Blasterbot
Well-known member
after a few months alone? if he didn't talk to himself he would probably go crazier.
Blood on the Horizon (Reimagined)
- Thread starter MarkWarrior
- Start date
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- battletech self insert
Chapter 7
MarkWarrior
Well-known member
Chapter 7
"I don't want to do this," I looked at the LF battery and the K-F Drive. "But I need to."
Floating in and around the drive, I worked through the checklist that I had downloaded, the voice of Betty walking me through the steps to ensure that I didn't miss anything.
Starting with the helium seals, I moved through all of the systems, replacing what needed to be replaced and doing basic maintenance. Now that I understood most of the underlying theory, I needed to familiarize myself with the physical processes and repairs that were needed.
"This one's blown," I removed the seal and pulled my tethered pack to me, grabbing a new seal out before allowing the pack to float away.
"Always check the seals before moving on," Betty's voice reminded me.
"Running tests now," I replied to the somewhat comforting voice. "This seal's good, time to move on to the next one."
–
–
"Alright, helium seals are good," I muttered. "Now I get to check the small parts of the drive."
Pulling myself down a bit, I switched on the work light that was clipped to the chest of my uniform before removing the first of many panels that led to the interior of the drive.
"And these are supposed to be the small electronics," I shook my head. "It's not exactly hard to tell which board is fried when they're this large."
I moved through all of the circuit boards, pulling each and every single one out as I went over them, making sure the connections were solid and that there were no parts that needed to be replaced and resoldered.
"One board out of twenty isn't awful," I replaced the damaged board before pulling myself out of that section and moving onto another. "Now let's see what the computers have to say."
I pushed a control and used the small amount of thrust to float over to the main computers and began turning them on.
"Reactor online, Kearny-Fuchida drive online, scanning systems now," I waited a few minutes while the computer ran through the scans. "Warning, fault detected in section D-10."
"That's the link between the LF battery and the drive," I moved to that section. "Damn, I'm going to have to replace most of the links before I try to jump."
"So, I know this is probably cliche as hell," I said into the camera I had found. "But I'm going to do the whole Iron Man testing thing while I've got the chance."
"This is Nighthawk test number one," I pulled the helmet over my head. "We're going to start with a basic walk and move on from there."
Shifting my weight, I tried to take a step forward and fell right onto my face.
"Well, that didn't work all that well," I pushed myself up onto my knees. "This could take a while."
–
–
"This is Nighthawk test number five, I think I've managed to get the first step down, but we're about to find out."
Pushing forward with my left foot, I cheered as I stayed upright, moving at a slow walk through the room until I stopped back at the pedestal the armor had been on.
"Test number five was a success. I'll conduct more tests tomorrow."
–
–
"K-F Drive is mostly fixed," I wrote down. "I've got to track down the replacement link to the L-F battery before I can finish that," I glanced at my exposed biceps. "Workout routine seems to be showing some minor results. And I managed to survive more than five minutes in the sims."
After I finished writing everything that I could think of down, I leaned back in the chair and stretched while yawning.
"So, what do I have left?" I asked as I looked down at the nearly full notebook. "I'm not going to climb back into the Nighthawk or the simulators for the day. And there's not a chance in hell I'm working on the K-F Drive until I've had time to study the linkage between it and the L-F Battery."
"Whelp," I stood up. "I might as well check out the Confederate dropships that are currently attached to the ship. Might be something useful there."
–
–
"Last page," I looked at my notebook as I floated down through the hatch to the first of the dropships. "Let's hope they still have paper somewhere."
"Let's get the power up and running," I followed the signs down to the engine room. "I want to know what to call this ship."
Refueling the onboard secondary reactors only took a fraction of the time it had taken to refuel the Manassas.
"Alright," I powered up the secondary reactors and grinned as the lights flickered at first and then stayed on. "Let's see what your name is, old girl."
"The Last of Us," I hummed as I went through the computers on the bridge. "If only you knew."
Pulling up the cargo manifest, I downloaded it to the wrist device before heading down to the mech and aerospace bays.
"Four Warhammers," I checked the manifest before nodding. "So far it looks like they maintained good records. But let's see whether they're the standard variants or if they're something special."
"It's probably a good thing that you can't tell whether the mechs are standard variants or advanced at first glance," I looked at the panel that detailed the specs on the four mechs in the gantries. "Because just these four would be enough to make a terrifying lance."
"They really loaded up on the spare parts too," I looked in one of the storage bays. "Probably can't deploy for combat until this is all pulled out and moved for use, but it's still impressive. The Stingrays are nice birds too."
Moving through all of the cargo bays and closets, I triple-checked the manifest, ensuring that all of the numbers were accurate and updating them if they were off.
"Missing two Fusion Engines," I noted. "I bet they took them to the planet for use as generators."
"Handful of small lasers and some PPCs are missing as well," I wrote down. "They left the ER large lasers and ER PPCs though."
Then, finishing my work, I left the cargo bay, it was time to inspect the other dropships. Maybe there was a surprise or two waiting.
"I don't want to do this," I looked at the LF battery and the K-F Drive. "But I need to."
Floating in and around the drive, I worked through the checklist that I had downloaded, the voice of Betty walking me through the steps to ensure that I didn't miss anything.
Starting with the helium seals, I moved through all of the systems, replacing what needed to be replaced and doing basic maintenance. Now that I understood most of the underlying theory, I needed to familiarize myself with the physical processes and repairs that were needed.
"This one's blown," I removed the seal and pulled my tethered pack to me, grabbing a new seal out before allowing the pack to float away.
"Always check the seals before moving on," Betty's voice reminded me.
"Running tests now," I replied to the somewhat comforting voice. "This seal's good, time to move on to the next one."
–
–
"Alright, helium seals are good," I muttered. "Now I get to check the small parts of the drive."
Pulling myself down a bit, I switched on the work light that was clipped to the chest of my uniform before removing the first of many panels that led to the interior of the drive.
"And these are supposed to be the small electronics," I shook my head. "It's not exactly hard to tell which board is fried when they're this large."
I moved through all of the circuit boards, pulling each and every single one out as I went over them, making sure the connections were solid and that there were no parts that needed to be replaced and resoldered.
"One board out of twenty isn't awful," I replaced the damaged board before pulling myself out of that section and moving onto another. "Now let's see what the computers have to say."
I pushed a control and used the small amount of thrust to float over to the main computers and began turning them on.
"Reactor online, Kearny-Fuchida drive online, scanning systems now," I waited a few minutes while the computer ran through the scans. "Warning, fault detected in section D-10."
"That's the link between the LF battery and the drive," I moved to that section. "Damn, I'm going to have to replace most of the links before I try to jump."
"So, I know this is probably cliche as hell," I said into the camera I had found. "But I'm going to do the whole Iron Man testing thing while I've got the chance."
"This is Nighthawk test number one," I pulled the helmet over my head. "We're going to start with a basic walk and move on from there."
Shifting my weight, I tried to take a step forward and fell right onto my face.
"Well, that didn't work all that well," I pushed myself up onto my knees. "This could take a while."
–
–
"This is Nighthawk test number five, I think I've managed to get the first step down, but we're about to find out."
Pushing forward with my left foot, I cheered as I stayed upright, moving at a slow walk through the room until I stopped back at the pedestal the armor had been on.
"Test number five was a success. I'll conduct more tests tomorrow."
–
–
"K-F Drive is mostly fixed," I wrote down. "I've got to track down the replacement link to the L-F battery before I can finish that," I glanced at my exposed biceps. "Workout routine seems to be showing some minor results. And I managed to survive more than five minutes in the sims."
After I finished writing everything that I could think of down, I leaned back in the chair and stretched while yawning.
"So, what do I have left?" I asked as I looked down at the nearly full notebook. "I'm not going to climb back into the Nighthawk or the simulators for the day. And there's not a chance in hell I'm working on the K-F Drive until I've had time to study the linkage between it and the L-F Battery."
"Whelp," I stood up. "I might as well check out the Confederate dropships that are currently attached to the ship. Might be something useful there."
–
–
"Last page," I looked at my notebook as I floated down through the hatch to the first of the dropships. "Let's hope they still have paper somewhere."
"Let's get the power up and running," I followed the signs down to the engine room. "I want to know what to call this ship."
Refueling the onboard secondary reactors only took a fraction of the time it had taken to refuel the Manassas.
"Alright," I powered up the secondary reactors and grinned as the lights flickered at first and then stayed on. "Let's see what your name is, old girl."
"The Last of Us," I hummed as I went through the computers on the bridge. "If only you knew."
Pulling up the cargo manifest, I downloaded it to the wrist device before heading down to the mech and aerospace bays.
"Four Warhammers," I checked the manifest before nodding. "So far it looks like they maintained good records. But let's see whether they're the standard variants or if they're something special."
"It's probably a good thing that you can't tell whether the mechs are standard variants or advanced at first glance," I looked at the panel that detailed the specs on the four mechs in the gantries. "Because just these four would be enough to make a terrifying lance."
"They really loaded up on the spare parts too," I looked in one of the storage bays. "Probably can't deploy for combat until this is all pulled out and moved for use, but it's still impressive. The Stingrays are nice birds too."
Moving through all of the cargo bays and closets, I triple-checked the manifest, ensuring that all of the numbers were accurate and updating them if they were off.
"Missing two Fusion Engines," I noted. "I bet they took them to the planet for use as generators."
"Handful of small lasers and some PPCs are missing as well," I wrote down. "They left the ER large lasers and ER PPCs though."
Then, finishing my work, I left the cargo bay, it was time to inspect the other dropships. Maybe there was a surprise or two waiting.
Chapter 8
MarkWarrior
Well-known member
Chapter 8
"Jump one was successful," I wrote down. "Second jump was good as well, now I have to wait a couple of weeks for the K-F Drive and the battery to charge before I can jump again."
"And that was the last of my paper," I slammed down the notebook, only for it to float away in the zero-G. "It's not like I needed that or anything!"
"Arghh!" I threw myself out of the seat and grabbed my notebook, preparing to rip it in half.
"Reminder," Betty's voice cut my rage off. "It is recommended that all seals are checked before jumping again."
Sighing, I let the notebook drift off further away into the bridge as I headed further into the Manassas.
"You could work with me a bit," I muttered. "I understand that you're an old girl, but that doesn't mean you have to be upset."
The silence was deafening, the eerie quiet filling the air and putting pressure on me as I floated through the cargo bay.
Finally reaching the engine room, I checked the seals before tucking my knees into my chest and allowing myself to float away as I tried to figure out where to go from here.
Months later, En route to secret supply base between Taurian Concordat and Federated Suns …
"Reactor online, sensors online, weapons online, all systems nominal."
"I love your voice, Betty," I sat in the simulator and turned it off again before restarting it so that I could hear the sequence again. "You never change."
