Part 4 and as promised we are going into space! but where will Lyssa and Sry’akl's journey take them? And can the old drunk really be trusted?
Part one: http://forum.egosoft.com/viewtopic.php?t=301044
Part two: http://forum.egosoft.com/viewtopic.php?t=301210
Part three: http://forum.egosoft.com/viewtopic.php?t=301748
Changes In The Wind – About a ship pt4…
Ship? But? Could it be possible? “The Silver ship?” “Yes” he squinted at me as if thinking. Had we had shared the same dream? That left me with another uncomfortable thought… Why had we shared the same dream? I hated to think that nanites were exposing my inner thoughts and dreams to everyone around me. “Did you dream of the silver ship” I asked tentatively but I saw my answer on his face the moment “HA! I was right! I knew there was something about you redhead from the start” I flushed red in embarrassment. His expression changed he almost looked sympathetic “But we haven’t been introduced have we? I am Sry’akl, a warrior tied in blood of family ‘Akl.” His words were fluid almost musical unlike the gruff shouts when he speaks to other argon… he must have been speaking in split. “My name is Lyssa Farrow... umm but you can call me Lyss… all my friends call me Lyss” why did I lie like that? I didn’t have any friends… Parents in the village were so worried about my Mother that they told their children horrifying stories to keep them away from my family… I spent my school life quietly alone in a corner studying… crying. Sry’akl seemed oblivious of my discomfort as he mused my name in his mouth “Lyss… Lyss… yes! It sounds like a very split name... well I greet you Lyss’Far-row, I would very much like to share first meal with you today”. First meal? Oh breakfast! Relief spread over my mind as the Split seemed to bristle with enthusiasm. Mrs T flapped her scale plate incredulously as Sry’akl jumped to pull out my chair for me. “I sssSSssseeee yoOOu haAave ffffFFFfounD YoOoU’ReSssssselF a SSSSSSSpLiT SSSSsssuuitor! THAy aRRee The most dangeRouSSSSSs ” suitor? What was she talking about? As Mrs T placed down a small quiche topped with argnu bacon I did notice he did seem to be somewhat over anxious to please me… it was strange. I had never really had anyone interested in me let alone an alien, I wasn’t even sure that it was true! His piercing stare seemed to bore into my thoughts… I was blushing so hard my face must have been almost purple… Sry’akl hadn’t even noticed I suspected he didn’t even know what argon emotions looked like. His eyes seemed like that were all over me… I wasn’t hungry anymore, my stomach was performing summersaults.
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Lyss… Sounds very like a split name. This Redhead wasn’t like a split woman though… she was dainty and gentle. She didn’t even smell musky like split women, she smelt sweet and soft. Her dainty little wrists, the strange shape of her waist. What was it about this argon that kept her in my mind? Damn redhead! Then there was that ship… she dangled it before me unknowingly! Stupid beautiful argon! So frustrating! She pecked like a bird at her food, it was little wonder she was such a strange shape! That and those nanites! There was one person I knew who knew anything about nanites… The old drunk Paranid would know how to get the location of the ship out of her! Then finally I could be rid of this distraction and into space without the councils help!
“We should visit a Paranid I know he can help us find this ship!” she looked confused… well isn’t that just her standard scrunchy face expression?!? “Why? Ummm… We don’t even know it’s real” frustrating argon! “Well are you doing anything else?” think… think… think. “Umm… I guess not” Why couldn’t she be like a Split woman… no scratch that…. This would be so much harder if she was like a split woman!
As we arrived at the Triangle quarter she stopped at the gate like she was afraid. This was getting old! Did I have to Sheppard her everywhere? I grasped her hand and told her it isn’t much further, a barefaced lie… this Paranid was deep into the quarter. Could she be more frustrating?
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I followed Sry’akl through the city he seemed fascinated in the way I moved… Surely there were plenty of Argon for him to watch! Every movement was scrutinised… it made me feel very self conscious but I didn’t really know what he could possibly find interest in… it made me acutely aware of how my hips swing while I walked but hard as I tried I simply couldn’t. We slowly moved towards a strange diamond shaped sculpture… Oh no. This was the entrance to the triangle quarter… News of Argon being beaten to death simply for entering the quarter had even been heard out in the southern ranches. The strange isometric gate shape seemed like an Mc Escher drawing… directly underneath the ornate sign welcoming tri-dimensional ‘worthy’ was a dirty plaque stating ‘lesser life unwelcome’. Sry’akl strolled through the gate as if it was something normal… I tried to follow but my feet wouldn’t budge, he turned and looked at me, cocked his head slightly as if in deep thought before slowly moving towards me and gently taking me by the hand as if too much pressure would break me. He led me softly by hand past giant hunched Paranid, their flowing exotic robes and strange headdresses, past strong smelling triunes of ill smelling soups. Everywhere the smell of incense seemed to spill out like the whole quarter was on fire. I saw no gangs of youths in fact… there were no young Paranid at all… it seemed strange!
