he'd never done that before, pretending it was just a lucky shot!
He was determined to explore the mysterius captain, if she would just let him.
He couldn't understand why she had shut away everyone from sharing the pleasure of her bunk.
Perhaps it was the loss of her sister. The rest of the crew said they had been real close, he could tell that was true by observing her at the previous captains funeral. It was a shame if a woman such as captain Thurya would stop having sex forever, Try tought, as she was a really sexy cat!
[ February 18, 2003, 21:57: Message edited by: Ruatha ]
Re: Newbie Galactic Combat II - Story Thread
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