Isn't Manannán in the Alpha Hydrae system witch is located in the aradine arm(spelling right?) i wanted to know because im trying to name my cyclops after all the local systems my next base will be Beta Hydrae and so on but my cyclops needs a name.
"Valkyrie Field is online and standing by for activation, Captain." IANTO said.
I nodded in acknowledgment, turning to address the colonists once more.
"We're ready to go, folks. Today's the first day of the rest of your lives... See you on the other side."
The stasis field took effect immediately, immobilising the colonists in various attitudes of surprise. The crew and I were immune to its effects, so I was able to walk up to Polyakov and park myself right in front of his nasty bulldog face. I want to be the first thing he sees when he emerges from stasis, just to let him know that he's still under the microscope.
"Is that wise, Captain? Any further antagonism may inspire Polyakov to take decisive action." JUNO said quietly. "I realise that he and his team do pose a significant threat to the colony's welfare, although innocent people may suffer as a direct result of any precipitate action on his part."
"Fair comment, lass. It's a calculated risk. I want him to make this vendetta as personal as possible, and this seems like a good place to start. If Polyakov focuses his attention entirely on me, it reduces the probability of anyone else getting caught in the crossfire. He'll want to take his first crack at me when there's no-one else around."
The scanning phase commenced. I was standing less than a metre in front of Polyakov, studying his face abstractedly. This man is a walking blight on humanity; a parasite less fit to live than a Bleeder, in point of fact. However, there is nothing we can do to him unless he poses a direct threat to the colonists. Now, he thinks he has an edge against us. I'm guessing that his next move will be to slip quietly under the radar, re-establish his operations and keep a relatively low profile for a while. I want him to know that we're still watching him. This gambit will either result in him backing down completely or spur him into launching a direct attack against us.
We've got Polyakov convinced he's able to sidestep death now. What he doesn't know is that he and his hoolies have just acquired a definite use-by date. They only get three bites at the apple, and that's their bloody lot. If I'm feeling particularly charitable, I might even let them know about their regeneration limit at some point. Then again, it all depends on how they behave towards the other colonists. If these hard-cases slip back into their old ways, there will be a reckoning.
This isn't going to be a protracted psychological warfare campaign. If Polyakov and Co. simply succumb to an indolent life of plenty and settle down to being vaguely human again, I'd consider that a highly acceptable outcome. Take away their primary motivation, and their little rat's nest will crumble from within without any further help from Yours Truly.
Isn't Manannán in the Alpha Hydrae system which is located in the Ariadne arm?
I wanted to know because I'm trying to name my Cyclops after all the local systems. My next base will be Beta Hydrae and so on but my Cyclops needs a name.
Our solar system is located on the Orion Spur. Manannán is the fourth planet in the Alpha Hydrae solar system, located approximately 175 light years from Earth. Beta Hydrae is another star system in the constellation of Hydra at a distance of 370 LY from Earth. Fair warning: My stories use completely different astronomical information from that used in Subnautica.
I've named the large orange moon 'Damocles' (as in the hanging sword of...) and the smaller white moon is called 'Phryne', named after a rather nice young lady from ancient Greece.
A good name for a Cyclops would be 'Polyphemus'. Probably the immediate go-to name for some folks.
I recommend checking out other names in Greek mythology: Circe, Calypso, Andromeda, Herakles, Argo, Medea, Kerberos, etc. etc... - Although there are countless other mythologies to draw from. Don't restrict yourself to any one in particular.
I retrieved the lollypop from the deck and unwrapped it, then popped it in my mouth. Waste not, want not. The crew were already involved acquainting the colonists with the base bridge layout and its systems. I acted as the floater, wandering from group to group fielding various questions that hadn't been dealt with in the briefing. I'd hazard a guess that lollypop may have diminished any aura of authority I was hoping to project, but there's nothing wrong with showing a touch of eccentricity. Frankly, everyone was being far too serious in relation to the actual situation, and I conjured the best way to deal with this was to inject a wee bit of harmless absurdity into the proceedings. After all, this was supposed to be a happy occasion. A better life for everyone is on offer here. Unfortunately, this transition in surroundings must have been particularly hard on the younger kids, as I noticed several of them looking particularly overwhelmed and teetering on the brink of tears.
There was an auto-galley in the adjoining hab module. Although there was an official shindig planned for later this evening, it certainly wouldn't hurt to start cheering up those bairns well in advance. Fruit salad and ice cream for the kids, sandwiches, tea and coffee for the adults. Might as well make myself vaguely useful.
Inevitably, I came face to face with Polyakov and his cronies. He roared with coarse laughter as I briskly wheeled the refreshment cart towards the smirking 'security' team. Lollypop and all.
"Ah-hah! You have found your true calling at last, Mister Selkirk! Our intrepid Captain is now Chaynaya Ledi, serving us tea and zakuski like a good little robot. Maybe you should consider this as your new career, I think. Yes, I will have your chai, so you will not be too disappointed."
Rather than rise to the bait, I smiled pleasantly back at him.
"Thank you, Armin Mikhailovitch. It certainly does make a pleasant change from chasing off huge sea monsters, sealing radioactive leaks in a burning starship and outwitting murderous Invigilators, so I might put some serious thought into this decision after all. Hmm... Not a bad idea."
Polyakov's jovial mood disappeared instantly. He leaned forward and glowered warningly.