We stood before a small simple door that seemed completely out of character to the ornate creations that were everywhere else. Sry’akl slammed his palm against the door shouting “Tutol! Now you come here!” there was a shuffling sound from behind the door, a long fingered claw pulled open the door the great bulk of an ancient Paranid. It’s face was blackened and pitted, scars seemed to cover its entire body but were especially deep on his face, they looked as if a laser had seared into his forehead. “That’s Tutolmanscont to you young one!” he sniffed “Who is it that you bring here? Bring her inside before there is a scene.
Tutolmanscont’s house was as simple as his front door, all around little contraptions and half empty bottles seemed to clutter an otherwise clean little living room, every flat surface seemed to have some piece of wreckage or another. It smelled like a brewers’ house... He eased himself into a little chair and motioned us to do the same. “So tell me about her young one, you would not bring her if she was not important” Important? Was I important to him? I tried to think of something else but my cheeks were already feeling quite hot… What was wrong with me? I was acting like a smitten teenager and I wasn’t even attracted to this split! Sry’akl spoke with authority and pride in his voice “This one is Saisho-kagi She restarted the core” The Paranid furrowed his scarred brow “Oh? An Argon? Tell me does she have hair as red as the sun? Anikka is that you?” Anikka? My mother’s name? “No… Anikka was my Mother… My name is Lyssa… Lyssa Farrow.” Sry’akl piped up “but she does have hair as red as the suns!” The Paranid laughed a deep bellowing belly laugh “I should have known it would be her spawn that would do it! Come this deserves a drink” As the Paranid heaved his bulk out of the chair and motioned towards the kitchen suddenly I noticed he was blind, his three eyes were burnt shut. “Your mother was the last thing I ever saw… I wish she had let me die. It has been what? Over forty jazura now I have been blind… but she was young and stubborn like your friend here!” he motioned me closer, I felt his hard claws on my face. “Yes… it is she” he pulled away and slugged a bottle. “So what brings you to see this poor old Paranid?” sry’akl began “Want ship…” “Oh. Ofcourse.” The Paranid’s gruff voice seemed disappointed. “Then let us go… we can collect your ship and perhaps you shall allow this old Paranid the chance to go into space one last time.”
The upper space port was empty… the silver lift had deposited us into a huge mezzanine looking down on the lower port beneath, the once giant births for TL class ships had been divided to take on the smaller interplanetary traffic. Tutolmanscont gripped my arm tightly as we walked forward and out towards dock 607a… As the doors creaked open the battered drone corvette slowly came into view, deep scars from weapon scorches covered the hull, armor plating hung from cabling… the ship was bearly a wreck… but Sry’akl didn’t care. He run towards it excited. Tutolmanscont grasped my arm tighter willing me to stay with him. “The ship… it was the ‘Wrathful Assertion’… it was my ship… your mother the navigator… I had a different name back then… I was Tutolankalmak… but now I am Tutolmanscont… ‘Useless’ to my kin, I see nothing, before we go inside please tell me something Argon. Do you look up at the stars?” It was a cryptic question but I knew what he spoke of… I did look up at them it was true… I would stare up and feel more at home than I ever did inside “Yes I do… more than anything” He nodded with understanding. “Yes… You are your mother’s daughter.” And with that we walked up towards the ship. “Does your name really mean useless?” The Paranid groaned “I can see I am going to regret telling you that”
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A ship! My Ship! HA! There would be many on this dirty world who would never get to fly such a beast but I Sry’akl would soon soar with the winds of space! Spread this beast’s wings and fly her into space! The council may control the tiny fleet of the split, all that was left of the planetary defence force but I Sry’akl had a ship! A powerful ship! It was small but it was mine and it was a start! Stories of the great heroes, of the exodus from the home world, of the great warrior Kyle Brennan... all of them ran through my mind! Soon My name would join these! Just… as… soon… as I get this… hatch open! Horror entered my mind as Lyss came near and the ship came to life. This was a nanite ship. My dreams came smashing to the ground, she would be in command wouldn’t she.
Wait… Tutol raised his hand and the gantry came down… that wasn’t right?!? How was this blind old Paranid doing anything? The two of them smiled together and jealousy suddenly reared up unexpectedly! How could she like him! She should be liking me! Wait… get a grip Sry’akl! She’s not yours and you don’t even want her! The lie was unsatisfying… it tasted like metal in my mouth. Part of me was disgusted how was it I was attracted to this ugly beautiful alien. Those grey-green eyes, that little scrunched up expression her face made. It wasn’t right! I cursed myself. The metal of the gantry way was dark with old blood stains, crusty black and dirty. Blood like that should only be found in the training pits… The council had never allowed me to train in hand to hand combat. What I learnt I learnt for survival on the way home to my mother. While other split went to the honour markets and gained their blood. I was forced to slave in front of books. While others fought for their honour in the pits I was made to stand aside never to fight my kin. While others flew their first patrols. I repaired manifolds and washed floors. It was all that I could do but join the city guards and escape the crushing dishonour I received every day among my kin!
