the_marinerUS of AJoin Date: 2016-12-29Member: 225653Members
Well, this is just great. Ollos has gone out of his gourd with power. I have a feeling that when Malla, Leonard, Seth, Zenn, and Penna return, things are not going to be going well...
"Don't worry, Sellan," I comforted him behind the mountain. I held out a hand to stop my guards from beating him, and put my hand to his face. "I won't hurt you. In all honesty, you should be the one to rule this place; at least you are sane." A small group of people heard me as they peered around the rocks to see Sellan, and the majority nodded, and the others implied agreement.
"Thank you, Zanos," Sellan smiled, "but there are some who legitimately believe in Ollos and his leadership, and they would stand between me and his position." There was muttering within my guard.
"Don't worry, Sellan, we'll take care of that." The muttering turned to arguing. "We'll convince his supporters to turn to you, and then he will have no allies, and you will be able to overthrow him." The arguing turned to shouting, and then pushing behind me.
"He is our leader!" One of them bellowed.
"Malla is our leader, and Sellan knows that!" Another yelled. Then one of them pulled from their hips a propulsion cannon. It was pointed at one of my best guards. He lifted him with the machine, so high you could fit a gasopod between the ground and his feet.
"Enough!" I commanded.
The man who held the cannon talked to me first. "He thinks Ollos will serve us well!" He boomed. "Let me throw him into the sea and be done with it!" I was disgusted by even the thought of this.
"No!" I ordered. "As of now, all of us are required to serve Ollos, as he is our leader. Now put that thing away before you kill someone; we've seen enough death already."
"But what if I want to kill someone.." He tightened his grip on the gun.
"Damn it, Ollos won't win this!" I yelled at him. "Give him up, and join Sellan! Ollos is inexperienced and unfit to lead!"
"I'm not sided with that bastard Ollos! I think Sellan should lead us. He is actually stable in the head, and that makes one of them."
A sudden wave of anger flooded through me. How could someone who followed Sellan be so violent? I told myself that there was both good and evil on both sides, but I couldn't convince myself no matter how many times I repeated this in my head. I approached the man, and with a slap I batted the cannon out of his hands, onto the beach. My guard fell from the air onto the sand and my fist found its mark in the middle of the attacker's face. He fell to the floor, his nose bleeding, his hands cupping his face. I snatched the gun up from the floor, and walked stiffly over to the man who had fallen. "Whenn." I said. Whenn looked up at me, his hand blocking the sun from his eyes.
"Ollos is the better leader." He shrugged. "He lead a mining colony on Obraxis Prime just before the massacre, and reaped more money than any other masters in the region. He's my leader." I looked into his eyes, and with the pull of a trigger he was once again fixed in place. I pointed the propulsion cannon into his face, turned on, and slowly I lifted him up by the head, higher than he had been before.
"What are you doing?!" I heard Sellan ask behind me in a whisper. I didn't dare look at him. I had no idea what I was doing. My arms were free from my brain; they moved independently. Then with a second pull of a trigger just beneath the first Whenn was shot far out into the sea. I could not believe my actions at first; I had not meant for them. Whenn was one of my favourite guards, but I for some reason could not stomach the idea of him being a supporter of Ollos' deadly ways.
It was true Sellan had never ruled before, but I felt something deep within him; a burning passion to get the job done.
I walked from behind the mountain with my guardsmen, and Sellan beside me. "Ollos!" I yelled. "Sellan is our leader; not you!" Some cheered at this, but many hissed and grumbled at the statement. Ollos stood on the base, looking down at us with disgust. Soon enough arguments began in the crowds, and sand was thrown in people's eyes, rocks were pelted at one another.
"Stop this madness!" Ollos yelled. He stepped forward to look more menacing but in doing so he lost his footing and slid from the base, into the crowd. Some people stopped, but many more continued the fighting.
"Stop this now!" Sellan yelled. Slowly but surely the crowd calmed. "It's clear we aren't going to decide who leads ourselves. I call a vote; whichever one of us gains the most votes in the next forty eight hours wins leadership of these people. Do you understand me?" Ollos looked at Sellan.
"There's no point!" Ollos stated. "Malla will be back in a month, there's no point in making a huge deal of it, is there?!"
Then Sellan looked at Ollos in a strange way. It was a knowing look, and one that made me feel rather on edge. When Ollos saw this his face changed, as if he had remembered something terrible. His menacing features turned to that of fear, and dread, and a hint of regret I sensed. "Fine." Ollos said. "Let's vote."
Idiots. You've been shot out of the sky and crashed on one of the only two islands in the middle of nowhere. It is imperative that you get back to civilisation, yet you're killing each other so you can be king of a tiny settlement which will soon be picked off by native predators.
I see what you meant when you said this would be like Game of Thrones.
Idiots. You've been shot out of the sky and crashed on one of the only two islands in the middle of nowhere. It is imperative that you get back to civilisation, yet you're killing each other so you can be king of a tiny settlement which will soon be picked off by native predators.
Idiots. You've been shot out of the sky and crashed on one of the only two islands in the middle of nowhere. It is imperative that you get back to civilisation, yet you're killing each other so you can be king of a tiny settlement which will soon be picked off by native predators.
I felt unsettled. I regularly experienced the sensation of someone creeping up from behind me. I dreamt of it. I smelt unease in the air, and felt venom in the water as I swam outside every morning after the break of dawn. Although the seas are deadly, their sights are best experienced out of the metal confines of the Kraken. This is how I spent my mornings, as did Leonard and Penna. Zenn and Seth spoke a great deal; I was doubtful of their friendship, but I'm glad to see that it is one of the most sound ones on this vessel.
We were five days into our voyage. The Aurora was close, now. We glided over the great mushroom forests, beneath the shadows of great Reefbacks and above the pesky Sandsharks below. The forest was beautiful; the creatures within were outstandingly bright and pretty. But I knew of the environment's danger. I knew I mustn't fall stupid, like Sampson had, but in a very opposite way.
Then we arrived.
The Aurora's black steel towered above us like a mountain. Moss grew on its hull in great patches, so firm that we could climb up them if we so desired. Its spine was fresh with soil (I had no idea how this was possible, but a quick scan would tell me exactly that) and trees grew from the fertile dirt.
"We're here." I said, less enthusiastically as when I had thrown the words through my head, but I portrayed my awe just as well.
"It's beautiful." Penna smiled. So did Seth.
"I wonder what we'll find up there." He looked up the steel sides of the legendary ship. "Buried treasure? A virus? Or lizards waiting to burn our faces off and eat us whole?" I grinned. I was about to sarcastically answer, but then the submarine shook with vigour. Penna was thrown against a wall. Zenn nearly fell, but kept his balance, and everyone else was brought to their knees or knee.I grabbed the wheel and pulled myself up, steering the Kraken slightly as I did so. Then there was a dreadful roar, and a sudden burst of panic erupted from inside the ship. Suddenly we heard the breaking steel of one of our accompanying Seamoths, and a gargantuan eel darted past the windscreen of the submarine, the vehicle in its pincers, roaring like a lion.
Then there was real panic. I grabbed the wheel and drove the Kraken forward. Its front collided with the monster's tail, but did little to no damage.
"I'm going to make my way to the front of the Aurora!" I yelled. "There we'll find a way on board!" I turned the ship northward and drove, watching the Reaper's tail disappear into the murk, the seven remaining Seamoths in tow. I activated the Seamoth Radio Frequency. "Don't die on me, men!" I yelled down the microphone.
"Wouldn't dream of it, Chief." Kend replied. Kend was a good man, I'd hate to lose him. He was in charge of those Seamoth pilots, I hope he'd do them justice by seeing them through this.
