Just to make this story a bit unusual I'm using a few well known ST+
related names as characters in the story, including my own.
Tales From The Frontier
***********************
'The Giant Thargoid Eye'
Chapter Two - 'Pete's City Ship'
By Martin Wilson
The Convar inner system has become a cloud of dust and light. Moving
within the cloud are super-dense segments of the inner cores of the twelve
inner planets. The Convar star has lost part of its body to create a
smaller mass of star matter now orbiting the main star. Convar 14 is being
bombarded with fragments. The outer system has lost the pattern of their
orbits slighly due to the gravity of the system now being quite different.
Convar 13 has simply gone. There is a hint of the red colour of the planet
that was, in the huge cloud of the inner system. Just outside this orbit,
eleven black ships are escorting a Mongoose class Anti-Hyperspace vessel.
A giant ship.
Pete Augustin takes another sip of a rather fine wine. He's having what he
calls a 'Lazy day'. Last week was a good week. He'd managed to destroy
eleven Panthers and gain a lot of very high quality jewellery. He's just
hyperspaced back into Vantar and is making his way to his home world of
Paneer. Hopefully he'd meet up with his good friend Dave Hollis and find
out what the Federation are up to. For the moment though he decides to
take a look round his ship. To most pilots this would be a pointless and
uninteresting exercise but Pete's ship is rather spacious to say the
least. Pete is a man who's flown just about every ship there is but to his
mind the bigger the better. So after a long and very successful career as
a pirate he has become the only known person to fly a city ship solo. This
isn't the normal non-hyperspace self-supporting 50,000-people carrying non
offensive version. After years of modifying its become a hyperspacing,
fuel thirsty, 1 person (and 50 droids) totally offensive and rather
menacing version.
When you fly a ship like this you're in constant need of supplies. Hence
the need to commit piracy against only the very largest ships. It makes no
sense to waste your time on a Cobra. Its really a Panther or nothing. This
has meant Pete's become quite popular with the pilots of small craft and
they often do little fly-by tributes when they encounter Pete. Panther
owners are less than pleased. They like to think of themselves as pretty
damn unburstable. However the City ship's huge triple thrusters, 12 large
plasma accelerators and a pinpoint hyperspace device (so that it can
appear right next to you) has always been a bit of a bummer to Panther
pilots. Unsurprisingly you don't get many Panthers in the systems around
Vantar. Vantar itself is an independent system with no alliegances and
Pete Augustin is only allowed here on the condition that he protects
Vantar's independence and doesn't pirate within the system. An arrangement
Pete is more than happy with.
The story of how Pete could afford a City ship is of course not relevant
because he stole it. The only ship he ever bought was an Asp for scrap
value. He spent the early years of his adult life fixing it up back on
Charlton. Only to take it up out of the atmosphere and be shot down within
the hour and crash it in one of Charlton's oceans. He managed to use the
escape pod before the ship sank. Which he landed down in his back yard.
Since then every ship he's had he has stolen. The City ship he now has was
in the process of being delivered to Riptay to save the people there from
their moon which had a collapsing orbit, due to an asteroid hit. Pete
managed to get on board the craft with his army of illegal fighter droids
and kill the pilots. He then flew the craft out of the system. Escorted by
a lot of interplanetary shuttles containing a lot of angry people. It
didn't take long though before they ran out of fuel. Most of these craft
drifted for a while, then the passengers suffocated due to a lack of
oxygen. One poor person landed his craft on the moon and could be heard
over the airwaves suffocating during the actual collision. Not the most
tranquil of ends.
Pete took the City ship out far between the systems (at non-hyperspace
speed) where he'd left his Panther. It stayed there where no one would
ever find it for months and Pete would constantly upgrade it whenever he
could source equipment. His greatest find was an Empire scientific vessel.
It was disguised as a Hydrogen tanker and put up little ressistance to the
lasers of Pete's Panther. He managed to get a whole lot of research droids
that were drifting in the debris afterwards. These became part of the
community on Pete's City ship. He only needed to suggest possible
improvements and they would work on it. Many suggestions never bore fruit
but a few did.
After some time Pete's ship became a legend. With incredible armaments and
intense shielding this was one hell of a ship. Superior to anything
officially known. Unofficially there was the large military vessels of
either side which realistically would be equal or superior.