Finally, I began the scenario, narrowly avoiding the first barrage of LRMs and nailing the Highlander with a PPC before ducking into the rainforest, the thick trees protecting me from the return fire and hiding me from the Assault mechs that lay in wait.
"Passive sensors engaged," Betty said as I skid to a stop and shut down any external signs that I existed aside from the heat of my reactor.
I held my breath as an Atlas walked by, the 100-tonner missing me in the trees.
"Come on," I muttered as the mech turned its back on me. "I just need one shot."
The Atlas then turned and spotted me, its AC/20 spitting out projectiles as its lasers carved apart the jungle.
Snapping my medium lasers and SRMs onto the target, I flipped my active sensors online as I slammed my feet on the pedals, driving my Warhammer forward as I tore into the assault mech's knees, carving away at the armor and driving the mech back as I got into minimum range.
"No, you don't," I kicked the Atlas back, the AC/20 going wide as I turned a kick into a shove with my shoulder, followed by my SRMs tearing into the grinning skull.
After I shattered the Atlas, I was racked by a Gauss slug, the shoulder of my Warhammer caving in as the armor shattered.
Moving quickly, I ducked around the Atlas, using its massive bulk as cover, holding it up with one PPC as I aimed the other at the Nightstar that was at extreme range.
Squeezing my trigger, a bolt of manmade lightning moved through the forest, only to splash harmlessly against a tree branch before it approached its target.
Another two Gauss rounds impacted the Atlas I was using as a shield, driving me down to a knee as I braced against the heavier machine before shoving it off and firing both PPCs at the same time as the Nightstar hammered me with its own armament, the twin gauss rifles accompanied by the ER PPC tearing away the last of my torso protection and leaving me vulnerable to the laser and machine gun fire that came from the nearby trees, sending my mech crashing to the ground and ending the simulation.
"Dammit!" I slammed my fist into the side of the pod, the unyielding metal breaking the skin over my knuckles. "Is it too much to ask for even one easy simulation?! Huh?! Can't I catch a break here?!"
Opening the simulator pod, I stormed out toward the gym, there was a punching bag that needed some attention.
"And now we wait for two more weeks," I looked at the map. "Another two weeks of freakin' paradise! Isn't it great that we get to enjoy this together?!"
"But it's just me," I sagged. "Nobody in cryo like in that movie with Chris Pratt, no Wilson to talk to. I'm all alone, At least Robinson Crusoe had animals, and shipwrecks to explore. Me? I'm just stuck here with nothing to do!"
As I raged against everything, my phone floated out of my pocket, the familiar device catching my eye.
"Maybe there's something I missed," I sucked in air and forced my fists to unclench, the anger still churning in my gut.
Unlocking my phone, I went through all of my apps before my eyes lit on something that I had forgotten.
"That's right!" a grin broke through my face. "I downloaded some movies to listen to on the drives!"
Touching the control on the thrusters, I shot forward, heading for the Grav deck at a rapid pace. I had movies to watch, and nothing but time to enjoy them with.
–
–
Flipping on the Tri-vid, I reclined the small chair back and sipped on some whiskey that I had found in the kitchens, somehow, they still used 3.5mm audio jacks and I was able to capture the sound in high definition while also recording the screen. The hologram made up for any mistakes I had made while recording the movies to watch on the big screen.
"As long as the audio is synched then it doesn't matter," I nodded to myself as I watched Keanu Reeves begin his descent back into the underworld of John Wick.
The audio in this small theater space was incredible, with the gunshots sounding just as good as they had when I saw them in theaters back home, and the sound of human voices aside from Betty and the music I had was calming. Finally, I was able to find some small manner of peace, even if I did have a long time before I reached my destination.
"Jump one was successful," I wrote down. "Second jump was good as well, now I have to wait a couple of weeks for the K-F Drive and the battery to charge before I can jump again."
"And that was the last of my paper," I slammed down the notebook, only for it to float away in the zero-G. "It's not like I needed that or anything!"
"Arghh!" I threw myself out of the seat and grabbed my notebook, preparing to rip it in half.
"Reminder," Betty's voice cut my rage off. "It is recommended that all seals are checked before jumping again."
Sighing, I let the notebook drift off further away into the bridge as I headed further into the Manassas.
"You could work with me a bit," I muttered. "I understand that you're an old girl, but that doesn't mean you have to be upset."
The silence was deafening, the eerie quiet filling the air and putting pressure on me as I floated through the cargo bay.
Finally reaching the engine room, I checked the seals before tucking my knees into my chest and allowing myself to float away as I tried to figure out where to go from here.
Months later, En route to secret supply base between Taurian Concordat and Federated Suns …
"Reactor online, sensors online, weapons online, all systems nominal."
"I love your voice, Betty," I sat in the simulator and turned it off again before restarting it so that I could hear the sequence again. "You never change."
Finally, I began the scenario, narrowly avoiding the first barrage of LRMs and nailing the Highlander with a PPC before ducking into the rainforest, the thick trees protecting me from the return fire and hiding me from the Assault mechs that lay in wait.
"Passive sensors engaged," Betty said as I skid to a stop and shut down any external signs that I existed aside from the heat of my reactor.
I held my breath as an Atlas walked by, the 100-tonner missing me in the trees.
"Come on," I muttered as the mech turned its back on me. "I just need one shot."
The Atlas then turned and spotted me, its AC/20 spitting out projectiles as its lasers carved apart the jungle.
Snapping my medium lasers and SRMs onto the target, I flipped my active sensors online as I slammed my feet on the pedals, driving my Warhammer forward as I tore into the assault mech's knees, carving away at the armor and driving the mech back as I got into minimum range.
"No, you don't," I kicked the Atlas back, the AC/20 going wide as I turned a kick into a shove with my shoulder, followed by my SRMs tearing into the grinning skull.
After I shattered the Atlas, I was racked by a Gauss slug, the shoulder of my Warhammer caving in as the armor shattered.
Moving quickly, I ducked around the Atlas, using its massive bulk as cover, holding it up with one PPC as I aimed the other at the Nightstar that was at extreme range.
Squeezing my trigger, a bolt of manmade lightning moved through the forest, only to splash harmlessly against a tree branch before it approached its target.
Another two Gauss rounds impacted the Atlas I was using as a shield, driving me down to a knee as I braced against the heavier machine before shoving it off and firing both PPCs at the same time as the Nightstar hammered me with its own armament, the twin gauss rifles accompanied by the ER PPC tearing away the last of my torso protection and leaving me vulnerable to the laser and machine gun fire that came from the nearby trees, sending my mech crashing to the ground and ending the simulation.
"Dammit!" I slammed my fist into the side of the pod, the unyielding metal breaking the skin over my knuckles. "Is it too much to ask for even one easy simulation?! Huh?! Can't I catch a break here?!"
Opening the simulator pod, I stormed out toward the gym, there was a punching bag that needed some attention.
"And now we wait for two more weeks," I looked at the map. "Another two weeks of freakin' paradise! Isn't it great that we get to enjoy this together?!"
"But it's just me," I sagged. "Nobody in cryo like in that movie with Chris Pratt, no Wilson to talk to. I'm all alone, At least Robinson Crusoe had animals, and shipwrecks to explore. Me? I'm just stuck here with nothing to do!"
As I raged against everything, my phone floated out of my pocket, the familiar device catching my eye.
"Maybe there's something I missed," I sucked in air and forced my fists to unclench, the anger still churning in my gut.
Unlocking my phone, I went through all of my apps before my eyes lit on something that I had forgotten.
"That's right!" a grin broke through my face. "I downloaded some movies to listen to on the drives!"
Touching the control on the thrusters, I shot forward, heading for the Grav deck at a rapid pace. I had movies to watch, and nothing but time to enjoy them with.
–
–
Flipping on the Tri-vid, I reclined the small chair back and sipped on some whiskey that I had found in the kitchens, somehow, they still used 3.5mm audio jacks and I was able to capture the sound in high definition while also recording the screen. The hologram made up for any mistakes I had made while recording the movies to watch on the big screen.
"As long as the audio is synched then it doesn't matter," I nodded to myself as I watched Keanu Reeves begin his descent back into the underworld of John Wick.
The audio in this small theater space was incredible, with the gunshots sounding just as good as they had when I saw them in theaters back home, and the sound of human voices aside from Betty and the music I had was calming. Finally, I was able to find some small manner of peace, even if I did have a long time before I reached my destination.
Chapter 9
MarkWarrior
Well-known member
Chapter 9
A third of the way to the coordinates between the Federated Suns and Taurian Concordat…
"Yes, I'll make a man, out of you!" I sang at the top of my lungs as I checked over some of the gun emplacements on the Manassas. "You must be swift as the coursing river, with all the force of a great typhoon. With all the strength of a raging fire, mysterious as the dark side of the mooooon!"
I belted out lyrics as I serviced the gun, my voice eventually fading as I realized I had forgotten some of the lyrics. "What was the next part?" I muttered as I checked over the autocannon ammunition for defects. "Not important, I can figure it out later."
"I need something to do," I sighed. "I've maintained everything so far, and I don't want to face off against the computer again."
I glanced down at my body, the movement from zero-g to gravity and back had kept me lean, but the workouts had ensured that what little fat I had, had been converted into muscle, having nothing to do besides work and work out had some pleasant side effects, but was also not something that I had expected.
"I need better hobbies," I laughed as gravity regained its hold on me once again. "I'm acting a bit crazy."
"But first, Lunch," I hummed as I examined the stash of MREs. "I wonder how the Triple F burger tastes?" I grabbed one of the Fedsun's ration packs and started heating it. "I hope the reputation holds up."
"Nighthawk armor test five hundred and eighty-eight," I said to the camera as I moved off of the pedestal, grabbing the device as I moved to the cargo bay. "Today we're testing maneuverability, along with breaking down the suit to figure out how it works on an individual area level. I've already collected some of the industrial exoskeletons from the cargo bay, and I'm going to see how different they are."
The built-in Jump jets were nice, and I used them to move quickly through the ship before reaching the area I had set aside for testing.
–
–
"So, after further analysis, I've noted a couple of issues with the Nighthawk powered armor," I said to the camera. "Especially when you compare it to an industrial exoskeleton."
"The first issue is the ease of manufacture. The Nighthawk requires certain proprietary computing and other high-tech processes to build the suits in any number. Whereas, the industrial suits can be built in any facility that can make both tanks or mechs and can even be manufactured from the scrap materials of both facilities of both. The power sources for both suits are utter bullshit. With neither of them being able to hold enough power for a logical engagement. A battle could wear on for days, and you might not be able to resupply. And with the suits as heavy as they are, if anything happens to your power, then you're Shit outta luck. God forbid you end up behind enemy lines in one of these things."