The ship came to life as we climbed deck after deck up into the large central core, its silvery light glowed a strange red hue. It seemed fierce as if it burned like a sun it didn’t seem right but then I didn’t know really. As Tutol raised his hand a little gasp came from Lyss, she had felt or seen something I had not! I was sure of it. The main illuminators came online and six small spheres raised up out of the deck, slowly filling with swirling nanites as the core came online! On our way back to the main elevator I could see the damage now in the bright light, this ship had taken a real beating, repair nanites were slowly spreading out clearly unsure what to repair first… reknitting together structural pylons, groans echoed through the ship as nanites slowly twisted the hull back into shape. By the time we reached the bridge the structural integrity was up to 2%! It would take them weeks to repair the whole ship! Then I saw it… the control chair. This was not a command chair, it was something else, the chair reclined looking out at nothing but smooth solid bulkhead. As I sat in the chair I was overwhelmed by… nothing. Nothing happened! I saw nothing… did nothing. I stared up at the bulkhead from a more comfortable view but it was still bulkhead. Maybe there was a manual override?
Lyss looked at me with those eyes of hers and I felt angry! What I fool I was thinking I could be anything but a passenger on this ship! At Tutol’s direction rection she slipped into the seat, she gasped, I felt her gasp through the whole ship, it seemed to shudder and bend wildly, uncontrollably as if connected to her mind probably because it was. Then just as abruptly it all stopped. Tutol grimaced angrily “Now I remember why I disliked humans! Almost no control of their nanites! It is a wonder you have not set our young friend here on fire!” Lyss looked overwhelmed and nervous and it wasn’t from the old goats words! Tutol paced manically up and down fuming, before finally and suddenly coming to a stop “Well there is nothing for it! I shall have to teach you”.
As usual I was to be left in the dark… Typical. The drunk would probably not make a good teacher anyway! He seemed to hear my thoughts! “Well young split, care to get us up into space, my young student and I have a lot to do! As he did so another much larger chair came down from the ceiling followed by a bulky command console, just like the one in the simulators I had tried and with that he gently lead her out and into the corridor we had just come from.
My breath caught in my throat as I touched the side of the console, it was real. The chair changed and warped under me as I sat, becoming more comfortable as my weight distributed through the structure of the chair. Then it came upon me like an attacker! The control column burst from the console and encompassed my face. I felt control gloves wrap around my arms. I struggled and tried to get up but it was like struggling against solid rock! The ships controls were right there in my mind awaiting command, but it waited. It sensed my fear and wouldn’t let me in control until I was calm. I wrestled with myself! This was everything I had ever wanted there was nothing to fear! My eyes burst with colour! The outside sensors showed me the ship and its surrounds. Holding back my excitement I tentatively called for the main engines to come online, the computer told me Primary thrusters were at 30% of normal it would be a rough slow climb into space, but it would be me doing it!
The thrusters burst into life, vector thrusting was enabled! The huge port doors opened and I eased the ship out into the open air, the ship was heavy and sluggish, I wrestled with the controlled frustrated by the lack of control. The fighters that flew past below seemed tiny in comparison. It was true! Something so large could not be treated like a fighter… it would take a superior pilot to handle a ship like this! YES! That’s right!! With that I hit the thrusters and willed us higher into the sky! The engines whined, the controls shook! The nose kept arcing out of our assent but I didn’t care! I was flying for the first time and I was doing well! Then all became still and the harsh scream of the thrusters became a low moan. The sky blackened and there is was… space.
The Planet was behind me. Space was in front. I heard Tutols voice inside my head “good now take us to this station, I am sure you will have no trouble with this task.
There was no navigation computer… the gravidar showed something big far to the right… it glinted softly. This must be the station.
Changes In The Wind – About a ship pt4
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silentWitness
- Posts: 4995
- Joined: Wed, 6. Nov 02, 20:31
You're an AMAZING writer! Dont ever think of being as noticable as the furniture because you aren't! You're like a star that just appeared out of nowhere and burnt all the furniture away.
Your story has gotten my creative juices flowing. I always wanted a story like this.
Have you planned out the whole story or is it still being developed? Are you comfortable with writing about war?
Your story has gotten my creative juices flowing. I always wanted a story like this.
Have you planned out the whole story or is it still being developed? Are you comfortable with writing about war?
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silentWitness
- Posts: 4995
- Joined: Wed, 6. Nov 02, 20:31
The story has plot goals but I allow myself creative licence as to how I get to them... I am quite happy in writing about war elements... I am looking forward to adding a little conflict into the story actually...Deeparth wrote:You're an AMAZING writer! Dont ever think of being as noticable as the furniture because you aren't! You're like a star that just appeared out of nowhere and burnt all the furniture away.
Your story has gotten my creative juices flowing. I always wanted a story like this.
Have you planned out the whole story or is it still being developed? Are you comfortable with writing about war?
Here is the next part:
http://forum.egosoft.com/viewtopic.php?p=3621508
I'm not entirely happy with in but I have already written the next part and needed something to link the two parts...