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Lpnet1 Lpnet2 Lpnet3 Sci-shorts-01 Sci-shorts-02 Sci-shorts-03 Sci-shorts-04 Gallery | Animation |
| Tsv-02-100 The Illusive R-Wing Chapter 1: Treezine Agent Chapter 2: Lisa Chapter 3: Unexpected Visitors Chapter 4: Knowledge is Power Chapter 5: A Piece of Sky Pie Chapter 6: The DGP Governor Chapter 7: Point Kapex, Lunaside Chapter 8: The Scenic Route Chapter 9: The Temspace Refraction Chapter 10: The Age of Aquarius Chapter 11: To Ride the R-Wing Chapter 12: Effects of the Tuniverseo |
Chapter
15. Climatic Changes
An electrical storm cut the squad of Ang-units off from Amalek and the island when winds rose into the hurricane-levels. Amalek traveled much better under the extremes, and the squad was forced back over British Columbia to take cover from the sudden violent climatic changes. Amalek managed to land at the island, by the back-door, outside a half submerged cavern with a channel leading inside to the base. They anchored Amalek to the stone, under the water, somewhat well protected by the mountain from the high winds, and ventured outside in their pressure-suits, to sneak through the backdoor. Madkro already possessed the knowledge of the cavern and the backdoor to the base, whether Exo and Xik realized it or not, from the Catch-98 scenario. Once well inside the cavern, the vicious storm outside still raging was reduced to great rumbles of rolling thunder, echoing into resonation about the inside of the mountain of stone. Madkro led the way, directed Querzo inward across a pool of semi-turbulent water, catching the backflow; they rode across it to a landing, and moved cautiously, up a ladder, to the backdoor. The light was dim, as they activated the camouflage of their suits, and snuck carefully across the 10 meters of sand to the wall of stone and metal. Querzo relaxed and let Madkro get them in. Foreknowledge of parallel realities was one of the best guesses they had to go on. Along with the camouflage and the cloak, they shouldn't have too much to worry about, until they ran into the Martians themselves, of course. Madkro used a small com-unit to access pathways to over-ride the lock, and within 30 seconds, the door slid open, and let them in to an air-lock. Once again, the ASI agent unlocked the door with his universal key, and they were inside. Cautiously, under their camouflage, Madkro led Querzo to the main-controls chamber, where they found only an empty seat and machines operating in a low-output, in downtime. Preferring not to break radio-silence, they kept their thoughts to themselves as they checked the chamber over. 2 minutes later, as Madkro was looking about the left side, Querzo reported, from the right side. "I was afraid of this," he said. "The Ntzeon plant has been in activation for 100 hours. It's passed the red zone. We just missed them, by less than an hour, I'd estimate." Querzo grew excited. "Let's meet by the backdoor," he said urgently. "I have an idea." A minute later, they met, as Querzo deactivated his cloak, and Madkro followed by deactivating his. They opened their visors and Querzo spoke. "I've figured out what has to be done," he said, and explained. "We've got to follow them in Amalek. The sooner we follow the better. The intersection is closing. We've no time to lose. Let's go." As Madkro followed Querzo out, the other stopped them outside by the pool, before they closed their visors. "Hold on for a minute," Madkro said. "You're going too fast. I don't quite understand your reasoning. How will going through the intersection help this planet, in the here and now?" "We can't get the barrier in any other way,” Querzo explained. “We’ve been trapped by the barrier created by the after-effect of 2 separate Ntzeon activations, one in the present and another in the future." "I guess I'll have to take your word on that," Madkro admitted. "But you do recall what I said, earlier? I'm not leaving Lisa in this devastated mess." "Yes, I seem to recall that now," Querzo admitted. "It is a big decision, Nick. But we haven't the time to go and get her. The intersection will be closed in 5 minutes. Now either you come with me now, or I go alone and you fend for yourself here and now." It was a hard decision to make. Querzo couldn't wait, and hurried down the ladder, back into the pool. Madkro thought it over, and contacted Querzo over the com-link, as the other began to swim back to the ship. "I've decided, good friend," he said, firmly. "I'll monitor the intersection from here, and fend with the after-effects. Good luck, Querzo." Querzo returned to the Transverser, spent a few seconds drying the suit off in the airlock under UV-lite, and hurried to the helm. "Anchor's away!" he urged himself on, and seconds later, backed the ship out of the cavern, into the turbulent coastal waters. It had calmed slightly, but still had a few big kicks in it. He had no time to dry off the antigravs, and used the jets to pick up the nose and the rockets to kick him into the atmosphere. One minute later, Amalek was locked on course for the intersection, and heading for it. It was located about 200 meters over the island, above the Ntzeon plant. It was amazing to think that Exo and Xik had managed to create an artificial intersection, at last, which appeared to have a small measure of stability, but at what cost? Already it was apparent that extreme climatic changes had been created by the excess of military R-wings and the devastated land left in ramparts and rubble. There had been a severe depletion of the ozone, rise in ultraviolet and gamma radiation, and it seemed quite possible that the electrical storm and typhoon were somehow closely related. His mind thought over these points as Amalek carried him through the intersection, and he was lost to Madkro's devastated reality once again. |
Chapters
13-end
Chapter 13: The State of the Earth War Chapter 14: Notch-98 Revisited Chpater 15: Climatic Changes Chapter 16: R-Winger Down Chapter 17: The Fascist Fake Chapter 18: The New Age |