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Selene:
I stop below a small overhang, setting down and taking a look at Raykian, "We're nearly out of the woods, child. Keep yourself calm, let us rest for a short while."
Gunther:
"Thank you, from what I know, you may have just saved a lot of people somewhere out there."
Svek:
I sigh, "Streke, you heard them." |
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~Raykian~
I nod, feeling queasy as evident from the color of my face. "I would like a rest."
Mahja shrugs. "Can I ask why? What would that AI have done?"
~Igneous~
"Thank you, Drow. Trust me, when Mahja knows something is wrong, she acts on it. Best to follow her example." |
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Svek:
"I understand, I do not wish to risk harm to my ship or Streke anyway."
Gunther:
"It's...sort of an AI, if you imagine a normal person, it is like...a fragment of that person. I overheard Selene talking to another about sealing it up, and containing it whilst they tried to fix it... I barely understand it myself."
Selene:
"Then let's stop. I think there is food in one of the compartments if you need it...I never thought I'd have to use one of these." |
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~Raykian~
I look up at her. "And by food you mean...?"
"Peculiar," responds the Decanus. |
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Selene:
I laugh, "Both, in the event someone needed the other craft, or I needed someone with me. It should be suitable for you...I hope."
Gunther:
I laugh, "So it is, though now that you seem to have a little control...I could do with having the bleeding stop." |
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Mahja gestures a medic over. "My apologies for the wait. We have injured soldiers of our own, of course. Your use of the ship's available cover worked quite well, but that flank was horrendously exposed. "
~Raykian~
I grin. "As long as it has hydrocarbons and doesn't taste like fruit, it should be fine." |
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Selene:
"Take what you can find, enjoy your organic compounds there child."
I laugh and take a look around, instantly serious again.
Gunther:
"Best of a bad situation, I was hoping you wouldn't try to rip a hole in the ship, or had the capacity to."
I let the medic start treating my wounds as I talk. |
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The medic sets a reinforced steel container on the ground, dips a rag into it with special gloves donned, and wipes some of Gunther's wounds.
"It's a nice ship," states Mahja. "Not all pirates have such a finesse about their tools."
~Raykian~
I devour the first lump of coal, as well as the second. I begin to gnaw on the third. |
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Gunther:
"It was a fine ship, until you started blowing holes in it." I laugh, "She was a old Drow vessel, much was stripped out to allow for the insertion of Anselm and a phenomenal array of engines. If you're to take us, please take the ship as well, we'd all be keen to repair it if we could." |
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"Most certainly," the Decanus replies. "The Agency will surely make a fine interceptor out of it. Oi!" she then shouts at the medic, who nearly overturned the metal canister. "Careful with that!" |
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Gunther:
"Just...good luck trying to contain that 'fragment' in there before you try to power anything."
Selene:
I turn back to Raykian, "Just tell me when you're ready to move on, we can't stay here for long." |
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~Raykian~
I nod. "I'm fine. What about when we leave the ravine, though? They might be out there."
"Of course," says Mahja. "Again, thank you for that." The medic closes the canister and begins dabbing certain medicines on Gunther's scorches. |
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Gunther:
"You're welcome, just make sure you can't find the body, not even Selene knows where it is, though I'm sure it's another one of those ancient types like her."
Selene:
"Jump aboard, they'll still be there, we'll have to hope that they haven't covered every exit and entrance from this place." |
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~Raykian~
"Well, this is a gorge, which usually suggests two endpoints, three if you include upwards. However, they can fly, and there are two of them. Therefore, do you know what an inclined plane wrapped helicly around an axis is? We're screwed." |
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Selene:
"Trust me, upwards it will have to be, it'll cost a ton of fuel, but it's not as if we're going to try and circle the planet."
I step aboard and kick the engine into life. |
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~Raykian~
I activate my seat restraints. "Off we go..." |
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Selene:
We jet along, picking up speed before gradually inclining up the sides of the gorge and angling gradually upwards untin we shoot out. I let out a slew of curses and then thank a handful of gods. |
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~Raykian~
My face turns a deeper shade of purple, and I reach for the container that held the coal, just in case.
~Igneous~
The Decanus walks towards me. "We have several captives. Orders?"
"Treat them well for now. We'll deal with them later. What about the captain and the boy?"
"Neither," she says with a sigh. "But we have gunships after what may be them. The communications are down to keep an AI in their ship trapped."
I curse. "We aren't leaving without them."
The gunship pilots, stunned but recovering, give chase. |
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Gunther:
"If I may speak freely, that AI is more dangerous than you will realise, to allow it to escape would be very dangerous. It's...it has a physical body somewhere, and cannot be allowed to return to it. Just...do not destroy it, it contains untold information."
I laugh, "Selene, she's a quick lass, good luck getting to her as soon as you break sight."
Selene jets through the brush, heading towards a city. "Hold tight child, buildings mean a lot of fast turns." |
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~Raykian~
I press my face into the container. Retching sounds can be heard.
~Igneous~
"And you would be?" I ask of Gunther. |
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Gunther:
"On account of Selene's departure and Anselm's tranferal to wherever else he can store himself, Acting-Captain Gunther wunt Kriess."
Selene:
I pass straight into the city, slowing down and moving only just above pedestrians. |
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~Igneous~
I clap my hands once together. "Finally, I have names!"
Mahja snorts. "You must be so proud."
The gunships streak overhead, not firing.
~Raykian~
I look up at the gunship, blinking rapidly. "They cannot fire without possibly harming individuals. They are strictly after a pirate and stolen property." I begin to twitch. "To remove a threat by gaining another is illogical." |
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Gunther:
"Sarcasm gets you nowhere, at least have the good grace to act like your Decanus."
Svek snorts, having to put down a flask he has produced from somewhere.
Selene:
Depends on the level of threat, and trust me, I've got people on this planet, we can hide easily enough. |
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~Raykian~
"Yes, you can withstand a wave of Eirini or Kavaltajia easily, but how well can you manage a legion of Saoritin descending upon your fortified walls?" I ask angrily. "You Humans realize that a stone is as good as another stone and therefore think that a brick will halt a boulder. Your watchtowers will go blind and your farmland will be salted if you do not surrender. Good day." I attempt to stand, but to no avail, and I stop twitching. I let out a soft groan and lean back in my chair.
~Igneous~
"My apologies. It is an honor to talk with one of my newfound adversaries yet again. Most other pirates simply scream curses in my face." |
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Gunther:
"Hah, I'll remember this day, when a Saoritin captain apologised to me."
Selene:
"Child, if you try and extend some control that'd be useful...and please, I'm not human anymore." |
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