"You don't scare me anymore, Selkirk. You have given us enough trouble already. When the mood takes me, I will make a strong example of you and your robot friends. Not today. Maybe not tomorrow, but very soon. I promise you this."
"Thanks for the warning, Armin. It's always good to know where one stands." I said casually. "By the way, did you ever find out what was written on your forehead? Remember? Laser... Pew-pew-pew?"
Unconsciously, Polyakov's fingers drifted to the small dark spot still visible upon his brow.
"What?" He gasped.
"Oh, it's very small. Hardly noticeable, unless you use a micro-scanner. I suggest that you use a very large monitor for maximum image clarity. Your crew might also be interested in what I had to say."
It took the entire security team to restrain him as he lunged forward. I nodded graciously in parting and calmly wheeled my tea-trolley on to serve the next group, chuckling softly to myself.
"You don't scare me anymore, Selkirk. You have given us enough trouble already. When the mood takes me, I will make a strong example of you and your robot friends. Not today. Maybe not tomorrow, but very soon. I promise you this."
"How dare you save us from our stagnated existence in the Lava Castle and try to buy us out with liberty and a comparatively luxurious base! First chance I get, hostile aliens notwithstanding, your synthetic hide is MINE!"
The man is lucky that he wasn't left behind with a hole burnt all the way through his forehead.
Isn't Manannán in the Alpha Hydrae system which is located in the Ariadne arm?
I wanted to know because I'm trying to name my Cyclops after all the local systems. My next base will be Beta Hydrae and so on but my Cyclops needs a name.
Our solar system is located on the Orion Spur. Manannán is the fourth planet in the Alpha Hydrae solar system, located approximately 175 light years from Earth. Beta Hydrae is another star system in the constellation of Hydra at a distance of 370 LY from Earth. Fair warning: My stories use completely different astronomical information from that used in Subnautica.
I've named the large orange moon 'Damocles' (as in the hanging sword of...) and the smaller white moon is called 'Phryne', named after a rather nice young lady from ancient Greece.
A good name for a Cyclops would be 'Polyphemus'. Probably the immediate go-to name for some folks.
I recommend checking out other names in Greek mythology: Circe, Calypso, Andromeda, Herakles, Argo, Medea, Kerberos, etc. etc... - Although there are countless other mythologies to draw from. Don't restrict yourself to any one in particular.
I haven't.
Thank you for responding, since you're naming most of the local celestial bodies with names related to Greek mythology, Polyphemus might be bestowed my Cyclops. I see that as well you are trying your best at this story and your not holding back at any point.
Oh and thank you for fixing my spelling and grammatical errors in my last post.
Now on to your brilliant writing, I must say it's quite professional and i am enjoying it thoroughly, I see that you've tried to stay true to some aspects of the game. But all you need to know is that you have another fan that has read all of Alexander Selkirk's story from Aurora Falls to this very point in his journey. Cheers, To a story well done!
Once the colonists had been shown the location of their quarters, the atmosphere inside the base became slightly less chaotic. I slipped away from the group and headed down to Exodus' hangar. Might as well repair that dud thruster while I still have a few minutes to spare. In any case, I felt an urgent need for some peace and quiet, maybe even dawdle a while longer over this simple task, purely for the brief chance of solitude it offered. There was once a time when I feared I would never see another human being again. Now that I'm practically surrounded by people, my most immediate impulse is to be somewhere where they aren't.
This is a curious turn of events, to put it mildly.
I wouldn't say I'm turning into some kind of cyber-snob. However, I suppose I've become a mite too accustomed to having the crew as my sole companions. In retrospect, I wouldn't have had it any other way. We've always worked well together. Things get done with a minimum of fuss. No inflated egos to get in the way, no hidden agendas to sneak around and absolutely zero friction between us. Even aboard Aurora, I generally preferred to work alone whenever I could. Not exactly an actual social phobia as such, although it definitely helped to keep things relatively uncomplicated between me and my colleagues. Now that this business with Polyakov has come to a head, that urge to become a virtual hermit has resurfaced with a vengeance.
Present circumstances won't grant me the luxury of running away from my problems. In all honesty, Polyakov is just an overblown buffoon, incapable of posing any credible threat to me and the androids. He's nothing more than a pantomime villain, if the whole truth be known. Even so, he and his mates represent the last vestiges of the Torgaljin era and everything vile that it stood for. It's all too obvious he wants to become top turd in a similar neo-feudal dung-pile, and it's up to me to thwart him at every turn. Frankly, if I had any chance of getting away with it, Polyakov and his team would be gassed senseless and heading back to the Lava Castle right now. Problem sorted.
Not entirely certain that the other colonists would be 100 per cent behind this move, though. It has all the feel of an unsanctioned coup about it, and that definitely wouldn't sit well with the others. The only realistic option remaining is to give those scunners enough rope, then let human nature take care of the fine details. If it meant painting a huge fluorescent target on my own back, so be it.
It was blessedly quiet down in the sub hangar. On the whole, Exodus had fared reasonably well against the Crabsquids' onslaught. Its hull coating looked a bit tatty in places, gouged and scored by the action of countless needle-sharp legs and talons, although the hull itself was entirely undamaged. I'm fairly certain we would have discovered any actual loss of structural integrity with alarming speed. As expected, the starboard lateral thruster was a ghastly mess. I extended the gangway and stepped onto the upper hull to perform a more thorough investigation of the sub's external components. Several camera mounts and a couple of spotlights appeared to be in fairly dodgy condition, so they would have to go as well.
