posted 07-04-99 06:50 PM ET     

The Line of Resistance

" Disgusting!"
"Competely Disgusting!"
The twin voices of Gillian and Reede echoed in the chamber. Again they were providing the voice for the council.
Miriam waved them away; she was in no mood for unhelpful comments.
"Finally, now... what are we going to do about the incursions?". Her blue-flecked eyes were distant, looking at the Believer's crest, its jade structure overshadowed the host's chair. The Council knew that she was probably far ahead of them, again she would act without explaination, as if she only needed advice from God.
The Council was, of course, unofficial. The most able diplomats, priests, base mayors and administators were gathered here. The secret Oligarchy behind the supposed equal society. They always met in dark rooms, ministry buildings. But the real decisions were made here. If not, in Miriam's mind.
"The Parliament is of course going to rubber stamp this, if we can use or influence" Reede again, the commentator. ' How banal!' Miriam thought again, yet... she needed Reede. He was her only laison with the civil service. She still could hate him, despite all that.
She had another pang of anxiety, the Lord would not want her to lie and be nice to Reede but he must be cultivated. Her mind fixed on the reassuring thought that if she succeeded, she would be serving God.
The end must justify the means, it must.
" What is the Spartan Federations opinion of this attack?". Her interjection had silenced the fearful council.
"The Spartan Diplomat in New Jerusalem seemed quite hostile"....
...."We have of cource recieved intelligence reports about the Spartans Propaganda" The newcomer, Seth, was the only man insane enough to interupt a speaker like that. He was young, naive.
"WELL?" Miriam barked, as if it were needed.
" There has been increased propaganda against us, much as they have done with the rest of the factions"
"This could be typical Spartan xenophobic behaviour, previous intell tells us that this is typical, just before they decide to go on other crusade"
The cynical reference to Crusade earned Seth the hostile glare of Miriam.

" Even their closest ally is regarded with dark suspicion, tell me do you think we can trust our erstwhile allies, the Spartans?" Miriam always knew how to turn around a debate.

" Even the ally of the moment is regarded with dark suspicision, their society is structured around continual war, it provides the psycological state to maintain the Government -George Orwell 1984 DATALINKS"
The AI had butted in again, the archaic Believer technology meant that the AI's often became senile and misleading. Replacement would cost a fortune.

" Yes, thank you PAULINE, but can we get onto the topic, however interesting Spartan society is"

"PAULINE! Give me visual on the Battle for Judgement Seat" Miriam, again jumping around like a hyperactive Darleok.

The centre of the wooden slab was filled with solid 3D images. The projection came from the ceiling, and it seemed to have the depth and color of a real object!
A contoured map highlighted the relative postioning of all the forces, or at least all the detected forces. There was a groundswell of uneasy murmorings from the council, where had such sleek tech come from?

"We stole it from a University Lab, we hope to have it in mass production faster than they will"

The contoured map flashed, and zoomed in on the marshlands below the perimeter defence of the base. Judgement Seat was one of the largest of the 14 Believer cities, 120,000 citizens.
The enemy had come at it directly, hoping to capture one of the richest industrial towns. If they could outflank the defensive forces, and capture the Base it would be a significant victory, two fifths of all Believer forces were built there.
However, the council was debating to level the base, it was almost certain that the Peacekeepers would win this battle, what with the majority of allied forces trapped in the Zion Pocket. Evacuation was not a possibility, the skies belonged to Morgan, and any ground craft escaping would be strafed.
Miriam reached her desision, after the council had concluded that this was a parliament affair.

PT2
Jace leaned back in his chair, letting the AI take the wheel, his co-driver was barking about staying in formation. 'Screw That!' thought Jace, attempting to scratch his nose, but nearly breaking his finger on the pressure helmet. 'Thats another thing!' he thought. 'If this is God's promised land, why do we have to wear helmets?' '
Ah of course! it was to test the unfaithful, as was every challenge in this life' .
" X48Q13.....Chaos Speeders, 3 Squads.......". The damn intercom! Why can't it censor bad news?
He took the wheel again, steering the Impact Rover to keep formation with the turning Squad. The marsh undulated below, sometimes the Rover would kick up some wet dirt, that would cling to the windscreen and leave a brown trail.
" This is Rover Foxtrot India Seventeen Whiskey. Request permission to break from formation, we have already lost sealing for the rover, and are running on helmets. We have sustained armor cracking during the engagement at T34P12, I don't think we will be much use in the next combat"

"Negitive Rover FI17W, we need every man we have, even in your state"
Hot damn!
BLEEP BLE-BLE-BLEEP, the map on the 2D dasboard was lighting up like a Christmas tree.
" Heads up squad, we have multiple targets inbound, beyond visual, so get charged, and look for cover!"

