+- Discovery Gaming Community (https://discoverygc.com/forums)
+-- Forum: Role-Playing (https://discoverygc.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?fid=9)
+--- Forum: Stories and Biographies (https://discoverygc.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?fid=56)
+--- Thread: Fortunatus Wright - Part 1 : From Whiskey to War (/showthread.php?tid=6743)
Fortunatus Wright - Part 1 : From Whiskey to War - Stoat - 03-06-2008
Chapter 1
810 AS - Spring
The day dawned bright, on Cambridge. Tucked away in a quiet valley, Wrights Distillery slowly came to life.
A tall man strode across the loading yard, heading for the dunnage warehouse. In his early thirties, he was a powerfully built man with ruffled black hair, icey blue eyes and an untidy goatee. Fortunatus Wright took a deep breath at the doorway of the building, and he started to laugh. This was the day. The day the sleeping barrels would be breeched, and the finest whisky produced by Wrights Distillery would see the first light of day. Or that was the plan. One could never be too sure. He opened the doors and passed inside.
Nate! Nate! This is it!. Martha, his wife, flew across the floor of the dunnage towards him and into his arms. So, do I get the pleasure of first taste?
Marthas eyes sparkled at the prospect of getting the first taste. 15 years the barrels had been sleeping, three times the length of their marriage, and today held the chance for the distillery to supply the royal court. If the whisky was good enough.
Aye, lass. You can. Youve always had first taste before, and Ill not be tempting the fates by changing anything now! Come on, I cant wait no longer! Grabbing his wifes hand, they ran the length of the dunnage towards the resting place of their possible future.
The first cask was gently breeched and the first dram handed ceremoniously to Martha. The liquid inside was a deep golden colour, giving off a strong, peaty aroma. They stared at it, and then at each other.
Well? Fortunatus finally exploded. Are you going to try the damned stuff, or what?
Martha giggled. Every year, the same ceremony. Every year, the same reaction from her husband. She slowly raised the glass to her lips and drank the pungent liquid.
The colour quickly rose into Marthas cheeks, and her eyes watered gently as she held the spirit on her palate. Finally, she swallowed, letting her breath sigh across her tongue, gently exciting the whisky remaining.
Hmmm. was all she said.
Fortunatus cheeks also started to turn red, though not from any alcohol.
Dammit, Martha! Well? Is it any good? Are we back at the drawing board? Come on! Tell!
Well, I think that it is probably - and dont forget that my experience is somewhat limited in this field that it is probably the finest single malt I have ever tried! Martha laughed, jumped up, and did a little dance.
Fortunatus stared at her, a smile slowly spreading. Then he let out a loud whoop, jumped to his feet, and grabbing his wife, danced the length of the dunnage, laughing and crying in equal measure. Had they done it? Would their futures be secured by a royal patronage? Right now he didnt care. All he knew was that Martha had, probably, the finest palate on Cambridge, and if she was convinced of the whiskys quality, then so was he. Ninety seven years after his great, great grandfather had founded the distillery, they were finally on the verge of securing the familys future. And it was down to his innovation, 15 years ago, and the creation of the peat bogs at the head of the valley which created the unique water used in the distilling process.
From here, life could only get better.
Fortunatus Wright - Stoat - 03-07-2008
Chapter 2
815 AS - Autumn
Throwing open the windows and stepping onto his balcony, Fortunatus Wright inhaled deeply and smiled. Life was, indeed, good. Martha was more beautiful than ever and busy running the distillery, and the arrival of his daughter, Philippa, in the spring of 812, had changed his outlook on life immeasurably. The distillery had gained the Royal patronage, business was booming hell, since the start of the Kusari war theyd been supplying the Bretonian military! - but since Philippas birth, it had all become an irrelevance. Family was the only consideration.
Hearing a high pitched giggle, he looked down to the yard below to see the raven hair of his daughter disappearing into the bushes.
