This is file #4 of 5.
This file covers Day 6 of the jump.
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***** Day 6 *****
- - ---------------------------
Midnight, Alcyon
Doctor Limner's voice comes over your Comm-dot, although
his voice sounds slightly crackly:
I'm sending this message directly to your comm-dot,
overriding the normal methods. Please be aware that
the computer currently is directing our comm-dot
communication. I will attempt to provide a backup
system, in case you are about to do what I think
you are about to do.
<Limner>
"PALADIN, please give me a density, magnetic, and neural scan of the
40m sphere surrounding Bharrvouf. Feed the data in real time to the
unit LIMNER HC1."
"Allright, Zar. I'll feed you the data through my hand comp. We
should get a three-dimensional view of what's happening."
"I'm using my own equipment to do some other scans."
<Ian>
"Hoo boy. What a *sweet* setup. Juss a sec." Ian issues a couple
of hushed commands. "There. I've got data reduction working on it,
you have control of movement, view point, and spectrum. Right now
we've got full EM passive, 0.1 nm to 1mm. We should be able to catch
anything from black-body to high energy neutrinos. Whatcha want?"
<Limner>
"We want all power use accounted for. I'm scanning for all energy
transmissions within all four of the ships. If there is a renegade
computer, it will have to use power, and we're going to find it."
Then, almost under his breath .. "I almost hope it turns out to
be the Alcyon's computer. There are some pretty advanced computers
on the other ships as well. Some could run circles around the Alcyon's
computer, I bet."
As Zar views the sensor output through his hand communicator, he accesses
the paladin's computer through the voice link.
"PALADIN, expand sensor Neural, Magnetic, and Denisitometer readings to
include all of the engineering sections aboard the Alcyon. Pinpoint and
Identify all known neural id's and enhance any unknown id's. Mark and run
real time through unit LIMNER HC1 and copy into file MIDNIGHT FIREFIGHT
aboard the Paladin."
"Dr. Limner, just thought I'd put in my own few sensor skills to help the
Paladin along.
- - ------- Outside Engineering --------
Moving low and fast, Andon heads for the rear hatchway to Engineering,
and hits the manual lock.
LAZER!!
Who get's through our cordon? I can hear someone coming and if I don't get
response fast I'm going to have to either gas the corridor or shoot someone.
<Lazer>
"DON'T SHOOT THE CREW! Just stop them, talk to them, get in their way, tackle
them if you have to. Do you have your stunner? I just don't want extra targets
down here."
The door to the Drive Room opens, and Bhyarrvouf strides in. He's in
his usual uniform, but the collar is all the way up to his chin, leaving
only his head exposed. His data monocular is down over one eye, and those
using IR-sensitive gear will note an IR tracking laser beam emitted from
a point just next to the eyeball. His gauntlets are back on, for the first
time in a couple of days, and he's wearing his Gauss pistols at his hips,
slung low for a fast draw. As he walks in, he reaches down and rests his
hands on his guns. Behind him, Thul Jonson and Abdul Schmud step into the
room, and begin looking about them. Both are armored and carrying heavy
rifles. Behind them in the hallway a form in combat armor is faintly visible.
Zben is in the corner of Engineering reserved for electronic repair.
Something in `Voufs voice makes his hair stand on end, and without
thinking he grabs the closest thing to a weapon he has on hand, a small
laser welder, and eases toward (but Not into) the main drives room...
Kimball Redd looks up from where he was working, and frowns at the small
army of heavily armed troops waving lethal artillery at the most vital
and delicate parts of the ship. After a moment, he realizes he's
standing unarmed and unarmoured in what has just become a war zone and
dives for cover behind the nearest solid object.
"Mind where you're pointing those things!" he shouts, then sees the
AGNIS unit hover into the room. "SH*T. Sh*t, sh*t, SH*T ! - Who let HIM
in?" After this brief outburst, he looks around, weighing the chances of
reaching better cover unperforated against the damage the robots metal -
twisting grip could do, and wonders whether it's worth telling the
bridge that engineering may be off line shortly, so they could run
things from there.
"When we finish this," Redd thinks, "I'm going to have a talk with
Mister Bhyarrvouf about subtlety, the danger of large guns in small
spaces, the problems of ships which have just blown up their engines
and killed half of their engineers in a firefight light-years from
help, and wouldn't it have been better to have shot the robot OUTSIDE!"
