Rise of the Kirin 36 & 37
Posted: Fri Jun 05, 2009 1:19 pm
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Chapter 36 (Cold Justice)
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In the dark, vast, frigid expanse between worlds a ship flies ever onward. The charred, shattered remains of a military laser hang uselessly from its bow. A large hole has been torn in the wing where a missile destroyed itself. At its current speed, it will take it many life times to reach its destination. But its badly damaged engines will burn out long before it ever gets there. There is breathable air on board, but it will stagnate long before it reaches its goal. There is food on board but it will run out long before it can ever be replaced. There is some warmth there now, but the temperature inside will soon drop, until it is as cold as the space around it. For the moment, there is light but that too will dwindle and die as the reserve batteries, starved of energy once provided from a cold, dead reactor, lose their meager charge. There is a gun on board. A gun that promises unconditional release from all these problems. It sits patiently. Quietly waiting for the time it will be called on to perform a single act of mercy. The pilot of this craft knows all these things and that's why he's screaming. He knows the truth. This ship is not really a ship. It's a coffin. A tomb in which he is buried alive.
"Well, that's cold justice" Udian commented philosophically as Derik explained the finer points of Command Omega to him.
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Chapter 37 (Rise of the kirin)
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The last few days had been an industrious one for both crews. Within hours of the generals departure, two more caduceus ships had arrived. The Apex Of Reason and the Annulus Of Deceit had hovered over the 2 stricken craft like a pair of young crows over a corpse. Aantar Shulth was overjoyed to see his daughter Mima who, despite his best efforts wanted to stay and help with repairs. So after dropping off supplies and repair equipment. They headed out to set up a scan perimeter just in case any of the ongoing fighting were to head in the asteroids direction. Some hours later they returned with the odd minor scar and cargo holds brimming with alien artifacts. Throughout the rest of that day and half the night the two ships continued industriously, flying sorties back and forth to the remains of the battle. Invisibly intervening on behalf of the Galcorp force, saving lives, mopping up resistance and filling their holds with booty. By the time they were done there was enough to fill all four ships.
Thanks to a nanite swarm fine tuning Ramania's fine engineering work and Thorn's patch weilding, the Kirin looked once again factory fresh. The Hammer of Sorrow was functional but a little rough around the edges. but that was nothing a bio-bath back home (where ever home was) wouldn't fix. The Navy had finally arrived and busied themselves throwing their weight around in system with a massive, (if now totally redundant) show of force. A rather apologetic transport had arrived soon after to pick up the marines. Evenings were spent watching surveyor ships zipped planet side clearing debris from the space lanes and around Tibecia ready for the new station that would be towed into place any day now.
Late on the fourth day Derik and Ramania were eyeing the Kirin's almost full to bursting cargo bay, overseeing the final containers being loaded.
"The ships are all together, must be nearly time to leave." Udian and Mima had come aboard.
"Not a bad haul, so where do you want us to take all of it?" Derik commented as the last canister was loaded on board.
"Any where the stars take you," Udian replied "that includes the ship too. Of course."
Derik Looked back at the robot encased bioform with one brow raised. "You serious?"
Udian ruffled Mima's hair with his right fine manipulator arm. "When any creature risks its life to save the child of anothers and asks for nothing in return. Then that is an act that should not go unrewarded or forgotten." Ramania was bouncing up and down in sheer excitement at this point. "but that's not all" Udian continued, "It looks like you've still got a bit of room in there, lets see if we can't fix that." he twisted down his cargo claws that had been stashed behind his back. Both had a cargo container clamped in the claws. He laid them gently down on the deck where they were soon joined by a third. "you know I could get used to this body, with some small bio-enhancements of course."
"You'll only go and grow out of it." Mima chimed in.
"No my dear, I'll be growing through out it, thank you very much. Anyway" As if on cue the 3 cargo pods popped open. Derik's second eyebrow joined the first as they revealed one ton of Gold, a ton of Platinum and a ton of Gems.
