X Squared: Birth of a Merchant Prince (3) UPDATED

FourFingers · Post by **FourFingers** » Tue, 13. Apr 04, 16:36

Part 1

Part 2

UPDATED below the ...................................................

Part 3

Pisula Ma or Pi to those who knew her was in a difficult situation, in fact as difficulty levels go this would be somewhere between advanced interdimentional string theory and black hole quantum probability mathematics.
The Argon have a phrase which seemed perfectly apt to her Boron mind, she was indeed in ‘Very hot water.’

She was at this moment fleeing for her life in a borrowed Bayamon from the Werewolves pirate base in Ore Belt. Werewolves she had found out were an Argon myth or legend regarding a large predatory land animal which had the ability to transform into an Argon.
By all accounts these creatures were very inhospitable, revelling in the baser instincts of death and destruction which she guessed was the reason the pirates had taken it as their own.

Bringing her wandering mind back on to the more immediate problem of the two Mandalays which had just launched from the base and were now on an intercept course, Pisula Ma tried to think how she could solve her dilemma.

Her natural Boron instinct was to talk and discuss things through but she had quickly realised that these pirates were much uncivilised and their idea of a meaningful discourse would be a crude threat followed by inevitable laser fire.

As she was deciding what course of action to take, the pirate base launched four Bayamons and two Orinoco’s.
Her tentacles went limp at the prospect of escaping so many ships but as she considered surrendering (which at best would mean slavery) three Bayamons and an Orinoco pulled away heading towards a different section leaving one Bayamon and one Orinoco chasing after her.

Pi wondered where the other ships were heading and what they were up to. “Concentrate on your own problems Pi if you want to survive” she admonished herself.
Maybe she could try threatening them, Pi thought to herself. She had seen many pilots do this and cause hesitation in others, she opened her comm.

“Pisula Ma politely ask you to turn and leave” she said trying to sound threatening “You will find only aggravation if you continue.”

There was no response and no turning around of the pirate ships. Maybe she had overdone it with the ‘aggravation’ part and made them really angry, she thought to herself.

The Bayamon she was piloting was flying at its top speed of 130m/s, equipped with 3 alpha level Particle accelerator cannons the fourth being damaged in some skirmish before she borrowed it. The ship read out showed two wasp class missiles and the fight command software both Mk I and Mk II versions.
The Mandalay’s being scout ships were barely shielded but extremely fast and very manoeuvrable. They were travelling at over 200m/s and quickly eating up the distance that separated them from Pisula. In less then a minute they would be in firing range.

Unfortunately the north gate she was headed for was over 4 minutes away, she didn’t know what to do, she couldn't out run them and she had never fought in a spaceship before.

Pi's indecision was cut short by raking particle fire as a Mandalay opened up from extreme range; the cockpit view took on a purple tinge as the ship shields flared in response to the pounding fire.

“Shields at 80%" the ship computer intoned
"Thank you" Pi responded automatically as she tried to evade the incoming fire by turning left.

Now both Mandalay’s were in firing range and carrying out hit and run tactics using their superior speed to zip in, rack the bayamon with quick bursts of PAC fire and zip out again.

"Shields at 60%" the computer voice rang out
"Thank you" Pi replied absently as she tried moving the ship left and right in a weaving pattern.
Unfortunately her weaving was perfectly symmetrical and consistent thus even thou it looked good, it meant that her position could be easily predicted at any point.

The Mandalay pilots realising they were dealing with a complete novice dropped their hit and run tactics and came in hard staying close and constantly firing.
They flew in from opposite ends and caught the Bayamon in a concentrated crossfire.

"Shields at 10%" the emotionless voice notified as the screen flared a deep purple under the heavy fire and lights flashed across the HUD screen.
This was not working she thought to herself; she just didn’t know anything about combat or combat defence.

"Computer activate any defensive programs" she asked politely
"Unable to carry out request, there are no programs of that nature installed" the computer replied calmly just as the ship shook under more purple fire.