Right now though, anyone listening carefully might hear him muttering
something about
"goddamntriggerhappyhalfwittedboneheadedmuttwhatinthehell'shethinkhe'sdoing"
Just as Dan is closing the ceiling panel, he sees this small army enter.
Jumping off the grav stool Dan rushes to the vacc rack to grab his suit.
Normally this would be an old habit for him from the number of drills that
the IISS puts a scout through. But after being bathed in LH2 he finds
himself still a little jumpy. He finds himself rushing through the suit
prep and calms himself down. "Take it easy Dan, lighting may strike twice,
but only if your standing in the same place." Slapping the helmet seal
into place he checks the others to see if they need help.
'Vouf's voice is brittle with tension. "Afternoon, gentlemen!" He looks
around the room quickly, until he spots Leadfoot, hard at work on the
ceiling ducts.
Redd sees impending disaster and breaks for the rear doorway, right behind
the suit rack next to Silvmane. "Dan! Let's get the H*LL out of here!"
Redd slams into the door at full speed, having expected it to open auto-
matically for him. Dan drops down next to Redd, and starts tearing down
suits to cover them with. "Once is enough, thank you."
- - -----------Paladin ---
<Ian>
"Power surge in Leadfoot!"
"Low energy surges to engineering computers, main nav comp and AGNIS."
<Limner>
Bridge, Limner. Start an immediate diagnostic sweep on all ship's systems.
Something just got loaded, We don't know what, yet.
- - ----------- Bridge ---
As Limner warns the bridge, Etienne's alarms start to sound at
most of the consoles.
<Ger>
Isolate all computer systems. Manual re-boot NOW on all non-critical
systems.
Stand by to...
- - ----------- Engineering --
"Hey, uh, LEADFOOT!" 'Vouf calls. His hands pull the guns partway out of their
holsters. "Top-priority voice override. Cease all operations immediately. Land
and shut yourself down for maintainance inspection." The guns are drawn in a
blur, aimed directly at the robot. "NOW!"
Upon hearing this Thul drops to a one knee position and takes aim
at the "head" of the robot.
DONT EVEN THINK IT SILICON BREATH!!!
Leadfoot grabs the power cables already in his hands and clips them cleanly,
causing the lights in engineering to go off. Simultaneoulsy the robot starts
to swing the laser torch around, launches itself horizontally toward the jump
drives themselves, and scatters its tool kit in the general direction of
'Vouf's head.
Suddenly, the relative peace aboard the Alcyon is rudely shattered with a
sound that should send a chill of fear down the spine of every seasoned
spacer, a warning tocsin seldom heard but always dreaded.
The DECOMPRESSION WARNING klaxon begins to insistently wail.
Hearing the decompression warning, Azani puches furiously at his
wrist comp and pressurizes his suit. He then braces himself and tries
to hold onto anything that would keep him from getting sucked away.
While he is typing on his wrist comp, he flickers a bit and then becomes
"invisible" once again.
- - --------- Aurora ----
Jan quickly accesses the ship's computer to ensure that the ship is
powering up and that its enviromental systems have disconnected from
the Alcyon. "Hull is intact, good, atmosphere- O2 is good, CO2 is good,
Nitrogen is good, air processing functioning at 23% of capacity, good.
Power flux is good, well, we're reasonably ready to go."
"Goughzar, Dr. Tabor, this is Yorblin the Aurora's enviromental system
is operating independent of the Alcyon, so entry will be through the
air lock that we have decon set up on until this thing is over with."
"van der Merwe, this is Yorblin, fill us in on any changes when you get
a chance."
- - ----------- Bridge ----
<Ger>
Still speaking to the bridge crew..
"[Stand by to] manually seal the bridge."
<Decompression alarm sounds>
Ger signs slightly, and says with a note of resignation,
"And get yer gloves on." Ger then reaches over, unlimber his soft helmet,
and dons his gloves.
Nishu is clearly experienced with a suit, but the snugness of this model
compared with the looser-fitting lower-tech suits he's used to gets him
tangled up once or twice. When this happens he forces himself to remain
calm and take it a little slower, waiting and dreading the telltale pop
in his ears that will signal a drop in pressure.
