Post by TerdBurgler on May 23, 2006 13:34:50 GMT -5
“Okay well I’m not entirely sure what you’re asking,” TB said as a sleek ship whizzed past the coffee shop atop the balcony. It was an older shop, designed to resemble the look of the 20th century with sheik, little, wire-frame tables and chairs and a weaving metal fence along the edges.
“I do not know what it means either. I had hoped you would know,” AESHA said, befuddled that TB didn’t understand a human concept and looking off of the balcony. It was several dozen stories above the dense structures below. Danatsu always had the most intriguing architecture, bulbous yet functional and the looming buildings around them blocked any view of the horizon. Between each building ran outdoor corridors on balconies and traffic of any variety of hovercraft could be seen whizzing between the towers. In the cleaner, inner cities above ground, bright and clean was a consistent theme among all their buildings, vehicles, and especially their coffee shops.
“You didn’t get this out of another magazine, did you AESHA? You have to learn you can’t trust mass media. Well, I suppose except for me and John Stuart, but that’s entirely beside the point,” TB explained, sitting calmly in the chair which he found quite comfortable. Being a plain old human, he found things like padded chairs to be desireable. And not just any old human, TB was an Earthling, very rare outside of the Solar System, and although he may have what many considered to be exotic origins, TB was anything but exotic. He was wearing the same basic outfit he had worn since his news casting days, a plain, white, button-up shirt and tie with a broken-in pair of comfortable slacks.
“But TB, these magazines have a very creditable staff. They have won many awards across the galaxy for their journalism accomplishments,” AESHA defended, with a sheepish and confused look on her face. She was in a form that appeared to be human, when in reality, it was just a hard-light hologram projected by a pink-haired toaster. She was an Artificial Empathy, an AI capable of feeling human emotions and one of only two known Artificial Empathies in the galaxy. And since the feeling she had been feeling most common was love for TB, she had selected a human form in the hopes of properly winning him over. Her slim body had no clothes, instead having a pink coloration with a swirling, dark-red pattern across her body, her striped face being the only skin-colored portion.
"I'm sure I've turned down more awards than any single person on that staff has ever accepted. You know, Newscast used to be the most-watched show on Earth for two years running." TB lounged back in his chair, reminding himself about his days of reporting the news. It all seemed so long ago when in fact, it had been only two years ago since he was the head anchor of Newscast. That was just before TB lost... her. "Alright, enough about the old days, why exactly are we here again? I know of several places here in Denatsu that has much better coffee than this place."
"I've been following the patterns of the target, and guaging her erratic and irrational behavior. This area provided to be the most likely location for her to strike next," AESHA explained. Since Newscast's cancelling two years ago, TB and AESHA had since moved on to a different vocation, one that was exciting as well as rewarding. After trying several things, TB settled with the adventurous life of a vigilante, tracking down criminals across the galaxy and bringing them to justice. Which brings us to why they were waiting at the coffee shop in the first place because at just that time, an explosion was heard only three blocks away from their current location.
*****
Guendell was not a resident of Denatsu although she had been there several times before. Instead she was a human from the planet Bremin, currently dressed in a tight, black body-suit, equipped with a variety of tools in a belt across her waist and a small pack on her back. She was swift and quiet in her movements as she seamlessly lept up through the tight labarynth of bars and pipes that constituted the framework beneath the city. Proud she had remained utterly undetected, she smiled as the sunlight began to shine through the metal above. The bomb she had planted in the Frantis Cybernetics Company was mere seconds away from detonation which gave her ample time to reach her ship to make a speedy get-away. The ship was parked atop a platform resting at the base of one of the towers and Guendell hit a button on a mechanism on her wrist as the cockpit opened and she jumped in. Quickly tapping the buttons on the control panel, she initiated the quad-engines on the ship and took off, speeding across the base of the city. Right behind her, the platform erupted in a fiery explosion, along with the Frantis Cybernetics Company.
*****
The impact resonated across the entire city and people began to erupt into confusion and panic. Across the table from TB, AESHA was beaming with a pleased grin. "You know, it seems horribly innapropriate that you're smiling when that explosion probably killed a lot of people," TB commented.
"I am happy because I was correct! I was incorrect the last four times and I was worried I was beginning to dissapoint you because probability said it would not occur here."