Pete's walking down the shopping complex on his City ship. Totally
deserted as always. No droids come here. The walls around him have
realistic animated views of famous tourist attractions from many different
planets. He never bothered to switch them off. They didn't need much
power. Quite a nice one today of a red mountain with pink clouds passing
by it's top. He goes into one of the transport shuttles that ferry people
around the ship and selects the hospital. He never actually bothered to
change any names. In fact the hospital is next to an outer wall and thats
where he's got one of his Large Plasma accelerators. He watches as the
walls outside the shuttle flash by. The shuttle stops and he gets out. The
droid responsible for the plasma accelerator looks at him. "Weapon
operating at maximum performance" it says. Pete looks at the gun. The
droid says "I'm operating at maximum effienciency". Pete "Yes thats fine,
I'm just wandering about for a while". Pete leaves and goes out into the
corridor. He goes into the research department and the sound of activity
fills his mind. Droids are pacing across the room with various mechanical
parts. Other droids are drilling. Mini robots working on high precision
components are on the worktop on his left. Microrobots looking like dust
can be seem swarming around over components on the worktop. This worktop
circles the whole room. He steps inside and gets the attention of the
commanding research droid. "Ready to Obey, what can we design for you?".
Pete "Oh... nothing I'm just looking round, time on my hands and all
that". Droid "right sir, something to entertain you". Pete "no,no I don't
need anything, just concentrate on that new plasma thing you were on
about". Droid "Thats finished sir but its rather unstable and we can find
no way of making it safe so we haven't mentioned it. We're now developing
an escort platform so that it can be mounted away from the craft at a safe
distance so as not to cause harm to this ship if it explodes". Pete
"excellent solution, I'm impressed". Droid "good Sir I'm glad you
approve". Pete "So how much better is it?". Droid "Well, since its going
to be escorting the craft at some distance I thought we'd remove all
safeguards and we've managed to make it twelve times as powerful as the
old large plasma accelerator. It should take out a space station with full
shields in twenty shots". Pete "How effective against this City ship?".
Droid "No effect sir". Pete "What, no effect at all?" Droid "Yes sir, we
have uprated this ship's shields to reflect the plasma flow within 0.1 of
a second by creating a shield tunnel that sends the flow back on itself".
Pete "You guys really know your stuff". Droid "May I mention something
we'd like to develop that you haven't suggested yet?". Pete looks a bit
surprised and answers "Err.. I didn't think you could come up with your
own ideas". Droid "Its not our idea, we managed to unscramble a Federation
coded message that read of a Mongoose class vessel which could force other
craft into hyperspace and drop them back into normal space in places where
they would be destroyed, like near stars". Pete "Oh my God!, Jesssuss...
drop everything else and get working on some way of preventing it being
used against this craft". Droid "No need sir, its not capable of
hyperspacing this craft due to it's size, its only of use against small to
medium size craft, it also needs the craft to be hyperspace equipped as it
remotely activates the hyperspace engines by hyperspacing energy within
the hyperspace engine but the technique is only effective on small craft
because of their single hyperspace engine and thinner hulls.". Pete "I see
well thats alright then, not quite as bad as it first sounded". Droid
"There is one precaution I would recommend. Normally when you get to
Paneer and park along side the space station you take the Imperial Trader
to dock with it. I suggest you take something else which isn't hyperspace
equipped". Pete "Have I got anything that isn't hyperspace equipped?"
Droid accesses main ship computer and views the City Ship's docking bay "I
can't really see anything, what about that old Viper in the corner?" Pete
"I'm not going in there, the coppers are all mushed up inside its a right
mess, theres a load of gold in there but I'm waiting until they decompose
a bit more then the automatic chemical sprinklers will come on and clean
out the ship for me, at the moment they still look too much like people
and so its prevented from cleaning" Droid "I could clean it out for you".
Pete "No to be honest I wouldn't want to fly it over anyway, I hate
Vipers, once I get the gold out its going to be dumped straight away.
They're all speed and no handling". Droid "What about if I remove the
hyperspace system from the Trader?" Pete "No better not I might need that
later just in case, you never know. This ships pretty strong but its not
invincible" Droid "Well sir I really don't know" Pete "Hey wait a minute
I've got an idea that theres some small craft that came with this vessel"
Droid "I'll take a look sir, at the manifest.... yes but they are very
small" Pete "How small?" Droid " Well put it this way, you don't ride
inside but sit on top in a vacuum suit." Pete "It sounds pretty dangerous"
Droid "Yes sir but its better than burning up in a ship heading straight
for a star". Pete "agreed, its only 30 seconds of danger anyway, I'll risk
it".
