Nukeknockout
Rusty Hinge
#28 - The Tale of Haven/The Tale of Krystolis
Spoiler :
An ancient siren shattered the morning tranquility. While some civilians immediately ran for shelter inside the buildings, the majority had completely forgotten this particular code.
Four short blasts, one long blast. Repeat. Four short blasts, one long blast. Megaspider incursion, in force.
They fell upon Haven like lightning from a cloudless sky, slaughtering civilians at ground level and then climbing the mammoth structures which made up Haven. At every level, they were opposed - by soldiers, and by helicopters. Megaspider corpses fell to the earth, riddled with bullets or grenades.
But the spiders leapt at the soldiers, battering them off the numerous platforms and walkways of Haven, impaled them with their legs, bit the soldiers causing a horrible death by toxin, or simply ripped the humans limb from limb. While the automatic flashbang-armed Chippewas caused disorder among the Megaspiders, and even some to fall still twitching, the monsters tossed their own webbing at the helicopters or simply jumped into the air and tore them apart.
Blood, brains, and limbs, both human and spider, flowed freely across the many high bridges of Haven and down the skyscrapers. A constant din of war cries, explosions, gunfire, and screams echoed throughout the once-beautiful city.
It was into this hell that Patrol Flyer Green flew. She expertly piloted his AH-33 Topachula under the Parking-Skyway bridge, then gained altitude to sight in on a battle occurring upon the Robinson Balcony Market. Her brothers in arms fought nearly a dozen Megaspiders in close combat. Which makes this impossible. She despaired. The particular Topachulae Green, and her three wingmen, were flying was equipped for urban peacekeeping and suppression - two automatic flashbang grenade launchers, and two automatic grenade launchers.
"13 Flight, I'm about to ask you to do something very hard." Green began, her voice cracking.
"This is Hotel Actual to all Topachulae" An official-sounding military controller interrupted. "Set your Resonance Stabilizers to the debug position. This is a triple-red flagged order."
Green blinked. The AH-33's Resonance Stabilizer devices came with eight settings - Forward, Climb and Hold which directed the device's emissions to pushing the Topachula forward, forcing it to gain altitude, or automatically countering any thrust input (useful for landing). One, Two, Three, and Four which controlled the control sensitivity of the AH-33's rotation with One being most sensitive and-
"Debug." Green's number two sighed on the squadron channel. "They trying to kill us?"
Privately, Green agreed - the Debug setting introduced unpredictable rotation into a Topachula's movement. She had always thought the setting was broken. "No, they're not trying to kill us. They just have their head up their- never mind. Triple-red is treason to refuse, but they didn't say we had to keep the dial there."
Green adjusted the Resonance Stabilizer dial. Immediately, her helicopter began rotating to the left at about 10 degrees per second. Her number two suddenly yawed right, then assumed a slightly faster left rotation. Similar symptoms plagued the rest of her flight.
"Ok, now that we've confirmed it sucks, we can-" Green began.
"Look at the spiders!" #4 interrupted with shock.
Green cast her gaze on the Megaspiders. For a second, nothing seemed to be happening. Then she realized. "They're not moving." She stated to the squadron.
"Our guys are." #3 noted. "Those spiders just stopped as soon as we touched the dial."
"Whatever happened, it's mop-up time." Green declared. "Ok, reach for the dial and-"
"Hotel Actual. We've had incidents with Topachulae changing from the Debug setting. Do not change from the Debug setting. This is a triple-red flagged order. Do not change from the Debug setting. We will give you clearance when you may return to normal operations."
"Well carp." Green sighed.
--------------
"Captain on the bridge!" The tactical specialist called out.
Captain Krystolis stormed onto the bridge. "Situation report."
"Sir, yes sir!" The deck officer stood up. "Haven has been attacked by Megaspiders. Several have boarded this ship along the mooring lines. We've been trying to leave but we're getting no response from ground control." She recited.
"Rotate the engines vertical and engage full power." Krystolis ordered firmly.
"Sir, that will take out the mooring towers." The deck officer objected.
"Noted. Do it." Captain Krystolis ordered.
"Aye, sir." The deck officer saluted.
"Aye, Captain." The navigation specialist flicked a switch marked "All" to the on position, then turned a knob labeled with the 360 degrees, as well as a line at 90 reading "Normal", to the position marked "180-Vertical". He then turned another knob reading from one to a hundred as far as it would go. He then looked at a stopwatch, and when the second hand crossed some threshold, he punched a button marked "set".
Sixty-four engines rotated 180 degrees in 18 seconds, then all of them roared into life, propelling the mammoth airship into the sky. All but one of the mooring lines broke. The remaining line came with the Absolute Power as it surged out of dock, taking its tower along for the ride.
"Climb status?" Captain Krystolis questioned.
"1.5 meters per second, Captain." The navigation specialist replied.
"Should be faster." Krystolis stated with a frown.
"Aye, Captain, but the engines don't go higher than 85% unless engine room turns its dial when we turn ours - normally there's a signal light for that, but they didn't heed it." The navigation specialist explained.
"Then they're dead." Captain Krystolis dismissed. "Security status?"
"Secret Service is moving in to protect the Dictator - regular army troops are protecting the hanger deck very well." The communications specialist relayed. "Hull Integrity division is holding the topside."
"Security team to Engine Room." Captain Krystolis ordered. "We need to get full power back-"
A huge beast burst into the bridge and reared at the deck officer. She screamed.
Krystolis reached into his breast pocket, took out a small spray can, then sprayed the spider.