And then the Dragons came
Fortunatus Wright - Stoat - 03-10-2008
Chapter 3
A flight of ships screamed across the valley, shaking the balcony Fortunatus was standing on. As they disappeared from sight, a large explosion threw him into the air and over the railings. The air was knocked from him as he crashed to the ground. Hearing Philippas scream, he hauled himself upright as he gasped for breath.
Racing through the bushes in the direction he had seen her running, he stopped dead as he broke through the undergrowth. Philippa lay unmoving on the ground, some 20 feet in front of him, haloed by the burning wreckage of the dunnage.
No!, he screamed, as he sprinted towards the prone figure of his daughter. Sprawling into the dirt at her side, he gently hefted the limp form of his daughter into his arms. She was breathing. Slowly he stood, relief flooding through him. Martha would have flipped if anything had happened to Philippa, he thought. Martha. Dear god! His eyes slowly focussed onto the ruins of the dunnage, and all sense of relief fled. Chills crawled slowly down his spine as the blood drained from his face, and bile stung his throat.
Slowly, uncertainly, he forced his body into motion, falling towards the smoking building. What had happened here? Where had those ships come from? Those ships. He stopped, remembering. Kusari Dragons! Hed seen them so many times on the news feeds recently. What the hell were the Kusari doing attacking a distillery on Cambridge? What the hell were they doing attacking anything on Cambridge?
As he reached the rear of the dunnage, the air was split by the sound of engines again as three Dragons passed directly overhead. Scrambling himself and Philippa as tight to the wall as possible, he edged his way towards the front of the building. A quick glance round the corner towards the main distillery revealed five more Dragons parked, 2 of the pilots seemingly on guard, but both entirely focussed on the main entrance to the distillery. There was no sign of the other three.
Turning back to his daughter, he caught her eyes fluttering open.
Daddy?, she whispered, and started to cry.
Oh Pip! tears sparked in his eyes as he pulled his daughter into his arms. Pip, we must be quiet. As quiet as mice. There are some very bad men here who might try to hurt us. I need you to be brave, and quiet.
Yes, daddy, she whispered, snuffling back her tears. Ill try. My head hurts. Wheres mummy?
I dont know, baby. I dont know. But well find her, you and me. Come on!
Taking his daughters hand, he scuttled away from the main building, keeping the dunnage between him and the Kusari. A shallow riverbed some 50 metres on wound its way back around to the rear of the main distillery and provided some cover. The sharp crack of gunfire dropped them to the ground.
Stay here, Pip. I need to see whats going on.
Fortunatus wormed his way up the shallow bank of the riverbed to see a line of distillery employees facing him some 100 meters away. Behind them appeared to be two Kusari. Something was barked at the employees, then one of the Kusari raised his arm. The crack of a gun firing was quickly followed by a soft, red mist as one of the employees slumped to the ground.
Ducking back down below the level of the river bed, he looked at his daughter. What was going on? Why was the staff beingexecuted? It just made no sense. Would they be next if they were found? And where was Martha? Why hadnt she been in the line of employees too? Was she hiding? Was she already dead? No, that didnt bear thinking about. Finding her was all that mattered.
Another shot rang out, then another.
They continued along the riverbed until they were directly behind the distillery, safely hidden from view, then he turned to his daughter.
Pip, I need you to do something very brave. I know youre scared, and I know you want to see mummy, but I need you to ignore all of that and do something very important. Tears were forming in Philippas eyes. I need you to keep following this riverbed away from here. I need you to keep on going until you get to the Baxters house, then I need you to tell them that I need the police. Do you think you can do that?
Philippa shook her head, and the tears rolled freely down her cheeks. He pulled her close to him.
Pip, those men I told you about, they want to hurt me. They want to hurt mummy, and they probably want to hurt you too. I really need you to be safe so that I can find mummy and get her safe too. Please, please can you run to the Baxters? I really need you to do this. I need to know that youre going to be safe. Philippa nodded into his chest.