Unclipping a Builder tool from my belt, I started work on the thruster pod. Within seconds, the propulsion module reverted to its basic elemental components, leaving the liquefied remains of the Crabsquid to slide down the hull like a monstrous grey bogey. This disgusting mass hung briefly on the hull's outer curve, then slowly splattered in chunks onto the water below.
I scan when I read, old habit of having to speed-read research stuff, hard to turn off when the anxiety ramps up and I'm really enjoying a story.
The result of this is picking up on details before you're supposed to, like big bold NEGATIVE and "command override" while reading a line starting with "unclipping a builder tool" sent me in to instant panic mode as I thought his tool was going to go haywire on him at some pivotal moment. Forcing myself to read along at a slower pace (and calming my sudden rise in heart rate), I realized everything was just fine and there wasn't going to be a cliffhanger...
We know that the footsteps are going to totally be something completely innocent. Like a small child holding a teddybear just coming to say thank you to the nice robot for their new home!
"Hello, Alexander. Your friends said I'd find you down here."
"Hello, Mme. Maida. I trust that you've found your new living arrangements satisfactory?"
Héloise smiled, shaking her head slowly.
"Pfui. Why so formal all of a sudden, Selkirk-san? Of course they're satisfactory... More than anyone here could have possibly hoped for, in fact. Most of us still can't believe this is our new home."
"Well, it is. Free and clear of any hindrance, until the sun grows cold. It's the very least I could do. Couldn't stand the thought of your people trapped down there after seeing the conditions you had to endure. It didn't seem right, especially since I had an indirect hand in how things turned out after House Torgaljin fell. If you can't forgive me for that, I can at least partially atone for what I've done."
She reached out, gently resting her hand upon mine.
"The past is dead and gone, Alexander. You did what you thought was necessary at the time. Believe me when I say that not one of us blames you for what happened. You only broke our chains. What our parents did with those chains should not be on your conscience."
"All right, lass. At least I've done something right this time around, apparently. Hearing you say that means a great deal to me. You have no idea how much." I said gratefully.
Héloise shoved me playfully. "There you go again... You're being way too serious, boet! You obviously need another lollypop, or maybe drop a bellyful of akvavit and get yourself a decent sway on. There's going to be some thick heads tomorrow, and you'd be a blerry fool to miss out on it."
I laughed. "I wasn't planning to. Just needed a few minutes to myself, that's all. It's all a wee bit too much for me to handle at the moment."
Héloise snorted scornfully. "Says the man who's dragged us from Hell to The Promised Land... That was a nice bit of work back there, by the way. You did pretty damn good."
"Thanks. Don't forget, I had a lot of help from my mates. Couldn't have done it without them."
Héloise looked at me intently, sizing me up. She frowned thoughtfully for a second, then smiled.
"You're a good man, Selkirk. Anyone else would have left us to rot down there."
"Not my way, dear heart. I know what it's like to be alone." I said quietly.
"You won't be. Not against that pig Polyakov. Take this."
Héloise dropped to one knee and quickly hiked up the right leg of her jumpsuit. There was a short scabbard strapped to her lower leg. I instantly recognised the diamond blade as she withdrew it.
It was mine.
"Do what needs to be done, Meneer. We are all standing behind you."
I took the offered blade and stood there, slowly turning it over under the hangar's spotlights. Its crystalline surface had remained pristine, completely untouched by the passage of time. Any blood it had spilled in the past was long gone, skilfully cleansed from existence.
"This is a symbol of trust, Alexander. We know you are no cold-blooded killer. Besides, I'm certain you have already thought of a more effective method of dealing with Polyakov. This knife is a message from the committee. We will publicly support any action that you decide to take."
"I understand. It's not a simple matter of killing Polyakov. His grip on the colony has left an indelible imprint. Removing one strong-man simply makes room for another. I'll need to know if he has any sympathisers outside his security team before I can make any move against him."
Héloise shrugged. "He has a few folks still scared enough to act as his informers. Very small fish that might be molto relieved to see him gone. They're not a threat to you or us."
"Okay. That makes it so much easier. Bear in mind that killing him isn't an option. With the Valkyrie Field active, I've got no intention of waiting for him to rematerialise in Med Bay, just so I can slash his apple again and again for a goodly chunk of eternity, until he finally reappears turned inside out. Not my idea of a fun time."
She smiled faintly, raising her left eyebrow. "So, what exactly is your idea of a fun time, Captain?"
"Oh, just the usual... You know." I said lamely.
Héloise sniffed. "That's not much of an answer, boykie. I expected something far more intriguing."
"I'm a man of fairly simple tastes. Wine, women and song, mostly. Speaking of which, we should think of heading topside sometime soon. I'll need a couple more minutes to finish these repairs, and we'll be on our way."
"Okay. I'll sit here quietly while you work. No more distractions, I promise."
I chuckled softly. "You're still a distraction, Héloise. A thoroughly charming one, I must admit."
She laughed heartily, throwing her shaved head back with delighted abandon. Her single braid of waist-length hair moved with serpentine grace, its fluid motions making the braid appear to be a living entity attached her head.
Héloise leaned forward, peering into the water below. Her nose suddenly wrinkled in disgust.
