Zaruthustran
The tingling means it’s working!
It's a Wonderful Life... in SPACE!
[Spaceship Zero] Q-Ship (actually updated 19 May 2007)
Plane Sailing
Astral Admin - Mwahahaha!
Plane Sailing said:
Do I get a prize
Plane Sailing
Astral Admin - Mwahahaha!
Capellan said:
I loved this line
Capellan
Explorer
I can't take any credit for the "kill something or mate with a female" line -- that's a direct quote from the 'guest star' player who played Larathra. The whole table cracked up
Gaming with ledded and the Medallions guys was lots of fun. Should anyone else make it to Birmingham, you should look them up!
Gaming with ledded and the Medallions guys was lots of fun. Should anyone else make it to Birmingham, you should look them up!
Capellan
Explorer
"Venusian Christmas Carol" - Part 2
Gustav's eyes flutter open.
"Ach, mein aching head." He touches a hand to his face, then suddenly sits bolt upright. "Vot is this?"
"My apologies, Doctor." Larathra looks up from where she is pensively examining the RIDE, which appears blackened and scorched. "Some substance in the cavern where we met appears to have caused a feedback look in my device. This accounts for the somewhat bumpy ride we had."
"Bumpy?" Gustav's bristly eyebrows rise, "Zat was like Captain Fury as his most enthusiastic. 'Bumpy' does not begin to descri - oh my!" he breaks off as he realises how their surroundings have changed. "This is terrible!"
"I shall have the RIDE fixed soon, Doctor -"
"Not zat!" Gustav interrupts, "Zis!" he gestures at the field around them. The ground is pitted with shell holes and scorch marks, and dozens of bodies lie sprawled in the mud. "Humans! And Venusians! All dead!" he hurries over to the nearest group of bodies and kneels to examine them. "From ze looks of it, dead at each ozzers hands!"
The Doctor whirls to face Larathra,
"Vot is the meaning of zis? Humans and Venusians have never fought each ozzer! It is as ludicrous to zink of as zat Germany would declare war on France!"
"We are in a different reality now, Doctor." Larathra reminds him, "Something must have happened here that caused a war to occur. It's quite distressing. Why must other races be so violent?"
"Archie!"
"Archie? What do you mean, Doctor?"
But Gustav isn't paying any attention to Larathra right now. Instead he is hurrying across the battlefield, stumbling in holes, and splashing through muddy puddles, toward a large metallic object near the edge of the nearby jungle.
The object is a robot, fully eight feet tall, with a broad chest, a sleek helmet-like head, and powerful looking arms that end in razor-like claws. Atop each arm is a wide-barrelled weapon of some kind, the nozzle of which is blackened and burnt. Stencilled on the robot's chest are four large red letters:
R-CHI
And beneath those, in smaller black type:
Robot: Combat (Heavy Incendiary)
"It is Archie!" Gustav exults, "I knew I recognised him!" This line leaves the audience scratching their heads, as the robot looks nothing like the blocky, ungainly Archie. "Ach! He has been damaged! If only I had my toolbelt wiz me."
"I have a tool you could use, Doctor." Larathra produces a silver ball about four inches across. Gustav takes it from her and examines it curiously.
"How does it vork?"
"It is an Omnitool." Larathra explains, "You simply need to think of the tool you desire -" the Omnitool immediately turns into an egg whisk in Gustav's hand. Larathra looks confused, "I am not familiar with that tool, Doctor. What does it do?"
"I vas just testing." The Omnitool blinks back into its original shape as Gustav's bald skull gets slightly pinker. He frowns for a moment and the Omnitool transforms into a screwdriver. The Doctor them pulls open a hatch on Archie's chest, revealing lots of complex wiring and a small diagnostics monitor. Gustav immediately plunges half of his upper body inside the robot.
"Ah yes, ze main cable needs to be re-routed here ... and ze secondary logic circuit needs to be disabled to allow for ze additional hardware specifications I am adding ..."
"Doctor." Larathra speaks.
"Just a moment, please." Gustav waves a hand for quiet, "Zis is a very delicate operation."
A new voice; deep, male and aggressive; breaks into the conversation.
"Get away from the robot, you Nusi saboteur, or we'll fry your carcass where you stand!"
"Was?" Gustav straightens and turns around, a bad order to do things in as he bashes his forehead on the side of Archie's hatch. Rubbing the rapidly-forming bruise, he stares at the newcomers. There are six of them, all sturdily built humans in what looks suspiciously like surplus British Army camouflage suits with Space Force insignia sewn on. The leader, a crew-cutted, square-necked fellow with a surly expression and a large gun, which he points at the two reality refugees.
"Ah! Space Force!" Gustav smiles happily at the humans, "Zis is good luck. Ve are travellers, and zere seems to be something wrong wiz ..." he considers how to describe the RIDE, "... wiz ze device zat controls our craft. Perhaps you could help us?"