TB looked at AESHA inquisitively. "Didn't you say this was the most likely place for her to strike next?"
"I did, but that does not make it very probable. It was merely the MOST probable."
"Right. Well, it's time we got to work then. You have her ready?" AESHA nodded enthusiastically and TB nodded back. Getting up from his chair, TB quickly jogged to the balconies edge. Looking down, he saw his crimson ship, the Redfish II. Followed immediatly by AESHA, TB jumped off the edge of the ledge to land in the open cock-pit of the Redfish II. AESHA's form dissipated as she fell through the air, revealing the toaster beneath which TB caught and set down next to the seat. "AESHA, find me a ship on the run."
The computers on the ship suddenly started to tick and it quickly responded in AESHA's voice. "Custom Bremin ship found, speeds far exceeding the safe limit. Probability of subject is ninety two percent." A screen popped up on the computer showing the location of the Bremin ship in relation to the Redfish II and TB took the controls. The Redfish II's dual-engines lept to life, swooping down into the lower parts of the city as it began an interception coarse with the Bremin ship.
*****
Rocketing across the baseline of the city, Guendell was focused on piloting her ship through the weaving corridors of the lower city without hiting anything. Behind her, a troup of police ships were desperately trying to follow. One of them began to broadcast a warning to her over the radio saying, "Unidentified Bremin ship, cease engine functions immediatly and sur-" The transmission cut off as Guendell slammed a button to block it.
"Bite me," she snarled as she intensely guided her ship. Taking a sharp turn, Guendell was able to glide down a side-street. The police ships attempted to follow, but none were able to stay behind the maneuverable ship. Guendell smirked to herself and then pulled the ship skyward, hoping to make a hyper-jump off of the planet. Suddenly, a crimson streak flew right in front of her. Panicing, she pulled the ship downward, barely avoiding it. "Damnit, what was that?"
*****
The Redfish II swept up from the dive, right on the tail of the Bremin ship, TB casually at the controls as the Redfish II effortlessly managed the winding city corridors. "I would really advise stopping," TB projected over the radio. "I'm not like the police. I really prefer not to kill you because I get a lot less money that way."
"Yeah, well catch me if you can, cowboy," Guendell snickered back. At the base of her ship, a pair of guns suddenly swivled around, pointing backwards. Hitting the trigger, a volley of machine-gun fire shot back towards the Redfish II. The first couple shots came right at the ship, but were deflected by the shields, and then it gracefully swooped away from the incoming fire easily, even in the tight quarters of the city.
"I hate when people insist on making these things more difficult. It's very inconvenient for both of us, you know," TB casually said. Turning on the targetting computers, TB carefully took aim in the ship, even as it was shooting back at them. Patiently waiting for a few moments to get a perfect aim, TB pressed the trigger at the controls, shooting a pair of pulsating lazers at the Bremin ship. The shields collapsed on the small ship upon the projectile's impact. TB quickly took another shot with the lazers, this time hitting one of the four engines and the turret, destroying it.Guendell's ship shook violently upon the impact and she desperately did her best to keep from coliding with the buildings on both sides. As soon as she regained control, she snarled as she drastically pulled up on the controls, taking the Bremin ship straight up. The Redfish II flawlessly followed suit, trailing after the ship.
In desperation, Guendell suddenly began to initiate the hyper-drive. No proper coordinates set, she just wanted to get out of there. TB, however, eyed her actions suspiciously. "It appears she has activated the hyper-drive. Jump will initiate in six seconds. Should I continue firing, TB?"
"No, AESHA. Calculate where she's going and we'll just meet her when she gets there. I think I may be able to at least persuade her. Sub-Ether drive's okay, right?"
"Sub-Ether drive is perfectly operable and I have calculated her exit-point," AESHA confirmed.
*****
Guendell clenched the controls tightly as the computer counted down to the hyper-space jump. Any interferance would cause the ship to go horribly off coarse or even explode. If the ship behind her even thought of shooting at her, it would all be over. The police wouldn't even hesitate to fire, but she knew something about mercenaries: they care about the money. A dead bounty provides no money, and she was willing to risk that he would pick greed over justice. The computer droned on, and she waited to see if she had picked salvation or untimely death. "Hyper-space jump in five,"
"...four,"
"...three,"
"...two,"
"...one."
