The next morning came by, 7 AM Seira standard time. Shift change for Night Crew. I arrived on the bridge to find Captain Vos overseeing multiple monitors as the ships diagnostics were displayed, as well as projected travel path. Seems we were ahead of schedule as the path displayed for navigation displayed a shorter route via the Wilfit system hyperlane had a direct shot to the Novux System. It would get us there literal WEEKS ahead of schedule, we could use this to our advantage. Kassandre turned to greet me with a salute, as I waved her at ease we began to speak.
“You’ll be happy to hear, Ser Terrid, that we’ve managed to find a route to the Novux system. Seems that the system government managed to break through the encryption that the Traitors used to lock off the system.” Kassandre spoke.
“Perfect, so what do we know about the planet? All I’ve heard is that we’ve been using it as a Hydrogen mining operation for some time now.” I replied quizzically.
“Main screen.” Kassandre commanded, as a detailed report of Novux-em manifested in place, “You are correct that the Empire has been harvesting hydrogen from the planet for some time now. But more accurately we’re harvesting water from the planet’s surface.”
The display hums and shifts its image as Five appears next to the Captain, “The surface of the planet is coated in massive sheet of ice, according to surveys it reaches a minimum five thousand kilometres in depth. Records show that the planet was up until three hundred and fifty years ago, a paradise world with massive ice caps that due to some kind of gravitic anomaly that slingshot the planet out of its orbit, melting the ice caps before rocketing it out away from the stars heat. Now its a Class G planet on the outer rim of it’s system, smothered in ice.” she paused as the diagram zoomed in on a rocky outcropping near what would be the equator, “Save for this mountain peak. Before the Knights went rogue a maintenance team went to check on the mining rig, which is mostly automated, when they discovered that the mountain was hollow, from peak to base.”
“Well, that is interesting information. A cave system?” I questioned.
“No, the tunnels are artificially dug out and lined with an alloy unfamiliar to us. These are ruins of some ancient facility. We believe it may be similar in construction to the Vi'Kiiz.”
“Mom would have a fit if she came across Vi'Kiiz ruins this close to home.” I joked, “It’s safe to assume that Eragus and his crew are hunkered down in those ruins, which means getting in will be harder than expected. Five, what’s the temperature of Novux-em’s surface?”
“Negative 200 degrees in the sunlight, but that’s a very slim window. There’s a reason the mining rig is automated.”
I thought on it for a few minutes. Knowing that staying outside the ruins, even in Hazard suits, would only get us a few hours of time. Assuming the ruins are temperature controlled, we’d still need a means of taking ground and holding it. I turned to the Captain, “We’ll need heavy ordinance, the Knights are no pushovers in combat. What do we have in the armoury?”
Kassandre leads me to the armoury, where we are greeted with walls lined from floor to ceiling with firearms of every sort, an older man sat behind the counter at the far side of the room, his features were rugged, his left eye covered by a patch, a thick beard hanging from his muzzle as he inspects a part from the disassembled rifle in front of him. We approach him as he sets the part down, raising his hand and in the blink of an eye reassembles the weapon in record time. He sets the weapon behind the counter as he turns to us revealing that, like me, he’s missing an arm, replaced with a cybernetic that was scorched, dinged and worn in.
“Good to see ya Cap’n, what brings you to me workshop?” He speaks.
“Ser Terrid and I are looking for something with a lot of kick, I knew you were the man for the job Old Todd.” Kassandre answers, as if she were addressing an old friend, “Got anything that can knock a few Knights on their ass?”
Todd turns to me, putting me in his field of vision as he sizes me up and down, “Bit of a scrawny tike ain’tcha?” he reaches behind him into a chest labelled ‘Prototypes’ tossing me a small pistol. “Give that a feel will ya?”
I examine the weapon, it seemed similar to a standard issue side arm, when ejected the magazine I noticed the battery was different, on the sides were small solar panels. “Solar Recycler magazine batteries? That’s a heck of a design choice. I thought they couldn’t minimize the recycler circuit for small arms.” I asked putting it on the counter.