... decompression what the hell we're in jump for God's sake not supposed
to be any ..." Eventually he gets the vacc suit buttoned up, connects
the oxygen supply, and fastens on the helmet. As soon as this task is
completed, he triggers his comdot on the Transport channel.
"Etienne, What's going on?"
<Etienne>
Check all systems that can be monitored from the bridge.
Especially, find out WHERE the air leak is!
<Ger> (common channel)
"STATUS REPORT"
- - ------------- Engineering -------
'Vouf howls and cuts loose. A rattling shriek of supersonics
fills the Engine Room as a burst of Gauss needles slams into the
flying tools, Leadfoot's delicate grav units and the tentacle
that is the laser welder.
As soon as 'Vouf casts his lot, a bright flash and the crack of thunder
fill engineering as Thule's laser rifle lances into what seems to be
the head of Leadfoot.
A sharp whistle gives away the invisible beam of Leadfoot's laser
welder heating the metal of the bulkhead behind 'Vouf and suddenly
impacting on AGNIS overhead. Visibility the darkened room gets
even worse as AGNIS automatic thermal controls kick in, spraying
liquid carbon dioxide on it's surface.
In the hall, J.J. pushes Adrian down, and says, as forcefully as possible.
"If you want to loose your head, just go ahead and lift it." with that
he moves toward the doorway to Engineering, keeping an eye on the hall.
Ready to lend assistance in Engineering if needed. Also he holsters the
.45 and pull his SMG and chambers a round.
Suddenly, everyone's polarizer's stop down fully, and it seems to those
near engineering that all noise stops. Throughout Alcyon and the other
ships, there is the deep groan of the ship's hull loudly reverberating
in every compartment. A flash, blindingly bright, even in the well-lit
hallway, stops everyone in the hall.
Horne is lifted bodily by a wall of air coming out of the engineering
doorway and thrown against the opposite wall. Lazer's rifle is ripped
from his grasp and caroms off Christian on it's way toward the Aurora.
Christian is knocked down, winded, from the force of the rifle and the
blast. For once, Adrian is *glad* he's horizontal as he feels the heat
scorching his face and radiating from the walls.
Throughout the ship, radiation alarms sound, accompanied by the ominous
pulsating red emergency lights. Most of the ship can hear the faint clicks
of the ventilation ducts closing.
- - --------- Paladin ------
<Ian, Limner, and Zar>
Oh my God!
<Limner>
Bridge, Paladin. Hydrogen fusion by-products in engineering.
Multiple weapons discharges. No real status just yet.
- - -------- Engineering ------
Anton hops around the corner and through the doorway, leapfrogging the
dormant (:=) "door mat?") bodies. Inside engineering, Dan and Redd are
pinioned between the twisted suit rack and the back door. Zben is
stunned and looking forlornly at the burned-through cable that previously
connected his laser-welder to its power outlet in the overhead. Thule
and Abdul are getting to their knees, near the forward bulkead. 'Vouf's
head is smoking, and he is crawling over the top of the number two power
routing console, which is inverted and afire.
The number two Gravitics console is ... missing. Scorch marks are
everywhere, small electrical fires are starting in the number 1 and number
4 hydrogen maintenance consoles. Small leaks of steam and .. something
come from about a dozen and a half places all around Engineering. A trail
of steam leads from nead the door, where AGNIS was to the far right corner
of the compartment, where AGNIS was flung. Looking to the left, Anton sees
Leadfoot has been catapulted headfirst into the jump drive governors, and
is beginning to right itself by pushing against the grid output cables.
'Vouf, noticing Leadfoot, starts screaming again, takes three steps, and
lunges onto the robot. Shouts, steam from the robot, flying and writhing
tentacles, and smoke from the vargr's fur mark the advancing location
of their struggle as Lazer and Zben dash to the back of engineering and
start to right the suit rack.
Leadfoot, intent on some kind of cybernetic seppuku, charges a Thule
patiently waiting with sights centered on the struggling pair. Another
howl comes from 'Vouf as he is bodily peeled off Leadfoot by a 6-G close
flyby of the numer 3 gravitics console. Clinging tightly to Leadfoot's
gravitic's plate, 'Vouf slams headlong into the console and bounces
into the secondary bridge controls, leaving his gauntlets firmly attached
to the underside of the now-heavily listing robot.