Okay, daddy. I will.
He hugged her fiercely then said, Go, Pip. Run, and dont look back. Ill see you again soon, and mummy will be with me.
He wiped the trails of tears from her face, then Philippa kissed him on the cheek.
Dont worry, daddy, she said, then turned and ran off along the riverbed. He watched until she was out of sight.
Fortunatus Wright - Stoat - 03-14-2008
Chapter 4
Scrambling back to the edge of the bank, Fortunatus then sprinted towards the distillery. Once again, he hugged the wall as he edged his way around towards the front of the building. Taking a quick glance was just in time to see the twitching body of the last employee hit the ground. He was now directly behind the Kusari guards. There were four of them now. Two were still guarding the Dragons, the other two just moving towards the lifeless bodies of the employees.
Suddenly, the sound of more gunfire exploded from the distillery, and shattered glass sprayed onto the ground as the fifth Kusari was propelled through. Fortunatus froze, momentarily in shock, before pulling back behind the wall as the Kusari were sprinting toward their fallen comrade. He had nowhere to hide, nowhere left to run. Surely the Kusari had seen him gawping stupidly before he ducked back behind the wall. They would be on him in seconds.
Then the sound of more gunfire. Who was shooting at the Kusari? All the employees were dead. There was only himself and Martha left, and the idea of Martha firing a gun was preposterous, let alone her killing a member of the Kusari military. Wasnt it? A figure stepped around the corner, and he cowered.
Nate! NATE!! Dammit Nate, stop shaking and HELP ME!
He looked up to see Martha, eyes wild, reaching for him. She grabbed him and pulled him close
Nate, take this, and when I start shooting, throw it at those damn Dragons. She passed him a small metallic globe which pulsed gently. He nodded.
She stepped back to the front of the building, straight into a hail of fire. The gun was torn from her arms and she was thrown back, bright yellow bolts of light ripping into her body. The pulsing globe dropped from Fortunatus fingers, and as the bolts ceased he ran to his wife
Smoke curled from her ruined body. She had stepped into a volley of fire from a Dragons main guns. She hadnt stood a chance. Too shocked to do anything, he was unaware of the gun butt as it smacked into the base of his skull, sending him into darkness.
Fortunatus Wright - Stoat - 04-01-2008
Chapter 5
The pain came again, ripping him from his unconciousness. It burned through his veins. He could see nothing. Hear nothing. Smell nothing. Taste nothing. He tried to scream, to give voice to his anguish, but nothing came out. There was only silence, and the pain, until he passed out.
He came to as the cycle repeated itself.
Occasionally it disappeared for a short time. It wasnt a dulling of the pain, it was like a switch being flicked. The cessation was almost as shocking, as traumatic, as the pain itself. Then there was always the anticipation of it starting again. Because it did. Always. And the pain never changed, never subsided. It was always as fresh, as intense.
In those brief periods of release he began to form thoughts, questions. Memories flickered across his mind. Where was he? Marthas smoking body lying on the ground. Why was this being done to him? Philippa running along the river bed. How long had he been here? Dragons screaming across the Cambridge sky. Had his daughter escaped? Kusari pilots shooting the distillery staff. Had his daughter escaped?
It took a while, but he began to realise that the pain wasnt returning. Light flickered at the edges of his vision, and within the light me spotted movement. Gradually his sight solidified. He still could not move, but his senses were returning. Slowly.
He began to feel the weight of gravity pulling at him again. He knew he was upright. He sensed the straps across his chest, his forehead. He felt the straps binding his wrists and ankles. He could make out shapes around him. He assumed the moving ones were people.
A figure moved in front of him. Something appeared to wave in front of his face, he could feel the waft of the movement. As he concentrated, the figure resolved itself into an oldish Kusari man, dressed in what appeared to be medical flannels. He was indeed waving his hand.