"Eurgh... What is that thing down there?"
"Crabsquid... Or rather, what's left of the one that got careless. Good news is, Calamari Puree a la Exodus is off tonight's celebration menu. That reminds me, I'd better flush this bugger away before he rots and stinks up the whole base."
Using my PDA, I activated the hangar's pumps. The last of the water in the sub pen swirled away and Exodus slowly settled on the bottom. With a disgusting sucking sound, the Crabsquid's remains disappeared down the pen's drainage gratings and passed into the surrounding ocean without any further ado. One more quick fill and flush, and we were good to head back topside.
A man of simple tastes... Hmm that sounds about right, but mostly i wonder what type of party will they have? Will it be a calming "party" focused on soothing the mind of everyone and distracts them from reality so they can forget about the worries of life or will he go all out with disco and certain beverages for everyone.
So, if the base is on the floating island, is most of the flora still intact? I hope they still get to experience scenery like this(Minus (most of)the Aurora):
Just before leaving the hangar, I drew my own knife and ceremoniously handed it over to Héloise.
"There's an old Terran custom. When someone gives you a knife or any other implement with an edge, it must be paid for in silver, lest the friendship be severed. Since I'm all out of silver at the moment, I'm afraid I can only give you my blade in return. It's a Mod II Thermoblade; superheated and monomolecular edged, so be extremely careful who you choose to stick with it. Would you consider that a fair trade?"
Héloise smiled darkly, activating the knife. Its blade flared an incandescent white, almost painful to look at directly. She crouched into a low fighting stance, moving slowly and gracefully as the blade swept through the air, her arm weaving hypnotically like a cobra waiting for the precise moment to strike. I honestly didn't know what to expect at this point, and felt my internal DEFCON status unconsciously ramping up with each supple move she made. It was like watching a razor-sharp watch spring slowly unwinding, driving some impossibly precise and deadly mechanism to its ultimate function. Strike and feint, dodge-step and turn about, stepping lightly in time to some silent and sinister melody that only she could hear.
Abruptly, Héloise switched off the blade, uttering a throaty chuckle of delight. "I like this blade!"
"You had me more than a wee bit worried there, lass. Much too businesslike for my comfort, in fact. Where in creation's name did you learn to move like that?"
"My mother. She passed on everything she knew from the moment I could walk. Her Guardian teachings are one of the two reasons I'm still alive. The second reason is the blade that you carry."
"I won't ask any awkward questions. You have my solemn word on that." I said gravely.
"Good. I won't answer them anyway. Very well, I accept your gift... Now we are man and wife."
I spluttered in alarm.
Is there a Belter marriage custom tied to a simple exchange of weapons?
Frantically, I searched through my Belter cultural database and found absolutely nothing. Gorram it.
I'm screwed.
Héloise leaned against the doorway, a wry grin on her face. "Baka ne! I'm teasing you. Still, it was completely worth it to see the silly expression on your face, my brave Captain. C'mon... Let's go."
"Oh, just one more thing... On its lowest setting, your Thermoblade makes absolutely cracking toast. Softens even the hardest deep-frozen butter in a single pass."
Playfully, Héloise shoved me aside and bolted upstairs. A most intriguing woman... My kind of crazy.
Fortunately, preparations were only just starting to get underway. I found JUNO prepping the auto-galleys with Magic Soup, IANTO was keeping the bairns entertained and safely out from under foot, and DIGBY was beavering away with the multimedia systems. The colonists had already laid out the mess-hall's tables in a sweeping 300-degree arc, with all seating placed to afford everyone an unobstructed view of an ominously cleared space in the centre of the room. My deepest, darkest and greatest fear of all was about to rise screeching from the abyss. I am utterly doomed.
The party finally petered out shortly before dawn. As parties go, it was a thing of beauty. Folks ate too much, drank too much and got way too emotional, as they usually do. I was mildly surprised to see Polyakov and his Blue Meanies in attendance, conjuring they'd prefer to remain in their own little slice of Paradise out of sheer petulance. But, turn up they did.
Life is full of little surprises.
Anyway, when it comes to entertainment, these Belters certainly know how to kick up their heels in a bewildering array of styles. We had an eclectic mix of acts tonight, ranging from Tibetan throat-singing to a good old-fashioned Techno stomp, plus a fairly representative sample of whatever Muses lay between these two extremes. Between performers, DJ DIGBY kept things moving along with his cunning selection of 'phat beats', accompanied by an outrageous holographic lightshow.
Naturally, we were expected to contribute something of our own to the night's festivities. Although we weren't fully prepared for this, we quickly put our heads together and hit the floor with our own power-mix version of 'Lapti Nek' from the second Star Wars movie. While the colonists were still wondering what the Hell had just happened, JUNO unleashed her rendition of the 'Diva's Dance' from The Fifth Element. We had to cheat a bit by using our holo-emitters to handle the visual effects, although our performance was apparently well received. Apparently. I think we were a bit unlucky in having been selected as one of the earliest acts on the card. A few more drinks all around might have made the audience slightly more receptive to our antique sci-fi movie shenanigans.
Oh well, that's show business.
What happened after the party was infinitely more interesting... At least from my point of view.
After the cleanup, a few of the Belters hung around for coffee and a quiet chat. Héloise was there. Eventually, eyelids sagged and these remaining diehards gradually trickled from the room. Soon, only the five of us remained. With the last guests now long gone, a vaguely awkward atmosphere descended on our conversation, and the crew must have sensed this.