A single, well-placed, laser bolt cleanly separates Leadfoot's power
cable from his nervous system and the robot crashes into the floor,
emiting a screech capable of raising the hairs on an eggshell, recorded
forever on AGNIS's holo of the whole affair.
======================================================================
R-alpha
Ayrlathi pulls the string that rings the little bell on Old Tehidazi's
front door. Quite a plain door really, he muses, and quite a modest
house. He always felt that such an important member of the community
ought to live somewhere a little more grandiose, or at least better
decorated.
He stands patiently at the door, waiting for the bell to be answered.
It seems to be taking a long time. Poor Tehidazi, thinks Ayrlathi, the
years are weighing heavily on her; she can only walk very slowly now.
There is the clunk of a latch, and the door creaks slowly open to reveal
the withered old jijid.
"Ayrlathi," croaks an ancient voice. "Come in. It is a long time since
you last paid me a visit." She takes a step backward, and with a broad
sweep of her arm invites him through the doorway. "What can I do for
you?"
"Cai Sizadre, Tehidazi," Ayrlathi greets her and steps inside. "I have
come, as so many do, seeking your wisdom."
"You had better come inside and tell me about it," says Tehidazi, closing
the door behind him. Slowly and painfully she hobbles across the hall
and into her consulting room. Ayrlathi follows.
"There was... an incident... a few nights ago," Ayrlathi begins
hesitantly. "It has been playing on my mind ever since." He clasps
his hands to his chest apprehensively. His tendrils droop, with only
one or two of them giving an occasional twitch. "You will probably
think I am foolish. It seems such a trivial matter to speak of."
Tehidazi's central pair of eyes narrow and regard Ayrlathi carefully.
"This is not like you at all, Ayrlathi. You usually take everything in
your stride. I have never seen you looking so troubled. Won't you tell
Old Tehidazi about it?"
He tells her of the moving light he saw in the sky as he looked out from
the arzeth danunduln. "I cannot explain why seeing this light has affected
me so," he explains apologetically, and makes a little circular motion
with his hand. "Am I losing my powers of reason? I should not be rambling
like this."
"Do not be so hard on yourself," says Tehidazi. "I have known you since
you were a hatchling, Ayrlathi Edivair Ikisillolen. You have a talent for
tempering reason with intuition. It is a talent which has served you well.
I have seen it used to great effect in your best work. You should not
turn your back on it when it cries out to you so strongly."
Ayrlathi's tendrils raise themselves a little and begin to writhe in
puzzlement. "You speak in riddles, Tehidazi."
"Riddles? Not really. My advice to you, Ayrlathi, is this: have patience
and your destiny will seek you out. Follow your eyes -- they have always led
you towards the imaginative and the innovative -- and do not let yourself be
held back by uncertainties."
Ayrlathi ponders the meaining of the aged jijid's words. Tehidazi could be
obtuse at times, but her observations were never less than astute. "I must
think carefully about what you have said," he replies. Already he is feeling
a little happier for having discussed the matter.
Tehidazi reaches into one of the numerous pockets in her apron. She brings
out a small packet and hands it to Ayrlathi. "These herbs will help you to
relax." She lays a hand gently on his arm. "Go now, and be at peace with
yourself."
Ayrlathi thanks her and departs.
==================================================================
- - ------------------ Alcyon
A fatigued Jan Yorblin wipes his brow, finishes noting his 5th
case of radiation exposure, and calls "next!"
No response. He looks around and sees no more crew waiting for
their turn. "Lucan - who's left?"
"Schmud was the last," Lucan replies.
"Oh yeah - one guy smart enough to wear protection," Jan thinks as he
dials up a cup of broth. He calls the Paladin. "How many left
over there?"
Doc Limner replies. "We just finished a few minutes ago. You done?"
"Just a second." Jan looks into the Aurora's sick bay - three beds
and one chair full. He asks Christian how he feels, and gets a tired
nod.
"All done here." He changes channels. "Bridge, Yorblin. Status:
eighteen injuries, no dead.
eighteen cases of radiation exposure
four trauma cases
two burn cases
You can pretty well guess who the hotshot with the burns and the
trauma is.