Hello? Hello? Can you hear me? he asked, continuing the waving.
Fortunatus tried to form a response, but his mouth and throat were too swollen and dry for him to talk. He merely blinked instead.
The Kusarian turned away from him and spoke to someone else.
Well, hes awake at least. I suggest you wait a few more moments before you star questioning him. Then well see if the technique has worked.
Fortunatus Wright - Stoat - 04-23-2008
Chapter 6
As the older man moved away, a younger Kusarian took his place. He was tall for the Kusari, about 6 feet, with sharply receding hair, a pinched face and cold, lifeless eyes. There was a thin sheen of sweat on his forehead.
Ahhh, Mr Wright. You are awake at last. I trust you have been enjoying your time with us so far? He chuckled briefly. It was a soulless noise. You are, perhaps, somewhat dehydrated.
He nodded to someone outside of Fortunatus field of view and stepped back. Fortunatus was suddenly doused in ice-cold water. He gasped, breathing in some water which triggered a huge coughing fit. What little water did trickle down his throat was, at least, refreshing. As the coughing subsided he was slapped hard across the face. He focussed again on the tall Kusarian.
My name is Major Ryaki Hakaryo. You are a prisoner on board the destroyer Dakuryuu, and we have some questions for you. He slowly hooked a pair of glasses over his ears, and peered more closely. As you are aware, we are able to inflict a quite remarkable level of pain on you. Also, the sensory deprivation you have been experiencing serves to maximise the discomfort and panic. You should be aware that you have experienced only 30 minutes of what we have to offer, and at a very low setting. I can assure you, Mr Wright, that you will tell us what we want to know. He pulled away, slightly. So, Let us start with the little things. For the record, please can you tell us your name.
Fortunatus just managed to stop himself from speaking. He was shocked at the strength of the urge to comply. Go to hell! he croaked. Hakaryo nodded towards someone. Instantly Fortunatus vision started to fade, starting at the periphery and moving slowly inwards. His senses dulled into nothing. He started losing sensation in his arms and legs, then across his chest. He started to panic, straining against his restraints , before being plunged into the terrible emptiness again. Then the pain returned, and his sense of self fled.
The cycle seemed to last an eternity. Pain and release, pain and release, until finally it stopped, and his vision slowly returned. Light and dark slowly merged into shades of grey, the colours and shapes, until he could see again. Hakaryo stood in front of him again (still?), the edges of his lips slightly curled, though whether in amusement or distaste, Fortunatus couldnt tell. The ice-cold water once again crashed over his head, though he avoided breathing any in this time. Once he gained his breath back, he focussed on Hakaryo again.
That was an hour spent under the tender ministrations of our little machine, Mr Wright. An hour?! It had seemed like a week. Perhaps you will be more willing to cooperate now. I ask you again, what is your name?
Fortunatus took a deep breath and held it, fighting off the urge to start talking straight away. Who the hell was he kidding? He was no hero. He should just tell these bastards what they wanted to know, then theyd either let him go, or kill him. Either was preferable to the all-consuming terror of the machine he was strapped to. Only Philippa gave him pause. But if theyd caught her, theyd surely have used her safety against him already. He released the burning in his lungs with a sigh. He was not built for this.
My name is Fortunatus Wright. His eyes sank to the floor as he spoke, knowing that hed been beaten already, shamed at his lack of strength. What would Martha have thought of him right then? His beautiful wife, whod looked so terrifying in those last few moments. What on earth had she been doing, shooting at those soldiers? How had she even known how to handle a gun? And what had she handed to him? A bomb, or grenade, or something similar. Where the hell had that come from?
Mr Wright! Hakaryo barked, breaking him out of his reverie. Please pay attention to me, Mr Wright
Fortunatus raised his eyes up, so that he was looking directly at the Major.