The Entire squad seemed to go crazy, the channels were filled with people praying for salvation, this battle was not going to be easy. Jace refused to pray, no inquistor was going to question him after this...

All of a sudden the ground shook, as if their had been an Earthquake. The rover about 100 yards from Jace had erupted in smoke, black dense particles billowing out into the air. The crew had come running out in time, but they fumbled for their helmets in the blaze, unsuccessfully as they writhed in the poisonous air, Jace could almost hear their gasping, but it was too late.
He turned a hard left on the rover, feeling the resistance in the machine as it tore up the ground. He hoped that he could at least move in from the side and take one of these monsters out. Despite their much longer range.
The rest of the squad had virtually halted. Several were eminating blue light from the conical death machine strapped to their rovers.
ROAR.....
The air in front of the rovers superheated, and the noise from the guns were emmense, several orange beams sped out of the car's.
At least one hit, because the screaming from Jaces navcom decreased. Jace jerked the car into the highest gear, begging that it did not sink in the mud. All around cars were being atomised by the enemies Chaos guns. ' They seem to be more effective at close range...I will have to write a report' he thought darkly. Several other rovers were following his pattern, at this rate they should be in effective range, within a few seconds.
' We are outnumbered, outgunned, we have nothing to fight for, WHY!'
He charged up his gun.
' WHY?' He was on the verge of sobbing. He didn't want to die!
'WHY!' The green hull of an enemy speeder was directly in front of him, he aimed the reticle.....
'WHY?'
The Peacekeeper fired a shocking white blade at him, he was blind!
His car exploded in flames, the hydranzine tank ruptured and poured into the cockpit. Luckly he was saved the torment, the shot had vapourised him, and the rest of his squad.

posted 07-05-99 01:03 PM ET         

PT3
The sun illuminated edge of the hill. The radiant golden light enhanced the edges and contrast of the landscape. It certainly seemed like a good place to meditate.
Miriam was alone. Just her, and the garden animals.
Darleoks, specially engineered rabbits that could survive the nitrogen narcosis. Earth bees that sped around collecting nectar from Earth plants. That was their only limiting factor, if the fungus produced nectar, the bees would be a disease. 'Like man, a disease on a hostile world'. Miriam had read the censored publication, from her biogenetics lab. It went against her beliefs utterly. The publisher of this thesis had disappeared, as had many other people. The machinations were in place.
These biological experiments were the pinnicale of Believer technology. To Miriam they represented the genius of God. God has allowed them the ability to protect the weakest creatures, a demonstrative gift indeed. It was serene. Perfect for meditation. It brought Miriam closer to God. The wisdom was in the landscape, God would reveal his plans to her here.
The War was going badly, the Zion pocket, and the base itself, had been annilated by carpet bombing. Facing destruction the remaining believer forces had effected a retreat. Not before pulling down any infrastructure. 20,000 soldiers had died defending Judgement Seat. 120,000 civilians had died when she decided that the city was undefendable. The city was razed, lest the Morganites pervert the minds of the captured. 'They died pure, and in your name Lord God'. A pityful excuse, some part of her said.
But they could win the attrittion! They were still the single largest faction. They had inflicted many more casualties on the attackers than they could have hoped for.
'The Morganites cannot assemble a large enough military force, and the Peacekeepers have no willpower, at these losses they will just give up'. More optimism from her Spartan associates. They were always willing to share their xenophobic opinions about the other factions, regardless of their state of alliance.
Miriam, ruler of 11 bases, millions of faithful, was confronting the unknown. She knew that these were testing times, but how to react to the test? The Lord will find a way. No doubt.