"Warning, shields at critical. Sustaining hull damage" the computer informed as consoles began to crackle and sparks began flying.
"Hull integrity is at 80%. 5MW shield generator destroyed, engine tuning damaged.”

Pisula was thrown forward on to the console in front of her avoiding any serious damage by the restraining harness holding her in the pilot’s seat. The cockpit began to fill with acrid smoke from numerous consoles which had short circuited and vented gases from the coolant systems.

"Run any program available," Pisula shouted above the roar of more incoming fire desperately trying to avoid some of the shots. She pushed down hard on the steering stick causing the Bayamon to drop while spinning to the left avoiding another sustained crossfire by sheer luck.

“Initiating Fight Command Software” the computer informed her. “Acquiring nearest hostile target.”

Her Bayamon rolled out of its dropping spin as the autopilot came online and reduced speed neatly rising behind its target Mandalay.
The pilots of the Mandalay’s having realised they were dealing with a non pilot had disregarded their strengths as hit and run ships and had become fixated with gaining the kill.

Thus when the first Mandalay lost track of the Bayamon as it righted its dropping spin he carried on flying at reduced speed to pull up on the Bayamon once it came back up.
The Bayamon did rise back up but the Fight Command Software now controlling the ship brought it up behind the Mandalay and within firing range.

Pisula stared with out comprehending at the rear of the Mandalay filling her cockpit view as she watched three continuous bolts of purple PAC fire converge on the Mandalay stripping its weak skin thick shields and tearing into the meat of the hull.

The Mandalay tore apart in an exploding ball of fire and fragments as the Bayamon flew threw what remained. No pilot had ejected.

Pi just stared in shock at what was left of the Mandalay, still not registering what had happened when the ship shook with juddering impacts throwing her about the pilot seat.

“Shields at 20%” the computer informed while her Bayamon rose towards the right trying to come about and drop in behind the remaining Mandalay.
Pi checked her ship stats. Her hull had been reduced to 80%, she was running on a single 5MW shield now at 20% and her max speed had been reduced to 70m/s, numerous systems were being flagged as damaged and environmental controls were offline thus the cockpit was filling with smoke.

The Bayamon came up as the Mandalay shot way using its superior speed to gain distance then turned around and came head on. The Bayamon fight command software kept heading straight at the Mandalay bringing on a head to head pass.

The Mandalay opened up fire at extreme range and flew onwards still continuing to fire. The Bayamon fight command software being designed for support rather then actual dog fighting flew full on into the oncoming PAC fire.

“Warning shields at critical. Hull at 60%” the computer called out as damaged consoles exploded and hull fractures appeared. The bayamon opened fire as the Mandalay came within target range but the pilot pulled up avoiding the triple purple bolts and opened up fire again as he flew above the bayamon.

“Hull at 50%” the computer stated as the Bayamon pulled a U turn trying to follow onto the back of the Mandalay as it passed overhead. Due to the damage sustained the speed of the Bayamon had been further reduced to around 50m/s allowing the ship to pull a tighter turn.
It opened fire as it followed the Mandalay catching it glancing blows which practically reduced its puny shields to nothing. As the Mandalay pulled to the right to avoid the PAC fire a wasp missile launched from the Bayamon.

The Mandalay was at near point blank range when the wasp missile came roaring out of the Bayamon. Lacking a boost drive the Mandalay pilot was unable to reach his max speed quickly enough to outrun the missile.

Pisula watched again as the Bayamon righted itself still following the Mandalay; she watched the wasp missile strike the Mandalay’s now non existent shields transferring the explosive power straight to the hull smashing it to nothing but glowing point of light and expanding debris.

"Oh dear" Pi said in a breathless whisper as the full import of what had happened began to sink in. "I just extinguished two sentient life forms." She sat in numbed unawareness while the sound of hissing consoles and frying circuits continued in the background.