The Reaper's jaws resurfaced, charging straight towards the current-screen of the submarine. I pushed forward on the Kraken's steering wheel, and the Cyclops leaned forward. Much of the crew tripped over, but a lot of them found a hold that they used to keep on their feet. Cargo slid towards the front of the ship as it angled itself, and soon enough the Reaper slammed into the top of it. It slid up the sine of the Kraken and flew out of the water, its head smashing into the side of the Aurora. Moss and dirt fell into the ocean, as did one of its dismembered red mandibles.
I levelled the ship out once again and continued the push. "He's on my ass," I told the people in the seamoths. "Keep that thing far far away." The Seamoth whizzed past the Kraken, and thanks to this I noticed a chip in the current-screen, high above where I stood. From it dripped salt water. It slowly became bigger and bigger, letting more and more water seep through.
Suddenly there was an almighty crash, and the Kraken leaned backwards, the bridge facing almost upwards. We continued forward, but slowly, and a deafening scraping noise filled the corridors. "The Reaper's got a hold of the back of your ship!" end yelled down the line. "It's pushing it down onto the sea floor! The turbine is lifting all of the sand, I can't see a damn thing!"
"Sir, there is a way out of this." One of the pilots said. "I can crash my craft into the Reaper's head and it would let go."
"Frank, we can find another way," I assured him. "You don't have to-" I felt someone grab me by the shoulder. I turned around to see Leonard staring at me in the eye.
"The needs of the many, Malla." He whispered. I looked forward, grabbing the steering wheel, my vision to the surface.
"Do it." I said. There was a crash, and the Kraken lunged forward. Three quarters of its body surfaced, and all of these tonnes of steel came slamming down onto the water. Now the Kraken cruised along as if it were a boat on the top of the waves. I could see above the water, and it was a grand sight after nearing a week submerged.
Okay, so I need your opinions on something. These past few posts have gotten a little lengthy, and I just wanted to know whether you'd want me to shorten them a little bit or you like the length. I'm fine with either way, I just want to get your opinions
Leonard is fucking evil. I mean, throwing Malla's words back at him like that? Jesus.
Aaaand shit just got real with Ollos. I can't believe he's still trying to appear intimidating. Quite frankly, he's as intimidating as a wet towel, and I have the same level of respect for him as one.
The Kraken had scraped to a halt at the nose of the Aurora, where the metal grew shallow. The submarine was beached like a whale, and people flooded from its doors to walk on the mythic steel beneath them. I was one of the last to leave, followed only by Zenn. All of Malla's people wandered about. Long vines hung from far above, leaves fell around us, and the metal was covered in a thick layer of moss. It felt strange beneath the feet, as if I were walking on a mattress. A path of ivy-coated steel wound up the front of the Aurora, towards a large opening in its side.
Malla clambered on top of a piece of metal. He helped Leonard up behind him, giving him a pat on the shoulder as he was hoisted onto the ancient rubble. Then he pulled Penna up, giving her a smile, and then me and Zenn. He gave me a pat and spoke to Zenn for a few seconds before letting him walk forward. Malla pushed past us and looked over the crowd. Then he saw someone amongst them. "Kend." He boomed. "You have proven your valour today. You saved every one of us from the jaws of the Reaper, and for that you have our thanks." We all clapped at the comment. Then the applause died. There was a moment of silence. "Get up here." The clapping continued. Malla held out an inviting hand, and he squatted down for Kend to be able to reach. He walked forward and jumped up, grabbing Malla's wrist. He heaved him onto the steel, and Kend looked the happiest I had ever seen him.
"There are a lot of people up here now." Penna commented. "And add Ollos and Sellan to the mix of generals--"
"Have you heard what they're doing to my island?" Malla said behind the curtain of applause. "They are no generals of mine. I have already sent a small team back there to sort things out." I looked at him.
"Sir," I said. "I'm sorry. My judgement may have been misplaced when I allowed those two the positions of leader."
"Your apology is misplaced." Malla shrouded his obvious disappointment with a forced grin. "It was my own fault for letting their ignorance through my filters. Don't worry, it won't happen again; I won't let anyone betray me like that again." I turned back to Zenn, who was already looking at me, pondering, his eyes as wide and round as a pup's. I made no change in expression and turned back to the crowd.
"Yes, sir." I said.
"Listen," Malla said quietly, and in an instant everyone fell silent; there were no exceptions, everyone's mouths shut. "Some of you will be coming with me to find a way on top of the Aurora. We will hopefully find more supplies there; fruit and such. Inside we'll hopefully find some engine fragments that we can use to fly off of this planet. All of you," he gestured to a large group, "will be coming with me. The rest of you," he waved his hand above the heads of six or seven people, "will wait here. You are my best fighters, and when I get back I expect to see the Kraken in one piece. Make no mistake, when we find a way up I will recall you to my side, but until then you will protect. Seth, Zenn, Kend; you are in charge of the Kraken." I nodded. "Let's go!" A large group charged up the mossy ramp towards the Aurora's entrance.
After they had all shoved through themselves into the ship, I looked back to our few people. "Right," I said. "Explore; try and find some salvageable materials, or fragments from the Aurora or Lunar crash." The seven people began to wander, and Kend hopped down, a smile on his face, to help them search. I hopped behind the metal scrap we stood on and nodded for Zenn to do the same. I looked at him in the eye.
"Malla is in danger." I told him, both my hands on his shoulders. "We don't know what's out there. You know what you have to do to survive." I held out a knife. "You know what will happen if you don't." He quickly nodded and snatched the knife from my grasp.
"Why do I have to do this?" He asked; a stupid question he already knew the answer to.
"Do it or you know what'll happen." I smiled and pushed his knife-wielding hand forward into his chest. He looked at it blankly. "Roll up your sleeves." I insisted. He proceeded to roll his sleeves up to his shoulders. "Now do it." I said. He put the blade of the knife to his upper arm, and pressed gently. Blood already crept from the flesh, dripping down the arm. Zenn winced. "Come on, do it; everyone else has." I convinced him, and quickly he made a quick cut. He dropped the knife and grabbed the wound with his other hand. "Now do you want to do the other arm or are you okay with doing just one?"
Zenn fell to his knees, looking at me the entire time. "No, I don't want to." Zenn told me. I picked the knife from the floor and quickly did made a similar wound on his other arm, through the sleeve. Blood poured from the cut, and now he held both his arms around his chest in a cross, as if protecting himself from the cold. I dropped the knife and held my hand out to pick him up. He accepted, and I was able to pick him back to his feet.
I supported Sellan in this 'election', but my honour and my duty compelled me to side with Ollos during this debate. Although I spoke with Sellan behind his back, I still believed he cast a wide shadow over the people. A few people had already sided with him, and others were deciding whether to vote for Sellan or him. He was not on the island at the moment, at least not when I had checked. Where could he have been? The voting had not yet begun, but I knew when it did it would be a crushing blow to Sellan if we didn't act quickly.
I approached him sitting by the mountain. "Sellan," I called. He looked up at me and smiled. "The people are starving."
"And what would you have me do about it?" Sellan asked. "I am weak, I have been beaten, and I myself am starving. How do you expect me to fetch food for others like me when not even they are capable?"
"You could take advantage of this situation." I told him. "You could convince them to side with you when you provide them with these rations." Again and again he refused, telling me that he would find another way. I doubted this; he might as well not exist, seeing as how useless he was in this election and as a leader. I threw my arms in the air and strode off, lost in a sea of my own anger.
I sat on the beach, expecting Ollos to burst from the waves hauling a great net of fish behind him, and I saw the people rushing to his side, thanking him, swearing him loyalty and the like. A part of me thought this impossible for a single man; my guard were on the island, and the daily role call counted everyone but Ollos himself. I wondered what he would return with, what he would drag out of the salty depths with him. I wondered if I swam down now if I could catch more fish than him, and suddenly jump forward in the polls myself. It was slowly becoming apparent that Sellan was as useless as Ollos, for all the wrong reasons. I still supported him, but not as wholly as I had once.