PT4
The representative from the University was getting increasingly impatient. He squirmed in his seat, while the Morganite talked on and on.....
Luckly Pravin noticed this, and suggested a recess. Often more business was done in a tea-break than in an entire conference. Lal was happy with either situation.
He sought out the University man amoungst the crowd outside the conference room. Almost instantly the University man, looking dictatorial in his serge suit, offered him a walk around the base. The University were quite proud of Cosmograd. It had been designed by Nataliya herself. It was functional, yet Utopianistic. The onion domes contrasted quite well with the high rise buildings.
They walked along the strasse, admiring the elegant simplicity of the design. The long room even had the feel of a street. There were several shops, mostly food and data-exchanges, and a few houses. Not many people lived in this district, it didn't have the view the rest of the town enjoyed.
"This design allows us to feel right at home, even 100ft up in the air!"
" Indeed, but where are the recreation commons?"
" We replaced them quite a while back, every citizen now has a Holo-Projector in his apartment"
As if to illustrate the point, a child was watching Recon Rover Rick from a projection in the wall.
" We, of course, are soon going to replace this technology, with what we have been using with the military. Brain Induced Imagery. BII"
" Yes, yes we have a file on it, but we are thinking about the moral implications...."
The conversation stopped for a while. The differences between the ideologies of these two factions were never more plainly shown.

They sat down on a viewing bench, a massive plate glass window showed the exotic landscape outside. insane towerblocks rising in improbable places. Palm trees studding the outside like little soldier ants.
" What do you think of the proposal?" Lal said, staring at the train, that passed between the towerblocks at fantastic speed.
"fascinating, naturally. However, I must remain cynical about the final division of land"
" If you capture a base, you keep it"
" Yes but what about combination attacks, or base snatching. I am sorry, but the University needs more evidence that we will be protected, if they launch a counter attack"
" But can't you see. They cannot launch a counter attack. We don't even need to destroy her. If Miriam is made less hostile, then we don't have to live in fear anymore."
" Your forces seem advanced enough, why can't you hold off the fanatics"
" we cannot hold her off, forever. She has strength in numbers, if not technology. If this war is allowed to continue, we may be overwhelmed. We need your help, I beg of you"
" I am sorry, but I see no obvious benefit for the University. Besides, at your current rate of advancement, you should cripple the Believers quite soon"
" I see there is no point convincing you now, but you must understand. We have exhausted our supply routes. Miriam stands to win if she can build up any sort of force. I hope future events will change your mind.".
They walked back to the conference room slowly. Discussing how to finish the debating, now that the decision has been made.

posted 07-06-99 04:14 PM ET            

I do have one suggestion, though. Be sure to put an extra carriage return after your paragraphs. Otherwise they tend to run together, which make it a little hard to read. White space is good!

posted 07-07-99 05:36 PM ET         

Dear Sir
The information attached below, from one of our probe teams indicates a possible event around 15:00 involving the war and university interaction. I include evidence of Believer purges, so as to convince you further.
Sincerly
Commissioner Pravin Lal

ps. Sorry for the delay in transmittion, we recieved these only a few hours ago.

Edit Script, date 17th 0900
STATE BROADCAST HOUSE.

REFERENCE C:13
17th Time 15:00-17:00
Set broadcast: Panorama, today in the Duma
New broadcast: Bibilical Tales -17 (Moses) (as with Saturday).
New Time 15:00-16:30

16:30-17:00 LEAVE BLANK PENDING GOVERNMENT TRANSMITTION
password: ******

Endscript

STATE POLICE WARRANT

Arrest for Mr Paul Mellville- 23308 Journalist
Arrest for Ms Rigel Elizabeth 123777 Journalist -Panorama
Families of afformentioned are to be taken into custody.

Wanted alive.

Signed
Harold Wilson. Chief of Police
Miriam Godwinson. Sister of the Believers

APPROVAL FOR DEATH ORDER
ref:23308, 123777

Reason
Subjects refused to tell us location of tapes. Subject 23308 refused to tell us name of informer.

Permission
Gillian Franz
Password: *****

Suggested Method: Hanging.