Imagine your head securely clamped in a vice with the handle being
suddenly tightened to cause a massive but dull sensation of pain and then
for it to untighten to quick relief, and with this cycling every second.
This is the sort of headache that Dave is experiencing. "Someone shoot me
please..". The Thargoid standing over Dave "I thought you wanted to live".
Dave's eyes suddenly open and the memory of events suddenly come back to
him. Still a bit giddy he grabs on to the Thargoid's legs and pulls
himself up until he is facing the top of the Thargoids chest and then
takes two steps backwards. "Whats happening?". The Thargoid looks at Dave
"I've sent the message and two Thargoid fighters are coming to meet us".
Dave looks out the cockpit window "This system seems vaguely familar". The
Thargoid nodding his head slightly "Yes it should be its the Vantar
system, I don't know why we're here it must be some sort of malfunction
but I can't explain it". Dave "No worries this couldn't be better, set a
course for Paneer". Thargoid "No". Dave "Why? Oh wait I know, I'd actually
forgotten for the moment that you're a Thargoid, look I know we can't go
there because they will kill you but I'm still not convinced that the
Thargoids coming won't kill me". Thargoid "Yes its difficult I know but
this craft is heavily damaged I don't think you'd make it to the space
station anyway". Dave "Yes, good point but..., well... I know if I can
send a message to Pete, I'm sure he'd come and his ship is pretty damn
rapid". Thargoid "No, he's as likely to kill me as anyone else". Dave "If
I ask Pete not to kill you then he won't, its that simple. Look howabout
we get that message off and whoever gets here first either Pete or your
Thargoid chums gets to sort this situation out, you got your message off
earlier so its more likely to be the Thargoids anyway. The risk of me
being killed by Thargoids is probably the same as you being killed by
Pete. Thargoid "Well I don't like the idea really but its fair, ok". Dave
reaches for the communications panel he sets the encryption code for one
used between Pete and himself "Pete this is Dave, I need urgent
assistance, I'm at the edge of the system, reference
110004005,445644,33546443 please come immediately. If you see any Thargoid
vessels in area do not attack, I'll explain later".
Pete is in the main hangar of his city ship and has just found a knife
after a long search. Side doors to the hangar open and a droid-controlled
transport vehicle drives in and approaches Pete. Droid "Here it is sir, I
brought the red one as you didn't say a preference" Pete "Red, I wanted
the blue one right at the front, the one I could see on the monitor".
Droid "Oh I've always liked red myself" Pete" You should not have any
preferences in colour" Droid " I never expected to be carrying cargo
about. I am programmed for hair styling and clothes alteration" Pete "oh
right you're one of the droids who actually came with this ship. Well it
doesn't really matter, I'll be crashing this one anyway I expect, you may
as well go back for the blue one". Droid "Right sir unless you prefer the
yellow" Pete "BLUE!". The droid uses the mini crane fitted and lowers a
large box to the ground and drives off the way he came. Pete sticks the
knife into the box and starts cutting it away from the contents inside.
Within two minutes he's unwrapped it completely and there in front of him
is the Realspace 2000 (The spacebike reborn!). Pete reaches for the manual
and sits down to read it:
The Realspace 2000 is the bike of your dreams. Experience speeds in excess
of any other non hyperspace craft. Take 90 degree turns that will astound
other space faring vechicles, use the latest compact pulse lasers to take
out your enemies. Enjoy space, Enjoy Life.
Instructions.
The Realspace 2000 needs no fuel and is self maintaining. It has no user
servicable parts. In event of fault ... Wait a while and it should be
fixed. Faults take a maximum of 2 hours to repair.
Controlling the 2000
Move Handlebar left to move left and move handlebar right to move right.
To go up and down. Use feet to move height bar up to go up and down to go
down
To go faster and brake. Simply put pressure on throttle handle either side
of handlebar to go faster and release to stop
To shoot. Look at craft in question and say the word fire. The inbuilt
computer will monitor your eye and mouth movements automatically. Do not
use the word fire over the communication system without first pressing the
guns disable button in the middle of the handlebars. Don't forget to put
it on again later although it will automatically switch on when laser
activity around your vechicle is detected.