JUNO sub-vocalised.
"With your permission Sir, the crew feels that this would be a most appropriate time for us to return to The Broch. Obviously, Mme. Maida would prefer to have a less... crowded conversation with you."
"That's the impression I'm getting, too. I genuinely appreciate your consideration, JUNO. Please convey my undying gratitude to DIGBY and IANTO as well. Okay. I'll see you all back at the ranch."
"Very good, Sir." JUNO replied.
Our silent exchange had only taken a handful of picoseconds, so there was no noticeable gap in the main conversation. JUNO rose from her chair, followed split-seconds later by IANTO and DIGBY.
"With your permission Sir, we shall return to base and resume our normal daily operations. Are there any additional orders or unscheduled duties that will require our attention today, Captain?"
"Negative, JUNO. Resume normal operations, please. That is all. Crew dismissed."
The crew smartly braced to attention, right-turned and marched out of the mess hall. I stood and walked over to the module's seaward windows to watch their departure, beckoning Héloise to follow me. The ocean had taken on a glorious golden hue, catching the first rays of the rising sun.
Before I knew what was happening, Héloise wrapped her arms tightly around me, and we kissed.
JUNO unleashed her rendition of the 'Diva's Dance' from The Fifth Element. We had to cheat a bit by using our holo-emitters to handle the visual effects, although our performance was apparently well received. Apparently. I think we were a bit unlucky in having been selected as one of the earliest acts on the card. A few more drinks all around might have made the audience slightly more receptive to our antique sci-fi movie shenanigans.
The Diva's song while the fight scene happened in the 5th Element movie was something that marked me back in 1997 when i first saw the movie. I could certainly imagine how a crowd of ''primitive'' people would react to it lol
Comments
it seems to be stuck at the end of page 8
I nodded in acknowledgment, turning to address the colonists once more.
"We're ready to go, folks. Today's the first day of the rest of your lives... See you on the other side."
The stasis field took effect immediately, immobilising the colonists in various attitudes of surprise. The crew and I were immune to its effects, so I was able to walk up to Polyakov and park myself right in front of his nasty bulldog face. I want to be the first thing he sees when he emerges from stasis, just to let him know that he's still under the microscope.
"Is that wise, Captain? Any further antagonism may inspire Polyakov to take decisive action." JUNO said quietly. "I realise that he and his team do pose a significant threat to the colony's welfare, although innocent people may suffer as a direct result of any precipitate action on his part."
"Fair comment, lass. It's a calculated risk. I want him to make this vendetta as personal as possible, and this seems like a good place to start. If Polyakov focuses his attention entirely on me, it reduces the probability of anyone else getting caught in the crossfire. He'll want to take his first crack at me when there's no-one else around."
The scanning phase commenced. I was standing less than a metre in front of Polyakov, studying his face abstractedly. This man is a walking blight on humanity; a parasite less fit to live than a Bleeder, in point of fact. However, there is nothing we can do to him unless he poses a direct threat to the colonists. Now, he thinks he has an edge against us. I'm guessing that his next move will be to slip quietly under the radar, re-establish his operations and keep a relatively low profile for a while. I want him to know that we're still watching him. This gambit will either result in him backing down completely or spur him into launching a direct attack against us.
We've got Polyakov convinced he's able to sidestep death now. What he doesn't know is that he and his hoolies have just acquired a definite use-by date. They only get three bites at the apple, and that's their bloody lot. If I'm feeling particularly charitable, I might even let them know about their regeneration limit at some point. Then again, it all depends on how they behave towards the other colonists. If these hard-cases slip back into their old ways, there will be a reckoning.
This isn't going to be a protracted psychological warfare campaign. If Polyakov and Co. simply succumb to an indolent life of plenty and settle down to being vaguely human again, I'd consider that a highly acceptable outcome. Take away their primary motivation, and their little rat's nest will crumble from within without any further help from Yours Truly.
"Biometric scanning phase completed. All subjects successfully encoded, Sir." IANTO announced.
The stasis field collapsed. Polyakov blinked for a few seconds, attempting to refocus his eyes.
"There we go, Gospodin Polyakov. That wasn't so bad after all, was it?" I said cheerfully.
Polyakov shook his head groggily and snarled. "What do you want? Get out of my face, durak!"
"You've been such a good boy today... You deserve a lollypop." I gushed enthusiastically.
He slapped the Chupa-Chup out of my hand and stormed away.
"Got it. Not fond of strawberry."
Our solar system is located on the Orion Spur. Manannán is the fourth planet in the Alpha Hydrae solar system, located approximately 175 light years from Earth. Beta Hydrae is another star system in the constellation of Hydra at a distance of 370 LY from Earth. Fair warning: My stories use completely different astronomical information from that used in Subnautica.
Useful info: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sunearth/news/gallery/galaxy-location.html
I've named the large orange moon 'Damocles' (as in the hanging sword of...) and the smaller white moon is called 'Phryne', named after a rather nice young lady from ancient Greece.
A good name for a Cyclops would be 'Polyphemus'. Probably the immediate go-to name for some folks.
I recommend checking out other names in Greek mythology: Circe, Calypso, Andromeda, Herakles, Argo, Medea, Kerberos, etc. etc... - Although there are countless other mythologies to draw from. Don't restrict yourself to any one in particular.