TREASURY, MASS CREDIT TRANSFER
from
[email protected]
to
[email protected]
encript 777-594

Total - 2864 Energy Credits.

signed
Gillian Fraz

Philby examined the broadcast. The exact details of the report burned into his retina. His lens computer was already giving a critical analysis of the information. However that would take time.
The maglev train juddered as it moved into the control complex. Philby thought that was a bit ominous, a shaky hovertrain....
'Welcome to University Base, please have your identification ready'

The security test was brief, just a retina, and a biochip identifier. The complex itself was sparse and light. Shining metal, and minimal security. The recent democratic reforms had severely reduced the armed forces, 'all the more for research!', he pondered.

The car sped out of the station, just as the gates of the permeter defence locked shut. He stroked the patch of skin on his arm, where the chip was embedded.

His Computer flickered and bleeped at him, he had several important assignments to do today.

Meeting with Chairman Yangs Hologram. 17:00pst
Night Conference with the UN 18:00-2:00

The computer reeled off the statistics. His eye wanted to spit out the little vermin, a reaction caused by exhaustion he was told. The clock in the corner of his eye told him the time was 16:30 PST exactly.

The local time was only about midday. Philby craned his neck, looking for anybody walking around in the outskirts of town. A few people were congregating around the statue to the Human Genome Project. People were still laying flowers, in memory of Prof Hollis, the co-ordinator of the Genome project. He had died last week in a rover crash.

A red lance shot up past the top of the train, crawling to a stop between the twin peaks of the University Parliament.

Then it detonated. Vivid light burst forth from the epicenter. He felt searing heat on his skin, a brief agony as the air around shimmered.

Philby put his hand in front of his eyes, to his surprise, he could see the bones in his hand.
The power on the train failed,as the internal lighting went out.
The skin on his hands was falling off. He had been burnt badly. The light from the window was receding, but it was still too bright to look at.

A deep rumbling eminated from the ground. He could feel air pushing at him, outside air!.

The train collapsed forward and smashed into the tracks, cracking the floor. His world was spinning like a whirlpool, several parts of buildings and people impacted into the wreck of the train. The shockwave hit the train with unprecidented ferocity, the carriages rippled and twisted. Philby looked up, a girder was coming loose.....

Then blackness.

posted 07-09-99 01:36 PM ET         

"My fellow Believers! Today we have entered into a new stage of conflict.
At 16:30 hours an atomic bomb was detonated over University Base. We have recieved many and varied reports about the situation there. No doubt you have also."

" I come with the truth. It was us that fired the weapon! "
" I predict that you will feel dismay, we were not at war with the University, naturally.

But there were several important reasons that we chose the University to suffer our wrath.

They were supplying arms and technologies to the Evil Alliance.

They were as dirty as jews! Selling their arms, feigning neutrality.

We have collected many intelligence reports indicating that the University was massing it's forces to attack us, and soon. We could not cope with the extra forces, that is assured.

Nuclear Weapons are devices of such horrific destruction that God must have created them for one reason.
They are a test! The heathen factions will tear themselves apart, fearful of the power of this weapon.

But we know the purpose of this weapon.

The atomic bomb is a demonstration of God's power.

We will use it to lance out the abcess of the University.

They were researching 'The Theory of Everything'. This abomination is the utmost act of hereasy and contempt I had ever heard of.

They must be destroyed by the rightous.

Rest assured God is working with us, he is our strength, and our shield.
Try not to comprehend God's power. Just sit and worship, and enjoy the path that he has given to you."

"CUT!"

" Ok, that was fine Miriam, Broadcast in 10 minutes. "

posted 07-12-99 06:50 PM ET         

They had done it!

The Believers were the first faction to use nuclear weapons on Planet.
One Blood.y bomb, one f.ucking, small, crude first attempt sub-Hiroshima bomb had burst over University Base.

He didn't need the training he had in the Russo-Sinai war. He knew the effects instantly. The initial heat would vapourise the Central Complex, and the Twin Towers.
That was 100,000 accounted for, he calculated grimly.

The Flash ignition of the tarmac and the park would kill anybody outside. '
That's another 50,000'. He thought

The shockwave would then level any towers that were not vapourised. The entire city was build up. Rather than as a sprawl. Zakarov cursed this design.

He had developed it himself. In the first year. He had never though of the possibility of nuclear survival. Just efficency and economics of scale. He was at heart, still an engineer. As well as a theoretical physicist.