"I think that the suits are good," I pointed toward the Nighthawk. "But there are a lot of things that I would change if given the chance. I'll start working on design philosophies later, it's not like I've got anything but time on my hands right now."
"Nope, not today!" I dodged a barrage of LRMs as they dropped from the sky, my PPCs connecting with the Catapult that had launched them and cutting off one of its knees.
Spinning around, I allowed my mech to cool for a moment before targeting a Crab with my SRMs, the missiles leaving craters along the enemy mech as they detonated, the lasers that followed drove the lighter mech back as my PPCs cycle.
"Target destroyed," Betty whispered in my ear as I took out the cockpit of the Catapult that was struggling to rise to its feet. "Mech powerup detected!"
"I know that I'm being targeted!" I yelled back to Betty. "You don't need to remind me every time something appears!"
Breaking out into a run, I drove my Warhammer into the nearby river and knelt, the river flowing over my mech and cooling it off as steam rose around me.
Standing up, I nailed the Crab with everything barring my small lasers and Machine guns, the lasers, missiles, and manmade lightning tore the gyro out of the mech and left the medium crippled on the ground.
"Come on now," I whispered to the simulations. "You never start with mediums and heavies. What's your play here?"
I cycled through the various vision modes as I looked around, trying to locate what traps the computer had left for me now when Betty spoke into my ear. "Target detected."
"Oh, fuck me I guess," the Warhammer shrugged in tune with me as a quartet of ASF dropped bombs from the sky and flattened my mech along with everything around it for a kilometer or so.
"I just can't win," I leaned back against the harness. "I don't have a lance with me, and there's not a chance in hell I would have been able to take out four Elite ASF pilots with only a couple of PPCs."
"What's next, huh?" I glared at the machine. "You're going to have me start out in a minefield, or be bombarded by artillery platforms as soon as I leave the mech bay?"
"Dammit!" I climbed out of the sim pod. "I was actually doing well for once."
Toweling off the sweat that had accumulated, I made my way to the showers, It was almost time to plot the next jump, and I needed something to do that wouldn't drive me even more insane.
"I need to find something new to do," I climbed into the shower, the limited water running off and into a recycling center. "Maybe there's something on one of the data cores somewhere."
—
—
"And, time for the second jump," I pushed the button, and the strangeness of jumping filled my mind again.
"I wonder if I'm going crazy?" I asked after the few strange visions had passed. "Or if having weird dreams during jumps is normal."
"Who am I kidding, I'm talking to myself, I've been on the crazy train for a long time now," I chuckled as I began to run the systems checks again while humming a tune that I remembered from long ago.
A third of the way to the coordinates between the Federated Suns and Taurian Concordat…
"Yes, I'll make a man, out of you!" I sang at the top of my lungs as I checked over some of the gun emplacements on the Manassas. "You must be swift as the coursing river, with all the force of a great typhoon. With all the strength of a raging fire, mysterious as the dark side of the mooooon!"
I belted out lyrics as I serviced the gun, my voice eventually fading as I realized I had forgotten some of the lyrics. "What was the next part?" I muttered as I checked over the autocannon ammunition for defects. "Not important, I can figure it out later."
"I need something to do," I sighed. "I've maintained everything so far, and I don't want to face off against the computer again."
I glanced down at my body, the movement from zero-g to gravity and back had kept me lean, but the workouts had ensured that what little fat I had, had been converted into muscle, having nothing to do besides work and work out had some pleasant side effects, but was also not something that I had expected.
"I need better hobbies," I laughed as gravity regained its hold on me once again. "I'm acting a bit crazy."
"But first, Lunch," I hummed as I examined the stash of MREs. "I wonder how the Triple F burger tastes?" I grabbed one of the Fedsun's ration packs and started heating it. "I hope the reputation holds up."
"Nighthawk armor test five hundred and eighty-eight," I said to the camera as I moved off of the pedestal, grabbing the device as I moved to the cargo bay. "Today we're testing maneuverability, along with breaking down the suit to figure out how it works on an individual area level. I've already collected some of the industrial exoskeletons from the cargo bay, and I'm going to see how different they are."
The built-in Jump jets were nice, and I used them to move quickly through the ship before reaching the area I had set aside for testing.
–
–
"So, after further analysis, I've noted a couple of issues with the Nighthawk powered armor," I said to the camera. "Especially when you compare it to an industrial exoskeleton."
"The first issue is the ease of manufacture. The Nighthawk requires certain proprietary computing and other high-tech processes to build the suits in any number. Whereas, the industrial suits can be built in any facility that can make both tanks or mechs and can even be manufactured from the scrap materials of both facilities of both. The power sources for both suits are utter bullshit. With neither of them being able to hold enough power for a logical engagement. A battle could wear on for days, and you might not be able to resupply. And with the suits as heavy as they are, if anything happens to your power, then you're Shit outta luck. God forbid you end up behind enemy lines in one of these things."
"I think that the suits are good," I pointed toward the Nighthawk. "But there are a lot of things that I would change if given the chance. I'll start working on design philosophies later, it's not like I've got anything but time on my hands right now."
"Nope, not today!" I dodged a barrage of LRMs as they dropped from the sky, my PPCs connecting with the Catapult that had launched them and cutting off one of its knees.
Spinning around, I allowed my mech to cool for a moment before targeting a Crab with my SRMs, the missiles leaving craters along the enemy mech as they detonated, the lasers that followed drove the lighter mech back as my PPCs cycle.
"Target destroyed," Betty whispered in my ear as I took out the cockpit of the Catapult that was struggling to rise to its feet. "Mech powerup detected!"
"I know that I'm being targeted!" I yelled back to Betty. "You don't need to remind me every time something appears!"
Breaking out into a run, I drove my Warhammer into the nearby river and knelt, the river flowing over my mech and cooling it off as steam rose around me.
Standing up, I nailed the Crab with everything barring my small lasers and Machine guns, the lasers, missiles, and manmade lightning tore the gyro out of the mech and left the medium crippled on the ground.
"Come on now," I whispered to the simulations. "You never start with mediums and heavies. What's your play here?"
I cycled through the various vision modes as I looked around, trying to locate what traps the computer had left for me now when Betty spoke into my ear. "Target detected."
"Oh, fuck me I guess," the Warhammer shrugged in tune with me as a quartet of ASF dropped bombs from the sky and flattened my mech along with everything around it for a kilometer or so.
"I just can't win," I leaned back against the harness. "I don't have a lance with me, and there's not a chance in hell I would have been able to take out four Elite ASF pilots with only a couple of PPCs."
"What's next, huh?" I glared at the machine. "You're going to have me start out in a minefield, or be bombarded by artillery platforms as soon as I leave the mech bay?"
"Dammit!" I climbed out of the sim pod. "I was actually doing well for once."
Toweling off the sweat that had accumulated, I made my way to the showers, It was almost time to plot the next jump, and I needed something to do that wouldn't drive me even more insane.
"I need to find something new to do," I climbed into the shower, the limited water running off and into a recycling center. "Maybe there's something on one of the data cores somewhere."
—
—
"And, time for the second jump," I pushed the button, and the strangeness of jumping filled my mind again.
"I wonder if I'm going crazy?" I asked after the few strange visions had passed. "Or if having weird dreams during jumps is normal."
"Who am I kidding, I'm talking to myself, I've been on the crazy train for a long time now," I chuckled as I began to run the systems checks again while humming a tune that I remembered from long ago.
Chapter 10
MarkWarrior
Well-known member
Chapter 10
Two-thirds of the way to the coordinates between the Federated Suns and the Taurian Concordat…
"We need you, Mark," my wife's voice whispered into my ears. "The kids need a father. Come home."
"I can't," I whispered back as I swallowed and a few tears floated up from my eyes. "There is no way home."
"There is one way."
"No," I shook my head. "I'm not doing it. There is always a way to improve your situation."
"You don't believe that anymore," a weight settled onto my shoulders. "You're just going through the motions."
"You're right," the tension left my body. "I am just going through the motions. But better a shallow existence now that can be improved later than death."
"It would be so easy though, and you wouldn't feel anything."
I was hyperventilating, I knew that there wasn't anything there on some levels, but everything was real. I could hear the voice of my wife. I could feel something touching me.
"I can't do what you're asking of me," I whispered. "I won't do it, I won't do it….."
"Jump target is set," I muttered. "Dead world number thirty-five, yay!" I pumped my fist into the air with a halfhearted grunt. "Now to go run more maintenance."
"No," I shook my head as I reached one of the cargo bays. "I'm doing something different today."
I floated over to the crate that I had identified with a data core earlier and attached it to my tether.
"We're going to see what you have on you," I hit the jets and began moving to the Grav-deck. "I might as well figure out if there's anything else interesting here."
There was silence in response, I was still alone. There was no Friday to my Robinson Crusoe, no parrots, no goats. I remained the only living thing on the ship, and there was no substitute for companionship.
–
–
"Whelp, this drive is useful, but ultimately not something that's likely to get me killed," I glanced over the data. "Lots of stuff here on Hegemony water purifiers and the like. But I'm not seeing a lot of military hardware here. Basic myomer structures, how to build exoskeletons. Oh, now this is interesting."
"So, what's the play here?" I asked myself as I climbed into the simulator once more. "Got any ideas for me before I run out and get shot, Betty?"
The computer remained silent, the power up cycle seemingly taking longer than normal before the familiar layout of a Warhammer appeared in front of me.
"An island chain," I looked at the tactical map. "Wonder what I'll get hit with this time."
"Mech power up detected!" Betty announced as she displayed a Locust in my sensors.
"Whelp, that does it, I'm screwed," I squeezed the trigger, one of my PPCs narrowly missing the 20 ton mech before it dodge right into the SRMs that I had led it into, one of the actuators on its leg shattering and sending the mech down into a slide.
Pouring some lasers in to the mech, I watched as the mech vanished from my sensor screen before turning and surveying the area around me.
"Come on," I twisted my Warhammer's torso, trying to see where the surprise was going to come from. "I know there's something here."
As I flipped through the vision modes, I eventually saw something on the horizon, a sigh leaving my mouth as I sagged against the straps.
I looked up at the sky and began running for the trees, the LRMs briefly blotted out the sun as I avoided as many as I could.
"I don't have the range to take those on yet," I moved out of the line of sight, parts of the wire diagram of my mech shining yellow signifying the loss of armor. "They've got to have a spotter somewhere around here."
Then the artillery shells started dropping onto the forest, the simulator turning up the heat to show that some of them had been incendiary shells, the forest around me going up in a blaze as the artillery rounds set them on fire.
"I surrender," I ran through the power down sequence that showed a surrender. "I'm not fighting that today. I just can't."
The simulator shut down shortly afterward, my mech having been thrown to the ground and taken out by some precision arty rounds.