The sun was setting now. Then I heard crowds gathering behind me. I heard applause and words of gratitude, and I turned to see a crowd of people outside the cave entrance in the side of the mountain. Unexpectedly, people gathered around Ollos. He carried with him bag and bags of great, orange, bulbous fruit. Not a soul questioned where the provisions had been taken from, and in their desperation they took the fruit without a second glance. I approached Sellan once again, who did not even look at Ollos or the crowd.
"Now you've truly lost." I told him. "This is what you get for wasting time sulking about on the floor here."
I waited fifteen minutes for the crowd to die down. Still there was fruit on the floor that none had eaten before they became full. Then I sneaked cautiously into the cave. My footsteps echoed as I walked. I tiptoed down the narrow passages and winding tunnels. Great cables lined the walls, made from the same alloy as the gun itself. I ran my hand against them, and they swayed as I took my fingers away.
Then there was an enormous opening. At the heart of this grand room was a gigantic diamond outline that towered over everything else in the chamber. It was filled with a murky green light. Sasha stood before me, staring into the green. I walked up to her. She heard my footsteps and turned to see me.
"You're Zanos, yes?" She asked. I nodded my head.
"What is that thing?" I inquired, with more shock than I had intended. I cleared my throat afterwards and she smiled. Then she turned back to the green veil.
"On the other side is where Ollos got all of that fruit from." She informed. "On the other side of that portal is the reason we're alive."
I gazed in awe at the machine. "Why haven't you gone through yet?" I once again asked.
She turned back to me again. "If pregnant woman are advised not to travel through Phase Gates, surely there's no difference here." I smiled back at her. Her smile never seemed to fade. "And I like the way it looks." She added.
"Well we can agree on that." I said. "Who do you think made it?"
"Forgotten aliens that no one remembers or cares to remember?" She didn't seem all that fussed. "It doesn't bother me. What does bother me is the recipe; how do I make one of these?" She continued to look at the portal. The room fell into a silence. I didn't much care what was on the other side anymore. I removed myself from the cave as quickly as I had entered.
I supported Sellan in this 'election', but my honour and my duty compelled me to side with Ollos during this debate. Although I spoke with Sellan behind his back, I still believed he cast a wide shadow over the people. A few people had already sided with him, and others were deciding whether to vote for Sellan or him. He was not on the island at the moment, at least not when I had checked. Where could he have been? The voting had not yet begun, but I knew when it did it would be a crushing blow to Sellan if we didn't act quickly.
I approached him sitting by the mountain. "Sellan," I called. He looked up at me and smiled. "The people are starving."
"And what would you have me do about it?" Sellan asked. "I am weak, I have been beaten, and I myself am starving. How do you expect me to fetch food for others like me when not even they are capable?"
"You could take advantage of this situation." I told him. "You could convince them to side with you when you provide them with these rations." Again and again he refused, telling me that he would find another way. I doubted this; he might as well not exist, seeing as how useless he was in this election and as a leader. I threw my arms in the air and strode off, lost in a sea of my own anger.
I sat on the beach, expecting Ollos to burst from the waves hauling a great net of fish behind him, and I saw the people rushing to his side, thanking him, swearing him loyalty and the like. A part of me thought this impossible for a single man; my guard were on the island, and the daily role call counted everyone but Ollos himself. I wondered what he would return with, what he would drag out of the salty depths with him. I wondered if I swam down now if I could catch more fish than him, and suddenly jump forward in the polls myself. It was slowly becoming apparent that Sellan was as useless as Ollos, for all the wrong reasons. I still supported him, but not as wholly as I had once.
The sun was setting now. Then I heard crowds gathering behind me. I heard applause and words of gratitude, and I turned to see a crowd of people outside the cave entrance in the side of the mountain. Unexpectedly, people gathered around Ollos. He carried with him bag and bags of great, orange, bulbous fruit. Not a soul questioned where the provisions had been taken from, and in their desperation they took the fruit without a second glance. I approached Sellan once again, who did not even look at Ollos or the crowd.
"Now you've truly lost." I told him. "This is what you get for wasting time sulking about on the floor here."
I waited fifteen minutes for the crowd to die down. Still there was fruit on the floor that none had eaten before they became full. Then I sneaked cautiously into the cave. My footsteps echoed as I walked. I tiptoed down the narrow passages and winding tunnels. Great cables lined the walls, made from the same alloy as the gun itself. I ran my hand against them, and they swayed as I took my fingers away.
Then there was an enormous opening. At the heart of this grand room was a gigantic diamond outline that towered over everything else in the chamber. It was filled with a murky green light. Sasha stood before me, staring into the green. I walked up to her. She heard my footsteps and turned to see me.
"You're Zanos, yes?" She asked. I nodded my head.
"What is that thing?" I inquired, with more shock than I had intended. I cleared my throat afterwards and she smiled. Then she turned back to the green veil.
"On the other side is where Ollos got all of that fruit from." She informed. "On the other side of that portal is the reason we're alive."
I gazed in awe at the machine. "Why haven't you gone through yet?" I once again asked.
She turned back to me again. "If pregnant woman are advised not to travel through Phase Gates, surely there's no difference here." I smiled back at her. Her smile never seemed to fade. "And I like the way it looks." She added.
"Well we can agree on that." I said. "Who do you think made it?"
"Forgotten aliens that no one remembers or cares to remember?" She didn't seem all that fussed. "It doesn't bother me. What does bother me is the recipe; how do I make one of these?" She continued to look at the portal. The room fell into a silence. I didn't much care what was on the other side anymore. I removed myself from the cave as quickly as I had entered.
Wow either that portal has a better battery life then the Nokia brick or they somehow worked out how to use ancient alien technology, without an all knowing scanner.
If they are to survive long-term, it might be better for them to relocate to the Floater Island anyway. No biters or reaper leviathans, plus the crops planted by the Degassi crew might've established themselves there since Aurora has already been overgrown. I wouldn't be surprised if one faction breaks away from the rest and decides to live there.
On another note, Phantomfinch is right. Did they work out how to use the ion crystals or something? I guess the original survivor would've documented some of it.
Somewhat later than I had intended, we found a way onto the Aurora's back. An opening, it was, in the steel roof of the ship. Thick vines hung from its edges; vines strong enough to support legions of men. This was our way onto the Aurora. The back end of the ship had been completely blocked from us; there were no gaps in the metal for us to clamber into, nor were there any pathways there not caved in or blocked off in some way. We were now making our way back to the Kraken. Hopefully a Reaper hadn't latched on and sucked it into the depths whilst I had been exploring. I trusted Seth, I trusted Zenn and I trusted Kend. They would not fail me, on a mission as trivial as the one they were set.
Leonard held much knowledge when it came to the alien planets of the universe, so when I knelt to feel the dirt with my hands he was the first person I asked about its odd location. "Why is this dirt on the Aurora?" I asked. "Surely the ship did not spawn it here out of thin air, so where did it come from?" Leonard looked down at me, smiling.
"Well, I have scanned the dirt." He informed. "Turns out... it's Skyray shit." I was instantly brought back to my feet, wiping my hand against my clothes.
"Skyray shit?" I searched for clarification. He simply nodded in reply. "So you're telling me that we've been walking in... Skyray... waste... for a day now?"
"It feels like dirt, doesn't it?" He asked me. I continued walking, others in the group walking in a parade around me. "Does it bother you?"
"How did the trees get here then?" I challenged. He looked at me confused.
"Well, I suppose Skyrays ate seeds that didn't digest properly and they sprouted, or the creatures carried them from a nearby island or..." I glanced at him with a raised brow, questioningly. "I don't know, I'm not a bloody zoologist. I just know that there are trees here now, and I don't care how they got here, at least we won't starve." I chuckled at him, and he smiled in response. "Either way, waste is the perfect fertiliser."
There was silence for the rest of the journey. We emerged from the heights above them, and they greeted us with cheers and congratulations after we revealed our success. "It is not far off!" We commented. "We will all be on top by sunrise!" We yelled. I watched as my people celebrated. It was a glad thing to see all of your people so happy, and so free. I surveyed the crowd, only to jump at the feel of a hand on my shoulder. I turned to see Zenn smiling at me.