"OK what's the catch?"
Udian chuckled, "Ships and money mean little compared to people. The first two can be rebuilt or re-grown the latter cannot. You know that."
"True," Derik nodded. "A ship is a machine, and can be replaced. It's the crew that makes a ship more than that."
"Very wise, Derik. I'll have to remember that. Mima, I believe you have a parting gift for our friends here too."
Mima handed the barely conscious Ramania a galcorp credit transfer card. "as your boss doesn't appear to be able to close his mouth, I had better start with you instead. It's the original deal, 7400 credits plus an additional 3700 per member of crew to be divided any way you see fit." Mima turned "and a little something for my knight in shining armor? I found her in the debris field a day ago. I had dad give her the once over, he's better at neural path ways than I am. I think the only thing she doesn't remember is her name." She pulled a small, lightly dented metal canister from her backpack and placed it in Derik's rough hands. It was the AI of the Lady Tiomat.
Derik smiled, "Ahh, that dear, clever lass. She ejected her braincase somehow. She's pretty smart for a positronic brain." He hands the container to Ramania, "We'll have to integrate her into the /Therenback/'s systems."
"Thank you," Mima whispered, stretching up and giving Derik a kiss on the end of his nose.
Derik grinned and snugged her gently, "You're very welcome, hon. Take care of yourself, and try to keep this old fellow from getting his arse shot off again." Derik chuckled.
Udian laughed, "Like I have one to shoot off!"
"At least now you can say you really do have an iron arse, Udian." Roh'i chuckled. "Oh, Esei wanted you to have this." Roh'i placed a large bottle filled with a dark golden liquid in Mima's hands.
"Awesome Ale!"
"I recon a cup every once in awhile can't hurt. Something to remember us by."
As the asteroid turned once more into the glare of the Tibecian sun, the gigantic ship slowly rose, braking gravitationally free of the enigmatic Tibecia-Beta 44. The trinity of thrusters fired just as the first rays of sunlight flashed across her hull. It was a new dawn, a dawn that saw the rise of the kirin.
Chapter 36 (Cold Justice)
======================================
In the dark, vast, frigid expanse between worlds a ship flies ever onward. The charred, shattered remains of a military laser hang uselessly from its bow. A large hole has been torn in the wing where a missile destroyed itself. At its current speed, it will take it many life times to reach its destination. But its badly damaged engines will burn out long before it ever gets there. There is breathable air on board, but it will stagnate long before it reaches its goal. There is food on board but it will run out long before it can ever be replaced. There is some warmth there now, but the temperature inside will soon drop, until it is as cold as the space around it. For the moment, there is light but that too will dwindle and die as the reserve batteries, starved of energy once provided from a cold, dead reactor, lose their meager charge. There is a gun on board. A gun that promises unconditional release from all these problems. It sits patiently. Quietly waiting for the time it will be called on to perform a single act of mercy. The pilot of this craft knows all these things and that's why he's screaming. He knows the truth. This ship is not really a ship. It's a coffin. A tomb in which he is buried alive.
"Well, that's cold justice" Udian commented philosophically as Derik explained the finer points of Command Omega to him.
======================================
Chapter 37 (Rise of the kirin)
======================================
The last few days had been an industrious one for both crews. Within hours of the generals departure, two more caduceus ships had arrived. The Apex Of Reason and the Annulus Of Deceit had hovered over the 2 stricken craft like a pair of young crows over a corpse. Aantar Shulth was overjoyed to see his daughter Mima who, despite his best efforts wanted to stay and help with repairs. So after dropping off supplies and repair equipment. They headed out to set up a scan perimeter just in case any of the ongoing fighting were to head in the asteroids direction. Some hours later they returned with the odd minor scar and cargo holds brimming with alien artifacts. Throughout the rest of that day and half the night the two ships continued industriously, flying sorties back and forth to the remains of the battle. Invisibly intervening on behalf of the Galcorp force, saving lives, mopping up resistance and filling their holds with booty. By the time they were done there was enough to fill all four ships.