"I'm so tired," I leaned my head back against the headrest and closed my eyes. "Why can't I just get a win? Just once I would like to have something that is going well for me."
I undid the straps and slid out of the simulator, following my normal routine of showering and then climbing into bed. "Maybe things will be better in the morning."
–
–
Things were not better in the morning. I felt miserable, a chill set into me and my bones ached. My left knee throbbed as if I had reinjured it and my entire body screamed for me to simply lay still.
"I think, I'm going to do nothing today," I drank some water before rolling over and closing my eyes, slipping off into the soft world of sleep.
Two-thirds of the way to the coordinates between the Federated Suns and the Taurian Concordat…
"We need you, Mark," my wife's voice whispered into my ears. "The kids need a father. Come home."
"I can't," I whispered back as I swallowed and a few tears floated up from my eyes. "There is no way home."
"There is one way."
"No," I shook my head. "I'm not doing it. There is always a way to improve your situation."
"You don't believe that anymore," a weight settled onto my shoulders. "You're just going through the motions."
"You're right," the tension left my body. "I am just going through the motions. But better a shallow existence now that can be improved later than death."
"It would be so easy though, and you wouldn't feel anything."
I was hyperventilating, I knew that there wasn't anything there on some levels, but everything was real. I could hear the voice of my wife. I could feel something touching me.
"I can't do what you're asking of me," I whispered. "I won't do it, I won't do it….."
"Jump target is set," I muttered. "Dead world number thirty-five, yay!" I pumped my fist into the air with a halfhearted grunt. "Now to go run more maintenance."
"No," I shook my head as I reached one of the cargo bays. "I'm doing something different today."
I floated over to the crate that I had identified with a data core earlier and attached it to my tether.
"We're going to see what you have on you," I hit the jets and began moving to the Grav-deck. "I might as well figure out if there's anything else interesting here."
There was silence in response, I was still alone. There was no Friday to my Robinson Crusoe, no parrots, no goats. I remained the only living thing on the ship, and there was no substitute for companionship.
–
–
"Whelp, this drive is useful, but ultimately not something that's likely to get me killed," I glanced over the data. "Lots of stuff here on Hegemony water purifiers and the like. But I'm not seeing a lot of military hardware here. Basic myomer structures, how to build exoskeletons. Oh, now this is interesting."
"So, what's the play here?" I asked myself as I climbed into the simulator once more. "Got any ideas for me before I run out and get shot, Betty?"
The computer remained silent, the power up cycle seemingly taking longer than normal before the familiar layout of a Warhammer appeared in front of me.
"An island chain," I looked at the tactical map. "Wonder what I'll get hit with this time."
"Mech power up detected!" Betty announced as she displayed a Locust in my sensors.
"Whelp, that does it, I'm screwed," I squeezed the trigger, one of my PPCs narrowly missing the 20 ton mech before it dodge right into the SRMs that I had led it into, one of the actuators on its leg shattering and sending the mech down into a slide.
Pouring some lasers in to the mech, I watched as the mech vanished from my sensor screen before turning and surveying the area around me.
"Come on," I twisted my Warhammer's torso, trying to see where the surprise was going to come from. "I know there's something here."
As I flipped through the vision modes, I eventually saw something on the horizon, a sigh leaving my mouth as I sagged against the straps.
I looked up at the sky and began running for the trees, the LRMs briefly blotted out the sun as I avoided as many as I could.
"I don't have the range to take those on yet," I moved out of the line of sight, parts of the wire diagram of my mech shining yellow signifying the loss of armor. "They've got to have a spotter somewhere around here."
Then the artillery shells started dropping onto the forest, the simulator turning up the heat to show that some of them had been incendiary shells, the forest around me going up in a blaze as the artillery rounds set them on fire.
"I surrender," I ran through the power down sequence that showed a surrender. "I'm not fighting that today. I just can't."
The simulator shut down shortly afterward, my mech having been thrown to the ground and taken out by some precision arty rounds.
"I'm so tired," I leaned my head back against the headrest and closed my eyes. "Why can't I just get a win? Just once I would like to have something that is going well for me."
I undid the straps and slid out of the simulator, following my normal routine of showering and then climbing into bed. "Maybe things will be better in the morning."
–
–
Things were not better in the morning. I felt miserable, a chill set into me and my bones ached. My left knee throbbed as if I had reinjured it and my entire body screamed for me to simply lay still.
"I think, I'm going to do nothing today," I drank some water before rolling over and closing my eyes, slipping off into the soft world of sleep.
I think he's made it longer than I would have in that situation...yikes.
MarkWarrior
Well-known member
Trying to portray the slow progression of madness over time. And then the climb back to sanity.
Chapter 11
MarkWarrior
Well-known member
Chapter 11
“It’d be so easy,” the voice whispered in my ear. “It’s not like you don’t have the means to do it.”
I considered the weapon in my lap, considering the words spoken.
“Just a gentle squeeze, and then you would feel the sweet release. Don’t you want to return to those who you love?”
I closed my eyes and exhaled slowly as I set my old handgun to the side.
A tear trickled down my face as I stood up and turned to move. Action, it seemed was my only path forward.
“They can’t touch me if I’m working,” I muttered, obsessively going over every single component of the bridge instruments. “Stay busy and they’ll leave me alone.”
Screwdriver and small instruments kit in hand, I dismantled the panels before putting them back together, focusing everything on moving away from the demons that were haunting me.
–
–
“Scenario one cleared, beginning the transition into scenario two,” Betty informed me as the screen went black; the simulator loading the next one.
“Oh, fuck me,” I breathed as the blur of Terra was ‘below’ the feet of my mech. “
“All units, prepare to secure drop zones,” a voice in Russian-accented English came through my speakers. “Those of you alive in orbit, try to make your way down and join us, if you are unable to, then await pickup after the battle has been completed.”
My Warhammer spun in a lazy circle as the simulators fed me information via the sensors.
“Enemy fighter detected, enemy fighter detected,” Betty’s voice drew me out of the sense of wonder that had filled me.
“Options,” I scanned the instruments available to me. “I can’t maneuver in space, and I’m not in a drop pod.”
Snapping my fingers, I flipped the arming switch and triggered my SRMs in a staggered pattern, changing the spin cycle and allowing me to face the ASF that were about to close in.
Relying on the scanners, I gently squeezed off both PPCs, the twin arcs of lightning missing the fighter completely as an AC/20 round shattered my armor and sent me spinning off further away from the planet below.
Keeping my breathing steady, I started sending out handshake protocols, trying to see if there were any friendlies in this scenario, or if I were alone again.
“This is Spectre, looks like you’re in the same boat I am,” a deep voice responded to my comms. “I can see you’re in a ‘Hammer. I’m in a Blackjack, but my targeting computer was stripped outta Rifleman, I’ll link my comp to yours, and we’ll see if we can survive this.”
Tapping an acknowledgment on my comms, I accepted the link before signing as I saw the amount of enemy fighters were around us.
“We’ve got a group of three moving in,” Spectre breathed. “Follow my lead.”
The sensors told me that the Blackjack’s autocannon was ineffective, but I triggered what I had anyway, and was rewarded when one of the fighters burst into debris for a brief moment before a trip of PPCs and an AC/20 carved a hole into my armor and cored my engine, the screen going black aside from the view of Earth far below as it faded away.
Nearing the coordinates between the Taurian Concordat and Federated Suns.
I prayed, I prayed like I had never done before in my life, I was close to giving up, and I didn’t know if I had the strength to continue on.
“Lord, I know that I’ve not always been the most faithful of servants, that I’ve screwed up, and that I often turn my back on your ways for the short but seemingly more pleasant path,” I breathed as I considered my next words. “I’ve lived as if you didn’t exist, and I was wrong. And now, I need you more than I’ve ever needed you before. I need your comfort, I need your presence. I am alone, and I don’t know how much longer I can take,” I sobbed, words leaving me as I wept alone and in silence.
Then, a gentle warmth seemed to spread through me, and it felt as if I had been given a hug, the weight having lifted off of my shoulders.
I had once heard it said that religion was a crutch, and while they meant my faith specifically, they were also referencing every religion that had existed. They had said that any such faith was only for those too weak to live life on their own.
Well, they were right. I needed a crutch, and I could not do this on my own. And now, as I neared the end of this bit of my journey, I needed the comfort of faith more than ever before.
So I wiped my tears from my eyes, blew my nose, and crawled into bed. Tomorrow would be a new day.
Journal Entry: Day 520
Well, I’m about to find out what those coordinates had at them. Seems that whatever it is, the Star League really wanted it hidden away from everyone.
I’m… sorry that I wasn’t able to keep this more up to date, there are a few stretches of time that I don’t actually remember, gaps in my memory where I think I went crazy.
Ha! If my computer hadn’t been keeping track of the days for me, I wouldn’t have even known what year it is right now.
Anyway, when I hopefully look back and am able to read this, I hope I’m in a better place. It got pretty dark here for a while.
Just remember to keep hope alive. Even when it seems lost, Faith, Hope, and Love are important to staying alive. Don’t let them go, or you’ll find yourself on a path that leads to destruction.
I’ll update this journal when I’ve made the transition to the next jump point. Guess I’ll write some more down then.
“It’d be so easy,” the voice whispered in my ear. “It’s not like you don’t have the means to do it.”
I considered the weapon in my lap, considering the words spoken.
“Just a gentle squeeze, and then you would feel the sweet release. Don’t you want to return to those who you love?”
I closed my eyes and exhaled slowly as I set my old handgun to the side.
A tear trickled down my face as I stood up and turned to move. Action, it seemed was my only path forward.
“They can’t touch me if I’m working,” I muttered, obsessively going over every single component of the bridge instruments. “Stay busy and they’ll leave me alone.”
Screwdriver and small instruments kit in hand, I dismantled the panels before putting them back together, focusing everything on moving away from the demons that were haunting me.
–
–
“Scenario one cleared, beginning the transition into scenario two,” Betty informed me as the screen went black; the simulator loading the next one.
“Oh, fuck me,” I breathed as the blur of Terra was ‘below’ the feet of my mech. “
“All units, prepare to secure drop zones,” a voice in Russian-accented English came through my speakers. “Those of you alive in orbit, try to make your way down and join us, if you are unable to, then await pickup after the battle has been completed.”
My Warhammer spun in a lazy circle as the simulators fed me information via the sensors.
“Enemy fighter detected, enemy fighter detected,” Betty’s voice drew me out of the sense of wonder that had filled me.
“Options,” I scanned the instruments available to me. “I can’t maneuver in space, and I’m not in a drop pod.”
Snapping my fingers, I flipped the arming switch and triggered my SRMs in a staggered pattern, changing the spin cycle and allowing me to face the ASF that were about to close in.