"Zenn!" I was happy I could see him again; we hadn't spoken in quite some time. "I trust you defended the vessel well."
"As well as I could." He was always humble. I noticed a cut on his upper arm, just below the shoulder. It had penetrated the skin and clothes, and would scar.
"What happened?" I inquired.
"The moss is slippery in some parts, Malla. I slipped and fell, but I had no idea it was that big a cut." He seemed only then to realise the severity of the wound, He rubbed it, and smiled as he did so, concealing the obvious horror at the revelation. "I hope you're okay after coming back from such a venture. Did you find anything unexpected in there? Was it haunted?" He joked. I grinned.
"This whole planet is haunted." I told him. "Aliens died here and there, humans died everywhere. Now I suppose we may join them, and any other ship that gets too close." He looked down at the floor. Something was troubling him, I could see that. He forced a quick smile and disappeared into the crowed without a word.
Soon enough I clambered on top of a pile of rubble; perhaps the same one I had mounted before to give my previous speeches. "Alright!" I held my fist above my head, and the masses fell silent. "Now we'll all be heading into the ship. We'll make our way onto its back and find a way into the thruster maintenance rooms, and then we'll begin scavenging for all things useful. Ready?!" The crowed roared. "Let's go!" We all charged into the Aurora. I stopped at the top of the incline, and soon began to realise that some were more enthusiastic about this than others, my leaders included.
Zenn and Seth stayed at the back of the group, maintaining a steady jog, unlike the rest. With them was a small group.
I had seen what lay beyond the green veil. It was a paradise; trees grew from fertile soil and green grass, holding fruit ready to be picked. Not a predator was in sight. There were pools and rivers and all sorts of beautiful scenery. It was a place that would house us better than this vicious place. We woke every morning in front of the deadliest super weapon in twenty systems from here, and once its film of beauty and awe wore away, all you could see in that metal was terror, and the faces of the dead staring back at you in that reflective metal.
The election was to continue for another two days. Still I was pledged to the Silver, yet I wished to live under the leadership of Sellan. He was who I had voted for.
Our system was primitive; slips of paper dropped into one of two boxes. We thought this the best way to do it, so that skilled programmers couldn't hack the elections in their representative's favour. The boxes were positioned on stilts on the beach, and were guarded day and night by two soldiers, without fail.
A day rolled by, and the sun rose again, but as its rays touched the waters and rocks something caught our attentions, out on the horizon. Two small vessels were approaching the island. They were pale white, and moved quickly. "Let them come!" Ollos wailed. "Don't worry about them! They are some of Malla's people; here to see the new baby boy, I expect!"
By ten o'clock in the morning they had beached. Ollos greeted them with open arms. Two men climbed out of the submarines. It was true, they had come to see Malla's nephew, get an early measure of the lad. "A beauty," Ollos called him. "A warrior I see in him."
"We'll need a new leader." One of the two men commented. "After Malla's gone, of course." Ollos looked into their eyes, his own gleaming in the morning sunlight.
"It only makes sense for it to be his son..." Ollos said. "But I'd rather not talk about Malla dying; today should be a happy day! The baby is still weak, but when he-"
The other man, who had remained silent up until this point, stopped. "And that new leader very well can't be you, can it?" He interjected. The first man stopped as well. Ollos turned around and glared at them, hoping for them to break, but they stood like statues, forged from titanium. Then Ollos Silver did what he did best.
"It will be me if I want it to be!" He moaned. Then there was silence, and he turned fully to the men. He looked at the first one. "What is your name, sir?" Ollos asked him.
"Sorin." The man replied. Ollos nodded and looked past him, looking as if he were wondering about something.
Then his fist whistled through the air. It struck the man's left cheek, and he fell unconscious to the sand below. Ollos spat quickly in his numb face and soon he drove his heel into Sorin's eye. Blood erupted from the puncture, and Ollos screamed vile words as he repeated this over and over and over. "You came to kill the baby, didn't you?!" Ollos wailed. "You won't kill the baby!" How could a man come to such a conclusion. I rushed forward to try and stop him, but he had stopped by his own free will, when Sorin lay dead on the floor. Ollos then charged the second man, who grabbed him by the shoulders before they made contact.
"Remember what Seth told you!" I heard the man strain. Ollos curled his arms around the man's from in between them, loosening his grip. Then he in return grasped his shoulders, and drove his forehead into his. Ollos threw his fainted body to the ground. He looked at the crowd he had amassed, and looked as if he were about to give a speech, when a stone soared through the air, flying towards his head. He ducked and instantly asked who threw it.
"Who was that?!" He barked."Zaons; have him executed!" I looked at him. Silence befell the island as we stared into each others waking eyes, and closer and closer we seemed to get to each other. I pulled my stasis rifle from my side, not by the trigger, but by the barrel, and I held it by my own waist. He stared blankly at me, and I stared threateningly into his shocked eyes.
"No." I said. I spun the rifle in my palm and aimed the weapon at Ollos. He dove out of the way of the blast, which barrelled into the air behind him. Half of my guard flocked to Ollos, running down the beach with him, and another half to me and Sellan, who was watching the whole thing unfold from metres away.
Ollos grabbed the box on the beach labelled Sellan. He tipped it over, letting all of the names spill out. "Kill them!" He ordered. "Kill all of those people!" The Silver Guards scrambled to pick as many slips of paper as they could, memorising the names and matching them with faces in their minds. Then they charged into the crowds, stabbing each and every one of the names in that box. "Anyone who should follow Ollos Silver, with me into the caves!" A small portion of the crowd charged behind Ollos, and half of his Guard with him, too. The rest continued the onslaught. Bodies lay lifeless across the beach. I looked back to my guard. I was prepared to give a speech, but in an instant Sellan had taken my place at the head of the group.
"You are the Guardians of this Island!" He said. There were cheers. "You would give your life... You vow to die if it means the preservation of life!" There were more cheers, including mine. Then we charged.
We fought hard. We drove knife into Silver Guard's back and saved as many lives as we could. There were now twenty under Sellan's leadership; the rest were either dead or had fled into the caves.
the_marinerUS of AJoin Date: 2016-12-29Member: 225653Members
Um. Okay.
Ollos has gone out of his fucking gourd. I mean, Sellan is a lazy idiot, but Ollos killing Malla's men because he thinks they came to kill Sasha's baby? What the FUCK????
phantomfinchWest Philadelphia , born and raised on the playground is where I spent most of my days.Join Date: 2016-09-06Member: 222128Members
James I know you said you wanted your story to be like game of thrones.
But I think you've gone too far, next we'll have to wait 20 more pages until the sea dragons arrive.
We had surfaced. Now we tread on fine earth, our faces bathing in the sun’s radiance. The trees were fabulous on the Aurora; far more beautiful than anything on Terra; even New Obraxis’ plant life couldn’t compare to the extravagance of these precious things. I ran my hand up and down bark as white as cloud, and stroked fine, furry leaves with delicate fingers. Blood red sap poured from the stomachs of these trees. Although it looked like blood, I still found the sight beautiful. It trickled down the trunk slowly, leaving a trail of red behind it.
Then, looking at the red mixture, I remembered the attacks of the past; when the sharks of bone ambushed me, and swarmed me. I still felt the pain in my legs as I walked, although I had adapted to the feeling. Scars ran up from my knees, and now and again blood ran from the old wounds, like I was watching then. Then I remembered Sampson. He was tough to work with; loyal to the Federation no matter what. I was glad of his death, although it pains me to say. He killed Otta, one of my best friends. For that I could never forgive him, even post-mortem.
Then I remembered Tary. Still I had the suspicion Zenn blamed me for her death. Why shouldn’t he? I let her into the deadly caves where she was torn near to pieces by crawlers, and then she died because I commanded her to stay in the base. I saw why it was my fault, and I could not do anything to amend my actions, but perhaps I could amend his heart.