Before Pi could fully deal with the feelings just beginning to assault her adrenaline soaked awareness her ship began to roll and turn around, the target reticule turning red as it locked on to a hostile, the Fight command software was still active and carrying out its program.

The Bayamon and Orinoco were closing in on Pi's ship with the Bayamon in the lead. It came into firing range as Pi's ship began to turn to meet the threat and opened up with all four of its mounted PACs.
The charged bolts tore through the remainder of Pi's shields hammering the hull as it turned to follow the offending Bayamon.

"Warning Hull integrity at 15%, Fight command software destroyed cargo bay exten… Alpha Particle.. Engine tun.. Alpha particle accelerator cannon destroyed!" the computer listed the damage cutting itself off mid statement as the list grew in number. The ship rocked sideways from the impacts and vented gases into the void through spreading fractures across the hull.

Pisula could not see anything, partly due to the building smoke and partly due to the lack of any lights, but mostly due to her having her eyes tightly shut.
She opened them slowly to see what the afterlife was like and was disappointed to find she was still alive thou probably not for long.

She peered thorough the smoke at her HUD console which seemed to be the only console which wasn’t fried. She wondered why the Bayamon hadn't finished her off when she saw on her radar that it had veered off to the left at full speed with a wasp missile hot on its tail. The fight command software must have launched it before it got destroyed.

"By the queen!" she exclaimed out loud as she saw the Orinoco still heading her way; it would be within missile range shortly. She had to disable it somehow; her ship was just floating dead, too damaged to move on anything but manoeuvring thrusters.

The Bayamon had pulled ahead of the missile and would soon outrun it and return to finish her off.

If the Orinoco didn’t do it first she thought.

She fell out of the pilot seat in her haste to get what she needed; only then feeling the pain from her side and neck, so intense it was that she nearly blacked out. Steadying herself on the floor she felt dizzy and very weak.
Crawling on all her tentacles she reached her data pad stored within her carry case and dragged herself back to the ship console.

‘I should use what skills I have’ she thought to herself as she connected her data pad to the universal connection port and through the haze of pain and fatigue she did what she does best.

She began Hacking, trying to gain access to the Orinoco’s command console via the communication protocols.
She uploaded the ARINOX software, a program she had designed, initiated, given birth to and nurtured.
The level of sophistication and ingenuity of the software was the reason why it was classified as Top secret and highly dangerous by the Boron intelligence service. ARINOX was also the reason she was in this mess.

She saw she didn’t have much time as the Orinoco headed in closer, under 2mins it would be in missile range while the Bayamon had escaped the wasp missile and was headed back.

Using her modified data pad she opened communication with the Orinoco and piggy backed the ARINOX software on to its comm.’s array, and from there it was deposited at the command centre.
It was a bonus that the Orinoco was an old generation spade shaped one as the security protocols would be outdated and unsophisticated compared to its newer model.

She gave the ARINOX program just one simple command:
Gain access.
.................................................................................................

ARINOX emerged into existence on the fringes of the command protocol centre; it arose in the shadows that lie between the active and dormant commands of any information system.
It has no intrinsic awareness or self assessed consciousness, only a driving need, a sole purpose, a command to follow.

Gain entry.

ARINOX activated its sensory and data awareness subroutines and began to process the stream of information flooding in.
The codes, the strings of data, the protocols being activated and deleted, the information flowing into and flowing out of the command centre, the programs and security measures carrying out their tasks all these things ARINOX collated and processed into a reality based upon the perceptions of its creators.

It stood in shadow looking at a small square building, somewhat worn and battered surrounded by other buildings of varying shapes and sizes, each one connected to the square worn building by connecting tunnels through which it could see commands, protocols and information flowing back and forth.

This would be the command centre, the place where all the ship board systems received their orders.

It watched as packets of data approached the command centre and waited at the door. The data was then scanned and queried for a password by two security programs.