The human leader grunts.
"You 'eard me: Get away from the robot, or I'll blow your bony butt away from it myself."
Gustav blinks.
"I don't think they wish to help us, Doctor." Larathra observes.
"Zis is ridiculous!" Gustav protests, "I vas merely trying to repair Archie!" he gestures with the Omnitool, which has returned to the form of a silver ball.
"Look out sarge! He's got a grenade!" One of the soldiers snaps a gun up to his shoulder, ready to fire.
"Put the grenade down! Now!"
"But zis is not ..."
"[/b]Grenade! Down! Now![/b]"
Gustav sighs and slowly crouches, placing the Omnitool on the ground.
"Zis is really unnecessary, we are not your enemies ..."
"Anyone in the field who ain't Space Force is either a Nusi, a damn Nusi-sympathiser, or ..." the Sergeant looks at Larathra with a puzzled expression, "... or whatever the heck she is."
"I am a Sarathri, from the 19th Quadrant of the Elocin Cloud Systems, some forty two glintar from here. My name is -"
"Shut up!" the Sergeant bellows. He points to his men, "Anderson, Hodges, shoot 'em if either of 'em talk again. Pieterhoff, slap 'em in electrocuffs. We'll take 'em back to base and see what the Commander wants done with 'em."
The Space Force troops lock Gustav and Larathra in a pair of large silver handcuffs each, and hustle them into a nearby jeep. The Sergeant guns the engine, and the vehicle bounces out of shot.
We pan back to the silent battlefield, and the still form of Archie.
Beep.
The diagnostics monitor blinks into life, and text starts to scroll by.
Gustav's eyes flutter open.
"Ach, mein aching head." He touches a hand to his face, then suddenly sits bolt upright. "Vot is this?"
"My apologies, Doctor." Larathra looks up from where she is pensively examining the RIDE, which appears blackened and scorched. "Some substance in the cavern where we met appears to have caused a feedback look in my device. This accounts for the somewhat bumpy ride we had."
"Bumpy?" Gustav's bristly eyebrows rise, "Zat was like Captain Fury as his most enthusiastic. 'Bumpy' does not begin to descri - oh my!" he breaks off as he realises how their surroundings have changed. "This is terrible!"
"I shall have the RIDE fixed soon, Doctor -"
"Not zat!" Gustav interrupts, "Zis!" he gestures at the field around them. The ground is pitted with shell holes and scorch marks, and dozens of bodies lie sprawled in the mud. "Humans! And Venusians! All dead!" he hurries over to the nearest group of bodies and kneels to examine them. "From ze looks of it, dead at each ozzers hands!"
The Doctor whirls to face Larathra,
"Vot is the meaning of zis? Humans and Venusians have never fought each ozzer! It is as ludicrous to zink of as zat Germany would declare war on France!"
"We are in a different reality now, Doctor." Larathra reminds him, "Something must have happened here that caused a war to occur. It's quite distressing. Why must other races be so violent?"
"Archie!"
"Archie? What do you mean, Doctor?"
But Gustav isn't paying any attention to Larathra right now. Instead he is hurrying across the battlefield, stumbling in holes, and splashing through muddy puddles, toward a large metallic object near the edge of the nearby jungle.
The object is a robot, fully eight feet tall, with a broad chest, a sleek helmet-like head, and powerful looking arms that end in razor-like claws. Atop each arm is a wide-barrelled weapon of some kind, the nozzle of which is blackened and burnt. Stencilled on the robot's chest are four large red letters:
R-CHI
And beneath those, in smaller black type:
Robot: Combat (Heavy Incendiary)
"It is Archie!" Gustav exults, "I knew I recognised him!" This line leaves the audience scratching their heads, as the robot looks nothing like the blocky, ungainly Archie. "Ach! He has been damaged! If only I had my toolbelt wiz me."
"I have a tool you could use, Doctor." Larathra produces a silver ball about four inches across. Gustav takes it from her and examines it curiously.
"How does it vork?"
"It is an Omnitool." Larathra explains, "You simply need to think of the tool you desire -" the Omnitool immediately turns into an egg whisk in Gustav's hand. Larathra looks confused, "I am not familiar with that tool, Doctor. What does it do?"
"I vas just testing." The Omnitool blinks back into its original shape as Gustav's bald skull gets slightly pinker. He frowns for a moment and the Omnitool transforms into a screwdriver. The Doctor them pulls open a hatch on Archie's chest, revealing lots of complex wiring and a small diagnostics monitor. Gustav immediately plunges half of his upper body inside the robot.
"Ah yes, ze main cable needs to be re-routed here ... and ze secondary logic circuit needs to be disabled to allow for ze additional hardware specifications I am adding ..."
