|
Post by Zoomer on May 6, 2009 17:46:56 GMT -4
"Alright. Meet me back at my place in about an hour. Champ and Jakob know where that is, since you were basically standing in my backyard a few minutes ago. I'll go get the ship ready. See you guys later!"
Alex proceeds to turn into his robot self and rocket away.
|
|
|
Post by Champ on May 6, 2009 19:32:23 GMT -4
"Well, there's something you don't see every day," Champ mumbled to himself.
|
|
|
Post by Jakob on May 6, 2009 19:40:57 GMT -4
Jakob huffed something ineligible and walked off hurriedly. A few blocks and he was home.
KPG was on the table, looking much like Jakob did when KPG did assorted operations on Jakob. This time, like the other rare time, the creation operates on the creator.
The wounds were cleaned and biofoam was sprayed. It stung, but KPG had suffered worse. Bandaging was applied afterward. KPS slipped on the torso plating of his powered armor again.
"It is Canada," KPG said, wincing slightly, "Just a small stealth-based squad."
"Any idea what they wanted from that house? You somehow knew they would be there, which means you have an idea on what they were getting."
"Don't think I don't know that. It was an inspired guess that turned out to be right. Remember, Jakob, I worked with them before... But the soldiers, never expected them to be so good."
"I get it, but what was the guess?"
"I'm thinking they were planning to hack into the skyway patrol network by feeding a bloodhound through a Tremorton computer. The firewall and the invisibility of the bloodhound would provide the perfect cover. It'll be impossible to find it."
"We'll need to tell Skyway Patrol then."
"No way in hell they'd believe us. Jakob, figure out a plan. You're better at it than I am."
Jakob leaned on the table. KPG flexed his torso and cringed, sighed, and stretched. He planned to go out into combat again at a moment's notice.
Jakob snapped his fingers and pressed a button on the table. A circular hologram pad flipped into view on the table. Above it appeared a translucent drawing board. Jakob drew some circles, labeling each as "SP", "CP", "US", and CA. SP meant Skyway Patrol, CP meant Cluster Prime, and US meant... well, themselves. CA was relatively obvious to the duo.
"We send Skyway Patrol an anonymous letter," Jakob said, drawing an arrow pointing from US to SP, and scribbling out the line in between, "and then we move to Cluster Prime. Hopefully Skyway Patrol will take the letter into consideration and try to take measures in cleaning up their systems. Chances are low, but there's still a chance that they'll purge the bloodhound. If it does..."
At that, Jakob pressed a button on the holopad. The drawing board split into two copies. Above one, Jakob wrote "WIN" and the other "FAIL."
"If it does, then Canada will be cut off from their personal source." Jakob drew an arrow pointing to CA from SP on both charts, and then crossing out the arrow under "WIN."
"Good thing," KPG said.
"You know as well as I do. If it's successful, then we're only at a slight advantage. Every little bit helps."
Another few buttons and the chart merged into one again, except there were the two different arrows between SP and CA.
"Now then, I'm going with Alex, Gene, and Champ to Cluster Prime to see if the NCC's got operatives up there, which they will most likely have. We're moving out there to render assistance."
"You've got no idea how many there would be up there," KPG said.
"You may be right, but you'll have to stay here, as much as it pains me to say. After all, you need to keep updates on what happens on Earth while we're out elsewhere. This could just be a facade to throw everyone off. If it is, give me a call. Signals should be able to reach that far, like you yourself said when you did the cellphone upgrades."
"But if you're damaged beyond your own first-aid, I can't get there to help."
"Disturbing thought, but I doubt the NCC has their hands on plasma-based weaponry yet. I don't think anyone does, save for the ones from back with those Syn sissies."
KPG burst out laughing at "Syns." Jakob had to wait for the laughter to die down.
"Right, I get your plan. I stay here and keep watch, while you roll out, kick ass and chew bubble gum."
Jakob tapped his forehead in a complimentary manner.
"Do a status check before you go." KPG said as a final order before going to his computer.
Jakob nodded and walked upstairs.
All of his obsolete weapons had been replaced with plasma-based KPG-made custom weaponry. He had enough shells for all his weapons to take on a full military force if he really needed to.
He walked to Alex's home, and waited in the back yard.
-----
"That was DRAWL all right," one of the soldiers said.
"He's got friends too. He'll probably move out to Cluster Prime. That would be his first course of action," the Lieutenant said.
"What now?"