Relying on the scanners, I gently squeezed off both PPCs, the twin arcs of lightning missing the fighter completely as an AC/20 round shattered my armor and sent me spinning off further away from the planet below.
Keeping my breathing steady, I started sending out handshake protocols, trying to see if there were any friendlies in this scenario, or if I were alone again.
“This is Spectre, looks like you’re in the same boat I am,” a deep voice responded to my comms. “I can see you’re in a ‘Hammer. I’m in a Blackjack, but my targeting computer was stripped outta Rifleman, I’ll link my comp to yours, and we’ll see if we can survive this.”
Tapping an acknowledgment on my comms, I accepted the link before signing as I saw the amount of enemy fighters were around us.
“We’ve got a group of three moving in,” Spectre breathed. “Follow my lead.”
The sensors told me that the Blackjack’s autocannon was ineffective, but I triggered what I had anyway, and was rewarded when one of the fighters burst into debris for a brief moment before a trip of PPCs and an AC/20 carved a hole into my armor and cored my engine, the screen going black aside from the view of Earth far below as it faded away.
Nearing the coordinates between the Taurian Concordat and Federated Suns.
I prayed, I prayed like I had never done before in my life, I was close to giving up, and I didn’t know if I had the strength to continue on.
“Lord, I know that I’ve not always been the most faithful of servants, that I’ve screwed up, and that I often turn my back on your ways for the short but seemingly more pleasant path,” I breathed as I considered my next words. “I’ve lived as if you didn’t exist, and I was wrong. And now, I need you more than I’ve ever needed you before. I need your comfort, I need your presence. I am alone, and I don’t know how much longer I can take,” I sobbed, words leaving me as I wept alone and in silence.
Then, a gentle warmth seemed to spread through me, and it felt as if I had been given a hug, the weight having lifted off of my shoulders.
I had once heard it said that religion was a crutch, and while they meant my faith specifically, they were also referencing every religion that had existed. They had said that any such faith was only for those too weak to live life on their own.
Well, they were right. I needed a crutch, and I could not do this on my own. And now, as I neared the end of this bit of my journey, I needed the comfort of faith more than ever before.
So I wiped my tears from my eyes, blew my nose, and crawled into bed. Tomorrow would be a new day.
Journal Entry: Day 520
Well, I’m about to find out what those coordinates had at them. Seems that whatever it is, the Star League really wanted it hidden away from everyone.
I’m… sorry that I wasn’t able to keep this more up to date, there are a few stretches of time that I don’t actually remember, gaps in my memory where I think I went crazy.
Ha! If my computer hadn’t been keeping track of the days for me, I wouldn’t have even known what year it is right now.
Anyway, when I hopefully look back and am able to read this, I hope I’m in a better place. It got pretty dark here for a while.
Just remember to keep hope alive. Even when it seems lost, Faith, Hope, and Love are important to staying alive. Don’t let them go, or you’ll find yourself on a path that leads to destruction.
I’ll update this journal when I’ve made the transition to the next jump point. Guess I’ll write some more down then.
Yea...imagine what it was like for him...err..wait. That's a bad idea.
Or imagined friend.Just made some robot and start talking to him.He would be mad,but do not kill himself,and still capable of working.
Chapter 12
MarkWarrior
Well-known member
Chapter 12
Taking a sip of my coffee, I went over the route again, manuals were littered across the table as I went through every procedure that was listed.
"Come on, there's got to be something there," I let my head fall onto the table, the cool metal surface clearing my mind a bit. "I'm gonna have to check the sensors to see if I'll have to use one of the Confederates down, or if I can just dock with the Manassas."
–
–
"Well, that's interesting," I looked at the picture of the system the sensors had painted for me. "Freakin' Star League," I shook my head. "Always knew they had too much money on their hands."
The SLDF had hidden a small repair and resupply base in this system. Without the right knowledge, this system would simply be another one of the thousands of systems that had been marked down as not having a habitable planet.
But with the right knowledge, some things were made very clear.
"The SLDF was very much prepared for the periphery to rebel," I muttered. "I bet this isn't even the only system set aside for this sort of thing. If the RWR could have hidden factories and shipyards, then the League likely did as well."
I moved to the comms station and sent out a basic communications signal with Captain Cromwell's old codes, hoping that there would be some sort of automated response.
After waiting for a few minutes, an automated handshake protocol responded. Nothing more than a simple docking instruction, but it was enough to tell me that the facility was still active and capable of responding.
"And now I have to figure out how to get you docked with this place, old girl," I patted the console of the Manassas' bridge. "Because I'm still figuring out some of your tricks."
Moving over to the next station, I did something that had not been done in over two hundred years.
Hitting a small switch I slowly pushed the Fusion engines forward, keeping an eye on the reactor's heat levels and looking for any signs that my maintenance had been faulty.
And then, gravity slowly changed as the whole Warship reached 1G for the first time in nearly three centuries.
Now I had to do the hard part. Figure out how to fly in more than a straight line, and how to dock with the station.
"So, it looks like I've got three or four options," I muttered as I stroked my beard. "Option one is going for a spacewalk after parking close enough for it to be feasible. Option two is taking one of the Confederates to the repair facility and working things out from there. Option three is I learn how to trigger the automated systems and dock the Manassas with the station. And option four is I turn this thing around and park it in one of the Fedsun's or Concordat's systems and see what they'll give me for it."
I considered my options for a few moments before my curiosity got the better of me.
"I really want to know what's on the station," I grin as I position myself to move back onto the bridge. "Who knows what secrets the League was hiding out here in BFE?"
–
–
Adjusting my grip on the controls, I wiped some sweat from my brow before toggling the side thrusters, the aft of the ship spinning gently around and to a stop as I flared the opposing side and the aft stopped moving.
I looked at the simulated run and sighed, space is massive, and getting a ship perfectly aligned to dock with a station of any kind required precision like I had never considered before. All of the media I had ever consumed made it look easy.
It was anything but easy, momentum continues in space until you generate an opposite reaction. This sounds simple, we have all had science classes, and the basics of Newton's principles and laws are common sense by now. But knowing about the basic laws that govern the void, and knowing how they interact with what you're doing immediately was another thing entirely.
"Simulation failed," Betty informed me. "Generating success rate."
"I'm not sure I want to know," I rested my head on the terminal screen while waiting for Betty to tell me how I did.
"Success rate of thirty percent, please see your immediate superior officer for more training."
"So let's do it again," I sat up and restarted the scenario, I was going to get this done right. Even if it took me weeks before I was ready to accomplish it.
Day 2
"Success rate of thirty-five percent."
-
Day 3
"Success rate of twenty-five percent."
-
Day 4
"Success rate of ten percent"
"Stupid fucking simulator," I swore and slammed my hand into my thigh, wincing as the pain shot through my leg. "It shouldn't be this hard to just learn how to move a brick in space!"
-
Day 5
"Success rate of five-zero percent."
"I know," I muttered as I closed my eyes and tried to go to sleep. "I'm aware that I failed again, just let me sleep before I try it again."
But my mind would not let me rest. As I tried to sleep, visions of failing the docking procedure played out behind my eyelids. The potential explosions that might occur, the rupture of the hull, and death due to lack of oxygen. The horror of being alone forever as I died out here where no one would mourn me.
"Would you like to restart the simulation?" Betty asked as I opened my eyes and grabbed at the controls before tapping yes.
–
–
I had once laughed at a joke said in the Mass Effect series, but I in no way considered it a joke now. Sir Isaac Newton was truly the most deadly son of a bitch in space. Momentum, gravity, thrust, everything in space relied on his basic principles and laws, and nothing dared to violate them with the exception of the K-F drives.
I shook my head free of my thoughts and consciously loosened my grip on the controls as I eased the Manassas into the proper area, the computers communicating across the void as I shifted forward.
Part of the Asteroid opened up, a 'U' shape extending out and lights appearing to guide me in.
"Nothing ventured," I repeated the old maxim. "Nothing gained."
Pushing the controls forward, I guided the ship into the berth, my hands dancing across the various controls as I feathered through the area and watched as the green lights lit up to indicate a solid position before magnetic clamps latched on and secured the ship in place.
"I never want to do that again," I released the breath that I had been holding. "That was terrifying."
I leaned back in the chair as the thrusters were cut off and the berth retracted back into the asteroid.
"Now for a little exploration."
Taking a sip of my coffee, I went over the route again, manuals were littered across the table as I went through every procedure that was listed.
"Come on, there's got to be something there," I let my head fall onto the table, the cool metal surface clearing my mind a bit. "I'm gonna have to check the sensors to see if I'll have to use one of the Confederates down, or if I can just dock with the Manassas."
–
–
"Well, that's interesting," I looked at the picture of the system the sensors had painted for me. "Freakin' Star League," I shook my head. "Always knew they had too much money on their hands."
The SLDF had hidden a small repair and resupply base in this system. Without the right knowledge, this system would simply be another one of the thousands of systems that had been marked down as not having a habitable planet.
But with the right knowledge, some things were made very clear.
"The SLDF was very much prepared for the periphery to rebel," I muttered. "I bet this isn't even the only system set aside for this sort of thing. If the RWR could have hidden factories and shipyards, then the League likely did as well."
I moved to the comms station and sent out a basic communications signal with Captain Cromwell's old codes, hoping that there would be some sort of automated response.
After waiting for a few minutes, an automated handshake protocol responded. Nothing more than a simple docking instruction, but it was enough to tell me that the facility was still active and capable of responding.
"And now I have to figure out how to get you docked with this place, old girl," I patted the console of the Manassas' bridge. "Because I'm still figuring out some of your tricks."
Moving over to the next station, I did something that had not been done in over two hundred years.
Hitting a small switch I slowly pushed the Fusion engines forward, keeping an eye on the reactor's heat levels and looking for any signs that my maintenance had been faulty.
And then, gravity slowly changed as the whole Warship reached 1G for the first time in nearly three centuries.
Now I had to do the hard part. Figure out how to fly in more than a straight line, and how to dock with the station.
"So, it looks like I've got three or four options," I muttered as I stroked my beard. "Option one is going for a spacewalk after parking close enough for it to be feasible. Option two is taking one of the Confederates to the repair facility and working things out from there. Option three is I learn how to trigger the automated systems and dock the Manassas with the station. And option four is I turn this thing around and park it in one of the Fedsun's or Concordat's systems and see what they'll give me for it."
I considered my options for a few moments before my curiosity got the better of me.
"I really want to know what's on the station," I grin as I position myself to move back onto the bridge. "Who knows what secrets the League was hiding out here in BFE?"
–
–
Adjusting my grip on the controls, I wiped some sweat from my brow before toggling the side thrusters, the aft of the ship spinning gently around and to a stop as I flared the opposing side and the aft stopped moving.