I haven't.
There was an auto-galley in the adjoining hab module. Although there was an official shindig planned for later this evening, it certainly wouldn't hurt to start cheering up those bairns well in advance. Fruit salad and ice cream for the kids, sandwiches, tea and coffee for the adults. Might as well make myself vaguely useful.
Inevitably, I came face to face with Polyakov and his cronies. He roared with coarse laughter as I briskly wheeled the refreshment cart towards the smirking 'security' team. Lollypop and all.
"Ah-hah! You have found your true calling at last, Mister Selkirk! Our intrepid Captain is now Chaynaya Ledi, serving us tea and zakuski like a good little robot. Maybe you should consider this as your new career, I think. Yes, I will have your chai, so you will not be too disappointed."
Rather than rise to the bait, I smiled pleasantly back at him.
"Thank you, Armin Mikhailovitch. It certainly does make a pleasant change from chasing off huge sea monsters, sealing radioactive leaks in a burning starship and outwitting murderous Invigilators, so I might put some serious thought into this decision after all. Hmm... Not a bad idea."
Polyakov's jovial mood disappeared instantly. He leaned forward and glowered warningly.
"You don't scare me anymore, Selkirk. You have given us enough trouble already. When the mood takes me, I will make a strong example of you and your robot friends. Not today. Maybe not tomorrow, but very soon. I promise you this."
"Thanks for the warning, Armin. It's always good to know where one stands." I said casually. "By the way, did you ever find out what was written on your forehead? Remember? Laser... Pew-pew-pew?"
Unconsciously, Polyakov's fingers drifted to the small dark spot still visible upon his brow.
"What?" He gasped.
"Oh, it's very small. Hardly noticeable, unless you use a micro-scanner. I suggest that you use a very large monitor for maximum image clarity. Your crew might also be interested in what I had to say."
It took the entire security team to restrain him as he lunged forward. I nodded graciously in parting and calmly wheeled my tea-trolley on to serve the next group, chuckling softly to myself.
The seeds have been sown.
"How dare you save us from our stagnated existence in the Lava Castle and try to buy us out with liberty and a comparatively luxurious base! First chance I get, hostile aliens notwithstanding, your synthetic hide is MINE!"
The man is lucky that he wasn't left behind with a hole burnt all the way through his forehead.
Thank you for responding, since you're naming most of the local celestial bodies with names related to Greek mythology, Polyphemus might be bestowed my Cyclops. I see that as well you are trying your best at this story and your not holding back at any point.
Oh and thank you for fixing my spelling and grammatical errors in my last post.
Now on to your brilliant writing, I must say it's quite professional and i am enjoying it thoroughly, I see that you've tried to stay true to some aspects of the game. But all you need to know is that you have another fan that has read all of Alexander Selkirk's story from Aurora Falls to this very point in his journey. Cheers, To a story well done!
This is a curious turn of events, to put it mildly.
I wouldn't say I'm turning into some kind of cyber-snob. However, I suppose I've become a mite too accustomed to having the crew as my sole companions. In retrospect, I wouldn't have had it any other way. We've always worked well together. Things get done with a minimum of fuss. No inflated egos to get in the way, no hidden agendas to sneak around and absolutely zero friction between us. Even aboard Aurora, I generally preferred to work alone whenever I could. Not exactly an actual social phobia as such, although it definitely helped to keep things relatively uncomplicated between me and my colleagues. Now that this business with Polyakov has come to a head, that urge to become a virtual hermit has resurfaced with a vengeance.
Present circumstances won't grant me the luxury of running away from my problems. In all honesty, Polyakov is just an overblown buffoon, incapable of posing any credible threat to me and the androids. He's nothing more than a pantomime villain, if the whole truth be known. Even so, he and his mates represent the last vestiges of the Torgaljin era and everything vile that it stood for. It's all too obvious he wants to become top turd in a similar neo-feudal dung-pile, and it's up to me to thwart him at every turn. Frankly, if I had any chance of getting away with it, Polyakov and his team would be gassed senseless and heading back to the Lava Castle right now. Problem sorted.
Not entirely certain that the other colonists would be 100 per cent behind this move, though. It has all the feel of an unsanctioned coup about it, and that definitely wouldn't sit well with the others. The only realistic option remaining is to give those scunners enough rope, then let human nature take care of the fine details. If it meant painting a huge fluorescent target on my own back, so be it.
It was blessedly quiet down in the sub hangar. On the whole, Exodus had fared reasonably well against the Crabsquids' onslaught. Its hull coating looked a bit tatty in places, gouged and scored by the action of countless needle-sharp legs and talons, although the hull itself was entirely undamaged. I'm fairly certain we would have discovered any actual loss of structural integrity with alarming speed. As expected, the starboard lateral thruster was a ghastly mess. I extended the gangway and stepped onto the upper hull to perform a more thorough investigation of the sub's external components. Several camera mounts and a couple of spotlights appeared to be in fairly dodgy condition, so they would have to go as well.
Unclipping a Builder tool from my belt, I started work on the thruster pod. Within seconds, the propulsion module reverted to its basic elemental components, leaving the liquefied remains of the Crabsquid to slide down the hull like a monstrous grey bogey. This disgusting mass hung briefly on the hull's outer curve, then slowly splattered in chunks onto the water below.