“Smart, most people don’t notice that. They think it a regular sidearm. That there’s a prototype of mine. I call it the Sunburst.” he continues, “Built it for the purpose of punching holes in anything that gets in the way. So far it ‘s got enough kick to put a hole in four inches of solid steel.”
I set the Sunburst on the counter, very clearly interested in it before asking, “Got anything heavier?”
Old Told leans back and shouts, “YARREK! GET OFF YOUR HANDS AND BRING OUT THE PHOTON CANNON!”
Hearing his name sent a shot of disgust through my body as the spindly man shot up before running into the back, only to struggle coming back out a few minutes later carrying a massive case as he handed it to Old Todd, shooting me a look before hurrying back to his station as he began chatting up a female co-worker. Most likely talking about how I cowered before him as he propped himself up to be a hero, only for her to roll her eyes and return to her data slate.
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“In here,” Old Todd spoke as he opened the case, “Is the Mark VI Siva Photon Emitter Cannon.” I’d seen previous versions of this model, I knew of it’s firepower It’s seen one of Mark IV’s punch a hole in an Ankarii Screamer. “Fun thing about this beauty, She’s got a rapidfire mode. Around the same stopping power as a IG’s pulse rifle, but with a much MUCH faster rate of fire.”
I picked up the cannon by the handle, my arm amplifying my strength making it easier for me to lift it one handed, the battery was removed so I had no worry of firing the weapon by mistake as I hefted it around, despite its already impressive size, it was sleek, designed to collapse down into the case and a biometric lock to assign it to a specific user.
“How’s she feel?” Old Todd asked, “She’s fresh off the assembly line, hasn’t even been locked yet.”
“I like it. In fact this is just what we might need for our trip to Novux-em.”
“Perfect, I’ll have my tikes get on setting you up for the biometrics an’ what not. Four batteries should do ya for the Cannon and I’ll get you a couple more recycler batteries for the Sunburst.” Old Todd said, a chipper tone in his gruff voice.
Kassandre leaned in and asked, “is my order ready yet Todd?”
“Aye Cap’n! Kisa, get the Cap’n her toy!” Old Todd shouted into the back as the woman Yarrek had been unsuccessfully chatting up nodded silently and disappeared into the back of the storage room before coming back with a custom case, small big enough to hold a side arm before silently saluting and turning to her older head engineer, and silently gesturing to Yarrek. As if she were having a conversation with him that I couldn’t hear, then I saw it a small violet star on her division arm band, she was a psion in training.
Psions have a unique place in our society, while there are plenty of them, in fact people like me, who have no psionic ability whatsoever are the minority, they have to undergo rigorous training in their military service, and unlike normal Seiran citizens have to stay in the military until they “get their stars”. “Getting your Stars” is when a PiT, Psion In Training, masters all the major applications of their psionic abilities: telepathy, telekinesis and extrasensory perception. The violet star on her arm band showed that she’s mastered her ESP.
The Captain and I left the armoury, safe in the knowledge that our weapons would be ready for when we landed on the planets surface. As we made our way back to the bridge I began explaining to Kassandre the unique function of my arm as I ejected the tip of the impact rod from my palm. She was surprised by it’s function, wondering how often I’d actually use it in combat situations. I retracted the rod, unsure of the answer myself, I simply responded with my mentality on most things, better have it and not need it, then need it and not have it. She chuckled as we ran into Avanna, once again nose deep in historical records. We greeted her before she ran into my chest snout first, she jolted as I spoke her name, nearly dropping her book in her clamour.
“Gods! You scared me Terrid!” she gasped.
“You really shouldn’t be reading and walking in the halls,” I joked, “Might just knock someone over.”
Avanna huffed, embarrassed, as she closed her book and looked me in the eye, “Well MAYBE, certain nosy Knights should make way for royalty.”