The blast wave had pulverised the remaining citizens. another 100,000.

That left 25,000. He pondered this. Then he remembered what the mindworms did when the VX gas was first tested. The survivors would be huddled in a pulverised pit,the ground a metamorphic crater.

Then wave apon wave of mindworms would devour the hapless civilians.

275,000. Dead. No survivors.

He cursed again the opportunity he had to kill Miriam. He cursed religion. He cursed God. He cursed the complacent Philby, his optimist diplomatic advisor.

posted 07-18-99 08:18 PM ET         

Pt8

The console beeped.

' Welcome Sister Miriam. You have 6 messages.'

Miriam laughed. She placed the projection unit on the ground. The images would be projected life size, just in front of her desk.

" Computer! Open frequency one."

This reminded Miriam of Star Trek. She was one of a few very lucky people to have seen it. The censors had considered the original series to be 'ungodly and containing too much sexual interaction'.

Lal's face hovered about 2 meters from the ground. He looked as miserable as ever. His beard had long gone white and he looked frail.
" Ah Miriam! I think I speak for the council when I say that I am appalled by your-"

She cut him off.

"Computer! Open frequency two"

Morgan, looking as full bodied as ever, started his tirade.
" You made a terrible mistake Miriam. You have alie....."

She cut him off.

"Frequency three"

Yang, enigmatic as ever, a bare wall behind him.
"Good-day. I think that your actions were most ineff...."

She cut him off

"The Gaians" Miriam sighed.

Deidre barely had time to condemn her before she was cut off.

' Now it was time for business'. Miriam thought.

The computer suddenly flashed

' Twin UOP Needlejets.loc 3,4,14. Targeted and destroyed.'

Miriam reclined in her chair. She punched in the commands to hail Zakarov.

" You....bitch! How dare you attack us. You had no reason to attack! "

He lapsed into incoherent Russian. Miriam maintained her gaze.

" You are the most ignorant, toxic and blind little whore that I have ever seen."

He stopped suddenly. Aware of her stare,

" Are you quite finished?" She asked coldly.

She imitated the lecturers voice, that Zakarov often used condesendingly.

" You were supplying arms and technologies to our enemies. You were building up forces along side our border. We have proof of an alliance with Lal. In which you were going to attack us, without provocation, It was simply more efficent to strike first."

Zakarov virtually had a spasm in front of his vidscreen. He bit his lip, paused and started to lecture her back.
"If you did not rely on such backward technology, as you do. Your agents would have reported that we refused to to sign an alliance several days ago. We also terminated our technology treaty several weeks ago."

" That doesn't explain the movement of your military".

" The only reason we reinforced our border was because you were reinforcing your border. Tvarch!"

Miriam was taken aback by this. The color from her face was gone.

" My, how you are a hypocrite..." She smiled to herself.

" How am I a hyp"

" You preach logic and the irrelevence of emotions. Yet you remain a creature of emotions. God cannot work with such a misbeleiver as you. That is why we attacked"

She hung up.

'Three...Morgan..Unity Rovers....KIA' The computer showed urgently.

Santiago was the key. She will speak with her, prehaps lend an ear. Miriam was perterbed by the information she had recieved from Zakarov. Prehaps he was right.
You must have faith in yourself she thought. She drew in a breath.

"Frequency 6"

The body of Santiago appeared in the middle of the room. She was quite transparent. As Miriam would be. Miriam stood up and walked towards her own holoprojector.
None of the other leaders could appear with their bodies. They had all moved on to better equipment and it was barely compatible with Miriams technology, only showing faces.

Santiago kept the old style, just to bring her presence to the opposition. She looked as she did on the Unity. She was tall, well built, but with eyes that peered out from her high cheekbones, giving her a feline appearance. How far could she trust her.

" When beholding the tranquil beauty of the ocean skin, one forgets the tiger heart that pants just below the surface..."

"Yes thank you PAULINE, Sorry Colonel, AI troubles.."

.." Herman Melville -Moby Dick, Data.."

"OFF!" Miriam barked.

Santiago laughed. Her hands swayed at her sides. She grinned, a most unusual gesture.
" My dear Miriam, how ever did you launch the Bomb? Your AI would have preached about the sancity of life."

