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This must be the silverware they use for particularly special occasions.

I don't know how many planetary defence cannons you've seen during your travels, but this one was about as impressive as they come. No known class of Terran warship could carry one. This was a weapon that would get a taciturn nod of approval from any self-respecting dark overlord, along with a quietly menacing command to build many more of them.

Now, you're probably thinking that something this size would be a sluggish performer in the anti-aircraft stakes. Not so.
Within seconds of completion, the turret rotated through a full 360 degrees in only five seconds. At the same time, the cannon's barrel moved through its complete arc of motion thrice in the time it took the turret to complete a single revolution. Make no mistake; this turret is entirely capable of tracking and engaging a high-speed target. An approaching starship in high orbit would be easy meat, although an atmospheric fighter wouldn't last too much longer.

Apparently, Aurora wasn't sufficiently threatening enough to warrant The Big Gun treatment. All it took was one Warper popping a hole where no holes should ever be popped in a starship's drive system, and that was it. Now that the Kharaa have been mentioned in casual conversation, more shall we say, direct methods have been called into play.
I think that I finally know why.

Most folk seem to think that Kharaa can only travel between star systems aboard ships they've infested. Unfortunately, that's not the case. Kharaa can also travel independently over interstellar distances, by creating space-faring organisms called 'Spore Ships'.

Millennia before Terrans acquired space flight capability, Kharaa hive minds assimilated the original Spore Ship genome, adapting its organic solar sail and bio-stasis pod to suit their own purposes. Although each spore ship can only carry a single dormant Kharaa hive and its transit times are often measured in centuries, this is still a highly effective means of quietly spreading the Kharaa infestation. Of course, this slow and steady approach can also deliver sufficient viable hives to launch a devastating blitzkrieg attack on a planet. The Precursors clearly had this prospect firmly in mind when they created this defence turret.

Seemingly oblivious to the ring of furious Warpers that surrounded me, I continued to watch the drone's video feed with a mounting sense of dread. Its motion checks complete, the weapon swung around abruptly and elevated its muzzle, aiming at an empty patch of sky. A pulsing blue-green glow strobed rapidly along the full length of the weapon's barrel, increasing in intensity until no human eyes could watch it without suffering permanent injury. Three shots fired in rapid succession before our shielded surveillance drones finally succumbed to the weapon's massive EMP backwash. By the looks of it, this weapon appears to throw a phased particle beam. I don't even want to estimate how much power eventually leaves that muzzle, but it's more than enough to ruin any poor spacer's day.

This left no room for doubt in my mind. We are now entirely at the mercy of Father of Tides.

Speak of the Devil. Here he comes.

"Where is Enemy, Father of Shells?" He gestured abruptly."You tell this one now. We hunt. We kill."

I activated my dive suit's holo-emitter. Looks like it's time to bite the bullet.

"Enemy seeds are growing where you cannot go. Enemy seeds awake in Dark Place. We cannot kill."

"You show this one Enemy. We kill. All Enemy life will burn." Father of Tides signed emphatically.

I shrugged amiably. "Sure, why not? Would you also like Inflatable Ingrid to sweeten the deal?"

My face hardened. Furious, I walked around the desk and stood over the cowering Torgal.

"Look, I'm in no mood to play head games any longer. Deactivate the tau-muon phase shield and point us in the general direction of the Sea Emperor, and we'll be on our way. That's as good as it gets. You're in an extremely piss-poor bargaining position to make any demands. I was only trying to thrash this out in a reasonable manner, mainly because I haven't the faintest idea of how that shield of yours works. One wrong move, and I could kill the Emperor. However, you still insist on walking away with all the toys. I was even prepared to throw you folks a lifeline; offer some help with your outdated systems... But you've just shut that door. Permanently. Prepare to deal with the consequences."

I motioned JUNO over to the desk.

"JUNO. Dive this terminal and locate the Sea Emperor. Any information regarding the phase shield would be extremely useful. Once you are done there, I want you to search out this base's remaining technology archives and completely zero them. Leave them with life support, power, food processing and the ability to create maintenance spares. Nothing more."