What do you want with me? he asked. Why am I here? Why are you doing this to me? His voice started rising, hysteria creeping in. Why did you kill my wife, you bastard? He threw himself against his restraints, desperately trying to break free, to get his hands on someone, anyone upon whom he could take out his anger and frustration and misery. Hakaryu just stood there, impassive, safe in the knowledge that Fortunatus was of no threat to him, of no consequence. Just a thing which he could torture and discard at his whim. Fortunatus soon tired, and slumped back into his restraints.
Hakaryo leaned in closer, his eyes narrowing. You forget our roles in this little game, Mr Wright. You do not get to ask questions, just answer them. So, where do you work, Mr Wright?
Again the urge to reply instantly was overwhelming. At Wrights distillery, he blurted. He wasnt responding because he wanted to, it was that he had to. What was happening to him?
Good. nodded Hakaryo. What were your parents names?
Jonathan and Louise.
Have you ever cheated on your wife, Mr Wright?
No! Hakaryo raised an eyebrow at that.
Do you own Wrights distillery, Mr Wright?
Yes. Until you destroyed it! Hakaryo smiled.
How long have you been working for the Bretonian military?
I dont! What the hell kind of question was that? Why would the Kusari think he worked for the military? Hakaryos smile had dropped from his face.
Who do you work for, Mr Wright? Hakaryos eyes had narrowed again.
My wife. A look of surprise passed across the Kusarians face as Fortunatus wondered at his answer. Since Philippas arrival he really did work for his wife. He had devoted so much time to his daughter that had Martha not stepped up to run the business it would probably have failed. Three and a half years she had been running the business, with him just making the odd appearance. But working for the Bretonian military? What on earth could a small, family run distillery offer the military? And anyway, Martha would have told him about anything she was getting into. Wouldnt she? His thoughts were broken by another hard slap across his cheek.
Mr Wright! commanded Hakaryo. You are telling me that it was your wife that was running your company? There was an edge to his voice, almost desperation.
Fortunatus realised that this was a chance for him to get some small measure of control back. He laughed You stupid bastard!! You killed the person you were really after! Some military man you are. You bloody Kusari, you think youre so in control. You think you plan for every eventuality, and here you are, realising that youre just as fallible as the rest of us. I hope you superiors have a field day with you. I hope they strip you of your rank. I hope they dishonour your family. Suck it up, you fu.. His rant was cut short as Hakaryo punched him in the solar plexus, leaving him gasping for breath. Hakaryo leaned in close, death sparking in his eyes.
Your cooperation is no longer required, Mr Wright. You will be leaving us shortly. You should know, however, that our business with you is not finished. We shall be reunited, you and I, Hakaryo smiled evilly as he drew back from Fortunatuss face, and until that time, I shall be taking very careful care of your daughter.
NO!! screamed Fortunatus, heaving against the straps that bound him in place. Youre lying, you bastard! You dont have my daughter! You cant!! The restraint on his head loosened, then came off. Hakaryo was smiling, his left hand pointing off to Fortunatuss right. Filled with dread, he turned his head, and some ten feet away was a large window, behind which was his daughter, Philippa, playing with a number of stuffed toys.
Get rid of him! commanded Hakaryo. Fortunatus again felt his senses fading, his vision dimming. He welcomed the oblivion this time, even the pain that came with it.
Fortunatus Wright - Stoat - 04-24-2008
Chapter 7
*beep* Warning! This is a proximity alert. Engaging automatic manoeuvring thrusters. *beep*
His eyes peeled open. Small points of light slid across his blurred vision.
*beep* Warning! Manoeuvring thruster malfunction. *beep*
Fortunatus groaned, placing his head in his hands and applying pressure to his throbbing temples.
*beep* Warning! Proximity alert. Impact in ten seconds. *beep*
Impact? With what? He was on a Kusari battleship. Wasnt he?
*beep* Warning! Proximity alert. Impact in five seconds. *beep*
Hang on a moment, he thought, why would the automatic alerts be in English?