I approached him. He and Leonard were having a discussion. “Zenn.” I called. He looked at me, but not with a smile, nor frown. He just stared for a second.
“What is it?” He finally asked.
“Sir, long-range scans indicate that there may be an entrance at the rear end of the ship, and inside there may be energy stores enough to break atmosphere.” Leonard informed.
“Great,” I congratulated. “Now go talk to Seth; he said he wanted you.”
“Speaking of Seth, he was wondering if he and Zenn could stay at this entrance to the Aurora to guard it in case any of the Rebels sail over from the Island.” Leonard looked to the ground. “He apologises for putting Ollos in charge; he knows it was wrong of him, and he asks forgiveness for putting you, your sister and your nephew in danger.”
I nodded, and brushed him away. Then I looked back at Zenn. “Look. We’ve been friends for God knows how long now.” I began. “We’ve been through a lot. We had to endure Hodun’s death at Obraxis Prime, we watched as Otta died in front of us...” He saw where this was going. I saw it in his eyes. “Do you blame me for Tary?” I asked.
He just looked away. There was a silence, more painful than even the loudest of sounds. Then he looked back at me. “You forgot you were bitten.” He said. “You forgot you were infected. Because of that, Tary died. Don’t deny it was your fault.” Zenn looked angry, and I understood. “But I do forgive you.” I did not expect this outcome. “We are family, Malla; anything I can do to protect that baby I will, anything I can do to protect your sister I will.”
“Thank you, Zenn.” I grinned and stood up again. “Hopefully Leonard has talked to Seth. You can stay here with him as well, if you so desire.”
“That would be helpful.” Zenn said. “Me and Seth have some business to take care of; it shouldn’t take long, but we’ll remain sentries in case of an attack from Ollos.” I nodded.
“Good.” I smirked. “I’ll see you both soon, I expect.” I turned around to the group. “Right! You lot will stay here with Zenn and Seth to guard this entrance! Then this lot will come with me into the forest to find these thrusters! Ready? Let’s move it!”
I ran my hand up and down bark as white as cloud, and stroked fine, furry leaves with delicate fingers. Blood red sap poured from the stomachs of these trees. Although it looked like blood, I still found the sight beautiful. It trickled down the trunk slowly, leaving a trail of red behind it.
Comments
Plot development.
Also the cure is nearly 2 km underwater and surrounded by hot magma, lava spewing lizards, fire breathing dragons and ancient robots.
"Don't worry, Sellan," I comforted him behind the mountain. I held out a hand to stop my guards from beating him, and put my hand to his face. "I won't hurt you. In all honesty, you should be the one to rule this place; at least you are sane." A small group of people heard me as they peered around the rocks to see Sellan, and the majority nodded, and the others implied agreement.
"Thank you, Zanos," Sellan smiled, "but there are some who legitimately believe in Ollos and his leadership, and they would stand between me and his position." There was muttering within my guard.
"Don't worry, Sellan, we'll take care of that." The muttering turned to arguing. "We'll convince his supporters to turn to you, and then he will have no allies, and you will be able to overthrow him." The arguing turned to shouting, and then pushing behind me.
"He is our leader!" One of them bellowed.
"Malla is our leader, and Sellan knows that!" Another yelled. Then one of them pulled from their hips a propulsion cannon. It was pointed at one of my best guards. He lifted him with the machine, so high you could fit a gasopod between the ground and his feet.
"Enough!" I commanded.
The man who held the cannon talked to me first. "He thinks Ollos will serve us well!" He boomed. "Let me throw him into the sea and be done with it!" I was disgusted by even the thought of this.
"No!" I ordered. "As of now, all of us are required to serve Ollos, as he is our leader. Now put that thing away before you kill someone; we've seen enough death already."
"But what if I want to kill someone.." He tightened his grip on the gun.
"Damn it, Ollos won't win this!" I yelled at him. "Give him up, and join Sellan! Ollos is inexperienced and unfit to lead!"
"I'm not sided with that bastard Ollos! I think Sellan should lead us. He is actually stable in the head, and that makes one of them."
A sudden wave of anger flooded through me. How could someone who followed Sellan be so violent? I told myself that there was both good and evil on both sides, but I couldn't convince myself no matter how many times I repeated this in my head. I approached the man, and with a slap I batted the cannon out of his hands, onto the beach. My guard fell from the air onto the sand and my fist found its mark in the middle of the attacker's face. He fell to the floor, his nose bleeding, his hands cupping his face. I snatched the gun up from the floor, and walked stiffly over to the man who had fallen. "Whenn." I said. Whenn looked up at me, his hand blocking the sun from his eyes.
"Ollos is the better leader." He shrugged. "He lead a mining colony on Obraxis Prime just before the massacre, and reaped more money than any other masters in the region. He's my leader." I looked into his eyes, and with the pull of a trigger he was once again fixed in place. I pointed the propulsion cannon into his face, turned on, and slowly I lifted him up by the head, higher than he had been before.
"What are you doing?!" I heard Sellan ask behind me in a whisper. I didn't dare look at him. I had no idea what I was doing. My arms were free from my brain; they moved independently. Then with a second pull of a trigger just beneath the first Whenn was shot far out into the sea. I could not believe my actions at first; I had not meant for them. Whenn was one of my favourite guards, but I for some reason could not stomach the idea of him being a supporter of Ollos' deadly ways.
It was true Sellan had never ruled before, but I felt something deep within him; a burning passion to get the job done.
I walked from behind the mountain with my guardsmen, and Sellan beside me. "Ollos!" I yelled. "Sellan is our leader; not you!" Some cheered at this, but many hissed and grumbled at the statement. Ollos stood on the base, looking down at us with disgust. Soon enough arguments began in the crowds, and sand was thrown in people's eyes, rocks were pelted at one another.
"Stop this madness!" Ollos yelled. He stepped forward to look more menacing but in doing so he lost his footing and slid from the base, into the crowd. Some people stopped, but many more continued the fighting.
"Stop this now!" Sellan yelled. Slowly but surely the crowd calmed. "It's clear we aren't going to decide who leads ourselves. I call a vote; whichever one of us gains the most votes in the next forty eight hours wins leadership of these people. Do you understand me?" Ollos looked at Sellan.
"There's no point!" Ollos stated. "Malla will be back in a month, there's no point in making a huge deal of it, is there?!"
Then Sellan looked at Ollos in a strange way. It was a knowing look, and one that made me feel rather on edge. When Ollos saw this his face changed, as if he had remembered something terrible. His menacing features turned to that of fear, and dread, and a hint of regret I sensed. "Fine." Ollos said. "Let's vote."
I see what you meant when you said this would be like Game of Thrones.
Isolation gives the delusion of power
I felt unsettled. I regularly experienced the sensation of someone creeping up from behind me. I dreamt of it. I smelt unease in the air, and felt venom in the water as I swam outside every morning after the break of dawn. Although the seas are deadly, their sights are best experienced out of the metal confines of the Kraken. This is how I spent my mornings, as did Leonard and Penna. Zenn and Seth spoke a great deal; I was doubtful of their friendship, but I'm glad to see that it is one of the most sound ones on this vessel.
We were five days into our voyage. The Aurora was close, now. We glided over the great mushroom forests, beneath the shadows of great Reefbacks and above the pesky Sandsharks below. The forest was beautiful; the creatures within were outstandingly bright and pretty. But I knew of the environment's danger. I knew I mustn't fall stupid, like Sampson had, but in a very opposite way.
Then we arrived.
The Aurora's black steel towered above us like a mountain. Moss grew on its hull in great patches, so firm that we could climb up them if we so desired. Its spine was fresh with soil (I had no idea how this was possible, but a quick scan would tell me exactly that) and trees grew from the fertile dirt.