"Doctor." Larathra speaks.
"Just a moment, please." Gustav waves a hand for quiet, "Zis is a very delicate operation."
A new voice; deep, male and aggressive; breaks into the conversation.
"Get away from the robot, you Nusi saboteur, or we'll fry your carcass where you stand!"
"Was?" Gustav straightens and turns around, a bad order to do things in as he bashes his forehead on the side of Archie's hatch. Rubbing the rapidly-forming bruise, he stares at the newcomers. There are six of them, all sturdily built humans in what looks suspiciously like surplus British Army camouflage suits with Space Force insignia sewn on. The leader, a crew-cutted, square-necked fellow with a surly expression and a large gun, which he points at the two reality refugees.
"Ah! Space Force!" Gustav smiles happily at the humans, "Zis is good luck. Ve are travellers, and zere seems to be something wrong wiz ..." he considers how to describe the RIDE, "... wiz ze device zat controls our craft. Perhaps you could help us?"
The human leader grunts.
"You 'eard me: Get away from the robot, or I'll blow your bony butt away from it myself."
Gustav blinks.
"I don't think they wish to help us, Doctor." Larathra observes.
"Zis is ridiculous!" Gustav protests, "I vas merely trying to repair Archie!" he gestures with the Omnitool, which has returned to the form of a silver ball.
"Look out sarge! He's got a grenade!" One of the soldiers snaps a gun up to his shoulder, ready to fire.
"Put the grenade down! Now!"
"But zis is not ..."
"[/b]Grenade! Down! Now![/b]"
Gustav sighs and slowly crouches, placing the Omnitool on the ground.
"Zis is really unnecessary, we are not your enemies ..."
"Anyone in the field who ain't Space Force is either a Nusi, a damn Nusi-sympathiser, or ..." the Sergeant looks at Larathra with a puzzled expression, "... or whatever the heck she is."
"I am a Sarathri, from the 19th Quadrant of the Elocin Cloud Systems, some forty two glintar from here. My name is -"
"Shut up!" the Sergeant bellows. He points to his men, "Anderson, Hodges, shoot 'em if either of 'em talk again. Pieterhoff, slap 'em in electrocuffs. We'll take 'em back to base and see what the Commander wants done with 'em."
The Space Force troops lock Gustav and Larathra in a pair of large silver handcuffs each, and hustle them into a nearby jeep. The Sergeant guns the engine, and the vehicle bounces out of shot.
We pan back to the silent battlefield, and the still form of Archie.
Beep.
The diagnostics monitor blinks into life, and text starts to scroll by.
System initialising.
Accessing core program.
Core program loaded. Core program: Military operations.
Accessing secondary program.
Secondary program loaded. Secondary program: Domestic Duties.
Error! Hardware unit EGWSK001 not found.
System initialisation failed.
Accessing basic command routine.
Basic command routine loaded. Basic Command: Protect Alois Gustav.
Command initiated.
Accessing core program.
Core program loaded. Core program: Military operations.
Accessing secondary program.
Secondary program loaded. Secondary program: Domestic Duties.
Error! Hardware unit EGWSK001 not found.
System initialisation failed.
Accessing basic command routine.
Basic command routine loaded. Basic Command: Protect Alois Gustav.
Command initiated.
Zaruthustran
The tingling means it’s working!
Love the old-school system type. But I seem to recall it being amber...
-z
-z
Plane Sailing
Astral Admin - Mwahahaha!
Zaruthustran said:
It was always green on black on the IBM 3270's when I was using TSO for mainframe programming... amber was only ever on those posh PC thingies back then IMX
Capellan
Explorer
"Venusian Christmas Carol" - Part 3
The office is large and luxuriously furnished with the most modern chrome and orange-upholstered chairs. A wide metal desk dominates one side of the room. Hung on the wall above the desk is a huge Space Force shield, emblazoned with the words 'Venusian Expeditionary Force'.
Commander John Fury flicks through the sheaf of papers on the desk in front of him. The Commander's black and silver uniform shines in the office's fluorescent lights, the epaulettes of his insignia gleaming with the bright sheen of the compulsively polished.
A device on the Commander's desk lets out a warbling tone, and Fury looks up from the papers he has been inspecting.
"Enter." Fury closes the report. Before he does, we catch a glimpse of what lies within the folder. The page is headed Prisoner 08924-A T'Celle. The name is not familiar to the viewer, but the face in the photo below is instantly recognizable: Princess S'Ondra.
A door slides open and two soldiers escort in Gustav and Larathra.
"Fury!" Gustav exclaims in pleasure, "At last! Tell zese people zat I vas not doing anyzing wrong!"
"Silence, prisoner." Commander Fury ignores the old man's ravings and turns to his men, "Report, Sergeant."