“Right,” interrupted Kassandre, “If you two are done flirting with one another, Terrid we need to get you fitted for a Hazard Suit.”
Avanna’s face nearly went bright red through her fur at the very notion of us flirting with one another as I sputtered and tried to act coy, “Right Hazard suit. Lead on Captain.”
“H-hazard suit? Why would you need one of those?” Avanna asked.
“I’m going to the Novux-em’s surface, and its cold enough to freeze anything almost instantly. Can’t risk not going down without one.”
Avanna dismissed herself as Captain Vos and I made our way down further into the engineering deck. I wasn’t flirting with the princess, at least I hope I wasn’t. I’m nowhere near good enough for her. A set of doors opened up, revealing body armour, hazard suits, flight suits, space suits and more.
A L.O.L.A drone was manning the stations here, a brief hum of a scan ran over me before she spoke, “Hello Terrid Korvo, Knight 1st Class, I am L.O.L.A Beta 2651. What do you require?”
I explained I needed a hazard suit able to withstand harsh freezing temperatures, and in mere moments a small case had appeared on the counter in front of the drone, inside was a small bracelet. The drone began to explain how it worked, that the Hazard suit was a programmable, self replicating nano-swarm, that upon activation, would form a hazard suit around my body, I activated the bracelet and in a moment a black fog began to swarm around on my arm and up my body, encasing me in a black bodysuit before covering my arms, legs and chest in armour and snapping a helmet over my head in an instant I could see a live feed of everything around me, the temperature both outside the suit and in, the oxygen I had remaining, radiation levels, EVERYTHING! It was truly impressive, and with a mere flick of my wrist the armour removed itself from my body just as fast as it put itself on me.
“I’m surprised you had this made so fast.” I spoke.
“Oh no, we have these on standby, mass produced for all members of the ship.” the drone replied. “Do be careful, as the hazard suit can only take so much damage before it’s forced to disengage for self repair.”
“Understood.” I spoke as I left the hall.
Captain Vos was outside speaking with a crew member, as they were discussing information about the ship. Stepping forward, equipped with my gear and ready to make for the bridge once more. On our way back we ran into Avanna again, as she was leaving the weaponsmith, a collapsible rod on her person.
“What’s with the fancy rod?” The Captain asked, “planning on doing some fighting yourself?”
I shot in almost immediately, “Absolutely NOT! Avanna, your father entrusted me with your safety, I am NOT sanctioning your traversal to the surface with me and my team.”
“Well, I would be inclined to follow your orders. IF they had any sway over me.” Avanna extended the rod toward me, “But I am no mere flower to be kept rooted in a garden. I AM going down to the surface, and you will not stop me.”
“No.” I spat back.
“Keren Tai.” Avanna commanded, “Terrid Korvo, Knight 1st Class. I, Princess Avanna Sevel Melthius challenge you to Keren Tai. Should I win, I will accompany you on not just this but all military excursions during our time on the Seleucia.”
“Should I win, you will remain aboard the ship unless absolutely necessary as deemed by me. Is my wager fair?” I answered, looking to Captain Vos.
“It is.” she spoke, patching herself into the ships communication link. “Attention all staff, Keren Tai has been initiated between Our Princess and The Knight, it will be broadcast across the ship for all to see, but if your duties are mission critical you are to continue with them.”
“One hour Ser Terrid, Holo-chamber six.” Avanna spoke confidently, she didn’t just want this, she expected it. She was ready to face me in an honourable duel for her place on the field. Gods help me I was about to fist fight the daughter of the Emperor. Keren Tai or not I doubt he was going to be happy with me. The two of us went our separate ways, as Captain Vos left with Avanna to get her prepared for our duel.
Keren Tai is a sacred rite, a challenge of station and honour among the Seiran Race. A bare handed battle between two people, no weapons, no psionic powers, nothing. The victor is decided by an unbiased third party or when a combatant yields and not a moment sooner.