The engines kicked into a deep, rumbling mode as space began to compress around her. With a burst throwing Guendell back in her seat, the city rocketed away behind her, and all that was left was space, flying back in all directions. She had made it.
“I do not know what it means either. I had hoped you would know,” AESHA said, befuddled that TB didn’t understand a human concept and looking off of the balcony. It was several dozen stories above the dense structures below. Danatsu always had the most intriguing architecture, bulbous yet functional and the looming buildings around them blocked any view of the horizon. Between each building ran outdoor corridors on balconies and traffic of any variety of hovercraft could be seen whizzing between the towers. In the cleaner, inner cities above ground, bright and clean was a consistent theme among all their buildings, vehicles, and especially their coffee shops.
“You didn’t get this out of another magazine, did you AESHA? You have to learn you can’t trust mass media. Well, I suppose except for me and John Stuart, but that’s entirely beside the point,” TB explained, sitting calmly in the chair which he found quite comfortable. Being a plain old human, he found things like padded chairs to be desireable. And not just any old human, TB was an Earthling, very rare outside of the Solar System, and although he may have what many considered to be exotic origins, TB was anything but exotic. He was wearing the same basic outfit he had worn since his news casting days, a plain, white, button-up shirt and tie with a broken-in pair of comfortable slacks.
“But TB, these magazines have a very creditable staff. They have won many awards across the galaxy for their journalism accomplishments,” AESHA defended, with a sheepish and confused look on her face. She was in a form that appeared to be human, when in reality, it was just a hard-light hologram projected by a pink-haired toaster. She was an Artificial Empathy, an AI capable of feeling human emotions and one of only two known Artificial Empathies in the galaxy. And since the feeling she had been feeling most common was love for TB, she had selected a human form in the hopes of properly winning him over. Her slim body had no clothes, instead having a pink coloration with a swirling, dark-red pattern across her body, her striped face being the only skin-colored portion.
"I'm sure I've turned down more awards than any single person on that staff has ever accepted. You know, Newscast used to be the most-watched show on Earth for two years running." TB lounged back in his chair, reminding himself about his days of reporting the news. It all seemed so long ago when in fact, it had been only two years ago since he was the head anchor of Newscast. That was just before TB lost... her. "Alright, enough about the old days, why exactly are we here again? I know of several places here in Denatsu that has much better coffee than this place."
"I've been following the patterns of the target, and guaging her erratic and irrational behavior. This area provided to be the most likely location for her to strike next," AESHA explained. Since Newscast's cancelling two years ago, TB and AESHA had since moved on to a different vocation, one that was exciting as well as rewarding. After trying several things, TB settled with the adventurous life of a vigilante, tracking down criminals across the galaxy and bringing them to justice. Which brings us to why they were waiting at the coffee shop in the first place because at just that time, an explosion was heard only three blocks away from their current location.
*****
Guendell was not a resident of Denatsu although she had been there several times before. Instead she was a human from the planet Bremin, currently dressed in a tight, black body-suit, equipped with a variety of tools in a belt across her waist and a small pack on her back. She was swift and quiet in her movements as she seamlessly lept up through the tight labarynth of bars and pipes that constituted the framework beneath the city. Proud she had remained utterly undetected, she smiled as the sunlight began to shine through the metal above. The bomb she had planted in the Frantis Cybernetics Company was mere seconds away from detonation which gave her ample time to reach her ship to make a speedy get-away. The ship was parked atop a platform resting at the base of one of the towers and Guendell hit a button on a mechanism on her wrist as the cockpit opened and she jumped in. Quickly tapping the buttons on the control panel, she initiated the quad-engines on the ship and took off, speeding across the base of the city. Right behind her, the platform erupted in a fiery explosion, along with the Frantis Cybernetics Company.
*****
The impact resonated across the entire city and people began to erupt into confusion and panic. Across the table from TB, AESHA was beaming with a pleased grin. "You know, it seems horribly innapropriate that you're smiling when that explosion probably killed a lot of people," TB commented.
"I am happy because I was correct! I was incorrect the last four times and I was worried I was beginning to dissapoint you because probability said it would not occur here."
TB looked at AESHA inquisitively. "Didn't you say this was the most likely place for her to strike next?"
"I did, but that does not make it very probable. It was merely the MOST probable."