" Only the lives of the faithful are sacred."
" And the lives of those that sell weapons to the faithful"

"You told me that that bomb would be a 700 Kiloton"
" It did the job didn't it? If you had detected it earlier, why did you not ask for a better model?"
" How could we tell the power of the weapon? We are far behind in nuclear technology"

Santiago rolled her eyes.
" Enough. I am here just to give my formal diplomatic protest, as a member of the planetary council".
She pronounced 'council' with venom.

" Now! when are you going to send your reinforcements?" Miriam clasped her hands together.
" I'm sorry...reinforcements?"
" You are going to help me in this war, are you not?"
Santiago sighed.
" I am sorry, dear Miriam. You are fighting a losing cause. Sparta Intelligence suggests that our forces are barely able to contain the Hive, in our present war."
" Oh rubbish! Our intelligence indicates that you have easily enough forces to complete our offensive"

Santiago smiled.
" Is this the same intelligence that indicated that the University were selling weapons to the Peacekeepers?"
" You promised on your honor to help us"
" I promised nothing. I do not wish to be annilated. Think yourself lucky that we are not at war"
" But, LISTEN!"

Santiago cut her off.

Miriam took account. The alliance was at war with her. Morgan and the Peacekeepers. No doubt the University would be at war soon. The Gaians had threatened vendetta, but only if another planet-buster was used. The Hive was absorbed in it's war with the Spartans. The Spartans were neutral. She had three enemies and no allies. She would have to revise the strategy, again.

posted 07-24-99 07:08 PM ET         

PT9

THE BATTLE FOR ORBIT

The archaic craft span frantically. This gave Simon more that sickness. He felt ill to the bones. He was strapped in, but the weightlessness made his stomach fly about inside his body.
There was only blackness from the window, not surprising since the window was only about 30cm across.
He felt the Portia shake, as it's nitrogen thrusters were fired.

The Portia began to spin in greater earnest, the few pinpricks of light now streaks on the glass. Simon smiled across to Kell, who acknowledged his fear. Kell returned to his communications with HQ. He talked directly into his wristwatch, mentioning times, and safety checkouts.

His muttering became inaudible above the Portias main engine. This is it! thought Simon, hoping that the assault would be over, soon. The twelve faces in the holding bay all reacted in different ways, clenched teeth, twitching hands. So this is what group fear feels like, pondered Simon. But he only needed one thing, to look into Kell's eyes and feel the strength within.

Kell was a veteran, from the Unity days. A supreme tactician, who had masterminded this daring raid. Kell was an amoral man. He ordered men to die, knowing how it would fit into his plan. Fair was fair however, he had won more than he had lost. Butchers bills withstanding. However the media called him 'The man who got things done'. Not exclusively Spartan media either!

Kell was not apprehensive. Infact now he was giving the final briefing. They had come into close dock
with the Base, zipping around at the same speed as it.

" Ok, we are approaching Helena base now. I expect you know the drill by now. Unmarked suits, remember!
Go out of the airlock in the assigned groups. Remember to check your suit before you go out, no popping out on my shift! No firing the combat shredder until inside!. "

The orders carried on. Kell was attempting to squeeze into a Flexi-suit. These suits were not pressured, except in the helmet. The body being held in at SP by the force of rubber. This had the benefit of being safer if the suit was ruptured. only one region would suffer the effects of space. No doubt the region would get expansive bruising, and either burnt or frozen in agony. But safer than any old pressure suit. The suit was also much freer.
The user would feel virtually naked in space. Fascinating in a psychological sense, but this was war, Simon considered.
Everybody else just wore thick pressure suits. Flexi-suits were all very well, but they were untested, and the heating elements were atrophied.

Simon was suited up. As were Thorus and Penepole, his team members, all joined by the mercenary bond.
Kell handed out the shredder pistols to the squad. He relayed the message in his ear.
" Ok were are coming in around the Habitation area. First team will plant the explosives. Remember, this base is only 40m long, so don't put down too much.
The Portia is going for reentry, but expect the Ganymede to take you back after you have captured the objective. Good luck out there."

The equipment was nessesarily primitive, to give the impression of mercenaries, not Spartan funding. Still more than enough to beat off an University space base.

