The Rogue X Fiction series. A question.

[SteveMill]

As you've noticed I've been periodically posting chapters of this X universe based story. Thanks, by the way, to everyone who reads it regularly or who has pm'ed me with good words and requests for the whole thing. I'd never have continued without your support.

It started on the old board a couple of years ago as an experiment and just kept on, thanks to encouragement from the forum.

It is going to be part of the X2 package, along with other fan work, but I was wondering if there is any interest in me republishing it now in regular chapters?

The prologue is posted below. If people are interested in more, sing out.

I don't want to spam the board if people are not interested, (which is fine, there's plenty of good stories to read here already).

Rogues Testament

Prologue

"I've got it," she choked through the acrid smoke rapidly filling the cockpit. Struggling back to the co-pilot station she screamed unnecessarily, "Get us the hell out of here!" Already buffeted by an emergency sequence of evasive manoeuvres that had strained the Gravitic Compensator past it's design limits she was thrust violently back into her seat as her companion slammed the after burners to full.

"You think?"

Balls of superheated plasma, emerald and deadly flashed past the hull as the pilot threw another evasive sequence calculated by instinct to leave the Orinoco on an escape vector back to the safety of the northern trans-system jump-gate. One snatched glance at the pilot, his face set grim behind his visor, confirmed her fear.

They weren't going to make it.

The Orinoco was named after the largest river on the northern continent of Argon Prime, although the Goner Temple maintained it merely bore the name of a mighty waterway on humankind's legendary lost homeworld of Earth.

Inevitably, due to it's shape, a handle-less infantry entrenching tool with two drive nacelles trailing low on elegant swept back pylons, it soon became known as the spade, or Spade-head according to which side of it's sights you were on. The Spade was a compromise design suited to the particular needs of its owners. It was armed and armoured like a medium fighter but sacrificed the energy required to power a comparable propulsion system to generate and maintain a capacious sub space compression hold.

The vessel of choice for clan smugglers it was well suited for a variety of tasks and with the right load-out performed excellently in a defensive role where it's low speed was not a significant disadvantage.

With the drive system tuned to the maximum possible speed and the subspace hold enlarged to the full theoretical maximum of 350 storage units at a cost that could have bought another ship this Spade was, as they say on Boron, 'Loaded for Split'. Apart from a fig leaf load of 100 units of the oily but popular Chelt meat the hold was filled with over 100 of the medium punch Dragonfly missiles, a mixed bag of 50 other smaller rockets, 50 automated defence drones, several spare weapon systems and a backup shield. It even sported 10 of the extremely powerful and largely illegal Teladi Squash Mines. Although usually to be found escorted by mixed package of Mandalay light and Bayamon medium fighters this Orinoco, in the hands of this pilot could hold it's own in almost any fight long enough to extend and escape.

None of that would help against the huge Xenon destroyer that even now was coming round for another pass; it's forward turrets already resuming fire. With it's huge drives it could outrun them easily even if the spade was significantly more agile. It was only this small edge plus the remarkable skill of the pilot in pushing the performance envelope of his ship to the very edge that had allowed them to survive even this long in the heart of the unnamed jump-gate sector still controlled by the artificial scourges of all sentient life.

As he threw the craft about the sky, twisting and turning through fusillades of green and blue fire, the co-pilot watched the scanners, calling out crucial information through the forced calm of her training.

"Okay, you've lost him again. Coming about, coming about, port, aft low. 5 klicks, 6 klicks, 7 klicks."

A small note of resignation tinged her next call.

"m****, they're launching fighters."

The pilot futilely gunned the afterburner but they were already at maximum speed. At under 100 mps even the Xenon L heavy fighter could match them and the light and medium N and M class could outdistance them with ease. The jump-gate was still 20 klicks distant.

" I count 6 N class, 3 M class and 2, no, 3 L's. Second wave launching."

Within seconds the Orinoco was the centre of a hornet's nest of attention as the small stubby N class fighters swarmed all over them. The tactical sensors filled the cockpit with the whine of their drives as their lasers peppered the shields.

Coolly the co-pilot targeted and launched defence drones in groups of 4. The short-lived machines were only unshielded flying lasers but in numbers their speed and agility made them a threat to small fighters and a nuisance to others. Tactically they were of most use to cover a retreat. Even one of the big, heavy fighters of the Xenon with their 50 MW of shields could be forced to temporarily disengage by a swarm of these devices.