Torgal's eyes went wide with horror.

"You can't do that! This colony will revert to savagery within days!" He wailed.

I smiled coldly. "Within days, you say? I'd say that's a pretty solid reason for protecting this planet from the likes of you. However, since I'm not a complete monster, I'm prepared to return a significant technological advantage in order to help you folks get back on your feet."

I walked around to the front of the desk and stood there watching Torgal. His eyes glittered, as if wondering what benefit he stood to gain from this encounter. Within minutes, JUNO had finished working on the computer terminal. She walked over to stand at my side, followed by IANTO.

"Here is my parting gift to Torgaljin Corp. Use it wisely." I unhooked the retaining loop holding my diving knife and drew the blade from its scabbard. I placed it in the middle of Baat Torgal's desk. "You've got a long ladder to climb before you ever dare challenge this planet again. Know this: When you are fit to rejoin human society once more, I will be waiting for you. If you choose to emerge with hostile intent, I will be waiting for you. The Warpers will also be waiting for you. Consider the years ahead of you a state of grace. Use that time wisely. Our business here is concluded."

I turned my back on the stunned quartet and walked calmly from the room.

As soon as I stepped out of the room, IANTO opened the valve on a cylinder of Anesthezine.

We regrouped back at our ExoSuits. According to JUNO, the Sea Emperor was being held in a cavernous void situated ten levels below our current location. The phase shield control facility and observation chamber were located on sub-level three. Without another word being said, we mounted up and headed for the service elevator.

Baat laughed awkwardly. "I've only got your word for that, Selkirk. From what Tomar told me, your 'tactics' are comprised of nothing but misinformation, intimidation and empty threats. Those androids of yours physically can't and won't pull the trigger. They're incapable of taking human life."

I sucked air between my teeth thoughtfully. "Now, that would be a prima facie error of judgement on your part, Laddie. My androids are currently operating under the MARTIAL protocol. They are effectively defence troopers in this mode, and as such, will immediately use lethal force whenever they detect what they consider an appropriate threat level. I wouldn't provoke them, if I were you."

At that moment, DIGBY and IANTO entered the room. DIGBY moved over to one side of the entrance and set himself up as a one-android ambush. The first thing that passed through that hole without permission would be extremely sorry indeed. IANTO walked over to me and reported.

"Search detail completed, Sir. All biotechnology research files have been downloaded. Parent files erased. Auxiliary weapons storage bunker has been completely cleared. Weapon fabrication template copies downloaded and secured. All on-site data storage facilities successfully erased."

"WHAT?" Baat Torgal yelled, utterly horrified.

"This is only the very beginning of my sanctions, mate." I said calmly. "You have just lost all of your accumulated research data, plus the capacity to fabricate any form of weaponry. Unless you're using Sporks in your cafeteria, the most dangerous weapon on this base is currently a steak knife. Think about that for a while."

"You can't do this!" Torgal howled in anguish. "We'll have no way to defend ourselves!"

"Against what, pray tell?" I asked. "Could it be an ocean full of angry Warpers, perchance?"

Baat's expression changed instantly. He regarded me with a speculative look in his eyes, as if weighing and measuring my potential worth to his enterprise. "Warpers, you call them. We haven't been able to accumulate much useful data on this species. They have proved to be particularly elusive so far. What exactly have you found out, Selkirk?"

"Not very much at all, except that they are an extremely powerful and above all, intelligent race. They have been shooting down all ships that have attempted to land on this planet, presumably as a direct result of your decision to capture a particularly important organism for your own nefarious purposes. I won't sugar-coat this for you in the slightest, kid... You are solely responsible for the deaths of over 2,700 people so far. We have come to put a stop to it, once and for all."

"You've got no proof of that." Torgal muttered sullenly. "I admit to having the Progenitor captured and confined, but you can't blame me for any of those deaths."