"Sah! We found these two at the battle site, tampering with one of the R-CHI units. Saboteurs I expect, sah. Nusi sympathisers, sah."
"Captain Fury!" Gustav protests, "You must listen to mmmmmph." A meaty soldier's hand covers his mouth. Fury nods his approval of the man's actions.
"We found them using these items on the robot, sah." The Sergeant produces Larathra's RIDE and Omnitool devices and shows them to the Commander. "This one seems to be damaged, sah, but it may be a weapon. The other is possibly a grenade or other explosive."
"Take both items to Q Branch for analysis and secure the prisoners in the cell block." He instructs.
"Sah." The Sergeant salutes, and Larathra and the (still mmmmmphing) Doctor Gustav are unceremoniously removed from the room.
Fury stands silently for a moment, staring after the departing group. Then he makes his way back to the desk, takes a seat, and re-opens the file. Slowly, he reaches out and traces his hand over S'Ondra's picture.
"What is it about you?" he asks himself.
The camera switches to a darkened room with plain concrete walls. The only illumination comes from a small, barred opening in the door.
The woman who calls herself T'Celle sits on one of the four bunk beds in the room, her back against the wall. There are smudges of smoke on her face, and her familiar figure is swathed in a shapeless grey prison uniform, but the stubborn jaw and the fierce eyes are all S'Ondra.
Translucent images overlay the screen: scenes of Venusians running and fighting. An explosion. S'Ondra knocked to the ground. Cruel, laughing Space Force soldiers. Then Commander Fury, a look of compassion on his face.
S'Ondra scowls and clenches a fist in the air. The image shatters.
"Fool." She mutters to herself. Then her head jerks up at the sound of footsteps nearing her cell.
The door swings open and Gustav and Larathra are unceremoniously pushed inside.
"Enjoy yer time with yer Nusi friends, traitor." A voice sneers from offscreen, before the door slams shut once more.
"Ach, mein knee." Gustav mutters, rubbing his leg where it has struck one of the cast iron bed frames. Then he glances up, and his expression transforms into a beam of pleasure. "Leibchen! Vhat are you doing here? Vhat's going on? Vhy is Fury so militaristic?"
S'Ondra gives the human a suspicious glare, her eyes flicking from him to his bizarre companion.
"Who are you?" she demands, suspiciously. "Keep away from me, human!"
"But S'Ondra ... leibchen -"
"My name is T'Celle!" S'Ondra snarls, after a momentary blanch of horror at hearing her true name, "I don't know what your game is, human scum, but you must be some sort of spy trying to get me to betray the Princess! Well forget it! She'll never give up the fight to free Venus, and neither will I!"
"Doctor Gustav is not your enemy." Larathra attempts to soothe the situation, "In fact, in our own reality, he is your good friend. You see, we are travellers from an alternate dimension. Something went wrong with my RIDE, and we seem to be stuck here since those unfortunately aggressive humans took it away from me so I couldn't repair it."
S'Ondra gapes at the crazy alien, then closes her mouth in a sneer.
"That's got to be the most ludicrous cover story I ever heard!"
"That's what the humans said." Larathra observes sadly. Then she brightens, "Perhaps if I explained it to them again, they would understand. Do you think diagrams would help?"
"The only thing to do with humans is to kill them." S'Ondra spits the words. "This is war! A war they started!"
"Why did zey do zat?" Gustav asks. He shakes his head, "Zere was never any hostility between our peoples in my own dimension."
"You'd have to ask them." S'Ondra's voice is bitter, "They landed and attacked us. Kelvor lackeys."
"Kelvor?" the Doctor looks thoughtful, "So zey are in power here as well?"
"Only because the humans fight for them!"
"Perhaps if I could get some paper from the guard." Larathra muses, "And write a clear, logical explanation of our presence. They would have to understand, then."
S'Ondra laughs bitterly,
"The only thing humans understand is violence. All they do is kill."
"It seems ze Venusians are doing zeir share of ze killing, too." Gustav notes.
"We fight to defend our planet! The humans are the invaders here!"
"It is a terrible situation." Gustav notes glumly. "And it is not one ve can correct from inside a prison cell. Larathra, wiz our combined intelligences, zere must be some way ve can escape."
"I am open to suggestions, Doctor, but at the moment I have none of my own." Larathra confesses.
Just then, the cell door explodes off its hinges.
The office is large and luxuriously furnished with the most modern chrome and orange-upholstered chairs. A wide metal desk dominates one side of the room. Hung on the wall above the desk is a huge Space Force shield, emblazoned with the words 'Venusian Expeditionary Force'.
Commander John Fury flicks through the sheaf of papers on the desk in front of him. The Commander's black and silver uniform shines in the office's fluorescent lights, the epaulettes of his insignia gleaming with the bright sheen of the compulsively polished.