Kell went out with team one. Simon followed shortly after. He switched to internal oxygen just as the airlock pumped out it's air.

Suddenly he was floating in space! His team members were right beside him, and the First team were planting explosives about 30m away. He knew the protocol. He crawled along the conically shaped Portia, until he was holding onto the specific handholds. The other teams copied him, it was not unlike children, holding onto the side of a swimming pool, afraid of the space beyond them.
" This is Team One. We are ready, moving back now."
As said, Team One moved back to the side of the craft. Simon could see Kell's helmet and the smile on his face. Kell looked more slender than the rest of the attack group, he loved every minute of his freedom from a pressure suit.
" Wow kids! You really must get one of these! They make you feel so light."
To demonstrate, he did a flip.

Simon again saw the grin as Kell picked up the radio detonator, He set it off.

Nothing!
Kell frantically swore over the radio,. and pushed the button many times. Roderigo sighed, and propelled himself over to the side of the station.

He was about half way there when the bomb went off. No sound of course, but several bits of debris flew in all directions, demonstrating the power of the explosion. One chunk had hit Roderigo.
Roderigo span around uncontrolably, the air flooding from his suit pushed him in myriad directions. His screaming could be heard over the radio, at least for a while. Droplets of blood were floating from the rupture site, just above his groin.

Simon instinctively fired his thrusters, to reach him. Kell pulled him back. Telling him that it was too late.
Roderigo's scream intensified as his air escaped, then stopped, as his air ran out. His face was contorted in agony, His mouth frothed with the blood from his lungs. This blood slowly froze in the vacuum, Roderigo's eyes were blood ridden and bloated.

Kell cut the transmittion, talk about demoralising.

Ack! Back to business. Team two were now to take advantage of the hull breach. They were to rush in and seixe the living quarters. Ludicrously small that they were.

He checked the shredder pistol, as did the rest of his team. They moved in formation to the side of the habitation deck. The air had long since flooded out. The living quarters were on the third ring, at the top of the pivot that housed 'The Weapon'.

The massive array of solar panels, sheeted on top of the pivot, had already begun to fold. The AI was thinking for itself and like a good AI it didn't want to fry the ground, if the microwaves went off course.

They drifted into the 10m room. Simon felt the reassuring grip of his magnetic boots. The lights had been burnt out, but they had built in torches. He noticed that the blast had not severely damaged the inside of the compartment. The Blackened sections and bits of hull were scattered around the first few metres of the hole. Kell was an expert, despite the surprising bit of metal that killed Roderigo.
His team members were right next to him, scanning the several sleeping chambers for survivors. But those upright closet beds were not airtight.

They found nobody in the room. They also didn't find the console that they were promised would be there. Without the console, and a keycard, they could not evacuate the air on the other decks, or even open the airlock to invade the other sections.

The only way forward would be to burst the door from this room, and search the deck, which would deviod of air, and hopefully life.

Signalling this information to Kell, he told his team members to grab onto something. He got a doorbuster out of his belt, and placed the tiny black disc on the flywheel of the door. Quickly he grabbed for a handhold about 1m away from the hole.

He felt the floor shake beneath him. Several sections of the door fell forwards, but mostly it fell backwards into a corridor. Then the air rushed out, like a ferocious wind. Simon felt buffeted by the wind, he could feel it roaring against his helmet. He saw various objects fly past his vision, some papers, some towels. An impact pistol?

That was omimous thought Simon, as he let go. Physically gesturing to his team mates, he took out his pistol again, and stepped over the remains of the door. The corridor was circular, naturally, it also had several consoles. Without a keycard they were useless. At least they could get in. University security was pretty low, especially on an orbital solar plant, which was considered out of raiders reach. Not even a retinal scan was needed. Scientists were scientists.

The corridor was only about 5m wide, so he stood two abreast, along with Thorus, and Penepole covering from behind. They furtively searched for doors, or even bodies, as they trapsed the long circumference.

Suddenly the wall to the left of him wrenched and tore. Kneeling and rolling to the right Simon noted that they looked like impact shots.

Damn partical impactors! Damn lack of sound! Any bastar.d could sneek up on you in a vacuum. His team members fired back, they obviously saw something he didn't. His team members told him that there was a guy in a suit sniping in a doorway, around the 'bend'. He had pulled in, after trying to blow Simon's head off.