Query: Engage regurgitation mode? NEGATIVE. Command over-ride, Priority Alpha.
I almost missed the sound of soft footsteps approaching. They were too gorram quiet for my liking.
The result of this is picking up on details before you're supposed to, like big bold NEGATIVE and "command override" while reading a line starting with "unclipping a builder tool" sent me in to instant panic mode as I thought his tool was going to go haywire on him at some pivotal moment. Forcing myself to read along at a slower pace (and calming my sudden rise in heart rate), I realized everything was just fine and there wasn't going to be a cliffhanger...
Then that last line. Every time!
Wow thats weird.
Ewwwwwwww!
"Hello, Alexander. Your friends said I'd find you down here."
"Hello, Mme. Maida. I trust that you've found your new living arrangements satisfactory?"
Héloise smiled, shaking her head slowly.
"Pfui. Why so formal all of a sudden, Selkirk-san? Of course they're satisfactory... More than anyone here could have possibly hoped for, in fact. Most of us still can't believe this is our new home."
"Well, it is. Free and clear of any hindrance, until the sun grows cold. It's the very least I could do. Couldn't stand the thought of your people trapped down there after seeing the conditions you had to endure. It didn't seem right, especially since I had an indirect hand in how things turned out after House Torgaljin fell. If you can't forgive me for that, I can at least partially atone for what I've done."
She reached out, gently resting her hand upon mine.
"The past is dead and gone, Alexander. You did what you thought was necessary at the time. Believe me when I say that not one of us blames you for what happened. You only broke our chains. What our parents did with those chains should not be on your conscience."
"All right, lass. At least I've done something right this time around, apparently. Hearing you say that means a great deal to me. You have no idea how much." I said gratefully.
Héloise shoved me playfully. "There you go again... You're being way too serious, boet! You obviously need another lollypop, or maybe drop a bellyful of akvavit and get yourself a decent sway on. There's going to be some thick heads tomorrow, and you'd be a blerry fool to miss out on it."
I laughed. "I wasn't planning to. Just needed a few minutes to myself, that's all. It's all a wee bit too much for me to handle at the moment."
Héloise snorted scornfully. "Says the man who's dragged us from Hell to The Promised Land... That was a nice bit of work back there, by the way. You did pretty damn good."
"Thanks. Don't forget, I had a lot of help from my mates. Couldn't have done it without them."
Héloise looked at me intently, sizing me up. She frowned thoughtfully for a second, then smiled.
"You're a good man, Selkirk. Anyone else would have left us to rot down there."
"Not my way, dear heart. I know what it's like to be alone." I said quietly.
"You won't be. Not against that pig Polyakov. Take this."
Héloise dropped to one knee and quickly hiked up the right leg of her jumpsuit. There was a short scabbard strapped to her lower leg. I instantly recognised the diamond blade as she withdrew it.
It was mine.
"Do what needs to be done, Meneer. We are all standing behind you."
Can't wait!
"This is a symbol of trust, Alexander. We know you are no cold-blooded killer. Besides, I'm certain you have already thought of a more effective method of dealing with Polyakov. This knife is a message from the committee. We will publicly support any action that you decide to take."
"I understand. It's not a simple matter of killing Polyakov. His grip on the colony has left an indelible imprint. Removing one strong-man simply makes room for another. I'll need to know if he has any sympathisers outside his security team before I can make any move against him."
Héloise shrugged. "He has a few folks still scared enough to act as his informers. Very small fish that might be molto relieved to see him gone. They're not a threat to you or us."
"Okay. That makes it so much easier. Bear in mind that killing him isn't an option. With the Valkyrie Field active, I've got no intention of waiting for him to rematerialise in Med Bay, just so I can slash his apple again and again for a goodly chunk of eternity, until he finally reappears turned inside out. Not my idea of a fun time."
She smiled faintly, raising her left eyebrow. "So, what exactly is your idea of a fun time, Captain?"
"Oh, just the usual... You know." I said lamely.
Héloise sniffed. "That's not much of an answer, boykie. I expected something far more intriguing."
"I'm a man of fairly simple tastes. Wine, women and song, mostly. Speaking of which, we should think of heading topside sometime soon. I'll need a couple more minutes to finish these repairs, and we'll be on our way."
"Okay. I'll sit here quietly while you work. No more distractions, I promise."
I chuckled softly. "You're still a distraction, Héloise. A thoroughly charming one, I must admit."
She laughed heartily, throwing her shaved head back with delighted abandon. Her single braid of waist-length hair moved with serpentine grace, its fluid motions making the braid appear to be a living entity attached her head.
Héloise leaned forward, peering into the water below. Her nose suddenly wrinkled in disgust.
"Eurgh... What is that thing down there?"
"Crabsquid... Or rather, what's left of the one that got careless. Good news is, Calamari Puree a la Exodus is off tonight's celebration menu. That reminds me, I'd better flush this bugger away before he rots and stinks up the whole base."
Using my PDA, I activated the hangar's pumps. The last of the water in the sub pen swirled away and Exodus slowly settled on the bottom. With a disgusting sucking sound, the Crabsquid's remains disappeared down the pen's drainage gratings and passed into the surrounding ocean without any further ado. One more quick fill and flush, and we were good to head back topside.
Party time!