A device on the Commander's desk lets out a warbling tone, and Fury looks up from the papers he has been inspecting.
"Enter." Fury closes the report. Before he does, we catch a glimpse of what lies within the folder. The page is headed Prisoner 08924-A T'Celle. The name is not familiar to the viewer, but the face in the photo below is instantly recognizable: Princess S'Ondra.
A door slides open and two soldiers escort in Gustav and Larathra.
"Fury!" Gustav exclaims in pleasure, "At last! Tell zese people zat I vas not doing anyzing wrong!"
"Silence, prisoner." Commander Fury ignores the old man's ravings and turns to his men, "Report, Sergeant."
"Sah! We found these two at the battle site, tampering with one of the R-CHI units. Saboteurs I expect, sah. Nusi sympathisers, sah."
"Captain Fury!" Gustav protests, "You must listen to mmmmmph." A meaty soldier's hand covers his mouth. Fury nods his approval of the man's actions.
"We found them using these items on the robot, sah." The Sergeant produces Larathra's RIDE and Omnitool devices and shows them to the Commander. "This one seems to be damaged, sah, but it may be a weapon. The other is possibly a grenade or other explosive."
"Take both items to Q Branch for analysis and secure the prisoners in the cell block." He instructs.
"Sah." The Sergeant salutes, and Larathra and the (still mmmmmphing) Doctor Gustav are unceremoniously removed from the room.
Fury stands silently for a moment, staring after the departing group. Then he makes his way back to the desk, takes a seat, and re-opens the file. Slowly, he reaches out and traces his hand over S'Ondra's picture.
"What is it about you?" he asks himself.
The camera switches to a darkened room with plain concrete walls. The only illumination comes from a small, barred opening in the door.
The woman who calls herself T'Celle sits on one of the four bunk beds in the room, her back against the wall. There are smudges of smoke on her face, and her familiar figure is swathed in a shapeless grey prison uniform, but the stubborn jaw and the fierce eyes are all S'Ondra.
Translucent images overlay the screen: scenes of Venusians running and fighting. An explosion. S'Ondra knocked to the ground. Cruel, laughing Space Force soldiers. Then Commander Fury, a look of compassion on his face.
S'Ondra scowls and clenches a fist in the air. The image shatters.
"Fool." She mutters to herself. Then her head jerks up at the sound of footsteps nearing her cell.
The door swings open and Gustav and Larathra are unceremoniously pushed inside.
"Enjoy yer time with yer Nusi friends, traitor." A voice sneers from offscreen, before the door slams shut once more.
"Ach, mein knee." Gustav mutters, rubbing his leg where it has struck one of the cast iron bed frames. Then he glances up, and his expression transforms into a beam of pleasure. "Leibchen! Vhat are you doing here? Vhat's going on? Vhy is Fury so militaristic?"
S'Ondra gives the human a suspicious glare, her eyes flicking from him to his bizarre companion.
"Who are you?" she demands, suspiciously. "Keep away from me, human!"
"But S'Ondra ... leibchen -"
"My name is T'Celle!" S'Ondra snarls, after a momentary blanch of horror at hearing her true name, "I don't know what your game is, human scum, but you must be some sort of spy trying to get me to betray the Princess! Well forget it! She'll never give up the fight to free Venus, and neither will I!"
"Doctor Gustav is not your enemy." Larathra attempts to soothe the situation, "In fact, in our own reality, he is your good friend. You see, we are travellers from an alternate dimension. Something went wrong with my RIDE, and we seem to be stuck here since those unfortunately aggressive humans took it away from me so I couldn't repair it."
S'Ondra gapes at the crazy alien, then closes her mouth in a sneer.
"That's got to be the most ludicrous cover story I ever heard!"
"That's what the humans said." Larathra observes sadly. Then she brightens, "Perhaps if I explained it to them again, they would understand. Do you think diagrams would help?"
"The only thing to do with humans is to kill them." S'Ondra spits the words. "This is war! A war they started!"
"Why did zey do zat?" Gustav asks. He shakes his head, "Zere was never any hostility between our peoples in my own dimension."
"You'd have to ask them." S'Ondra's voice is bitter, "They landed and attacked us. Kelvor lackeys."
"Kelvor?" the Doctor looks thoughtful, "So zey are in power here as well?"
"Only because the humans fight for them!"
"Perhaps if I could get some paper from the guard." Larathra muses, "And write a clear, logical explanation of our presence. They would have to understand, then."
S'Ondra laughs bitterly,
"The only thing humans understand is violence. All they do is kill."
"It seems ze Venusians are doing zeir share of ze killing, too." Gustav notes.
"We fight to defend our planet! The humans are the invaders here!"