'Vouf has a broken rib, a broken leg, a broken finger, a disjointed
finger, second degree burns over most of his head, bruises all over,
and under, his body, radiation exposure, and a natsy headache.
He's the worst we've got, and he should be back on limited duty
after a good rest. He shouldn't ever try wrestling a robot again,
and he should wait a few days before putting those damned gloves
back on.
Zben is the next worst. He's got first and second degree burns and
radiation exposure. Silvmane saved his butt by yanking down those
suits on top of them. He needs a good night's sleep and a little
post-trauma counselling.
Horne is bruised and has exposure. He'll be OK if he takes it easy
for a couple of days.
Lazer and Van Der Merwe have minor exposure and some bruises. Lazer
severely twisted his trigger finger, and Christian got a nasty black
eye.
The remainder of the engineering and security teams all got some
degree of radiation exposure. We need to see them every few days
for a couple of weeks for follow ups.
All three medical teams came through OK, but we're all really tired.
Additionally, I advise we treat the hole crew for radiation exposure
as a precaution. This will put us a little bit short on supplies,
but I think we can find enough at R-alpha to either trade for or
manufacture some.
With your permission, I'd like to send all the doctors to bed, sir."
<Ger>
Very well. We have about 14 hours till we re-enter so get a lot of
rest now.
- - -------------- Bridge ------------
<Etienne>
All non-critical systems re-booted without error sir. Still isolated.
We need to re-boot the main systems. It will mean a (he pauses and
scans his hand comp briefly) 2.2 second delay in re-entry, and we'll
be sure all is working. With your pemrission, sir..
<Ger>
One moment.
"All hands, this is commander Ger. We will re-boot all main systems in
five minutes. Make sure all your sub systems are off-line, and shut-down
until we finish re-initialization." He turns back to Etienne. "Commence
re-boot in 5 minutes. Let me know as soon as we're ready to bring
local machines back on line.
- - -------------- Engineering -------
Abuko, Werner, Silvmane, and Wrinkley don their decon gear and re-enter
the scene of the debacle.
<Wrinkley>
Fortunately that plasma has a short half-life, or we'd be in real trouble.
No other words are needed as the four look on and ponder the devastation
of only a few seconds. Then they begin to walk slowly over the entire
engineering area, measuring, identifying, and when appropriate closing and
sealing valves.
After about 15 mintes of working in silence the intercom comes alive.
<Abuko>
Bridge, engineering. Status report.
Whole engineering deck is hot. We nned to wait ~12 hours before
we can commence repairs. Decon suits needed until then. We
can work in 2.5 to 3 hour shifts in gear 'till then.
We've got no emergency bridge. Repair time - 12 hours.
We've got no gravitics backup. Repair time - 10 hours.
Power routing secondaries shaky. Repair time - 5 hours.
Power routing primaries intact.
Power plant minor damage. Repair time - 5 hours.
Jump drives intact.
Maneuver drives, maximum overboost will give us 98%
Repair time - 1 day.
Life support, minor damage. Repair time - 3 hours.
Jump fuel 38%, Primary fuel 39%
We need to decon engineering and all three of these passageways
between here and the riders.
AGNIS self-decontaminated. We're releasing it.
Any further orders?
<Ger>
Carry on.
Leadfoot is a mess. A crumpled, shredded, lump of titanium and silicon.
Abuko carfully takes the brain case, walks over to an isolation test
bench and reconnects power to standby circuits. "There. that should
hold you 'till we can find the signature of your killer. For sure that
vargr did the hard work, but whoever put that bad seed in your brain
is the one that *I* want." Abuko is growling himself. "You were
doomed the moment you got that bug. Whoever put it there is now just
as dead as your are. Only he doesn't know it yet." As he finishes his
soliloquoy he scans the engineering deck, eyes burning at the devastation.
He sighs deeply, his shoulders rising, then slowly falling as he conciously
relaxes. "Oh well. Gentlemen, we've got a lot of work to do before we
re-enter normal space. Let's be about it." With that he slams his fist
on a blistered red panel. It opens revealing a nozzle and retractable hose.
He grabs the nozzle, twists a valve, and walks toward the rear of engineering.