The cockpit echoed to the rapid pipping of multiple laser fire punctuated by the rumbling assorted explosions of drones and fighters alike. The respite lasted only a few seconds, as the pounding roar of Gamma Particle Accelerator Cannons presaged the arrival of the superior M class interceptors.

"3 M's, 2 o’clock starboard aft, closing fast overshoot."

Functioning as one the two pilots fought for their lives and with supreme skill the pilot corkscrewed through the lethal concentric plasma columns filling the vacuum around them to bring his ship up onto the tails of the 3 M class fighters. Strangely for an artificial race the Xenon craft displayed a strong sense of aesthetic with both the L and the M class sharing the wide body, forward trailing wing shape that called to mind a bird of prey.

Before they could accelerate away the spade closed to within tens of metres of the Xenon flight, sweeping their starboard across their rear exhausts with withering fire from it's own unaimed Gamma PAC's. The cockpit shuddered with the recoil but did not distract the co-pilot as she swiftly launched 4 dragonflies at each of the 3 fighters in turn. At such short range the Xenon had no chance to go evasive.

Two vanished instantly in a ball of flame and the third broke high, the missiles tracking relentlessly. Rolling inverted the spade pulled a loop that bought it head on with the M. Gimballing through the incoming fire the pilot drained his weapons into its forward shield face forcing the M to break right, taking two dragonflies in the face. As it spun helplessly a third reduced it to a million melted fragments.

The second wave on N's had joined the survivors of the first wave. Most were taken out by the remaining drones and waves of small missiles the co-pilot dispatched but by now the first wave of the heavy Xenon L's had arrived with the second wave of M's close behind.

The spade fought like a demon, filling the sky with rockets whilst dodging a torrent of incoming fire. One by one the M's fell, even one of the L's but such were the odds that even a pilot as gifted as this one evidently was found it almost impossible to get a close enough position to ensure missile efficacy. The 10 MW of shielding sported by the Orinoco could not hold up long under the cross fire of 5 L class fighters. And even if they triumphed they'd only face further waves.

"I need options fast".

The pilot sounded as desperate as the situation.

The co-pilot rapidly targeted the destroyer and ordered the pilot to go head to head, fast and low. It looked like suicide but he knew better than to argue and as the huge ship loomed before them 2 of the pursuing fighters broke off, circling to cut the line of retreat-. Space was filled with incoming fire, fore and aft and despite inspired manoeuvring the Orinoco shuddered under their deadly impact. Emotionlessly the onboard computer intoned the falling shield status as it dropped below 30%.

As the Orinoco flashed along the hull of the giant destroyer the co-pilot deployed all 10 of the squash mines. The pilot looped and rolled to put the bulk of the capital ship between him and the mines as his companion triggered them. Despite the cover the huge blast generated shockwaves sent the spade tumbling and careening. As the pilot fought to regain control a dozen cockpit alarms sounded and somewhere behind him he registered the insistent hiss of an onboard extinguisher cutting in.

The Xenon destroyer had fared less well. Burning plasma roiled from numerous gaping holes in the hull and its drive system was completely off line. The three pursuing L's had vanished in the initial blast and the co-pilot rapidly targeted the remaining 2 L's with the last of her missiles. One succumbed while the other 2 were pursued across the sky.

Instantly the Orinoco broke for the safety of the jump-gate. The crippled destroyer, powerless and burning, was unable to launch another flight and the remaining L's would be unable to intercept them in time.

The celebratory whoops of the pilot were cut cruelly short.

"Scanners show two more destroyers coming in hot and fast at relativistic speed. Slowing, slowing, slowing, here they come." Her voice was now devoid of hope.

The 2 warships roared by, disgorging fighters as they went.

The ensuing battle was short and even as the 2 pilots punched out their craft blossomed into a lethal fireball.

[Al]

Wow I'd forgotten just how good that prologue was. Just wish that Squash mines were actually that useful in the game!

Anyway... I'm not sure whether you should post it again on here or not. If its on the X2 CD then presumably people who have read it here wont read it again. On the other hand people who haven't read it might not bother to read it off the CD but would read it if posted here.

Tough call. I'd see what peoples reaction is and go with the flow. Failing that, do whatever you want and if nothing else, I'll be reading it again

Al

[SteveMill]

Anyway... I'm not sure whether you should post it again on here or not. If its on the X2 CD then presumably people who have read it here wont read it again. On the other hand people who haven't read it might not bother to read it off the CD but would read it if posted here.

Al

Yes, I wasn't sure of that either. It'll be nicely pdf packaged on the CD with a great Avis cover.