"It is a terrible situation." Gustav notes glumly. "And it is not one ve can correct from inside a prison cell. Larathra, wiz our combined intelligences, zere must be some way ve can escape."
"I am open to suggestions, Doctor, but at the moment I have none of my own." Larathra confesses.
Just then, the cell door explodes off its hinges.
Zaruthustran
The tingling means it’s working!
Luckily, in this dimension "I am open to suggestions, Doctor, but at the moment I have none of my own." is the verbal component to the spell Summon Deus Ex Machina.
-z
-z
Capellan
Explorer
"Venusian Christmas Carol" - Part 4
Commander Fury is grim-faced as he walks along a cement corridor. Two guards in Space Force uniforms salute as he approaches a large pair of double doors. Fury nods to them as the doors swing open, then he steps inside. As the doors close, the camera drifts up to a sign in the wall:
Space Force Disciplinary Review Board
We cut inside, where the Commander takes his place at a spot-lighted circle in the floor. An arc of high, imposing desks arcs around him like a closing fist.
"Commander Jonathon Fury, Space Force Number 1973-D-21-EC." The stentorian voice echoes from one of the dark shapes behind the desks, "You have been brought here to answer charges pertaining to your treatment of prisoner 998-B84, given name T'Celle, captured two days ago while engaged in treason against the Venusian government and murder of Space Force peacekeepers."
Fury almost, but not quite, prevents himself from reacting to the name.
"Sir ..." He interrupts, then pauses. The shadowy figure waves what is presumably a hand to indicate he may continue, "None of my prisoners have been mistreated while in my custody, including this T'Celle woman -"
"Mistreatment is not the cause for Space Force's concern, Commander." A new voice breaks in. This one is female, and has a far more accusatory tone, "Quite the opposite. Can you explain why this woman's files have not been forwarded by your office to the Venusian authorities? Per our agreement with the Kelvor, they are to be advised of all new prisoners within 24 hours."
"It must be a clerical oversight." Fury contends, "Daily reports have been issued, as instructed."
"This young woman seems to have been overlooked a lot, Commander." The hostile voice continues. There is a shuffling of paper. "I see no record of her bring reported to Zed branch, either."
Fury shifts his weight.
"Zed branch's methods -"
"Which are scientifically formulated for maximum effectiveness."
"- have resulted in several deaths." Fury ignores the interruption. "I didn't think we could take that risk with this prisoner."
"Really? Why is that, Commander?"
Fury pauses, obviously considering his next words.
"I believe the prisoner may be more important than she appears." He begins at last, "Too important to risk even the 'statistically nominal risk of premature death' that sending her to Zed branch would entail."
"Can you explain why you believe this, Commander?"
"I can't name my source for security reasons." Fury stonewalls, "Their life may -"
"Commander, really." The hostile speaker breaks in once more, "Everyone in this room has 'Most Secret' clearance. A clearance you yourself do not possess, yet you cannot share the name of your informant? Your failure to advise the proper authorities of this prisoner's capture have already put you on thin ice. Were it not for the fact that you did at least add her to the prison files, it would almost look as if you were trying to conceal her presence entirely."
Fury's face goes cold.
"Just what are you insinuating, Ma'am?"
"I'm not insinuating anything, Commander." The voice emphasises Fury's inferior rank, "I'm merely pointing out how the matter could appear to an outside observer. I'm sure no-one here is suggesting that a decorated war hero such as yourself would be doing anything that skirts so close to treason."
"Officers, please." The original voice sounds pained at the confrontational turn of events, "If we can turn our attention back to the question of what should be done with this young lady? Excellent." The voice sounds pleased with itself as it acknowledges Fury's nod. "Commander, if this prisoner is as important as you believe, would it not be wise for us to remove her to an off-world holding facility? The Mission City Memorial Penitentiary would seem a fitting site."
"I don't believe that would be wise, Sir." Fury speaks up, "If the prisoner is important, as I believe, it is inevitable that the Venusians will attempt to rescue her. That will confirm my suspicions."
"Or perhaps it will simply confirm mine, Commander." Fury's antagonist interrupts. As she does, she steps out from behind the row of desks, emerging party into the light. She is an attractive blonde, though her good looks are marred somewhat by a puckered scar that seals shut her right eye. Her space force uniform is trimmed in black, and a Greek 'Omega' symbol is imprinted on the left side of her chest.
"Darla." Fury nods, "I thought I recognized your shrewish tones."
"Commander Fury, control your remarks! Colonel Gregg, please explain this outburst!" The original speaker seems quite distressed.
"I've just received video footage from the prison." Colonel Gregg replies. "I direct the Board's attention to the viewscreen."
A large video monitor blinks to life in the darkness of the room.
The display shows S'Ondra on the bed in her cell.