A grenade would destroy a keycard no doubt. So they had to clear out the room, the old fashioned way. Penepole ran to cover the door arc, standing up. Whilst he rolled into the doorway, trying not to get shot. Thorus followed him into that position.

All three of them scanned the visible area, nothing! They must be at either side of the doorway. Difficult, but at least they couldn't hear us, whilst we could spend all day planning, if we wished.

But they were Spartan! They were trained in this. Plan A was gas, obviously unworkable, Plan B was Grenade, unworkable. Plan C, was to shoot up the place, like a nut.

The Spartans liked Plan C. Penepole, started firing above their heads, covering the doorframe. Simon and Thorus stood up, pistols drawn, they burst in at opposite sides. Simon let off a volley of Shredder shots, at the person who was standing in the middle of the room. The person was obviously looking at where Penepoles shots were hitting.

He barely had enough time to loose a shot off, which missed, before Simon waxed him. Simon continued to fire at the man, hoping to kill him, before depressurisation got him. Spartan honour prehaps?

Thorus didn't fire a shot, his side was clear. The door was set slightly to the right of the room, meaning that when Thorus jumped to the left, there was basically nowhere for a person to stand.

Simon scanned the room, obviously Rec room, judging by the books, and arcade machine.

The dead guy was wearing a military uniform, obviously not a Scientist. Judging by previous University soldiers, this guy was a Captain.

1st Lft Simon Austin saluted him. The station was prepared. How? Why? He grabbed the goon's keycard and ran to a console. Hoping that the others would cover him, in case of other malcontents.

Everything ran smoothly, the air was evacuted in all of the corridors, but not the rooms. The other teams were preparing a break in. Power was shut down, so the Microwave transmitter didn't work, nor did the lights, only AI and life support. The computer refused the request to turn off sentry guns. However, all that was needed now was to kill any remaining resistance, capture any Barneys that are around, and get their own Barneys to reconfig 'The Weapon', just so the Believers could buy shots off them. Easy!

But they had Spartan training and they would win. In time for the Ganymede as well.

posted 08-06-99 05:31 PM ET         

PT10

" So you did your own thing!" Gillian was ramping up her tirade.
" You did perfectly" she said icily.
There was a pause.
" Aren't you going to defend yourself, almighty queen?"
Miriam stood, impassively.
" That tactic doesnt work with me, anymore" She screamed at Miriams face
"Lets count your mistakes." she said confidently
" 1/ You attacked the University
2/ You became leader of the believers
3/ You were born"

" You stupid, stupid bitch, don't you know how much trouble this has caused us?"
Miriam started to speak But Gillian cut her off.
" You defy the parliament, you defy the high command and you defy reason!"
" The parliament is debating now" Miriam interjected
" And they have much choice!" Gillian said acidly
" If you were a citizen you would have been hung by now". "lets see, unauthorised transfer of credits. unauthorised censoring of broadcasts, use of MY name for signing your bills...."
"Oh yes, I almost forgot. Using nuclear weapons!"

Miriam snarled.
" You pathetic gesture of a human!"
"You slaughtered thousands in less than an hour, does that make you Gods favored, our even saintly?"

"THE UNIVERSITY WERE HELLSPAWN!! WE HAVB MADE TOO MANY COMPROMISES!!!" Miriam finally lost her cool
" We have compromised too many times. We have become complacent and confused. We have compromised on the Treatment, how many times have I had it? We have compromised with retrovirals, we have compromised with intellligent computers."

" To allow lucifer to grow amoungst us is wrong, more wrong that killing. Their souls were lost anyway."
Gillian rebounded savagely, a sign that she was stuck for reason. She prepared a mock prayer.
" Thats right, you are our moral guardian, our true light, we must believe in you, even when you turn insane bitches to murdering children!"

" GILLIAN! If you do that again, I will have you arrested for blasphemy"

" Arr, tis a hanging offence Mr Proctor" Gillian muttered. The Crucible was banned, obviously.
" Lets see...oh yes, Daddy, Junior, and Spook went down to the pub one night, looking for girls.."

Miriam shot her with an impact pistol.