I looked at the simulated run and sighed, space is massive, and getting a ship perfectly aligned to dock with a station of any kind required precision like I had never considered before. All of the media I had ever consumed made it look easy.
It was anything but easy, momentum continues in space until you generate an opposite reaction. This sounds simple, we have all had science classes, and the basics of Newton's principles and laws are common sense by now. But knowing about the basic laws that govern the void, and knowing how they interact with what you're doing immediately was another thing entirely.
"Simulation failed," Betty informed me. "Generating success rate."
"I'm not sure I want to know," I rested my head on the terminal screen while waiting for Betty to tell me how I did.
"Success rate of thirty percent, please see your immediate superior officer for more training."
"So let's do it again," I sat up and restarted the scenario, I was going to get this done right. Even if it took me weeks before I was ready to accomplish it.
Day 2
"Success rate of thirty-five percent."
-
Day 3
"Success rate of twenty-five percent."
-
Day 4
"Success rate of ten percent"
"Stupid fucking simulator," I swore and slammed my hand into my thigh, wincing as the pain shot through my leg. "It shouldn't be this hard to just learn how to move a brick in space!"
-
Day 5
"Success rate of five-zero percent."
"I know," I muttered as I closed my eyes and tried to go to sleep. "I'm aware that I failed again, just let me sleep before I try it again."
But my mind would not let me rest. As I tried to sleep, visions of failing the docking procedure played out behind my eyelids. The potential explosions that might occur, the rupture of the hull, and death due to lack of oxygen. The horror of being alone forever as I died out here where no one would mourn me.
"Would you like to restart the simulation?" Betty asked as I opened my eyes and grabbed at the controls before tapping yes.
–
–
I had once laughed at a joke said in the Mass Effect series, but I in no way considered it a joke now. Sir Isaac Newton was truly the most deadly son of a bitch in space. Momentum, gravity, thrust, everything in space relied on his basic principles and laws, and nothing dared to violate them with the exception of the K-F drives.
I shook my head free of my thoughts and consciously loosened my grip on the controls as I eased the Manassas into the proper area, the computers communicating across the void as I shifted forward.
Part of the Asteroid opened up, a 'U' shape extending out and lights appearing to guide me in.
"Nothing ventured," I repeated the old maxim. "Nothing gained."
Pushing the controls forward, I guided the ship into the berth, my hands dancing across the various controls as I feathered through the area and watched as the green lights lit up to indicate a solid position before magnetic clamps latched on and secured the ship in place.
"I never want to do that again," I released the breath that I had been holding. "That was terrifying."
I leaned back in the chair as the thrusters were cut off and the berth retracted back into the asteroid.
"Now for a little exploration."
IrishChaos
Active member
And he still doesn't have any living human company unless the SDLF left anyone in stasis on the station. He'll be mad soon.
He is already mad. Just not flinging fecal matter at the wall mad.
Chapter 13
MarkWarrior
Well-known member
Chapter 13
"It's beautiful," I wept as I looked at the simulated sunlight and overgrown greenhouse that was deep within the station. I knelt and smelled the overgrown grass and then spotted the pond that was further up, driving me to rise and look at the fish teeming within.
A grin spread across my face as I enjoyed the life that was here, it might just be plants and fish, but that was more than I had been able to see for the last two years.
Laying back against the grass and closing my eyes to the simulated sun, I could almost pretend that I was back on earth, the soil beneath me felt right, and the smell was almost home as well.
"I think I'll explore the rest of the station later," I yawned and let my head fall back against the grass. "I think I should get some rest."
With a final, pleased sigh, I drifted off into the peaceful embrace of sleep.
–
–
Waking up a few hours later, I sat up and rubbed the remnants of exhaustion out of my eyes, feeling more rested from the nap that I had just taken than I had from getting a full night's rest over the last two years.
"I'm going to have to see if there are any fishing poles around," I looked at the fish pond. "Some fried fish sounds really good right now."
Then, I left the greenhouse, I had rested enough for now and there was work to be done.
"One intact Potemkin carrier," I noted as I looked in the other full berths of this remote base. "One damaged Texas class battleship and one Invader jumpship," I sighed and drank some water to stave off the incoming headache. "And I get to go over the contents of every single one of them."
"We'll start with the Age of Discovery," I read the ship's title from the side. "Might be fun."
Moving via gantry, I reached one of the airlocks and began cycling through, the ship's power systems still being active enough for this sort of thing even after hundreds of years without being serviced.
"Say what you will about the Star League and other nations in this universe," I rapped the side of the ship once I was inside. "But they built things to last."
Then, turning on the light that was attached to the kit I was using, I started navigating to the cargo bay of the massive Warship.
"This was a waste of resources," I sighed as I looked at the mostly empty bay. "The Potemkin class could have been the best thing to happen to the merchant marine for every nation. Twenty-five dropships to ferry the cargo to and from the planet, and enough space for passenger capacity as well."
I shook my head as I inspected the crates that were left and began taking notes. "Lots of ammo supplies and spare SLDF uniforms, not much advanced tech here," I opened up one of the crates to find stacks of SLDF-grade neurohelmets. "Okay, there's some advanced tech here. But I don't think there's all that much on this ship at least."
–
–
After a few hours, I finished my inventory of the Age of Discovery's cargo bay and decided that it was time for a break.
Grabbing a fishing pole and some baits I had found, I went to the greenhouse and got set up, once again smiling at the green that was around me.
After a few minutes of waiting, a fish grabbed onto the hook and I reeled it in, a grin spreading across my face as I pulled the catfish off of my hook and dropped it into the bucket beside me.
I was going to eat well tonight.
I wasn't quite sure how they had managed to get the flour to stay shelf stable for this long, but I wasn't going to question it as I mixed together what I needed to fry the fish up, the egg substitute working as I breaded the filets and mixed in the spices that I was using to season.
My homemade cajun probably needed a bit of work, but I didn't have any hot sauce available, and I desperately needed something besides the MREs that had been left aboard the Manassas.
And so, I lowered the basket into the fryer, the sound of the fish cooking a delight to my ears as I moved over to begin cutting up the potatoes I had found in the greenhouse as the smell of freshly cooked food filled my nose for the first time in over a year.
"Remember to pull it out when it's golden brown," I reminded myself as I looked over the fryer at the fish cooking within.
After a couple of minutes, I pulled the fish out and set them to the side on a plate before letting the oil heat up again, once the temperature reached what it should be, I lowered the fries in and watched as they quickly began cooking.
"I'm glad that salt doesn't really go bad," I muttered as I tossed the fries in a bowl after they were done frying, the salt I had tossed in with the fries seasoning them.
"And now for dinner," I put the fries on the plate and sat down at the nearby table.
Using a fork, I easily cut a small piece of the fish off and chewed it thoughtfully before swallowing, a feeling of contentment settling over me as I enjoyed the taste of something similar to home.
"It's not quite as good as it could be," I ate a few fries. "But it's a damn sight better than those MREs."
I ate the plate and then went back to the kitchen where I fried up the rest of the fish and potatoes I had gathered earlier. I knew that I was going to pay for this later, but right now, I was hungry, and I was going to eat as much as I wanted before my stomach and brain decided to get on the same page.
I knew that there was a lot left to do, but for a minute, I almost felt like I was home again, and that made all the difference.
"It's beautiful," I wept as I looked at the simulated sunlight and overgrown greenhouse that was deep within the station. I knelt and smelled the overgrown grass and then spotted the pond that was further up, driving me to rise and look at the fish teeming within.
A grin spread across my face as I enjoyed the life that was here, it might just be plants and fish, but that was more than I had been able to see for the last two years.
Laying back against the grass and closing my eyes to the simulated sun, I could almost pretend that I was back on earth, the soil beneath me felt right, and the smell was almost home as well.
"I think I'll explore the rest of the station later," I yawned and let my head fall back against the grass. "I think I should get some rest."
With a final, pleased sigh, I drifted off into the peaceful embrace of sleep.
–
–
Waking up a few hours later, I sat up and rubbed the remnants of exhaustion out of my eyes, feeling more rested from the nap that I had just taken than I had from getting a full night's rest over the last two years.
"I'm going to have to see if there are any fishing poles around," I looked at the fish pond. "Some fried fish sounds really good right now."
Then, I left the greenhouse, I had rested enough for now and there was work to be done.
"One intact Potemkin carrier," I noted as I looked in the other full berths of this remote base. "One damaged Texas class battleship and one Invader jumpship," I sighed and drank some water to stave off the incoming headache. "And I get to go over the contents of every single one of them."
"We'll start with the Age of Discovery," I read the ship's title from the side. "Might be fun."
Moving via gantry, I reached one of the airlocks and began cycling through, the ship's power systems still being active enough for this sort of thing even after hundreds of years without being serviced.
"Say what you will about the Star League and other nations in this universe," I rapped the side of the ship once I was inside. "But they built things to last."
Then, turning on the light that was attached to the kit I was using, I started navigating to the cargo bay of the massive Warship.
"This was a waste of resources," I sighed as I looked at the mostly empty bay. "The Potemkin class could have been the best thing to happen to the merchant marine for every nation. Twenty-five dropships to ferry the cargo to and from the planet, and enough space for passenger capacity as well."
I shook my head as I inspected the crates that were left and began taking notes. "Lots of ammo supplies and spare SLDF uniforms, not much advanced tech here," I opened up one of the crates to find stacks of SLDF-grade neurohelmets. "Okay, there's some advanced tech here. But I don't think there's all that much on this ship at least."
–
–
After a few hours, I finished my inventory of the Age of Discovery's cargo bay and decided that it was time for a break.
Grabbing a fishing pole and some baits I had found, I went to the greenhouse and got set up, once again smiling at the green that was around me.
After a few minutes of waiting, a fish grabbed onto the hook and I reeled it in, a grin spreading across my face as I pulled the catfish off of my hook and dropped it into the bucket beside me.
I was going to eat well tonight.
I wasn't quite sure how they had managed to get the flour to stay shelf stable for this long, but I wasn't going to question it as I mixed together what I needed to fry the fish up, the egg substitute working as I breaded the filets and mixed in the spices that I was using to season.
My homemade cajun probably needed a bit of work, but I didn't have any hot sauce available, and I desperately needed something besides the MREs that had been left aboard the Manassas.
And so, I lowered the basket into the fryer, the sound of the fish cooking a delight to my ears as I moved over to begin cutting up the potatoes I had found in the greenhouse as the smell of freshly cooked food filled my nose for the first time in over a year.
"Remember to pull it out when it's golden brown," I reminded myself as I looked over the fryer at the fish cooking within.
After a couple of minutes, I pulled the fish out and set them to the side on a plate before letting the oil heat up again, once the temperature reached what it should be, I lowered the fries in and watched as they quickly began cooking.