"Fool." She mutters to herself. Then her head jerks up at the sound of footsteps nearing her cell.
The cell door swings open and Gustav and Larathra are unceremoniously pushed inside.
"Enjoy yer time with yer Nusi friends, traitor." A voice sneers from offscreen, before the door slams shut once more.
"Ach, mein knee." Gustav mutters, rubbing his leg where it has struck one of the cast iron bed frames. Then he glances up, and his expression transforms into a beam of pleasure. "Leibchen! Vhat are you doing here? Vhat's going on? Vhy is Fury so militaristic?"
S'Ondra gives the human a suspicious glare, her eyes flicking from him to his bizarre companion.
"Who are you?" she demands, suspiciously. "Keep away from me, human!"
"But S'Ondra ... leibchen -"
There are gasps from the room as the import of the prisoner's real name is spoken.
"The so-called Venusian Princess!" A voice is exultant in the darkness as a fist pounds the table. "Now we'll break these murderous rebels once and for all!"
"I'm afraid not." Colonel Gregg shakes her head, fixing Fury with a venomous look, "There's more. You see, not only did Commander Fury neglect to inform the proper agencies of his prisoner, thereby delaying our discovery of who she truly is, but shortly after these two prisoners - prisoners Commander Fury ordered sent to this cell - the following occurred."
"It is a terrible situation." Gustav notes glumly. "And it is not one ve can correct from inside a prison cell. Larathra, wiz our combined intelligences, zere must be some way ve can escape."
"I am open to suggestions, Doctor, but at the moment I have none of my own." Larathra confesses.
Just then, the cell door explodes off its hinges.
A huge silhouette appears in the open doorway. Then it shifts slightly, and we see the gleam of light reflecting off its metal body.
"Archie!" Gustav's face brightens with pleasure.
"Must protect Alois Gustav." The robot intones mechanically, "Alois Gustav will accompany me." It turns and stomps off along the corridor. The three prisoners glance at each other, then scramble to follow.
Murmurs of outrage and confusion fill the room.
"One of our own robots!"
"Diabolically clever!"
"Officers, please!" Colonel Gregg saves her arm, raising her voice so as to draw the room's attention. "The prisoners are now at large in the building. I have ordered all security personnel to the task of capturing them. However, I submit that our task in this case is now clear." She gestures at Fury, "S'Ondra, the leader of the Venusian rebels, was in our custody. But due to Commander Fury's inaction: inaction born at best of incompetence, and perhaps of collusion, she has temporarily escaped. I call on the board to render judgement."
"The board has no option." The responding voice seems genuinely reluctant to give its answer, "Pending a full investigation before a Court Martial, Commander Fury is to be arrested and taken into custody immediately."
Commander Fury is grim-faced as he walks along a cement corridor. Two guards in Space Force uniforms salute as he approaches a large pair of double doors. Fury nods to them as the doors swing open, then he steps inside. As the doors close, the camera drifts up to a sign in the wall:
Space Force Disciplinary Review Board
We cut inside, where the Commander takes his place at a spot-lighted circle in the floor. An arc of high, imposing desks arcs around him like a closing fist.
"Commander Jonathon Fury, Space Force Number 1973-D-21-EC." The stentorian voice echoes from one of the dark shapes behind the desks, "You have been brought here to answer charges pertaining to your treatment of prisoner 998-B84, given name T'Celle, captured two days ago while engaged in treason against the Venusian government and murder of Space Force peacekeepers."
Fury almost, but not quite, prevents himself from reacting to the name.
"Sir ..." He interrupts, then pauses. The shadowy figure waves what is presumably a hand to indicate he may continue, "None of my prisoners have been mistreated while in my custody, including this T'Celle woman -"
"Mistreatment is not the cause for Space Force's concern, Commander." A new voice breaks in. This one is female, and has a far more accusatory tone, "Quite the opposite. Can you explain why this woman's files have not been forwarded by your office to the Venusian authorities? Per our agreement with the Kelvor, they are to be advised of all new prisoners within 24 hours."
"It must be a clerical oversight." Fury contends, "Daily reports have been issued, as instructed."
"This young woman seems to have been overlooked a lot, Commander." The hostile voice continues. There is a shuffling of paper. "I see no record of her bring reported to Zed branch, either."
Fury shifts his weight.
"Zed branch's methods -"
"Which are scientifically formulated for maximum effectiveness."
"- have resulted in several deaths." Fury ignores the interruption. "I didn't think we could take that risk with this prisoner."
"Really? Why is that, Commander?"
Fury pauses, obviously considering his next words.
"I believe the prisoner may be more important than she appears." He begins at last, "Too important to risk even the 'statistically nominal risk of premature death' that sending her to Zed branch would entail."
"Can you explain why you believe this, Commander?"