*beep* Warning! Brace for impact. *beep*
The screech of stressed metal vibrated through him as he was pitched forward, slamming into some sort of console. He slid back, hands randomly pressing buttons as they passed across the console and he slid to the floor.
*beep* Docking not possible at this time. *beep*
*beep* Unable to engage main engines. *beep*
*beep* Navigation offline *beep*
*beep* Cargo bay decompression cycle activated. *beep*
*beep* Weapons grid offline. *beep*
Hauling himself slowly upright, he was able to take in his surroundings. He seemed to be on the bridge of a Clydesdale freighter. As he scanned the area he noticed a logo of some sort on the door that would lead to the cargo storage area. Concentrating on it, the logo soon resolved itself into that of Wrights Distillery. He frowned, then the memories returned. Martha dead. Philippa in the hands of Major Hakaryo. Grief overwhelmed him and he collapsed into one of the flight chairs.
*beep* Cargo bay decompression begins in five
Four
Three
Two
One
Fortunatus Wright - Stoat - 04-28-2008
Chapter 8
*beep* Cargo bay decompression complete. Closing cargo bay doors. *beep*
*beep* Warning. Unable to close cargo bay doors. *beep*
*beep* Warning. Structural integrity compromised. Cargo bay doors must be closed manually. *beep*
Fortunatus sighed deeply. What could possibly happen next?
*beep* Warning. Structural integrity compromised. Hull breach will occur in three minutes. *beep*
His head raised at that. Three minutes. He had no space-suit, so closing the doors manually was out. Why had they put the manual control in the cargo bay? He knew the only option was the escape pod, if it was still there. He hauled himself out of the flight chair and over to the escape hatch.
*beep* Warning. Structural integrity compromised. Hull breach will occur in two minutes. Cargo bay doors must be closed manually. *beep*
He hit the door release button. Nothing happened. He hit it again. Still nothing. Then he noticed the light flashing just below. The small, red light on the panel marked Door release.
Oh, youve got to be joking! he breathed.
*beep* Warning. Structural integrity compromised. Hull breach will occur in ninety seconds. Cargo bay doors must be closed manually. *beep*
He quickly scanned the bridge. There was only thing going for the Clydesdale. The ship itself was useless, but this meant that the toolkits were plentiful. He spotted one strapped to the back of the flight chair, ran over, ripped it free and returned to the door control. A flathead spanner quickly levered the panel free from the wall, revealing the wires behind.
*beep* Warning. Structural integrity compromised. Hull breach will occur in sixty seconds. Cargo bay doors must be closed manually. *beep*
Now all he had to do was remember which wires to connect to get the door to release.
Dammit! he shouted as he struggled to remember. Was it the blue and yellow, or red and yellow, or blue and red?
*beep* Warning. Structural integrity compromised. Hull breach will occur in thirty seconds. Cargo bay doors must be closed manually. *beep*
Yellow and blue? he thought. Mix them together and you get green? Sounds plausible. He really didnt have the time to procrastinate like this so he pulled the wires free and joined them together. The door slid open and he dived inside.
Ahhhhhh! Wheres the damned release? There. The big green pad in the middle of the console in front of him. He hit it. The door slammed closed behind him. The engine kicked in, throwing him back against the bulkhead as the pod accelerated away from the freighter. Then came the weightlessness, with the viewing screen showing the stars spinning around. This bit always made him feel sick. He pushed back towards the seat and strapped himself in, then hit the button for automatic attitude control. As the thrusters fired, the stars gradually steadied themselves, and the nausea subsided. He was in an ice field. He panned the view on the screen, hoping to spot a planet that would help him recognise where he was. Hed done enough trade runs in the past to give himself a chance. The view rotated and as a distant, sandy coloured planet came into the picture the screen suddenly blacked out. Had that been Planet Harris?