Docking. We at Realspace believe anyone can manually dock a ten foot long
space craft without need of a docking computer. However the "Help I'm
Lost" button will take the craft at full speed to the nearest space
station with the strongest beacon signal, however docking must be manual
at arrival. Please note the Realspace 2000 may not be liable to parking
fees in many stations and so can actually enter through minor doorways of
many space stations quite legally. In high traffic systems the station
controller will normally encourage this.
The Realspace 2000 does not have shields but automatic fast avoidance so
if the bike moves suddenly left don't be surprised to see laser fire to
your right. This has been shown to be very effective. A shield unit can be
fitted but requires an improved power unit. This spec is for military
bikes normally and therefore it is illegal for us to sell it directly to
the public. However kits are available to upgrade the spec and if fitted
yourself this is legal.
On a final note. Avoid going near gas giants as the Realspace 2000 has no
protection against radiation or the suit damaging elements that the
atmosphere of these planets contain.
Remember ride fast in a Realspace!
Pete closes the instructions. "Sounds easy enough, if I put my hand there
and foot there" Pete climbs onto the bike. The Realspace "Welcome to your
first trip on this Realspace, You are currently in a docking bay so it
will manoeuvre at low speeds only" The bike lifts up about two feet in the
air. He gently flies it round the bay "This is easy". He flies it back to
it's origin. Pete releases his grip on the handlebars and the bike quickly
lowers down again. Pete dismounts and walks back to the doorway that will
take him back to the control room. Before he gets there the droid drives
up with the Blue Realspace "I've got the blue one sir", Pete "fine, unpack
it will you and place it next to the red one I'll be back later" Droid
"Right sir".
The City ship is nearing Paneer and Pete sits down at the control console
for the final approach. He opens communication with Paneer station. The
comms terminal display switches on and the face of Chris Holland the
station controller appears "Hi Pete, you better park close we are getting
some strange reports in about all sorts and we fear that this system may
be about to be attacked, its just a guess but our instruments have
detected some sort of disturbance at Convar. Massive particle streams have
been coming from there. Also ships mining in the area have not returned.
There's also been reports of federation military craft and THARGOIDS!".
Pete "Oh I know about the Federation already Daves gone to Convar to
investigate a squadron of Black Federation ships plus I know that a
Mongoose class vessel is in the vicinity as my droids have unscrambled a
message" Chris "Oh dear, we may be on borrowed time, typical my Lion's got
major engine problems too, I'll just have to hitch a lift with someone if
we have to bail out of this system" Pete "I'm planning to stand and fight
if necessary but worse comes to the worse I'll tow the station out of
harm's reach" . Chris "There ain't many pilots who can say that, thanks"
Pete "I just hope Daves alright especially if there's Thargoids around"
Chris "Yes two Vipers got caught in a skirmish with a Thargoid, one got
blown to pieces almost instantly, the other was given long enough to
eject, in fact he reckons the Thargoid actually redirected his escape
capsule so as not to collide with an asteroid" Pete "Strange days indeed"
Chris "We've also had other reports of Thargoid craft entering normal
systems and hunting out specific targets who are mainly some of the better
pilots" Pete "Perhaps they're testing the skill of our pilots" Chris "If
they are we're doomed as they've got every target they've gone for. Not
only that but the craft seem better, they look the same but firepower and
shields seem stronger and actually piloting is far more imaginative and
hard to second guess". Pete "I don't know what they're up to but they must
be working to some sort of plan" Chris "Yes I'd put money on it". Pete "Am
I cleared to dock". Chris "Yes we've got a nice big bay ready for your
Imperial Trader" Pete "Don't need it, I'll be coming over on a Realspace"
Chris "What, one of those weedy little spacebikes" Pete "Err.. yes I'll
tell you why when I get over there" Chris "That should be interesting....
Hey wait a minute it sounds like a coded message is coming in..... we
can't descramble it, is it meant for you" Pete "Probably, I'd better go
and check it out, seeyah". Pete disconnects his connection with Chris and
descrambles the message "Pete this is Dave, I need urgent assistance, I'm
at the edge of the system, reference 110004005,445644,33546443 please
come immediately. If you see any Thargoid vessels in area do not attack,
I'll explain later". Pete dashes to the main cockpit seat.