ARINOX assessed the security measures and knew its abilities were more then sufficient to hack into the centre.
It moved further into the shadows blending easily and flowing from position to position as it waited for a suitable target.

It selected a packet containing sector information, it tracked the packet as is headed for the command centre, always staying to the shadows it moved with a grace and swiftness which left everything else standing.

As the packet approached a patch of shadow, ARINOX flowed out of it and dragged it back into the darkness deactivating it with a swift blow.

ARINOX then began to absorb the packet into itself, taking the code and moulding it around itself like wearing someone else’s skin. With the absorption of the packet all its information including the security password was now a part of ARINOX.

It left the shadows as a sector information packet.

As it approached the command centre it was halted by the two security programs and scanned. The password was then requested by one of the security programs and ARINOX provided it.
The doors of the command centre opened to allow entry.

As it was about to enter into the command centre, a dormant part of its program activated. ARINOX took on an aggressive stance and went on the offensive; latent subroutines fired causing it to attack the security programs.
It delivered a lightning fast blow to the program on its right causing it to crumple into a heap while twisting low and lashing out at the one on the left taking it down before either programs could register an attack.

ARINOX then walked inside as the two security programs shimmered and became fragments of deleted data.

It deployed the remote command software allowing Pi to take control of the ship functions and then attached itself to a target identification query, returning back to its point of origin.

Pisula Ma watched the Orinoco approaching missile range with a sense of increasing desperation. She glanced down at her data pad and saw the ARINOX program gain entry into the command centre masked as a data packet.

“It’s not supposed to do that” she said in surprise as she watched the ARINOX software destroy the security programs.

'Access granted' flashed on the data screen as the remote control software was deployed.

Thoughts of the anomalous act by ARINOX were forgotten as the Orinoco came into missile range.

"Please let him get nearer before he fires, please just a few more seconds" she chanted to herself as her tentacles blurred over the data pad bringing up the weapons commands and then the missiles subsections.

She accessed the first protocol she came upon which happened to be targeting. She was going to disable the targeting scanners but saw on her data pad that the Orinoco had just armed its missiles.
In desperation she did the fastest thing she could, which was to reassign the Orinoco's targeting scanners to the next nearest ship. Just as she finished executing the Orinoco launched its missile.

Pi watched as a Dragonfly missile hurtled out of the Orinoco missile launch tubes and shot straight ahead towards her ship.

Just as she thought she had failed to reassign targeting the missile banked a sharp left and flew over the Orinoco and smashed straight into the following Bayamon causing it to explode in a fireball as pieces of hull spun off in different directions.

Pi didn’t stop to marvel at her luck as she saw the Orinoco trying to manually target her ship, using her data pad she accessed the missile launch sequence and deleted the command which opened the launch tube doors.
She reasoned that if the doors would not open then the ship would be unable to fire its missiles as safety protocols would cut in to abort the launch. She could then disable the lasers and hopefully discuss things in a more civilised manner.

As she then began to access the laser controls she saw that the Orinoco had armed more missiles. 'Curious' she thought, ‘it shouldn’t be able to do that.’

Then to her horror she saw the command to launch execute.

She looked out of the cockpit view screen just as two large explosions rocked the Orinoco like seaweed caught in a thermal current. The explosions which came from with in the Orinoco tore its hull to shreds sending out thousands of glittering small chunks of superheated metals.

Pisula Ma just stared at the now very quite and serene universe outside. All she could think about was having strong words with the person who wrote the safety checks for that ship.

She was still staring stunned when her HUD flashed with an incoming transmission. The beeping sound pervaded her thoughts and she looked down to see who would be trying to contact her.

