"Site 3-7 has picked up again, Command wants you to go check it out."
Within ten seconds all six blips on the comm officer's screen elongated into trails, the viewscreen automatically zooming out to match the increased speed of the capsuleer vessels. In warp enroute to Site 3-7, the capsuleer vessels were hybrid technology. Built from many of the treasures extracted from the various ruins and complexes floating around, T3 ships were amongst the most advanced in New Eden.
The capsuleers rarely responded to the comm signals from Fleet Command. It was unnecessary, adding distraction to already confusing moments. The officer quietly monitored all the active channels and the broadcast screen from the fleet's vessels. It was rare anything malfunctioned.
"Command, check signal integrity. We have been experiencing some feedback across all bands."
The officer's eyes widened... quickly running through the various system status displays there was nothing out of ordinary. He keyed up the combat diagnostic routines, speedy tests designed to reboot comm systems in the middle of a firefight. Seconds later they came back negative; the officer felt a heavy pit form at the base of his stomach.
"Command this is Comms, we can't pinpoint any disturbances. We are expanding our diagnostics..."
His calm voice did not betray the frantic tapping his fingers were doing on the keys in front of him. The comm systems of the fleet were upgraded prior to their departure. Knowledge and experience from an early forward recon team who secured the wormhole was invaluable in tailoring the ships of the fleet to handle the challenges of the unknown solar system.
One such upgrade was to the communications system, enhanced with various new data buffers and protocols aimed at cracking or interacting with the Sleeper civilization. One such protocol was to be able to receive trinary-coded data. A Jovian protocol, this was a particular piece of technology we received from our partnership with Impro.
As the comms officer activated the trinary data processing software he was suddenly shocked to see a massive wall of undecipherable text and numbers scroll across his display. The power of the trinary signal was intensifying, and although there was no known way to interpret the data he received the officer instinctively knew that such a massive data transfer meant only one thing; activity.
"Command, I think the Sleepers are no longer sleeping.. we are being bombarded by a massive amount of trinary data from all sides, it seems to be originating from within the system but its so strong we can't pinpoint the original signal."
"Roger that Comms. Fleet, return to the anchorage. Recon, find out where these drone bastards are. Last time we got taken by surprise we lost three vessels, that won't happen again!"
Friday, December 9, 2011
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Chapter 1.5 - "Internal Workings"
"...supplies of Pure Drop have increased by 17%. That'll give us enough headroom to get some extra production time on X-Instinct to make up for that burst of sales."
The three other men and two women around the table all nodded their heads. Such mundane affairs were important but common place. The reactor team of the corporation was immensely knowledgeable and firmly in control of the production schedule. The managers had only to sign off on the process as usual.
"Dr. Juun'shisai, please inform Drs. Goyuam and Ristuk that we need to make some changes to the schedule. Our capsuleers are going off the grid for a time... and the boss has left us with some tasks in their absence."
"Uh, certainly. I will ensure the message is received."
"Good, good. Basically, Dr... we are going to begin real production. We've been whittled off our mountain, chipped away at by small time gangs and bored billionaires. It is time to reclaim our rightful place, to return to being the only drug game in town. The boss, and the founder, and the directors... they all want this done. You know what that means."
"Uhmm, yes sir, I do. But, we have been keeping the reactors above 90% efficiency. I assume there is a capital budget..?"
"Correct. Construction won't begin for some months... not until the capsuleers return from their mission. In the interim, we are going to stockpile raw materials. We aren't privy to their thoughts, but there is something big coming down the pipe. They are expecting to increase sales and market share by a considerable margin. We think it has something to do with some insider knowledge from CONCORD, but ultimately that line of inquiry is irrelevant. Suffice it to say, Dr., but the reactor team has its work cut out for it."
"Yes sir, I understand."
Dr. Juun'shisai jerked forward, almost as if snapping out of some unseen grasp. He walked toward the table where the five figures were seated and picked up the data key sitting on his side of it. He clutched it tightly and dropped it into a self-sealing pocket inside his coat.
"Dr., this directive is perhaps the most important thing to happen to Es and Whizz in years. We can't fail the capsuleers, you know what can happen should that occur."
The doctor nodded, swallowing visibly and slowly. He turned and walked out of the darkened room and into the dimly lit metal corridor. His steps echoed down the hallway before the sliding door silently cut them off.
The three other men and two women around the table all nodded their heads. Such mundane affairs were important but common place. The reactor team of the corporation was immensely knowledgeable and firmly in control of the production schedule. The managers had only to sign off on the process as usual.
"Dr. Juun'shisai, please inform Drs. Goyuam and Ristuk that we need to make some changes to the schedule. Our capsuleers are going off the grid for a time... and the boss has left us with some tasks in their absence."
"Uh, certainly. I will ensure the message is received."
"Good, good. Basically, Dr... we are going to begin real production. We've been whittled off our mountain, chipped away at by small time gangs and bored billionaires. It is time to reclaim our rightful place, to return to being the only drug game in town. The boss, and the founder, and the directors... they all want this done. You know what that means."
"Uhmm, yes sir, I do. But, we have been keeping the reactors above 90% efficiency. I assume there is a capital budget..?"
"Correct. Construction won't begin for some months... not until the capsuleers return from their mission. In the interim, we are going to stockpile raw materials. We aren't privy to their thoughts, but there is something big coming down the pipe. They are expecting to increase sales and market share by a considerable margin. We think it has something to do with some insider knowledge from CONCORD, but ultimately that line of inquiry is irrelevant. Suffice it to say, Dr., but the reactor team has its work cut out for it."
"Yes sir, I understand."
Dr. Juun'shisai jerked forward, almost as if snapping out of some unseen grasp. He walked toward the table where the five figures were seated and picked up the data key sitting on his side of it. He clutched it tightly and dropped it into a self-sealing pocket inside his coat.
"Dr., this directive is perhaps the most important thing to happen to Es and Whizz in years. We can't fail the capsuleers, you know what can happen should that occur."
The doctor nodded, swallowing visibly and slowly. He turned and walked out of the darkened room and into the dimly lit metal corridor. His steps echoed down the hallway before the sliding door silently cut them off.
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