No #@!$!#@ way! Goddam useless bloody piece of junk!! Why? Why the #@!! is this happening to me?! His voice reverberated loudly around the small capsule as he slammed his hand into the console in frustration.
* Emergency beacon deployed * sounded the onboard computer.
He held his head in his hands. He hadnt meant to start the beacon until he knew where he was, but that was a bit of a moot point now that the view screen was on the blink.
Ah well, he thought. Its out of my hands now.
Fortunatus Wright - Stoat - 07-28-2008
Chapter 9
Six hours later, and he was still floating aimlessly through space. Fortunatus let out a long sigh and peered around the cramped accommodation he now occupied. It certainly wasnt the Ritz.
His feeble attempts at fixing the viewing screen had led to nothing but a small pile of wires floating over the console. The sensors showed dense ice asteroids all around, and not a lot else. A small light on the console flashed continuously, showing the emergency beacon was still transmitting. Then the comms unit crackled into life.
This is Rob Dere of the Gateway vessel Mismatch, responding to your emergency beacon. Weve just picked you up on long range scanners, and should be with you shortly. What is your current situation?
Mr Dere, Im glad to hear your voice. This is Fortunatus Wright of Wrights Distillery on Cambridge. Life support is functioning, and I am uninjured, but external viewers are offline, and Ive no idea what the state of the capsule is. Its been a bumpy ride, so far.
Unidentified pod, this is Gateway vessel Mismatch. Were receiving some kind of transmission from you, but youre breaking up pretty badly. There seems to be something block*static signal. Were almost in *static* your location. We *static*vousing in seve*static*
The comms unit fell silent, briefly.
*static*day! Mayday! Ma*static* sel Mismatch. We are und*static* cation Tau 31, secto*static* Unident*static* ields down. Hull critical! Mayd*static*
The comms fell silent again. Fortunatus stared at the unit, willing back into life, but it remained quiet. It was eerie, that silence. His imagination began planting demons, and he felt the skin on his back crawl.
Then something bumped into the pod.
Fortunatus Wright - Stoat - 09-16-2008
Chapter 10
He could hear something attaching itself to his pod. The clunks as restraining pins sunk into place, and the hiss as pressures equalised. The hatch slowly opened, and Fortunatus held his breath............
Mr Wright?, asked a voice. Mr Fortunatus Wright? Is that you? The hatch finally opened, revealing a young, blonde haired woman in what appeared to be a Bretonian military uniform.
Eh? was all that Fortunatus could manage.
Ah, Mr Wright! Are we lucky to have found you! she smiled broadly. I am Lieutenant Issabelle Hebditch. Weve been looking for you for some time. Please, she extended her hand to him. Come with me.
Fortunatus looked at her hand suspiciously. What the hell was going on? Why had the military been looking for him?
Mr Wright, she was still smiling, not a trace of strain on her face. Im sure you have questions, but lets get you out of this pod, freshened up and fed, before we get to them shall we
He sighed and reached forward. As usual, he didnt really have a lot of choice in the matter. She helped him from the pod with ease, her strength belying her small frame, and led him along the short docking corridor onto her ship.
Welcome aboard the Buzzard, Mr Wright. Were a Solent class destroyer, fully fitted for stopping the Kusari incursion into Tau 31. The captain is George Tansock, who youll be meeting later. We have a crew of 750 and. Her voice faded as Fortunatus slowly zoned out. They walked along what seemed like miles of corridors, the faces of the soldiers they passed merging into one. The rhythmic clicking of boots sent him into an almost trance-like state, and the walls and floor rippled and slipped, revealing a shimmering, pearlescent surface beneath. He glanced towards his guide and stopped short at what he saw. Her face had begun to peel away, flaps of skin falling onto her jacket, revealing a pulsing, blue, almost insect-like carapace beneath, with long tentacles reaching forth from what would have been her mouth. Reaching towards him. He tried to turn and run, but was frozen in place. As the tentacles touched him, gently caressing his face, he screamed.