Part 4

pixel · Post by **pixel** » Tue, 13. Apr 04, 22:14

wow!!!

great!!!!

excellent!!!

really good idea and take on the idea of a novice flying around clueless.

good humour too

impressed am I

FourFingers · Post by **FourFingers** » Wed, 14. Apr 04, 14:22

Thanks Pixel

She is a bit clueless, (its also no way ment to represent women drivers in space

)

she didnt do too bad for a 'pedesterian'

raliel · Post by **raliel** » Thu, 15. Apr 04, 03:11

thoroughly enjoyable.... Any thoughts on the Lovecraftian side story i have hinted at in some of my posts? I am an Image crafter rather than a wordsmith so any text to expand on my ideas would be greatly appreciated

FourFingers · Post by **FourFingers** » Thu, 15. Apr 04, 22:57

Hey Raliel,

Thanks.

Whats the lovecraftian story?? it must of been posted before i hit the boards.

I'd like to use your idea about the spying spaceflys in my story later on, sounds like a perfect tool as they are found everywhere and are attracted to shields so could be used to track ships..

ya do some quality pictures, keep it going!

Moss · Post by **Moss** » Thu, 15. Apr 04, 23:49

Very nicely told Fourfingers, you do bring characters to life very quickly, and the response from Pi was realy very Boron to my mind. How she will survive this battle should prove an interesting read, if she does that is

raliel · Post by **raliel** » Fri, 16. Apr 04, 00:05

the first H P Lovecraft plot hook is here.......
http://www.egosoft.com/x2/forum/viewtopic.php?t=38115

raliel · Post by **raliel** » Fri, 16. Apr 04, 00:07

and the second is here.......
http://www.egosoft.com/x2/forum/viewtopic.php?t=41087

FourFingers · Post by **FourFingers** » Fri, 16. Apr 04, 00:58

Moss wrote:Very nicely told Fourfingers, you do bring characters to life very quickly, and the response from Pi was realy very Boron to my mind. How she will survive this battle should prove an interesting read, if she does that is

thanks Moss,
ya either love the Borons or hate em, How a race so polite and enlightened can survive in their lil part of the universe is quite a feat!

I mean the rest of the 4 races are all quite aggressive and emotionaly governed. The Borons just seem to come across 'wet behind the ears' if you'l pardon the pun. (do they have ears??)

I wouldn't kill her off right after the effort of introducing her.. besides ya have to get to like her, then killing her will have the desired effect..

FourFingers · Post by **FourFingers** » Fri, 16. Apr 04, 01:00

raliel wrote:and the second is here.......
http://www.egosoft.com/x2/forum/viewtopic.php?t=41087

Hmmmm... interesting.. nice idea's there..
Im gonna think on it maybe i can adapt it into my plot thou i have to warn ya i tend to twist things..(sometimes so much ya cant recognise em!)

Moss · Post by **Moss** » Fri, 16. Apr 04, 02:06

FourFingers wrote:
thanks Moss,
ya either love the Borons or hate em, How a race so polite and enlightened can survive in their lil part of the universe is quite a feat!

I mean the rest of the 4 races are all quite aggressive and emotionaly governed. The Borons just seem to come across 'wet behind the ears' if you'l pardon the pun. (do they have ears??)

I wouldn't kill her off right after the effort of introducing her..

"Warning Hull integrity at 15%" and currently one (possibly) low shield left, seems highly unlikely that you would kill off such a well introduced character so soon after bringing her in, but it don't look good at the moment, its not gonna take much more than some stray space debris to take this ship out!

I shall be looking forward to seeing what the ARINOX program can do to salvage the situation.

FourFingers wrote: besides ya have to get to like her, then killing her will have the desired effect..

I think you may have just spoiled the desired effect

KiwiNZ · Post by **KiwiNZ** » Fri, 16. Apr 04, 05:33

that is a cool description of a pedestrian in space

With time running out she will either have to teleport into the captured(?) Orinoco or kinda die

In which case perhaps Lan may have a chance of claiming her software and whatever survives the fight.

Very good read. Looking forward to the next installment.