"I can't name my source for security reasons." Fury stonewalls, "Their life may -"
"Commander, really." The hostile speaker breaks in once more, "Everyone in this room has 'Most Secret' clearance. A clearance you yourself do not possess, yet you cannot share the name of your informant? Your failure to advise the proper authorities of this prisoner's capture have already put you on thin ice. Were it not for the fact that you did at least add her to the prison files, it would almost look as if you were trying to conceal her presence entirely."
Fury's face goes cold.
"Just what are you insinuating, Ma'am?"
"I'm not insinuating anything, Commander." The voice emphasises Fury's inferior rank, "I'm merely pointing out how the matter could appear to an outside observer. I'm sure no-one here is suggesting that a decorated war hero such as yourself would be doing anything that skirts so close to treason."
"Officers, please." The original voice sounds pained at the confrontational turn of events, "If we can turn our attention back to the question of what should be done with this young lady? Excellent." The voice sounds pleased with itself as it acknowledges Fury's nod. "Commander, if this prisoner is as important as you believe, would it not be wise for us to remove her to an off-world holding facility? The Mission City Memorial Penitentiary would seem a fitting site."
"I don't believe that would be wise, Sir." Fury speaks up, "If the prisoner is important, as I believe, it is inevitable that the Venusians will attempt to rescue her. That will confirm my suspicions."
"Or perhaps it will simply confirm mine, Commander." Fury's antagonist interrupts. As she does, she steps out from behind the row of desks, emerging party into the light. She is an attractive blonde, though her good looks are marred somewhat by a puckered scar that seals shut her right eye. Her space force uniform is trimmed in black, and a Greek 'Omega' symbol is imprinted on the left side of her chest.
"Darla." Fury nods, "I thought I recognized your shrewish tones."
"Commander Fury, control your remarks! Colonel Gregg, please explain this outburst!" The original speaker seems quite distressed.
"I've just received video footage from the prison." Colonel Gregg replies. "I direct the Board's attention to the viewscreen."
A large video monitor blinks to life in the darkness of the room.
The display shows S'Ondra on the bed in her cell.
"Fool." She mutters to herself. Then her head jerks up at the sound of footsteps nearing her cell.
The cell door swings open and Gustav and Larathra are unceremoniously pushed inside.
"Enjoy yer time with yer Nusi friends, traitor." A voice sneers from offscreen, before the door slams shut once more.
"Ach, mein knee." Gustav mutters, rubbing his leg where it has struck one of the cast iron bed frames. Then he glances up, and his expression transforms into a beam of pleasure. "Leibchen! Vhat are you doing here? Vhat's going on? Vhy is Fury so militaristic?"
S'Ondra gives the human a suspicious glare, her eyes flicking from him to his bizarre companion.
"Who are you?" she demands, suspiciously. "Keep away from me, human!"
"But S'Ondra ... leibchen -"
There are gasps from the room as the import of the prisoner's real name is spoken.
"The so-called Venusian Princess!" A voice is exultant in the darkness as a fist pounds the table. "Now we'll break these murderous rebels once and for all!"
"I'm afraid not." Colonel Gregg shakes her head, fixing Fury with a venomous look, "There's more. You see, not only did Commander Fury neglect to inform the proper agencies of his prisoner, thereby delaying our discovery of who she truly is, but shortly after these two prisoners - prisoners Commander Fury ordered sent to this cell - the following occurred."
"It is a terrible situation." Gustav notes glumly. "And it is not one ve can correct from inside a prison cell. Larathra, wiz our combined intelligences, zere must be some way ve can escape."
"I am open to suggestions, Doctor, but at the moment I have none of my own." Larathra confesses.
Just then, the cell door explodes off its hinges.
A huge silhouette appears in the open doorway. Then it shifts slightly, and we see the gleam of light reflecting off its metal body.
"Archie!" Gustav's face brightens with pleasure.
"Must protect Alois Gustav." The robot intones mechanically, "Alois Gustav will accompany me." It turns and stomps off along the corridor. The three prisoners glance at each other, then scramble to follow.
Murmurs of outrage and confusion fill the room.
"One of our own robots!"
"Diabolically clever!"
"Officers, please!" Colonel Gregg saves her arm, raising her voice so as to draw the room's attention. "The prisoners are now at large in the building. I have ordered all security personnel to the task of capturing them. However, I submit that our task in this case is now clear." She gestures at Fury, "S'Ondra, the leader of the Venusian rebels, was in our custody. But due to Commander Fury's inaction: inaction born at best of incompetence, and perhaps of collusion, she has temporarily escaped. I call on the board to render judgement."
"The board has no option." The responding voice seems genuinely reluctant to give its answer, "Pending a full investigation before a Court Martial, Commander Fury is to be arrested and taken into custody immediately."
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