"We're here." I said, less enthusiastically as when I had thrown the words through my head, but I portrayed my awe just as well.
"It's beautiful." Penna smiled. So did Seth.
"I wonder what we'll find up there." He looked up the steel sides of the legendary ship. "Buried treasure? A virus? Or lizards waiting to burn our faces off and eat us whole?" I grinned. I was about to sarcastically answer, but then the submarine shook with vigour. Penna was thrown against a wall. Zenn nearly fell, but kept his balance, and everyone else was brought to their knees or knee.I grabbed the wheel and pulled myself up, steering the Kraken slightly as I did so. Then there was a dreadful roar, and a sudden burst of panic erupted from inside the ship. Suddenly we heard the breaking steel of one of our accompanying Seamoths, and a gargantuan eel darted past the windscreen of the submarine, the vehicle in its pincers, roaring like a lion.
Then there was real panic. I grabbed the wheel and drove the Kraken forward. Its front collided with the monster's tail, but did little to no damage.
"I'm going to make my way to the front of the Aurora!" I yelled. "There we'll find a way on board!" I turned the ship northward and drove, watching the Reaper's tail disappear into the murk, the seven remaining Seamoths in tow. I activated the Seamoth Radio Frequency. "Don't die on me, men!" I yelled down the microphone.
"Wouldn't dream of it, Chief." Kend replied. Kend was a good man, I'd hate to lose him. He was in charge of those Seamoth pilots, I hope he'd do them justice by seeing them through this.
The Reaper's jaws resurfaced, charging straight towards the current-screen of the submarine. I pushed forward on the Kraken's steering wheel, and the Cyclops leaned forward. Much of the crew tripped over, but a lot of them found a hold that they used to keep on their feet. Cargo slid towards the front of the ship as it angled itself, and soon enough the Reaper slammed into the top of it. It slid up the sine of the Kraken and flew out of the water, its head smashing into the side of the Aurora. Moss and dirt fell into the ocean, as did one of its dismembered red mandibles.
I levelled the ship out once again and continued the push. "He's on my ass," I told the people in the seamoths. "Keep that thing far far away." The Seamoth whizzed past the Kraken, and thanks to this I noticed a chip in the current-screen, high above where I stood. From it dripped salt water. It slowly became bigger and bigger, letting more and more water seep through.
Suddenly there was an almighty crash, and the Kraken leaned backwards, the bridge facing almost upwards. We continued forward, but slowly, and a deafening scraping noise filled the corridors. "The Reaper's got a hold of the back of your ship!" end yelled down the line. "It's pushing it down onto the sea floor! The turbine is lifting all of the sand, I can't see a damn thing!"
"Sir, there is a way out of this." One of the pilots said. "I can crash my craft into the Reaper's head and it would let go."
"Frank, we can find another way," I assured him. "You don't have to-" I felt someone grab me by the shoulder. I turned around to see Leonard staring at me in the eye.
"The needs of the many, Malla." He whispered. I looked forward, grabbing the steering wheel, my vision to the surface.
"Do it." I said. There was a crash, and the Kraken lunged forward. Three quarters of its body surfaced, and all of these tonnes of steel came slamming down onto the water. Now the Kraken cruised along as if it were a boat on the top of the waves. I could see above the water, and it was a grand sight after nearing a week submerged.
"The Reaper's off!" Kend cheered.
It means more things can happen in just one post.
And in the case of this story, the more people that die in one post.
Leonard is fucking evil. I mean, throwing Malla's words back at him like that? Jesus.
Aaaand shit just got real with Ollos. I can't believe he's still trying to appear intimidating. Quite frankly, he's as intimidating as a wet towel, and I have the same level of respect for him as one.
The Kraken had scraped to a halt at the nose of the Aurora, where the metal grew shallow. The submarine was beached like a whale, and people flooded from its doors to walk on the mythic steel beneath them. I was one of the last to leave, followed only by Zenn. All of Malla's people wandered about. Long vines hung from far above, leaves fell around us, and the metal was covered in a thick layer of moss. It felt strange beneath the feet, as if I were walking on a mattress. A path of ivy-coated steel wound up the front of the Aurora, towards a large opening in its side.
Malla clambered on top of a piece of metal. He helped Leonard up behind him, giving him a pat on the shoulder as he was hoisted onto the ancient rubble. Then he pulled Penna up, giving her a smile, and then me and Zenn. He gave me a pat and spoke to Zenn for a few seconds before letting him walk forward. Malla pushed past us and looked over the crowd. Then he saw someone amongst them. "Kend." He boomed. "You have proven your valour today. You saved every one of us from the jaws of the Reaper, and for that you have our thanks." We all clapped at the comment. Then the applause died. There was a moment of silence. "Get up here." The clapping continued. Malla held out an inviting hand, and he squatted down for Kend to be able to reach. He walked forward and jumped up, grabbing Malla's wrist. He heaved him onto the steel, and Kend looked the happiest I had ever seen him.
"There are a lot of people up here now." Penna commented. "And add Ollos and Sellan to the mix of generals--"
"Have you heard what they're doing to my island?" Malla said behind the curtain of applause. "They are no generals of mine. I have already sent a small team back there to sort things out." I looked at him.
"Sir," I said. "I'm sorry. My judgement may have been misplaced when I allowed those two the positions of leader."
"Your apology is misplaced." Malla shrouded his obvious disappointment with a forced grin. "It was my own fault for letting their ignorance through my filters. Don't worry, it won't happen again; I won't let anyone betray me like that again." I turned back to Zenn, who was already looking at me, pondering, his eyes as wide and round as a pup's. I made no change in expression and turned back to the crowd.
"Yes, sir." I said.
"Listen," Malla said quietly, and in an instant everyone fell silent; there were no exceptions, everyone's mouths shut. "Some of you will be coming with me to find a way on top of the Aurora. We will hopefully find more supplies there; fruit and such. Inside we'll hopefully find some engine fragments that we can use to fly off of this planet. All of you," he gestured to a large group, "will be coming with me. The rest of you," he waved his hand above the heads of six or seven people, "will wait here. You are my best fighters, and when I get back I expect to see the Kraken in one piece. Make no mistake, when we find a way up I will recall you to my side, but until then you will protect. Seth, Zenn, Kend; you are in charge of the Kraken." I nodded. "Let's go!" A large group charged up the mossy ramp towards the Aurora's entrance.
After they had all shoved through themselves into the ship, I looked back to our few people. "Right," I said. "Explore; try and find some salvageable materials, or fragments from the Aurora or Lunar crash." The seven people began to wander, and Kend hopped down, a smile on his face, to help them search. I hopped behind the metal scrap we stood on and nodded for Zenn to do the same. I looked at him in the eye.
"Malla is in danger." I told him, both my hands on his shoulders. "We don't know what's out there. You know what you have to do to survive." I held out a knife. "You know what will happen if you don't." He quickly nodded and snatched the knife from my grasp.
"Why do I have to do this?" He asked; a stupid question he already knew the answer to.
"Do it or you know what'll happen." I smiled and pushed his knife-wielding hand forward into his chest. He looked at it blankly. "Roll up your sleeves." I insisted. He proceeded to roll his sleeves up to his shoulders. "Now do it." I said. He put the blade of the knife to his upper arm, and pressed gently. Blood already crept from the flesh, dripping down the arm. Zenn winced. "Come on, do it; everyone else has." I convinced him, and quickly he made a quick cut. He dropped the knife and grabbed the wound with his other hand. "Now do you want to do the other arm or are you okay with doing just one?"
Zenn fell to his knees, looking at me the entire time. "No, I don't want to." Zenn told me. I picked the knife from the floor and quickly did made a similar wound on his other arm, through the sleeve. Blood poured from the cut, and now he held both his arms around his chest in a cross, as if protecting himself from the cold. I dropped the knife and held my hand out to pick him up. He accepted, and I was able to pick him back to his feet.
"Now you're ready." I smiled.
I hate conspiracies.