I dragged him out of the chair by his collar, then slapped his face good and hard. Both bodyguards bristled threateningly. In response, JUNO and IANTO instantly snapped into firing stance. The hired muscle hastily backed down. Smart move.

"Listen here, you stupid little ponce! You've imprisoned and quite possibly tortured a unique creature that's the actual wellspring of all life on this planet. Why in Hell's name would you even need to do that? - Answer me, gorram it!"

I strolled over to the large desk and casually sat down on one corner, seemingly oblivious to the glares of distaste thrown in my direction. This beardless youth could only be Baat Torgaljin. He was a sallow piece of work, undoubtedly as a consequence of living without real sunlight for a major portion of his life. There was some genuine intelligence lurking behind those deep-set eyes, along with an unhealthy helping of malice. In many ways, his appearance reminded me of the Gothic Revival types back on Terra. A single shoulder-length swatch of black hair hung asymmetrically from an otherwise shaved head, intricate silver and black moko tattoos adorned his brow and left jaw-line. He wore a heavy knee-length duster coat over a finely-tailored House Torgal utility jumpsuit, presumably for the air of menace it supposedly conferred. All I really saw was another snot-nosed kid, desperately trying to crawl out from under Daddy's shadow. Even so, this was definitely not a chap to be taken lightly.

"I need to speak with Paal Torgal." I said quietly.

The hard-eyed Belter woman named Marguerit smirked unpleasantly. She was obviously one of Paal Torgal's personal bodyguards, judging by the amount of weaponry dropped when she was politely asked to do so. However, I felt that there might have been 'something' going on between Baat and her. Just a feeling mark you, but a fairly definite one. Marguerit Maida was more 'striking' than physically attractive in the usual sense. I was keeping a discreet but constant eye on her, and not only from a security perspective. Her lower face was decorated in the distinctive broad-stroked red moko of a Torgaljin Protector, making it seem as if her jaws were covered in blood. Someone else's blood, to be precise. She had the bearing of a queen cobra, tensed and ready to strike at any time.

"Difficult, Engineer Selkirk... But not entirely impossible. After what you have done today, I would gladly arrange a conversation between you and my father. Unfortunately, he died of natural causes more than five years ago. In spite of my best efforts, he succumbed to a dreadful terminal illness." Baat murmured.

"Oh. Absolutely nothing to do with a successful Pillow-ectomy, then?" I inquired innocently. "In that case, please accept my most sincere condolences and heartiest congratulations, Emperor Caligula."

Baat scowled darkly.
"Agh, just get to your point, man. What gives you the right to invade a House Torgal research facility? This entire planet is my sole and sovereign territory, by right of birth."

"I'll have to go with the same right that permitted your man Tomar to enter my base and murder me without provocation. Incidentally, I'm beginning to sense a disturbing pattern developing in these Torgaljin social interactions... 'Hello! - BANG!' You might want to look into that, boykie. Doesn't exactly present Torgaljin Corp in the most favourable light. Purely a constructive criticism, of course."

"I haven't heard from Invigilator Tomar for quite some time now. Do you know what happened to him?"

I thrust my face within inches of his. Baat flinched back defensively.

"I happened to him! He's dead, along with the crew of De Ruyter. Unless you want to join him in The Black Fleet, you will do precisely what I say."

CHAPTER EIGHT

Presently, IANTO and DIGBY came jogging briskly up the central corridor. JUNO and I were hunkered down in a spacious atrium outside the Executive accommodation precinct. Whatever else I felt about Belters, I had to admire their construction techniques and the efficient use of space within this Lava Castle of theirs. This was a natural consequence of their skill at creating habitable spaces inside asteroids, often concurrent with extensive mining operations. Belters as a whole are not huge fans of enclosed spaces, so no effort had been spared in creating the illusion of a light and airy atmosphere in this base, in spite of the oppressive gigatonnes of midnight-black lava surrounding them.