Thanks to a nanite swarm fine tuning Ramania's fine engineering work and Thorn's patch weilding, the Kirin looked once again factory fresh. The Hammer of Sorrow was functional but a little rough around the edges. but that was nothing a bio-bath back home (where ever home was) wouldn't fix. The Navy had finally arrived and busied themselves throwing their weight around in system with a massive, (if now totally redundant) show of force. A rather apologetic transport had arrived soon after to pick up the marines. Evenings were spent watching surveyor ships zipped planet side clearing debris from the space lanes and around Tibecia ready for the new station that would be towed into place any day now.
Late on the fourth day Derik and Ramania were eyeing the Kirin's almost full to bursting cargo bay, overseeing the final containers being loaded.
"The ships are all together, must be nearly time to leave." Udian and Mima had come aboard.
"Not a bad haul, so where do you want us to take all of it?" Derik commented as the last canister was loaded on board.
"Any where the stars take you," Udian replied "that includes the ship too. Of course."
Derik Looked back at the robot encased bioform with one brow raised. "You serious?"
Udian ruffled Mima's hair with his right fine manipulator arm. "When any creature risks its life to save the child of anothers and asks for nothing in return. Then that is an act that should not go unrewarded or forgotten." Ramania was bouncing up and down in sheer excitement at this point. "but that's not all" Udian continued, "It looks like you've still got a bit of room in there, lets see if we can't fix that." he twisted down his cargo claws that had been stashed behind his back. Both had a cargo container clamped in the claws. He laid them gently down on the deck where they were soon joined by a third. "you know I could get used to this body, with some small bio-enhancements of course."
"You'll only go and grow out of it." Mima chimed in.
"No my dear, I'll be growing through out it, thank you very much. Anyway" As if on cue the 3 cargo pods popped open. Derik's second eyebrow joined the first as they revealed one ton of Gold, a ton of Platinum and a ton of Gems.
"OK what's the catch?"
Udian chuckled, "Ships and money mean little compared to people. The first two can be rebuilt or re-grown the latter cannot. You know that."
"True," Derik nodded. "A ship is a machine, and can be replaced. It's the crew that makes a ship more than that."
"Very wise, Derik. I'll have to remember that. Mima, I believe you have a parting gift for our friends here too."
Mima handed the barely conscious Ramania a galcorp credit transfer card. "as your boss doesn't appear to be able to close his mouth, I had better start with you instead. It's the original deal, 7400 credits plus an additional 3700 per member of crew to be divided any way you see fit." Mima turned "and a little something for my knight in shining armor? I found her in the debris field a day ago. I had dad give her the once over, he's better at neural path ways than I am. I think the only thing she doesn't remember is her name." She pulled a small, lightly dented metal canister from her backpack and placed it in Derik's rough hands. It was the AI of the Lady Tiomat.
Derik smiled, "Ahh, that dear, clever lass. She ejected her braincase somehow. She's pretty smart for a positronic brain." He hands the container to Ramania, "We'll have to integrate her into the /Therenback/'s systems."
"Thank you," Mima whispered, stretching up and giving Derik a kiss on the end of his nose.
Derik grinned and snugged her gently, "You're very welcome, hon. Take care of yourself, and try to keep this old fellow from getting his arse shot off again." Derik chuckled.
Udian laughed, "Like I have one to shoot off!"
"At least now you can say you really do have an iron arse, Udian." Roh'i chuckled. "Oh, Esei wanted you to have this." Roh'i placed a large bottle filled with a dark golden liquid in Mima's hands.
"Awesome Ale!"
"I recon a cup every once in awhile can't hurt. Something to remember us by."
As the asteroid turned once more into the glare of the Tibecian sun, the gigantic ship slowly rose, braking gravitationally free of the enigmatic Tibecia-Beta 44. The trinity of thrusters fired just as the first rays of sunlight flashed across her hull. It was a new dawn, a dawn that saw the rise of the kirin.