"I'm glad that salt doesn't really go bad," I muttered as I tossed the fries in a bowl after they were done frying, the salt I had tossed in with the fries seasoning them.
"And now for dinner," I put the fries on the plate and sat down at the nearby table.
Using a fork, I easily cut a small piece of the fish off and chewed it thoughtfully before swallowing, a feeling of contentment settling over me as I enjoyed the taste of something similar to home.
"It's not quite as good as it could be," I ate a few fries. "But it's a damn sight better than those MREs."
I ate the plate and then went back to the kitchen where I fried up the rest of the fish and potatoes I had gathered earlier. I knew that I was going to pay for this later, but right now, I was hungry, and I was going to eat as much as I wanted before my stomach and brain decided to get on the same page.
I knew that there was a lot left to do, but for a minute, I almost felt like I was home again, and that made all the difference.
This is the respite to ground his soul again. Nice pause to help regain a semblance of sanity.
Chapter 14
MarkWarrior
Well-known member
Chapter 14
"I… Have no idea what I'm doing," I admitted to myself as I looked around at the bridge of the now identified Invader Jumpship. "This thing isn't like the Manassas with all of the automation upgrades."
I sighed as I looked around. That was a problem that would have to be resolved another day.
I left the bridge and used the docking collars to board the first of the trio of Dropships that were attached, the three aerodynes being unfamiliar to me.
"I've got your names," I touched the door to the airlock that was marked with the first ship's name. "Vagabond, Troy, and Messenger," I repeated before beginning to cycle said airlocks. "Now let's see what you hold inside."
–
–
Unlike the Manassas, these ships had all been properly mothballed before being left behind, and as such, all I had to do was flip a few switches and reconnect the fuel tanks to the fusion engines. The task made far easier to the small amount of gravity the station generated.
"Now, are you really a Vagabond?" I asked as the Fusion engine on the dropship purred to life. "Let's find out."
Leaving the engine room behind, I walked through the ship to the cargo bay, stopping in the crew quarters as I did so to get a picture of those who had left the sip behind.
But the ship was stripped bare of any personal effects, with only the bunks and computer terminals left behind.
But in the cargo bay was something interesting… Rows of 'mechs lined the twin cargo bays, the lack of any armament telling me that they were industrial 'mechs, but they still held value all the same.
"There's around thirty machines here," I muttered, and eyed the stored quadmechs. "I'll have to see if they left behind the manifest. Might be something interesting here."
The third cargo bay merely held spare parts for the 'mechs that were stored below, but it also held the manifest, and a quick glance told me exactly what I was looking at. "We've got thirty Daedalus Industrialmechs and a trio of old Jabberwocky's."
"Probably some other goods on the other two dropships," I left the Vagabond behind after noting what was stored there. "Guess I'll find out."
"People are idiots," I dropped my head onto a desk deep inside of the station. "We're a thousand years in the future and people are still writing their passwords down."
"At least this time it helped me out," I sighed. "The SLIC would have had these guys executed for something like this though. I've got access to classified data here."
Opening up the data, I began to read. I wanted to know why this station existed, and if there was a reason that it was placed here instead of somewhere else.
But that wasn't what I really needed the information for. There was a partially disassembled computer core in the cargo area of the station. And from what the engineer's notes said it was a stripped down AI from the SDS systems.
I wanted to use it, but I would need to know some pieces of information first. If the SDS system was the reason that this station was abandoned, then I would have to go with Plan B and simply take the Manassas into known space.
So I began reading, some of the technical data went over my head, but I understood enough to grasp the basics of how the SDS system worked. Honestly, this universe being the future of the eighties actually helped in some regards, because even though the tech changed in different ways, it meant that I could generally understand the concepts that were utilized.
What I didn't understand, was just how they managed to get an AI that worked and linked to a network and were able to still operate independently from one another.
"It's magic," I said after a minute of looking over the specifications for how the SDS transmitters worked. "I have no clue how they managed to get a functional AI defense network that worked off of old data and orders being transmitted."
"But I don't need this to work off of transmitted and old data," I stroked my beard. "I only need it to run a few automated functions and to help jump the Invader to the where I want to go."
"So, stop and focus, what do I need from this to make it work?" I asked myself as I looked over the data.
"I need the AI runtimes to help keep the ship running," I looked at the information. "I don't think I need the whole AI though."
After a few moments, I set aside the 'Noteputer that the data was on and stood up. I needed to do some thinking before I tried anything.
"I'm going to have to track down this brand," I looked at the bag of coffee beans that was intact even after all these years. "This is some of the best coffee I've ever had."
Allowing the infusion of caffeine to help with the exhaustion, I started working on isolating the runtimes that I would need to run the King Henry V, making copies that I transferred over to a computer terminal to run tests on.
"Test number fifteen," I said as I began to simulate the Jumpship's systems, issuing commands to the basic intelligence and hoping that everything worked as planned.
Everything ran smoothly at first, the isolated runtimes working as intended until they ran into something that they hadn't been programmed for and shutting down.
"I'm really glad I took those programming classes in college," I sighed as I stopped the simulation. "It's only another programming language that seems simple until you actually go to learn it…"
Looking at the failure points, I rested my chin against the cold metal of the desk and exhaled. I was going to be here for a while.
–
–
"Man I need a haircut," I looked in the mirror for the first time in a few months.
I was already pale before I had been stranded in space, but now I was extremely so, the lack of sunlight doing me no favors. My hair had grown long as well, the bronze curls of my youth coming back and my beard now long enough to braid if I wanted to.
"I'm a mess," I laughed at my appearance. "I'll trim the beard a bit, but the hair has got to go. Grabbing a grooming kit I had found, I switched on the electric trimmer and began running it over my head, clumps of shorn hair falling to the ground as I began to work at looking like a civilized man again.
"That's better," I cleaned up the hair and combed my beard, tugging the tangles loose and making sure it was straight before trimming the outer edges and around my lips.
"I don't look like a homeless bum anymore," I grinned at the man in the mirror. "I'm definitely paying a professional barber once I'm back to civilization though."
Leaving the bathroom, I got dressed and checked on the terminal I had left running test number twenty.
"Partial success," I smiled. "So we're at at least fifty percent of the way through figuring this out."
I sat down and looked at the information before nodding to myself and moving out of the room.
"I'll try to fix it and try again tomorrow," I moved toward the bunk. "After I find out what's so important about the Messenger."
"I… Have no idea what I'm doing," I admitted to myself as I looked around at the bridge of the now identified Invader Jumpship. "This thing isn't like the Manassas with all of the automation upgrades."
I sighed as I looked around. That was a problem that would have to be resolved another day.
I left the bridge and used the docking collars to board the first of the trio of Dropships that were attached, the three aerodynes being unfamiliar to me.
"I've got your names," I touched the door to the airlock that was marked with the first ship's name. "Vagabond, Troy, and Messenger," I repeated before beginning to cycle said airlocks. "Now let's see what you hold inside."
–
–
Unlike the Manassas, these ships had all been properly mothballed before being left behind, and as such, all I had to do was flip a few switches and reconnect the fuel tanks to the fusion engines. The task made far easier to the small amount of gravity the station generated.
"Now, are you really a Vagabond?" I asked as the Fusion engine on the dropship purred to life. "Let's find out."
Leaving the engine room behind, I walked through the ship to the cargo bay, stopping in the crew quarters as I did so to get a picture of those who had left the sip behind.
But the ship was stripped bare of any personal effects, with only the bunks and computer terminals left behind.
But in the cargo bay was something interesting… Rows of 'mechs lined the twin cargo bays, the lack of any armament telling me that they were industrial 'mechs, but they still held value all the same.
"There's around thirty machines here," I muttered, and eyed the stored quadmechs. "I'll have to see if they left behind the manifest. Might be something interesting here."
The third cargo bay merely held spare parts for the 'mechs that were stored below, but it also held the manifest, and a quick glance told me exactly what I was looking at. "We've got thirty Daedalus Industrialmechs and a trio of old Jabberwocky's."
"Probably some other goods on the other two dropships," I left the Vagabond behind after noting what was stored there. "Guess I'll find out."
"People are idiots," I dropped my head onto a desk deep inside of the station. "We're a thousand years in the future and people are still writing their passwords down."
"At least this time it helped me out," I sighed. "The SLIC would have had these guys executed for something like this though. I've got access to classified data here."
Opening up the data, I began to read. I wanted to know why this station existed, and if there was a reason that it was placed here instead of somewhere else.
But that wasn't what I really needed the information for. There was a partially disassembled computer core in the cargo area of the station. And from what the engineer's notes said it was a stripped down AI from the SDS systems.
I wanted to use it, but I would need to know some pieces of information first. If the SDS system was the reason that this station was abandoned, then I would have to go with Plan B and simply take the Manassas into known space.
So I began reading, some of the technical data went over my head, but I understood enough to grasp the basics of how the SDS system worked. Honestly, this universe being the future of the eighties actually helped in some regards, because even though the tech changed in different ways, it meant that I could generally understand the concepts that were utilized.
What I didn't understand, was just how they managed to get an AI that worked and linked to a network and were able to still operate independently from one another.
"It's magic," I said after a minute of looking over the specifications for how the SDS transmitters worked. "I have no clue how they managed to get a functional AI defense network that worked off of old data and orders being transmitted."
"But I don't need this to work off of transmitted and old data," I stroked my beard. "I only need it to run a few automated functions and to help jump the Invader to the where I want to go."
"So, stop and focus, what do I need from this to make it work?" I asked myself as I looked over the data.
"I need the AI runtimes to help keep the ship running," I looked at the information. "I don't think I need the whole AI though."
After a few moments, I set aside the 'Noteputer that the data was on and stood up. I needed to do some thinking before I tried anything.
"I'm going to have to track down this brand," I looked at the bag of coffee beans that was intact even after all these years. "This is some of the best coffee I've ever had."
Allowing the infusion of caffeine to help with the exhaustion, I started working on isolating the runtimes that I would need to run the King Henry V, making copies that I transferred over to a computer terminal to run tests on.
"Test number fifteen," I said as I began to simulate the Jumpship's systems, issuing commands to the basic intelligence and hoping that everything worked as planned.
Everything ran smoothly at first, the isolated runtimes working as intended until they ran into something that they hadn't been programmed for and shutting down.
"I'm really glad I took those programming classes in college," I sighed as I stopped the simulation. "It's only another programming language that seems simple until you actually go to learn it…"
Looking at the failure points, I rested my chin against the cold metal of the desk and exhaled. I was going to be here for a while.
–
–
"Man I need a haircut," I looked in the mirror for the first time in a few months.
I was already pale before I had been stranded in space, but now I was extremely so, the lack of sunlight doing me no favors. My hair had grown long as well, the bronze curls of my youth coming back and my beard now long enough to braid if I wanted to.