FourFingers · Post by **FourFingers** » Sat, 17. Apr 04, 02:36

Added the next bit.
thought i should round off Pi's entrance into the story and get a move on with expanding Lans also the Teladi agent, before i forget about him.

pixel · Post by **pixel** » Mon, 19. Apr 04, 20:17

I like the twists your story is taking, as well as the fast pace and introducing new concepts quickly.

Nice change of scene with the ARINOX programme.

cool

only caution I'd give is that unless you have a plot semi-planned it might be hard to weave a coherent story with all the different characters you introduce. Most writers focus on one central character to give, errrm, focus

At the moment it is reading more like a series of short stories.

Having said that your series is bloody imaginative and good to read and I do not doubt you can bring it off.

KiwiNZ · Post by **KiwiNZ** » Tue, 20. Apr 04, 02:01

That is an interesting twist! A program that adapts that well is kinda scary, even to the person executing it. Even more so as it appears sort of conscious at some point, yet has not problems to commit suicide. It certainly would have been better had she captured the Orinoco, now she has got to trundle to the gate in her wreck and hope

Looking forward to the next part.

raliel · Post by **raliel** » Tue, 20. Apr 04, 13:24

hmm.........Xenon technology perhaps? After creating the Artificial Companion Image .....I was think about how legal full AI would be...
after all It was that sort of thing that caused the Xenon in the first place!
this story is progressing really well .......loking forward to more!

FourFingers · Post by **FourFingers** » Tue, 20. Apr 04, 14:56

Hey people,

Thanks for the comments. Appreciated!

only caution I'd give is that unless you have a plot semi-planned it might be hard to weave a coherent story with all the different characters you introduce. Most writers focus on one central character to give, errrm, focus At the moment it is reading more like a series of short stories.

Thanks for the advice Pixel, your right i realised i've been introducing things a bit too fast and havent really connected them yet, working on it.

A program that adapts that well is kinda scary, even to the person executing it. Even more so as it appears sort of conscious at some point,

ARINOX is not fully 'conscious' as such but does display awareness with in its programming (for the moment) also seems to show some anomalies keep an eye on it

I was think about how legal full AI would be...
after all It was that sort of thing that caused the Xenon in the first place!

I was thinking the same thing.. after Brenan and the Xenon fight i would think the Argons especially would be VERY wary of any sort of AI..
(Maybe thats why their 'fight command software' is so pants!)

Moss · Post by **Moss** » Tue, 20. Apr 04, 23:58

FourFingers wrote:Added the next bit.
thought i should round off Pi's entrance into the story and get a move on with expanding Lans also the Teladi agent, before i forget about him.

I did think that Pi with ARINOX, would have tried to capture that Orinoco, but I guess still being alive and functional will sufice for the moment

.

It will be nice to get back to Lan and see how he fares at the moment.

Theres quite a diverse amount of talent being built up in your characters, tho apart from survival and possibly some minor psychic ability, Lans isn't too obvious, but Pi is obviously a computer programing genius, ARINOX well who knows with some upgrades, well theres no telling what it could get up too. There was also a breif mention of a Paranid with some psychic talents in one of your replies.

It will be very interesting to see where you take all this. Keep it coming

FourFingers · Post by **FourFingers** » Wed, 21. Apr 04, 00:14

Moss wrote: I did think that Pi with ARINOX, would have tried to capture that Orinoco, but I guess still being alive and functional will sufice for the moment .

Yea thats what i would have done, and i kept itching to give Pi a ship but it doesn't fit in with her character..

It wouldn't of crossed her mind to steal his ship.. too polite.

It will be nice to get back to Lan and see how he fares at the moment.

Voila!

part 4 is now up and has Lan in it.

There was also a breif mention of a Paranid with some psychic talents in one of your replies

.

he's ready and awaiting introduction.. ive taken pixels advice on board and decided to slow it down on the character entry. Give the 3-4 a chance to shine a little.

Thanks for your comment Moss.