"There's an old Terran custom. When someone gives you a knife or any other implement with an edge, it must be paid for in silver, lest the friendship be severed. Since I'm all out of silver at the moment, I'm afraid I can only give you my blade in return. It's a Mod II Thermoblade; superheated and monomolecular edged, so be extremely careful who you choose to stick with it. Would you consider that a fair trade?"
Héloise smiled darkly, activating the knife. Its blade flared an incandescent white, almost painful to look at directly. She crouched into a low fighting stance, moving slowly and gracefully as the blade swept through the air, her arm weaving hypnotically like a cobra waiting for the precise moment to strike. I honestly didn't know what to expect at this point, and felt my internal DEFCON status unconsciously ramping up with each supple move she made. It was like watching a razor-sharp watch spring slowly unwinding, driving some impossibly precise and deadly mechanism to its ultimate function. Strike and feint, dodge-step and turn about, stepping lightly in time to some silent and sinister melody that only she could hear.
Abruptly, Héloise switched off the blade, uttering a throaty chuckle of delight. "I like this blade!"
"You had me more than a wee bit worried there, lass. Much too businesslike for my comfort, in fact. Where in creation's name did you learn to move like that?"
"My mother. She passed on everything she knew from the moment I could walk. Her Guardian teachings are one of the two reasons I'm still alive. The second reason is the blade that you carry."
"I won't ask any awkward questions. You have my solemn word on that." I said gravely.
"Good. I won't answer them anyway. Very well, I accept your gift... Now we are man and wife."
I spluttered in alarm.
Is there a Belter marriage custom tied to a simple exchange of weapons?
Frantically, I searched through my Belter cultural database and found absolutely nothing. Gorram it.
I'm screwed.
Héloise leaned against the doorway, a wry grin on her face. "Baka ne! I'm teasing you. Still, it was completely worth it to see the silly expression on your face, my brave Captain. C'mon... Let's go."
"Oh, just one more thing... On its lowest setting, your Thermoblade makes absolutely cracking toast. Softens even the hardest deep-frozen butter in a single pass."
Playfully, Héloise shoved me aside and bolted upstairs. A most intriguing woman... My kind of crazy.
Fortunately, preparations were only just starting to get underway. I found JUNO prepping the auto-galleys with Magic Soup, IANTO was keeping the bairns entertained and safely out from under foot, and DIGBY was beavering away with the multimedia systems. The colonists had already laid out the mess-hall's tables in a sweeping 300-degree arc, with all seating placed to afford everyone an unobstructed view of an ominously cleared space in the centre of the room. My deepest, darkest and greatest fear of all was about to rise screeching from the abyss. I am utterly doomed.
There will be dancing tonight.
Life is full of little surprises.
Anyway, when it comes to entertainment, these Belters certainly know how to kick up their heels in a bewildering array of styles. We had an eclectic mix of acts tonight, ranging from Tibetan throat-singing to a good old-fashioned Techno stomp, plus a fairly representative sample of whatever Muses lay between these two extremes. Between performers, DJ DIGBY kept things moving along with his cunning selection of 'phat beats', accompanied by an outrageous holographic lightshow.
Naturally, we were expected to contribute something of our own to the night's festivities. Although we weren't fully prepared for this, we quickly put our heads together and hit the floor with our own power-mix version of 'Lapti Nek' from the second Star Wars movie. While the colonists were still wondering what the Hell had just happened, JUNO unleashed her rendition of the 'Diva's Dance' from The Fifth Element. We had to cheat a bit by using our holo-emitters to handle the visual effects, although our performance was apparently well received. Apparently. I think we were a bit unlucky in having been selected as one of the earliest acts on the card. A few more drinks all around might have made the audience slightly more receptive to our antique sci-fi movie shenanigans.
Oh well, that's show business.
What happened after the party was infinitely more interesting... At least from my point of view.
After the cleanup, a few of the Belters hung around for coffee and a quiet chat. Héloise was there. Eventually, eyelids sagged and these remaining diehards gradually trickled from the room. Soon, only the five of us remained. With the last guests now long gone, a vaguely awkward atmosphere descended on our conversation, and the crew must have sensed this.
JUNO sub-vocalised.
"With your permission Sir, the crew feels that this would be a most appropriate time for us to return to The Broch. Obviously, Mme. Maida would prefer to have a less... crowded conversation with you."
"That's the impression I'm getting, too. I genuinely appreciate your consideration, JUNO. Please convey my undying gratitude to DIGBY and IANTO as well. Okay. I'll see you all back at the ranch."
"Very good, Sir." JUNO replied.
Our silent exchange had only taken a handful of picoseconds, so there was no noticeable gap in the main conversation. JUNO rose from her chair, followed split-seconds later by IANTO and DIGBY.
"With your permission Sir, we shall return to base and resume our normal daily operations. Are there any additional orders or unscheduled duties that will require our attention today, Captain?"
"Negative, JUNO. Resume normal operations, please. That is all. Crew dismissed."
The crew smartly braced to attention, right-turned and marched out of the mess hall. I stood and walked over to the module's seaward windows to watch their departure, beckoning Héloise to follow me. The ocean had taken on a glorious golden hue, catching the first rays of the rising sun.
Before I knew what was happening, Héloise wrapped her arms tightly around me, and we kissed.
The Diva's song while the fight scene happened in the 5th Element movie was something that marked me back in 1997 when i first saw the movie. I could certainly imagine how a crowd of ''primitive'' people would react to it lol