In its own way, the atrium was a wistful re-creation of the lost forests of old Terra, although all the plants it contained were native to this planet. Some species were entirely unfamiliar to me. I assumed that they may have been genetically manipulated, recalling having read that Paal Torgal's son, Baat was a fairly savvy biochemist. If this Baat chap's a creative sort, he might also be capable of discussing this Sea Emperor business in a calm and reasonable manner. I most sincerely hope so.

Our ExoSuits advanced slowly through the atrium in a close box formation, marching two abreast. The three androids and I were dismounted and on foot in the centre of their protective square, ready to add our firepower to the fray. We were definitely in Executive territory now. The dense Aramid fibre synthetic grass covering this area muffled most of the sound coming from the ExoSuits' heavy footfalls, although any halfway decent seismometer in this base would be going completely nuts by this time. I still couldn't shake a nagging suspicion that we were walking straight into an ambush, although I gained some comfort in knowing that the opposing force would be slightly more manageable, at least in terms of numbers. Taking on all 40 House Torgal mercs and possibly some talented amateurs might be a bit too much to ask of our plucky 'Strike Team Aurora'.

Surprisingly, we managed to traverse the entire length of the atrium entirely without incident. Not quite so surprisingly, the ambush we'd been waiting for was actually around the next corner we turned. There were two or three seconds of stunned inactivity on both sides, then all hell broke loose. We were facing three, possibly four security troopers at most, and they were all wearing respirators. Hmmm... We might actually need to do some honest work to get past this lot.

Bummer.

"Mount up!"

All ExoSuits ceased to advance and squatted low in their dry-land boarding configuration. The foremost pair commenced rapid fire with repulsion cannons, mainly to keep the defenders' heads down as we climbed aboard, but also to give the defenders a more accurate idea of what they were facing. As soon as we were all safely aboard, our advance continued purposefully. The security strongpoint was overwhelmed with ridiculous ease and to my surprise, we found only three terrified pen-pushers cowering behind its ballistic screens. Rather than go through the usual name, rank and serial number business, IANTO simply reached down, tore off their masks and gassed them to oblivion.

Just for the record, riot shotguns don't do an awful lot of damage to ExoSuits. However, if they had they been using just one Gauss cannon, this skirmish might have had an entirely different outcome.

Hallo, I’m writing my master thesis on the motivations of user-participation in the video game industry. I have chosen Subnautica as one of my cases, due to the fact that you guys as a community have been awesome in supporting this early access titles, by both funding as well as participate in the development of the game through ideas, bug reports as well as fan made content. I hope you will be as awesome in completing my survey, as you have been in participating in the development of Subnautica. It will only take a couple of minutes to complete it

Link to survey: https://www.survey-xact.dk/LinkCollector?key=6ZT13L8Q9N9K

Thanks in advance!

** NOTE The "finish" function is a bit weird with 'survey-xact', when you get a blank screen after pressing 'finish' you have send it successfully.

My answer using the vertical column.

I can't remember how long I spent staring blankly at that monitor. De Ruyter was slowly tearing itself apart. At random intervals, internal explosions would wrench another huge chunk out its carcass. Soon, its uncontrolled descent would also begin taking its toll. Manannán's tenuous upper atmosphere teased and pulled at the falling vessel faintly, even timidly at first. As the ship fell with ever-increasing speed, atmospheric friction gnawed ravenously at its exposed innards, heating them to thousands of degrees. Soon, all that remained was a hurtling, flaming lance of white-hot fury.


"No Lifepods at all, JUNO?"

"None were detected, Captain." JUNO replied quietly.

For at least the space of a heartbeat, I fancied that if any Lifepod had made planetfall, it could only be Tomar's. Witness an endless, utterly futile battle of death and resurrection, pitted against each other until Alphard itself grew black and cold. Neither of us would have given an inch in all that time; growing ever more cunning and infinitely more vicious with each new reprisal, bringing increasingly devastating weapons into play until one of us finally cracked the Dragon's Egg, destroying us both. The other side of that same coin saw us lapsing into a more elemental form of savagery, hacking at each other with Stalker teeth until what little remained of our humanity crawled away in abject disgust.