Of course, new readers would be an ego boost but I was thinking it might give people something to keep coming back here for while we wait for X2.

I'll see what the response is I guess.

[Al]

I'd start with a couple of chapters and see what the reaction is. You could ask for feedback with the first couple to ensure that people want more.

Al

[Deleted User]

My thoughts were pretty much the same as Al's. I'm going to wait for the complete edition on the CD and then read it again.


IO

[Adamskini]

i dont rememeber even seeing the prologue

\o/

[Moss]

I know from previous postings from you Steve that you want to write some Fantasy fiction (another genre I enjoy btw) But I would actualy prefere you wrote another story for us here rather than rereading this one on the forum! but perhaps thats not going to happen.

So myself I don't think I would reread this story on the forum as i'm looking forward to reading it from the CD version (tho i'd much prefer it in book format! or even 3 books they would be a nice adition to anyones sci fi collection). I want to be able to read it and have breaks where I chose, no slur intended on it having been posted here, I have realy enjoyed the story from start to (almost end) here on the forum, but there have been times when I realy wanted to read on, but obviously couldn't. That won't happen when I get the CD

[Al]

Yeah thats the only complaint I could possibly have. Not being able to read to the end. Patience is not always my strong point!

Al

[Avis]

Steve, hope ya don't take offence,
I ain't read your stories in a while now, admitedly because it's gettin included with X2 sooo I kinda figured a sit down and read without having to wait till next week type scenario, I know its crudy for feedback

but rest assured what i have read I rate highly.

[SteveMill]

Steve, hope ya don't take offence,
I ain't read your stories in a while now, admitedly because it's gettin included with X2 sooo I kinda figured a sit down and read without having to wait till next week type scenario, I know its crudy for feedback

but rest assured what i have read I rate highly.

nope, good feedback thanks. It's just recently I've had a few pm's asking for the full story from people who'd only just picked up on it so i thought i'd guage demand and see if it'd be a useful idea.

[The_Abyss]

It's just recently I've had a few pm's asking for the full story from people who'd only just picked up on it so i thought i'd guage demand and see if it'd be a useful idea.

Steve - following the recent success of reading out another (rather dubiously related ) X story on my radio show, I'd wondered how you would feel if the chapters were read out over a period of weeks, to break up the monotomy of the music that I play.

Would you be willing to let this be tried? I'd let you pick a couple of songs to intersperse the reading to help set the scene - or just play X music in the background all the while.

[Gandalf The White]

Now there is an idea! a good one at that.

A story spot on a radio show. I like that idea. Very good one as well.

[Rapier]

...It's just recently I've had a few pm's asking for the full story from people who'd only just picked up on it so i thought i'd guage demand and see if it'd be a useful idea.

Thanks! It's now fimly installed on my PDA, just waiting for a nice long journey on which to read it.

[Gandalf The White]

Well, I think that by reading the story from the start, you give X some more playability. So, either a story spot or reposting it on the forum. Either is good. As long as we get the new stuff as well!lol

[SteveMill]

It's just recently I've had a few pm's asking for the full story from people who'd only just picked up on it so i thought i'd guage demand and see if it'd be a useful idea.

Steve - following the recent success of reading out another (rather dubiously related ) X story on my radio show, I'd wondered how you would feel if the chapters were read out over a period of weeks, to break up the monotomy of the music that I play.

Would you be willing to let this be tried? I'd let you pick a couple of songs to intersperse the reading to help set the scene - or just play X music in the background all the while.

That's an intriguing idea, let me think about it and look at my CD's.

[SteveMill]

...It's just recently I've had a few pm's asking for the full story from people who'd only just picked up on it so i thought i'd guage demand and see if it'd be a useful idea.

Thanks! It's now fimly installed on my PDA, just waiting for a nice long journey on which to read it.

There will be an updated download available soon for both books in rtf format. A pdf download will follow. There were some chapter misnumbering in the last version of testament,and the omission of defined headers for a couple of chapters that might affect voice readers.

[thrangar]

Yes, I wasn't sure of that either. It'll be nicely pdf packaged on the CD with a great Avis cover. "Steve"
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Yes I always thought a graphics for each chap would be cool!
This is good news!
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Of course, new readers would be an ego boost but I was thinking it might give people something to keep coming back here for while we wait for X2.

I'll see what the response is I guess.
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As a prior reader with most of the middle of the story read.I am going to wait for the cd.Hope this helps