"We did what we needed. The bloodhound's set. Skyway Patrol's secrets are ours back at home. Lets move."
|
|
|
Post by Zoomer on May 6, 2009 19:49:06 GMT -4
Alex had by that time sent a message to Vega letting them know of their intentions and the current events. He had fueled the ship, loaded the supplies (which now included extra oil and food), and had set in in standby. He also clamped his laptop to a blank spot on the console of the cockpit, which was designed exactly for that purpose. The cockpit was cramped, but there was a small galley and an entrance on the bottom of the ship.
About 45 minutes had passed, so he took the ship out and landed it in his front yard, where it just barely fit without touching the street.
Everything was set for launch.
|
|
|
Post by Jakob on May 6, 2009 21:00:43 GMT -4
Jakob switched his position to the front yard and entered the ship. He found a jump seat right beside the entrance and strapped in.
|
|
|
Post by Zoomer on May 6, 2009 22:04:37 GMT -4
"Hey." Alex's voice comes from the engine room. "Just making last checks and strapping down the cargo. There're four seats in the cockpit and two by the door. Make yourself comfortable. Oh, and can you let me know when Gene and Champ get here?"
|
|
|
Post by Champ on May 6, 2009 22:37:17 GMT -4
"Already here,"Champ said, entering the ship. He glanced around, his eyebrows raised. "How'd you build this?" He shouted to Alex.
|
|
|
Post by Zoomer on May 7, 2009 0:06:22 GMT -4
"Well, my Dad was a scientist and an engineer. He taught me quite a bit. Besides that, I have direct access to quite a few classified designs put together by several private space travel corporations and the like, whether they know it or not." Alex replied, coming from the back, grinning. "Oh, and I may have melted down some...'borrowed' steel girders from a few abandoned construction sites. They would have been trashed either way. Why not put them to good use?"
He went over to the control console, and started the ships engines, which resulted in a soft electrical hum.
"We're set as soon as Gene gets here." He said with pride, sitting down in the captain's chair.
|
|
|
Post by Hunter on May 7, 2009 0:41:28 GMT -4
"Sorry I'm late," Gene says as he steps onto the ship. "I probably should have asked for your address while you were at my place. Instead, I had to do a fly-by of the city and look for the guy with the spaceship in his front yard. Good thing private ships aren't more popular, otherwise I don't know how I would have found you."
He straps into one of the seats in the back of the cockpit. "All right. Let's do this."
|
|
|
Post by Zoomer on May 7, 2009 0:55:27 GMT -4
"Sorry about the mix up." Alex replied, adjusting his seat and fastening his harness. "Strap yourselves down everybody. We're gonna ride fast and hard. We'll be there in a few hours, if it all goes according to plan."
As the ship began ascending, spreading out it's stabilizers and sealing airtight, it occurred to Alex that he hadn't tested his warpdrive yet.
Don't bother them with the details he thought to himself. [/i] The worst that could happen is that we end up in a parallel dimension. We'll be fine. [/i]
The ship began it's ascent into the atmosphere at a velocity of several hundred miles per hour, and was rapidly accelerating, pushing everybody to the back of their seats.
"And here.....we.....go!" Alex said in a raised, triumphant voice as they broke out of earth's grip and into space.
"In a few minutes we'll essentially be traveling through an artificial wormhole. So while we're stable, you guys may want to take care of any final preparations for a while, as you won't be able to even see straight once we start the jump."
|
|
|
Post by Jakob on May 7, 2009 9:05:19 GMT -4
"Already done preparations. Warp radiation should not pose a problem." Jakob said. He looked straight at the second jumpseat, and remained motionless.
//ENTERING SLEEP MODE...
|
|
|
Post by Champ on May 9, 2009 11:52:33 GMT -4
"I'm set," Champ said, staring at the screen of is cell phone, "Mainly because there's no cell reception up here."
|
|
|
Post by Hunter on May 9, 2009 17:21:18 GMT -4
"Yeah," Gene says. "I don't know what kind of preparations you expect us to make, but it seems like it's a bit late for all that. At this point, there's not much we can do except enjoy the trip."
|
|
|
Post by Zoomer on May 9, 2009 18:34:02 GMT -4
"Alright.....hold on to your seats." Alex said nervously.
And with that, the entire ship shifted through time and space, with all perceptions (as well as molecules) being warped along with it.
Within several minutes, the ship departed the tunnel near the Cluster Planet, with all as it should be.
"Whoo!" exclaimed Alex. "I can't believe that actually worked!"
|
|
|
Post by Champ on May 10, 2009 0:37:43 GMT -4
"You didn't know it would!?" Champ shouted. He shook his head. "Christ, thank God I filled out my will," He said sarcastically.
|
|