They always turn against the leaders. And currently, Malla is my favorite character.
@Jamezorg, don't you dare.
Don't you dare.
I supported Sellan in this 'election', but my honour and my duty compelled me to side with Ollos during this debate. Although I spoke with Sellan behind his back, I still believed he cast a wide shadow over the people. A few people had already sided with him, and others were deciding whether to vote for Sellan or him. He was not on the island at the moment, at least not when I had checked. Where could he have been? The voting had not yet begun, but I knew when it did it would be a crushing blow to Sellan if we didn't act quickly.
I approached him sitting by the mountain. "Sellan," I called. He looked up at me and smiled. "The people are starving."
"And what would you have me do about it?" Sellan asked. "I am weak, I have been beaten, and I myself am starving. How do you expect me to fetch food for others like me when not even they are capable?"
"You could take advantage of this situation." I told him. "You could convince them to side with you when you provide them with these rations." Again and again he refused, telling me that he would find another way. I doubted this; he might as well not exist, seeing as how useless he was in this election and as a leader. I threw my arms in the air and strode off, lost in a sea of my own anger.
I sat on the beach, expecting Ollos to burst from the waves hauling a great net of fish behind him, and I saw the people rushing to his side, thanking him, swearing him loyalty and the like. A part of me thought this impossible for a single man; my guard were on the island, and the daily role call counted everyone but Ollos himself. I wondered what he would return with, what he would drag out of the salty depths with him. I wondered if I swam down now if I could catch more fish than him, and suddenly jump forward in the polls myself. It was slowly becoming apparent that Sellan was as useless as Ollos, for all the wrong reasons. I still supported him, but not as wholly as I had once.
The sun was setting now. Then I heard crowds gathering behind me. I heard applause and words of gratitude, and I turned to see a crowd of people outside the cave entrance in the side of the mountain. Unexpectedly, people gathered around Ollos. He carried with him bag and bags of great, orange, bulbous fruit. Not a soul questioned where the provisions had been taken from, and in their desperation they took the fruit without a second glance. I approached Sellan once again, who did not even look at Ollos or the crowd.
"Now you've truly lost." I told him. "This is what you get for wasting time sulking about on the floor here."
I waited fifteen minutes for the crowd to die down. Still there was fruit on the floor that none had eaten before they became full. Then I sneaked cautiously into the cave. My footsteps echoed as I walked. I tiptoed down the narrow passages and winding tunnels. Great cables lined the walls, made from the same alloy as the gun itself. I ran my hand against them, and they swayed as I took my fingers away.
Then there was an enormous opening. At the heart of this grand room was a gigantic diamond outline that towered over everything else in the chamber. It was filled with a murky green light. Sasha stood before me, staring into the green. I walked up to her. She heard my footsteps and turned to see me.
"You're Zanos, yes?" She asked. I nodded my head.
"What is that thing?" I inquired, with more shock than I had intended. I cleared my throat afterwards and she smiled. Then she turned back to the green veil.
"On the other side is where Ollos got all of that fruit from." She informed. "On the other side of that portal is the reason we're alive."
I gazed in awe at the machine. "Why haven't you gone through yet?" I once again asked.
She turned back to me again. "If pregnant woman are advised not to travel through Phase Gates, surely there's no difference here." I smiled back at her. Her smile never seemed to fade. "And I like the way it looks." She added.
"Well we can agree on that." I said. "Who do you think made it?"
"Forgotten aliens that no one remembers or cares to remember?" She didn't seem all that fussed. "It doesn't bother me. What does bother me is the recipe; how do I make one of these?" She continued to look at the portal. The room fell into a silence. I didn't much care what was on the other side anymore. I removed myself from the cave as quickly as I had entered.
Wow either that portal has a better battery life then the Nokia brick or they somehow worked out how to use ancient alien technology, without an all knowing scanner.
On another note, Phantomfinch is right. Did they work out how to use the ion crystals or something? I guess the original survivor would've documented some of it.
Somewhat later than I had intended, we found a way onto the Aurora's back. An opening, it was, in the steel roof of the ship. Thick vines hung from its edges; vines strong enough to support legions of men. This was our way onto the Aurora. The back end of the ship had been completely blocked from us; there were no gaps in the metal for us to clamber into, nor were there any pathways there not caved in or blocked off in some way. We were now making our way back to the Kraken. Hopefully a Reaper hadn't latched on and sucked it into the depths whilst I had been exploring. I trusted Seth, I trusted Zenn and I trusted Kend. They would not fail me, on a mission as trivial as the one they were set.
Leonard held much knowledge when it came to the alien planets of the universe, so when I knelt to feel the dirt with my hands he was the first person I asked about its odd location. "Why is this dirt on the Aurora?" I asked. "Surely the ship did not spawn it here out of thin air, so where did it come from?" Leonard looked down at me, smiling.
"Well, I have scanned the dirt." He informed. "Turns out... it's Skyray shit." I was instantly brought back to my feet, wiping my hand against my clothes.
"Skyray shit?" I searched for clarification. He simply nodded in reply. "So you're telling me that we've been walking in... Skyray... waste... for a day now?"
"It feels like dirt, doesn't it?" He asked me. I continued walking, others in the group walking in a parade around me. "Does it bother you?"
"How did the trees get here then?" I challenged. He looked at me confused.
"Well, I suppose Skyrays ate seeds that didn't digest properly and they sprouted, or the creatures carried them from a nearby island or..." I glanced at him with a raised brow, questioningly. "I don't know, I'm not a bloody zoologist. I just know that there are trees here now, and I don't care how they got here, at least we won't starve." I chuckled at him, and he smiled in response. "Either way, waste is the perfect fertiliser."
There was silence for the rest of the journey. We emerged from the heights above them, and they greeted us with cheers and congratulations after we revealed our success. "It is not far off!" We commented. "We will all be on top by sunrise!" We yelled. I watched as my people celebrated. It was a glad thing to see all of your people so happy, and so free. I surveyed the crowd, only to jump at the feel of a hand on my shoulder. I turned to see Zenn smiling at me.
"Zenn!" I was happy I could see him again; we hadn't spoken in quite some time. "I trust you defended the vessel well."
"As well as I could." He was always humble. I noticed a cut on his upper arm, just below the shoulder. It had penetrated the skin and clothes, and would scar.
"What happened?" I inquired.
"The moss is slippery in some parts, Malla. I slipped and fell, but I had no idea it was that big a cut." He seemed only then to realise the severity of the wound, He rubbed it, and smiled as he did so, concealing the obvious horror at the revelation. "I hope you're okay after coming back from such a venture. Did you find anything unexpected in there? Was it haunted?" He joked. I grinned.
"This whole planet is haunted." I told him. "Aliens died here and there, humans died everywhere. Now I suppose we may join them, and any other ship that gets too close." He looked down at the floor. Something was troubling him, I could see that. He forced a quick smile and disappeared into the crowed without a word.
Soon enough I clambered on top of a pile of rubble; perhaps the same one I had mounted before to give my previous speeches. "Alright!" I held my fist above my head, and the masses fell silent. "Now we'll all be heading into the ship. We'll make our way onto its back and find a way into the thruster maintenance rooms, and then we'll begin scavenging for all things useful. Ready?!" The crowed roared. "Let's go!" We all charged into the Aurora. I stopped at the top of the incline, and soon began to realise that some were more enthusiastic about this than others, my leaders included.
Zenn and Seth stayed at the back of the group, maintaining a steady jog, unlike the rest. With them was a small group.
This I found most interesting.
I'm not being a dick here but I feel you pulled that conclusion...
Out of your ass
I had seen what lay beyond the green veil. It was a paradise; trees grew from fertile soil and green grass, holding fruit ready to be picked. Not a predator was in sight. There were pools and rivers and all sorts of beautiful scenery. It was a place that would house us better than this vicious place. We woke every morning in front of the deadliest super weapon in twenty systems from here, and once its film of beauty and awe wore away, all you could see in that metal was terror, and the faces of the dead staring back at you in that reflective metal.
