Sylvain Lemieux
Opureia
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Posted - 2008.05.18 10:00:00 -
[1]
The screams of the dying will forever sit like shards of glass beneath my skin.
* * *
The gentle hum of the Imicus' engines slowed to a whisper. Activity was slight. A few researchers working in the lab, poring over the most recent specimen.
As was usual for the Endeavour, we were engaged in probing a rogue drone hive. We were currently developing and testing communications technology with an aim to establish contact with the machines, so far all our attempts had been met by railgun shells and white noise.
We were in New Caldari. Since the riots and the attack on my staff I had been careful about who we spoke to and where we docked but we were safe enough here. I occasionally flicked on the holoscreen for reports on the summit but it was all as expected; delegations arriving and engaging in handshaking, messages of confidence in it's sucesss expressed. I didn't hold out much hope. Few Federation citizens had really been in the State when the riots brokes out. The atmosphere was ugly, I was a Lai Dai employee and the air of menace still loomed large. When the dam broke Patrick and Deslai had been lucky to make it out with only minor injuries, Matrin hadn't been so lucky and had been unconcious for three days.
It seemed the whole world was just looking for an excuse to start a fight. We had a stable economy despite the recent blips in the State, Gallente-Caldari trade was at an all-time high, the border incidents had shrunk to a trickle and yet through all that, it felt like a branch with a hand on either side urging the other to apply enough pressure to snap.
It was my custom to disengage from my pod and leave Aura in charge when we'd taken in specimens. We'd got an almost complete Harvester Alvi and the thing still twitched unnervingly. It was large and the thing seemed to have been designed to look terrifiying.
Rogues drones are a civilization in balance. When one is attacked it is as if all have been attacked and growth is created communally rather than for the benefit of one. They are without division and infighting would simply be illogical. There is much to respect in such a society.
I looked around my crew. There was Johannes, a Deteis researcher from Isaziwa who never failed to point out the superiority of Caldari engineering and constantly complained of my insistence on flying 'inferior' Gallente vessels. There was Hhrokar, a massive Thukker mechanic who seemed constantly inebriated on firewhiskey yet there were none amongst my staff better able to wield a neutron torch and Maklari, the slight Amarrian archivist who's attempts to convert my polygot crew to religion usually provoked disdainful laughter yet never seemed unduly fazed by it. For all the talk of galactic tension I felt in some way I presided over a microcosm of humanity in balance.
Suddenly awoken from my musings by a scream I turned. Deslai ran up to me, panting and breathless.
"There's been an explosion"
* * *
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Sylvain Lemieux
Opureia
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Posted - 2008.05.18 10:03:00 -
[2]
* * *
Like a colossal wound in the side of some hulking metal animal, it took some time for one's eyes to adjust to the sight. Fires raged from the massive hole in the station's structure and vents of gas poured out like blood vapour.
We had been only one jump away and had set course immediately. To tell the truth I had little idea why I had set course for the station besides wanting to confirm the footage was real. Already the area outside the station was filled with ships and the situation was utter chaos. Local communication was filled with emotion, some were screaming for blood while others stood in quiet shock at what had occurred just minutes beforehand.
I entered a general communication into the Summit channel, frequented by a wide variety of pilots and usually a place for vague debate and mudslinging, the place had become a whirlwind of argument and shock.
"Who else is here?" I asked.
A pilot by the name of Vieve Tisserand quickly contacted me and told me she was sending assistance my way, within moments a pilot by the name of Julianus Soter hailed me.
"I am in contact to coordinate rescue operations on Ishukone HQ." he said.
"Oh? With which organisation?" I replied
"Just as a concerned Gallente citizen. How can I help?"
I struggled for words. Suddenly I felt like a small piece of dust on the back of violent beast.
"Well . . . I would imagine we need to get medical supplies down there. If we can dock that is" I stammered.
"There appears to be several docking stations still operational, I suggest we head for those" Captain Soter quickly replied, his voice remained constant, betraying no emotion.
We piloted our vessels through a field of floating debris and into one of the hangars that appeared relatively unscathed. Attempts to communicate with docking control were met with a *****led whine and silence.
The camera drones registered a maelstrom of panic and chaos. Groups of people were running to the last few transports available. Many were caked in blood.
Captain Soter's voice echoed through my comm unit.
"Recommend we see what triage facilities have been set up and, if none, sort them out ourselves"
"Acknowledged" I replied.
Suddenly a gruff Civire voice broke in.
"Captain Tash-Harkain here, you boys the relief?" The man gave a small snort.
"We're just here to do what we can. Who are you?" I replied
"Ishukone Transport Pilot, i'm also a combat medic. You can call me 'Stitcher'. Whats the current status?"
I connected with what remained of the station comm-net and downloaded what data was still available.
"Ummm . . . It seems the Nyx impacted on the eastern side of the station, no information available from station sections twenty four through seventy six. Err . . .From the look of it outside, we can safely assume they've been vaporised. Twelve through twenty three and seventy six through eighty six have totally lost environment, no oxygen, no gravity. The rest report intermittent fires and fading power. Communications are almost totally shot throughout the station." I stammered.
"Right. I'm getting out of the pod and heading in, see who I can find. You boys try and get those life support systems and comms back online." Stitcher replied.
"Roger, i'll head up to the life support control in sector 4 with a couple of maintenance drones, Julianus you take the comms."
"Acknowledged"
* * *
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