"I'm a mess," I laughed at my appearance. "I'll trim the beard a bit, but the hair has got to go. Grabbing a grooming kit I had found, I switched on the electric trimmer and began running it over my head, clumps of shorn hair falling to the ground as I began to work at looking like a civilized man again.
"That's better," I cleaned up the hair and combed my beard, tugging the tangles loose and making sure it was straight before trimming the outer edges and around my lips.
"I don't look like a homeless bum anymore," I grinned at the man in the mirror. "I'm definitely paying a professional barber once I'm back to civilization though."
Leaving the bathroom, I got dressed and checked on the terminal I had left running test number twenty.
"Partial success," I smiled. "So we're at at least fifty percent of the way through figuring this out."
I sat down and looked at the information before nodding to myself and moving out of the room.
"I'll try to fix it and try again tomorrow," I moved toward the bunk. "After I find out what's so important about the Messenger."
Alternate Beginnings
MarkWarrior
Well-known member
Blood on the Horizon (Alternate beginnings)
Unknown Star system, Manassas March 15, 3000
"It's a good thing I'm descended from generations of farmers," I sighed as I looked at the seed stocks that had been stowed away in vacuum-sealed containers. "I'm gonna have to load up some of those tractors too."
Thankfully, the Star League Engineers had long since figured out how to move cargo from Warships and Jumpships and into the dropships docked to them, and I simply had to follow directions to transfer the equipment over.
"I'm not going to need the ASFs," I removed the Stuka and other ASF from the Last of Us' bays and began moving over what I would need to live down on the surface below. "So let's do something useful."
Two multipurpose tractors were relocated into the bays, with seeds and everything else that would be needed, stowed where the munitions once would have gone.
Then, I carefully moved the specialty gear that I was bringing along as well, a computer core and some other advanced tech. The Nighthawk might be somewhat bulky, but it could make the difference if I needed to do some heavy lifting.
"Sorry, old girl," I patted the Manassas before moving into the Last of Us, the emergency lighting dimming out into an inky blackness as the generators ran through the shutdown sequence I had started. "You did good, I'm just not the man to get you working again."
I floated downward into the dropship as a tear fluttered away.
Hitting the switch, I detached the dropship from the docking clamps and sat down in the pilot's chair before strapping in.
Using the controls, I triggered the maneuvering thrusters, the small jets pushing the nose of the dropship away from the Manassas and settling on the course the autopilot plotted out.
Once the minimum safe distance had been reached, the computers triggered the fusion drives, the acceleration slowly increasing the gravity until it reached a pleasant 1G.
Unstrapping myself from the chair, I made my way into the ship's gym. A weeklong journey was no excuse to let my discipline slack.
–
–
It turns out that landing a dropship was easy if all you had to do were follow the basic instructions the computer gave you. But I didn't even want to think about attempting a landing under a combat scenario.
The thrusters of the Last of Us beat local physics into place as the dropship eased down in an open plain, the legs extended to stabilize the Confederate as she scorched the earth below.
"Air's breathable," I looked at the scans. "Looks like 1.1Gs, and a thirty-six hour day."
I pulled the SLN uniform off and sighed in relief as I slid a pair of gym shorts and a t-shirt on, the tennis-shoes finishing the wear as I lowered the ramp and walked outside, the fresh air and sunlight bringing a grin to my face.
"She's a bit of a fixer-upper," I looked out over the field at the distant trees. "But I think she's home."
Two years later…
"This is the life," I leaned back against the log cabin I had built and chuckled as I looked at the planted field in front of me, the nearby chicken's clearing out the few insects that had made their way into the crops I had planted.
The handful of buildings that I had constructed over the last two years were powered by a spare fusion generator. The chickens had come from fertilized eggs that had been stored on the Manassas, and the first batch had barely made it with the jury-rigged incubator that I had made. After a year or so, though, I had enough chickens that I could eat both eggs and chickens when I felt like it. The few roosters that I had kept around and out of the cooking pot took care of the flocks while I tended to the wheat and vegetable gardens.
The planet was too cool to grow coffee beans, but I didn't find that I needed them anymore. My life was content, even if it was a lonely one. Maybe after this harvest, I would hook up the cry pod and see if I could sleep away some of the years.
Shaking my head, I stopped woolgathering and used the nearby ladder to climb into the Warhammer that was parked outside of my cabin, the view giving me a vantage point over most of the valley.
Taking a sip of the water I had with me, I closed my eyes and leaned back against the missile racks before opening them to see the local sun dipping below the horizon and showering the area with streaks of purple and blue.
"Some things, are worth watching, no matter how many times you get to see it."
After watching the sun set, I climbed down and went back into the cabin, the lights coming on as the darkness settled over the planet, the stars becoming visible as the alien sky stared back at me.
–
–
"Year two," I spoke into a small voice recorder as I sat down to eat my dinner. "Rescue beacon is good and apparently able to last for sixty to seventy years before needing service. I'm going to look into going for the stasis option once I've taken care of this year's harvest."
I took a bite and chewed thoughtfully as I thought about what to say next. "Chickens are probably going to need to be set up for the future if I do so. While I haven't seen any local predators that doesn't mean they don't exist."
I drank some more water before turning to my science experiment and pouring a small glass.
"Vodka test forty-five," I muttered as I sipped the shot, a small grimace on my face as I swallowed. "We're closer on the distillation process," I coughed. "But they should have written the directions better on the data core."
I drank some more water to wash down the taste before moving over to my bed.
"I'll have to go check on the dropship tomorrow," I made a mark on the rough wall to signify another day having passed. "Make sure that it's faring the elements well."
And so, closing my eyes, I drifted off to sleep, the sound of the wind and creek acting as my lullaby.
Author's Note: This is the other way I considered writing Blood on the Horizon. It's not quite as fantastical. No Warship piloting, no merc unit. Just someone trying to Robinson Crusoe his life as he's stranded. At least… That is until the Clans show up.
Unknown Star system, Manassas March 15, 3000
"It's a good thing I'm descended from generations of farmers," I sighed as I looked at the seed stocks that had been stowed away in vacuum-sealed containers. "I'm gonna have to load up some of those tractors too."
Thankfully, the Star League Engineers had long since figured out how to move cargo from Warships and Jumpships and into the dropships docked to them, and I simply had to follow directions to transfer the equipment over.
"I'm not going to need the ASFs," I removed the Stuka and other ASF from the Last of Us' bays and began moving over what I would need to live down on the surface below. "So let's do something useful."
Two multipurpose tractors were relocated into the bays, with seeds and everything else that would be needed, stowed where the munitions once would have gone.
Then, I carefully moved the specialty gear that I was bringing along as well, a computer core and some other advanced tech. The Nighthawk might be somewhat bulky, but it could make the difference if I needed to do some heavy lifting.
"Sorry, old girl," I patted the Manassas before moving into the Last of Us, the emergency lighting dimming out into an inky blackness as the generators ran through the shutdown sequence I had started. "You did good, I'm just not the man to get you working again."
I floated downward into the dropship as a tear fluttered away.
Hitting the switch, I detached the dropship from the docking clamps and sat down in the pilot's chair before strapping in.
Using the controls, I triggered the maneuvering thrusters, the small jets pushing the nose of the dropship away from the Manassas and settling on the course the autopilot plotted out.
Once the minimum safe distance had been reached, the computers triggered the fusion drives, the acceleration slowly increasing the gravity until it reached a pleasant 1G.
Unstrapping myself from the chair, I made my way into the ship's gym. A weeklong journey was no excuse to let my discipline slack.
–
–
It turns out that landing a dropship was easy if all you had to do were follow the basic instructions the computer gave you. But I didn't even want to think about attempting a landing under a combat scenario.
The thrusters of the Last of Us beat local physics into place as the dropship eased down in an open plain, the legs extended to stabilize the Confederate as she scorched the earth below.
"Air's breathable," I looked at the scans. "Looks like 1.1Gs, and a thirty-six hour day."
I pulled the SLN uniform off and sighed in relief as I slid a pair of gym shorts and a t-shirt on, the tennis-shoes finishing the wear as I lowered the ramp and walked outside, the fresh air and sunlight bringing a grin to my face.
"She's a bit of a fixer-upper," I looked out over the field at the distant trees. "But I think she's home."
Two years later…
"This is the life," I leaned back against the log cabin I had built and chuckled as I looked at the planted field in front of me, the nearby chicken's clearing out the few insects that had made their way into the crops I had planted.
The handful of buildings that I had constructed over the last two years were powered by a spare fusion generator. The chickens had come from fertilized eggs that had been stored on the Manassas, and the first batch had barely made it with the jury-rigged incubator that I had made. After a year or so, though, I had enough chickens that I could eat both eggs and chickens when I felt like it. The few roosters that I had kept around and out of the cooking pot took care of the flocks while I tended to the wheat and vegetable gardens.
The planet was too cool to grow coffee beans, but I didn't find that I needed them anymore. My life was content, even if it was a lonely one. Maybe after this harvest, I would hook up the cry pod and see if I could sleep away some of the years.
Shaking my head, I stopped woolgathering and used the nearby ladder to climb into the Warhammer that was parked outside of my cabin, the view giving me a vantage point over most of the valley.
Taking a sip of the water I had with me, I closed my eyes and leaned back against the missile racks before opening them to see the local sun dipping below the horizon and showering the area with streaks of purple and blue.
"Some things, are worth watching, no matter how many times you get to see it."
After watching the sun set, I climbed down and went back into the cabin, the lights coming on as the darkness settled over the planet, the stars becoming visible as the alien sky stared back at me.
–
–
"Year two," I spoke into a small voice recorder as I sat down to eat my dinner. "Rescue beacon is good and apparently able to last for sixty to seventy years before needing service. I'm going to look into going for the stasis option once I've taken care of this year's harvest."
I took a bite and chewed thoughtfully as I thought about what to say next. "Chickens are probably going to need to be set up for the future if I do so. While I haven't seen any local predators that doesn't mean they don't exist."
I drank some more water before turning to my science experiment and pouring a small glass.
"Vodka test forty-five," I muttered as I sipped the shot, a small grimace on my face as I swallowed. "We're closer on the distillation process," I coughed. "But they should have written the directions better on the data core."
I drank some more water to wash down the taste before moving over to my bed.
"I'll have to go check on the dropship tomorrow," I made a mark on the rough wall to signify another day having passed. "Make sure that it's faring the elements well."
And so, closing my eyes, I drifted off to sleep, the sound of the wind and creek acting as my lullaby.
Author's Note: This is the other way I considered writing Blood on the Horizon. It's not quite as fantastical. No Warship piloting, no merc unit. Just someone trying to Robinson Crusoe his life as he's stranded. At least… That is until the Clans show up.