There was no sense of elation. No cause to celebrate. This was not even remotely a victory.

In truth, I felt sickened to the pit of my stomach by the carnage I had recently witnessed.
More to the point: I had caused. Two hundred lives sacrificed for the sake of one man's vanity.
In the balance of things, I was entirely blameless for Aurora's fate. However, I could not say the same for what happened to De Ruyter and her crew. No matter how much I tried to justify my actions at the time, the inescapable truth was that I had provoked Tomar into taking that suicidal course of action. I had humiliated him gravely in the presence of his subordinates, knowing full well that his station in Belter society would not permit him to allow this insult to pass unanswered.

Rather than face JUNO and IANTO while carrying this knowledge, I pleaded exhaustion and retired to my quarters. I suddenly felt a most pressing need to drink myself stupid.

For three full days, I wept, pleaded, howled and raged. My quarters were torn to pieces in a whirlwind of hard liquor, black remorse, endless self-accusation, whining denials and mindless fury.

On the fourth day, JUNO pumped my quarters full of Anesthezine gas.

On the sixth day, I awoke.

Even at maximum magnification, De Ruyter seemed almost toylike. I could barely make out the harsh, angular lines of its shark-like grey hull. The mass drivers fired once more, their coronal flares blooming dazzlingly against the velvet immensity of the void beyond.

"Captain, De Ruyter has commenced pattern bombardment. Five rounds in each area, overlapping fall of shot as it moves on to the next sector. I have calculated that a single impact within 150 metres of The Broch will exceed current hull overpressure limits by a factor of 65 per cent."

I swore loudly, bolting for the nearest bulkhead door. "Thanks for the heads-up, JUNO. How much time do we have?"

"Assuming that the bombardment pattern remains consistent, no more than ten minutes, Captain."

"Gorram it! There's no way I can secure the whole base in time. What's our current hull integrity?"

"One hundred and seventy-five, Captain. Estimated time for completion of total hull reinforcement to 225 per cent of current rating, one hour, twenty minutes."

IANTO spoke. "Captain, may I offer a suggestion?"

I stopped running, barely halfway down the central corridor. "Okay, but make it very quick, mate."

"Two possible solutions exist, Captain. One involves waiting for the attack to pass inside one of the Cyclops. The submersible will have to be positioned immediately behind the exit iris of its launch tunnel to ensure your survival. Probability of tunnel collapse, 97 per cent. The second solution involves sacrificing all ancillary structures, except for the command module. Remove all transparent surfaces and replace them with reinforcement panels, providing a total hull integrity rating of 280. You must then flood the base completely. Estimated completion time, six minutes."

I hesitated for a second. "Okay. Option Two sounds only slightly less suicidal. We'll go with that."

Halfway through the emergency base refit, JUNO called out. "Captain! The De Ruyter!"

The nearest monitor was on Level Two. I slid down four ladders, losing a fair deal of skin in the process. JUNO had enhanced the image digitally, slightly sacrificing resolution for increased image size. De Ruyter was listing heavily to starboard, hanging lifelessly on the outer fringes of the planet's atmosphere. A gaping, glowing crevasse had been ripped in its portside hull. A massive cloud of debris drifted away from the breach, reaching toward the planet like a skeletal hand.

"Replay all after the last attack, JUNO." I said calmly. Inside, I was shaking myself apart with anger.

De Ruyter fired once more. Milliseconds later, a huge explosion erupted in the frigate's midsection. Forward of the drive nacelles, two small, bright objects ejected from the hull simultaneously, arcing away from the doomed vessel and heading rapidly into deep space. They would continue their own lonely voyage to oblivion, long after De Ruyter had made its final death dive. Minute amounts of antimatter bled off in controlled bursts propelled the heavily shielded containment pods, serving as a crude emergency drive system. It was an entirely automatic safety measure, of course. If those pods had not ejected in time, the entire Alpha Hydrae solar system would have been destroyed.

"Antimatter containment modules. It doesn't matter now. De Ruyter is already finished."