The election was to continue for another two days. Still I was pledged to the Silver, yet I wished to live under the leadership of Sellan. He was who I had voted for.
Our system was primitive; slips of paper dropped into one of two boxes. We thought this the best way to do it, so that skilled programmers couldn't hack the elections in their representative's favour. The boxes were positioned on stilts on the beach, and were guarded day and night by two soldiers, without fail.
A day rolled by, and the sun rose again, but as its rays touched the waters and rocks something caught our attentions, out on the horizon. Two small vessels were approaching the island. They were pale white, and moved quickly. "Let them come!" Ollos wailed. "Don't worry about them! They are some of Malla's people; here to see the new baby boy, I expect!"
By ten o'clock in the morning they had beached. Ollos greeted them with open arms. Two men climbed out of the submarines. It was true, they had come to see Malla's nephew, get an early measure of the lad. "A beauty," Ollos called him. "A warrior I see in him."
"We'll need a new leader." One of the two men commented. "After Malla's gone, of course." Ollos looked into their eyes, his own gleaming in the morning sunlight.
"It only makes sense for it to be his son..." Ollos said. "But I'd rather not talk about Malla dying; today should be a happy day! The baby is still weak, but when he-"
The other man, who had remained silent up until this point, stopped. "And that new leader very well can't be you, can it?" He interjected. The first man stopped as well. Ollos turned around and glared at them, hoping for them to break, but they stood like statues, forged from titanium. Then Ollos Silver did what he did best.
"It will be me if I want it to be!" He moaned. Then there was silence, and he turned fully to the men. He looked at the first one. "What is your name, sir?" Ollos asked him.
"Sorin." The man replied. Ollos nodded and looked past him, looking as if he were wondering about something.
Then his fist whistled through the air. It struck the man's left cheek, and he fell unconscious to the sand below. Ollos spat quickly in his numb face and soon he drove his heel into Sorin's eye. Blood erupted from the puncture, and Ollos screamed vile words as he repeated this over and over and over. "You came to kill the baby, didn't you?!" Ollos wailed. "You won't kill the baby!" How could a man come to such a conclusion. I rushed forward to try and stop him, but he had stopped by his own free will, when Sorin lay dead on the floor. Ollos then charged the second man, who grabbed him by the shoulders before they made contact.
"Remember what Seth told you!" I heard the man strain. Ollos curled his arms around the man's from in between them, loosening his grip. Then he in return grasped his shoulders, and drove his forehead into his. Ollos threw his fainted body to the ground. He looked at the crowd he had amassed, and looked as if he were about to give a speech, when a stone soared through the air, flying towards his head. He ducked and instantly asked who threw it.
"Who was that?!" He barked."Zaons; have him executed!" I looked at him. Silence befell the island as we stared into each others waking eyes, and closer and closer we seemed to get to each other. I pulled my stasis rifle from my side, not by the trigger, but by the barrel, and I held it by my own waist. He stared blankly at me, and I stared threateningly into his shocked eyes.
"No." I said. I spun the rifle in my palm and aimed the weapon at Ollos. He dove out of the way of the blast, which barrelled into the air behind him. Half of my guard flocked to Ollos, running down the beach with him, and another half to me and Sellan, who was watching the whole thing unfold from metres away.
Ollos grabbed the box on the beach labelled Sellan. He tipped it over, letting all of the names spill out. "Kill them!" He ordered. "Kill all of those people!" The Silver Guards scrambled to pick as many slips of paper as they could, memorising the names and matching them with faces in their minds. Then they charged into the crowds, stabbing each and every one of the names in that box. "Anyone who should follow Ollos Silver, with me into the caves!" A small portion of the crowd charged behind Ollos, and half of his Guard with him, too. The rest continued the onslaught. Bodies lay lifeless across the beach. I looked back to my guard. I was prepared to give a speech, but in an instant Sellan had taken my place at the head of the group.
"You are the Guardians of this Island!" He said. There were cheers. "You would give your life... You vow to die if it means the preservation of life!" There were more cheers, including mine. Then we charged.
We fought hard. We drove knife into Silver Guard's back and saved as many lives as we could. There were now twenty under Sellan's leadership; the rest were either dead or had fled into the caves.
To the paradise, I thought to myself.
Ollos has gone out of his fucking gourd. I mean, Sellan is a lazy idiot, but Ollos killing Malla's men because he thinks they came to kill Sasha's baby? What the FUCK????
But I think you've gone too far, next we'll have to wait 20 more pages until the sea dragons arrive.
That went about as well as I expected.
Let the record show that everyone but Malla is insane.
We had surfaced. Now we tread on fine earth, our faces bathing in the sun’s radiance. The trees were fabulous on the Aurora; far more beautiful than anything on Terra; even New Obraxis’ plant life couldn’t compare to the extravagance of these precious things. I ran my hand up and down bark as white as cloud, and stroked fine, furry leaves with delicate fingers. Blood red sap poured from the stomachs of these trees. Although it looked like blood, I still found the sight beautiful. It trickled down the trunk slowly, leaving a trail of red behind it.
Then, looking at the red mixture, I remembered the attacks of the past; when the sharks of bone ambushed me, and swarmed me. I still felt the pain in my legs as I walked, although I had adapted to the feeling. Scars ran up from my knees, and now and again blood ran from the old wounds, like I was watching then. Then I remembered Sampson. He was tough to work with; loyal to the Federation no matter what. I was glad of his death, although it pains me to say. He killed Otta, one of my best friends. For that I could never forgive him, even post-mortem.
Then I remembered Tary. Still I had the suspicion Zenn blamed me for her death. Why shouldn’t he? I let her into the deadly caves where she was torn near to pieces by crawlers, and then she died because I commanded her to stay in the base. I saw why it was my fault, and I could not do anything to amend my actions, but perhaps I could amend his heart.
I approached him. He and Leonard were having a discussion. “Zenn.” I called. He looked at me, but not with a smile, nor frown. He just stared for a second.
“What is it?” He finally asked.
“Sir, long-range scans indicate that there may be an entrance at the rear end of the ship, and inside there may be energy stores enough to break atmosphere.” Leonard informed.
“Great,” I congratulated. “Now go talk to Seth; he said he wanted you.”
“Speaking of Seth, he was wondering if he and Zenn could stay at this entrance to the Aurora to guard it in case any of the Rebels sail over from the Island.” Leonard looked to the ground. “He apologises for putting Ollos in charge; he knows it was wrong of him, and he asks forgiveness for putting you, your sister and your nephew in danger.”
I nodded, and brushed him away. Then I looked back at Zenn. “Look. We’ve been friends for God knows how long now.” I began. “We’ve been through a lot. We had to endure Hodun’s death at Obraxis Prime, we watched as Otta died in front of us...” He saw where this was going. I saw it in his eyes. “Do you blame me for Tary?” I asked.
He just looked away. There was a silence, more painful than even the loudest of sounds. Then he looked back at me. “You forgot you were bitten.” He said. “You forgot you were infected. Because of that, Tary died. Don’t deny it was your fault.” Zenn looked angry, and I understood. “But I do forgive you.” I did not expect this outcome. “We are family, Malla; anything I can do to protect that baby I will, anything I can do to protect your sister I will.”
“Thank you, Zenn.” I grinned and stood up again. “Hopefully Leonard has talked to Seth. You can stay here with him as well, if you so desire.”
“That would be helpful.” Zenn said. “Me and Seth have some business to take care of; it shouldn’t take long, but we’ll remain sentries in case of an attack from Ollos.” I nodded.
“Good.” I smirked. “I’ll see you both soon, I expect.” I turned around to the group. “Right! You lot will stay here with Zenn and Seth to guard this entrance! Then this lot will come with me into the forest to find these thrusters! Ready? Let’s move it!”
Nice reference to the weirwood trees.