The Megaspider convulsed, then staggered around the bridge before rolling onto its back and curling its legs above it.
"Be prepared." The Captain stated.
Four short blasts, one long blast. Repeat. Four short blasts, one long blast. Megaspider incursion, in force.
They fell upon Haven like lightning from a cloudless sky, slaughtering civilians at ground level and then climbing the mammoth structures which made up Haven. At every level, they were opposed - by soldiers, and by helicopters. Megaspider corpses fell to the earth, riddled with bullets or grenades.
But the spiders leapt at the soldiers, battering them off the numerous platforms and walkways of Haven, impaled them with their legs, bit the soldiers causing a horrible death by toxin, or simply ripped the humans limb from limb. While the automatic flashbang-armed Chippewas caused disorder among the Megaspiders, and even some to fall still twitching, the monsters tossed their own webbing at the helicopters or simply jumped into the air and tore them apart.
Blood, brains, and limbs, both human and spider, flowed freely across the many high bridges of Haven and down the skyscrapers. A constant din of war cries, explosions, gunfire, and screams echoed throughout the once-beautiful city.
It was into this hell that Patrol Flyer Green flew. She expertly piloted his AH-33 Topachula under the Parking-Skyway bridge, then gained altitude to sight in on a battle occurring upon the Robinson Balcony Market. Her brothers in arms fought nearly a dozen Megaspiders in close combat. Which makes this impossible. She despaired. The particular Topachulae Green, and her three wingmen, were flying was equipped for urban peacekeeping and suppression - two automatic flashbang grenade launchers, and two automatic grenade launchers.
"13 Flight, I'm about to ask you to do something very hard." Green began, her voice cracking.
"This is Hotel Actual to all Topachulae" An official-sounding military controller interrupted. "Set your Resonance Stabilizers to the debug position. This is a triple-red flagged order."
Green blinked. The AH-33's Resonance Stabilizer devices came with eight settings - Forward, Climb and Hold which directed the device's emissions to pushing the Topachula forward, forcing it to gain altitude, or automatically countering any thrust input (useful for landing). One, Two, Three, and Four which controlled the control sensitivity of the AH-33's rotation with One being most sensitive and-
"Debug." Green's number two sighed on the squadron channel. "They trying to kill us?"
Privately, Green agreed - the Debug setting introduced unpredictable rotation into a Topachula's movement. She had always thought the setting was broken. "No, they're not trying to kill us. They just have their head up their- never mind. Triple-red is treason to refuse, but they didn't say we had to keep the dial there."
Green adjusted the Resonance Stabilizer dial. Immediately, her helicopter began rotating to the left at about 10 degrees per second. Her number two suddenly yawed right, then assumed a slightly faster left rotation. Similar symptoms plagued the rest of her flight.
"Ok, now that we've confirmed it sucks, we can-" Green began.
"Look at the spiders!" #4 interrupted with shock.
Green cast her gaze on the Megaspiders. For a second, nothing seemed to be happening. Then she realized. "They're not moving." She stated to the squadron.
"Our guys are." #3 noted. "Those spiders just stopped as soon as we touched the dial."
"Whatever happened, it's mop-up time." Green declared. "Ok, reach for the dial and-"
"Hotel Actual. We've had incidents with Topachulae changing from the Debug setting. Do not change from the Debug setting. This is a triple-red flagged order. Do not change from the Debug setting. We will give you clearance when you may return to normal operations."
"Well carp." Green sighed.
--------------
"Captain on the bridge!" The tactical specialist called out.
Captain Krystolis stormed onto the bridge. "Situation report."
"Sir, yes sir!" The deck officer stood up. "Haven has been attacked by Megaspiders. Several have boarded this ship along the mooring lines. We've been trying to leave but we're getting no response from ground control." She recited.
"Rotate the engines vertical and engage full power." Krystolis ordered firmly.
"Sir, that will take out the mooring towers." The deck officer objected.
"Noted. Do it." Captain Krystolis ordered.
"Aye, sir." The deck officer saluted.
"Aye, Captain." The navigation specialist flicked a switch marked "All" to the on position, then turned a knob labeled with the 360 degrees, as well as a line at 90 reading "Normal", to the position marked "180-Vertical". He then turned another knob reading from one to a hundred as far as it would go. He then looked at a stopwatch, and when the second hand crossed some threshold, he punched a button marked "set".
Sixty-four engines rotated 180 degrees in 18 seconds, then all of them roared into life, propelling the mammoth airship into the sky. All but one of the mooring lines broke. The remaining line came with the Absolute Power as it surged out of dock, taking its tower along for the ride.
"Climb status?" Captain Krystolis questioned.
"1.5 meters per second, Captain." The navigation specialist replied.
"Should be faster." Krystolis stated with a frown.
"Aye, Captain, but the engines don't go higher than 85% unless engine room turns its dial when we turn ours - normally there's a signal light for that, but they didn't heed it." The navigation specialist explained.
"Then they're dead." Captain Krystolis dismissed. "Security status?"
"Secret Service is moving in to protect the Dictator - regular army troops are protecting the hanger deck very well." The communications specialist relayed. "Hull Integrity division is holding the topside."
"Security team to Engine Room." Captain Krystolis ordered. "We need to get full power back-"
A huge beast burst into the bridge and reared at the deck officer. She screamed.
Krystolis reached into his breast pocket, took out a small spray can, then sprayed the spider.
The Megaspider convulsed, then staggered around the bridge before rolling onto its back and curling its legs above it.
"Be prepared." The Captain stated.