"Right. Well, it's time we got to work then. You have her ready?" AESHA nodded enthusiastically and TB nodded back. Getting up from his chair, TB quickly jogged to the balconies edge. Looking down, he saw his crimson ship, the Redfish II. Followed immediatly by AESHA, TB jumped off the edge of the ledge to land in the open cock-pit of the Redfish II. AESHA's form dissipated as she fell through the air, revealing the toaster beneath which TB caught and set down next to the seat. "AESHA, find me a ship on the run."
The computers on the ship suddenly started to tick and it quickly responded in AESHA's voice. "Custom Bremin ship found, speeds far exceeding the safe limit. Probability of subject is ninety two percent." A screen popped up on the computer showing the location of the Bremin ship in relation to the Redfish II and TB took the controls. The Redfish II's dual-engines lept to life, swooping down into the lower parts of the city as it began an interception coarse with the Bremin ship.
*****
Rocketing across the baseline of the city, Guendell was focused on piloting her ship through the weaving corridors of the lower city without hiting anything. Behind her, a troup of police ships were desperately trying to follow. One of them began to broadcast a warning to her over the radio saying, "Unidentified Bremin ship, cease engine functions immediatly and sur-" The transmission cut off as Guendell slammed a button to block it.
"Bite me," she snarled as she intensely guided her ship. Taking a sharp turn, Guendell was able to glide down a side-street. The police ships attempted to follow, but none were able to stay behind the maneuverable ship. Guendell smirked to herself and then pulled the ship skyward, hoping to make a hyper-jump off of the planet. Suddenly, a crimson streak flew right in front of her. Panicing, she pulled the ship downward, barely avoiding it. "Damnit, what was that?"
*****
The Redfish II swept up from the dive, right on the tail of the Bremin ship, TB casually at the controls as the Redfish II effortlessly managed the winding city corridors. "I would really advise stopping," TB projected over the radio. "I'm not like the police. I really prefer not to kill you because I get a lot less money that way."
"Yeah, well catch me if you can, cowboy," Guendell snickered back. At the base of her ship, a pair of guns suddenly swivled around, pointing backwards. Hitting the trigger, a volley of machine-gun fire shot back towards the Redfish II. The first couple shots came right at the ship, but were deflected by the shields, and then it gracefully swooped away from the incoming fire easily, even in the tight quarters of the city.
"I hate when people insist on making these things more difficult. It's very inconvenient for both of us, you know," TB casually said. Turning on the targetting computers, TB carefully took aim in the ship, even as it was shooting back at them. Patiently waiting for a few moments to get a perfect aim, TB pressed the trigger at the controls, shooting a pair of pulsating lazers at the Bremin ship. The shields collapsed on the small ship upon the projectile's impact. TB quickly took another shot with the lazers, this time hitting one of the four engines and the turret, destroying it.Guendell's ship shook violently upon the impact and she desperately did her best to keep from coliding with the buildings on both sides. As soon as she regained control, she snarled as she drastically pulled up on the controls, taking the Bremin ship straight up. The Redfish II flawlessly followed suit, trailing after the ship.
In desperation, Guendell suddenly began to initiate the hyper-drive. No proper coordinates set, she just wanted to get out of there. TB, however, eyed her actions suspiciously. "It appears she has activated the hyper-drive. Jump will initiate in six seconds. Should I continue firing, TB?"
"No, AESHA. Calculate where she's going and we'll just meet her when she gets there. I think I may be able to at least persuade her. Sub-Ether drive's okay, right?"
"Sub-Ether drive is perfectly operable and I have calculated her exit-point," AESHA confirmed.
*****
Guendell clenched the controls tightly as the computer counted down to the hyper-space jump. Any interferance would cause the ship to go horribly off coarse or even explode. If the ship behind her even thought of shooting at her, it would all be over. The police wouldn't even hesitate to fire, but she knew something about mercenaries: they care about the money. A dead bounty provides no money, and she was willing to risk that he would pick greed over justice. The computer droned on, and she waited to see if she had picked salvation or untimely death. "Hyper-space jump in five,"
"...four,"
"...three,"
"...two,"
"...one."
The engines kicked into a deep, rumbling mode as space began to compress around her. With a burst throwing Guendell back in her seat, the city rocketed away behind her, and all that was left was space, flying back in all directions. She had made it.