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Crimson Aria (Arpeggio of Blue Steel)

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    • Remember how I said this update wouldn't take long? I lied.


    -----

    Richardson nibbled at his energy bar as he watched the smaller resupply ship tend to Augusta. mechanical arms arced over the Heavy Cruiser's hull, sparks flying whenever they stopped to patch a spot of damage or reattach a missing weapons mount. Other linkages bobbed and shuttered as munitions and other expendables were transferred between the supply vessel and the warship, preparing it to once again sail into battle.

    Richardson had seen the cruiser undergo several such refits over the last three days, having little else to do on the deserted island but watch the Fog ships go about their business. While most people had always assumed that the Fog Fleet had supporting elements, nobody had ever found proof of them. A few people had, not unreasonably, suggested that since the ships were made of nano-materials that they just turned into supply ships when they needed them. A few suggested that they just converted surrounding material into whatever they needed on-the-fly - a sort of nautical grey goo.

    "Enjoying the show?" Richardson turned to see Augusta walking up the beach towards him, stopping just next to him as she watched her hull being refurbished. "I am fairly certain you are the first human to ever see our refit process this close you know."

    "I'm just wondering why you need a supply ship." Richardson asked. "I thought the nano materials were fairly versatile. Why not just resupply yourself?"

    "Because I don't know how." Augusta replied simply. "My core is occupied by combat and operations protocols. I don't have room for anything more advanced then basic damage control routines. Fabricating a thanatonium torpedeo isn't exactly simple."

    "But the supply ship does?"

    "Among other things." Augusta explained. "Our resupply vessels can process a wide vareity of materials and produce most of the Fleets inventory. They ensure the combat vessels stay provisioned."

    "Must use a lot of power." Richardson guessed.

    "The on-board fusion plants can utilize oceanic hydrogen readily enough. The only ships with greater power or processing power are likely larger Battleships - industrial processes monopolize their core though, so I don't think they can support models..." she turned to see Richardson staring at her. "What is it?"

    "Did you just say," Richardson said slowly, "That your supply ships use fusion powerplants?"

    "Indeed." Augusta replied. "Dual Deuterium reaction. Filtering the fuel from the ocean is simple enough, and it's sufficient to meet our needs. Though I think these forms also use some form of solar power. Why do you ask?"

    "Oh, no reason." Richardson replied. "Just that humans have been trying to get fusion power like that to work for years. If humans could get just a part of that technology, it would revolutionize power production."

    "I see..." Augusta studied Richardson for a moment before turning her gaze back to her own hull. "Would many of our systems be as valuable to your people?"

    "Energy shields, nano-materials, quantum computing technology - if thats what it is - you name it. pretty much everything you have is valuable to us."

    "Which is why you can't have it." Augusta and Richardson turned to see Dakota approaching them. "Do you know why either of us are stil alive, human? Because my kind were better armed and your kind were more clever."

    "Clever?" Richardson echoed.

    "Tell me," Dakota started. "Why do you think we have Mental Models?"

    "To try and learn tactics." Richardson replied. "Augusta explained it to me."

    "Then you realize what would have happened if humans had our tech." Dakota replied. "I don't intend on helping you wipe out the Fleet."

    "You're assuming only one of us can survive." Richardson said. "Do I really seem like someone who wold just kill all of you?"

    "You?" Dakota arched an eyebrow. "No. But I have studied the history of your people well enough. You wipe out other human if they are different enough - I can't imagine you being particularly welcoming to non-humans. The point is moot anyway." Dakota continued past them, further down the beach toward the supply ship.

    "Why's it moot?"

    Dakota paused and turned back to him. "Because the Fleet has its order. And those orders say you are the enemy. Stay useful and you might stay alive a little longer."

    Richardson watched her disappear further down the beach. "Well, isn't she cuddly."

    "I would not suggest trying it." Augusta warned him. "Wichita tried it once. It was fortunate she didn't have to actually wait for all four of her limbs to heal properly."

    Richardson turned to her and raised an eyebrow. "I was joking."

    Augusta met his gaze with a small smile. "I wasn't."
     
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    • everyone who still thinks Dakota fell for a human (perhaps while ashore for on an 'intelligence' mission) raise your hand!

    *raises*
     
    *Falls on knees to worship Dragontrapper*

    I cry tears of joy at the sight of this update.
     
    Kind of hoping that there's a USS Montana in the FoF; we know that it has ships that were scrapped as well as ones that were sunk, so one that was canceled shortly before construction would have started isn't that much more of a stretch.
     
    I remember seeing this in SB, once, and then completely lost track of it. Glad I could find it again. And glader it's not dead.
     
    Snip 10
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    • alright, new plan - shorter snips, more regular posts - sound like a plan?
    ------

    All in all, Richardson decided, getting kidnapped was going swimmingly.


    Sure, he was almost certain that at least some of those very impressive high-energy weapon systems were trained on him most of the time, and all he had to eat was a few crates of protein bars from who-knows-where (the labels were all in, of all things, Japanese) and a bunch of fish blast fished via plasma fire that they assured him were non-toxic. He'd have to take their word on it. So far, none of the overly-colored fish had given him trouble. Still, at least the base's old solar still still worked.


    Aside from the food situation and the risk of horrible disintegration by pseudo-alien warships, this was actually going quite nicely. He had the beach all to himself, sapphire waters lapping against soft sands - even the cruiser sitting off shore was an enjoyable site, once you got used to it.


    Richardson looked back down at the small notebook he had dug out from his pant pocket, surprised to find it still dry. the page it was open to was now filled with various guesstimated measurements for the cruiser in front of him in his horrible handwriting. It would be interesting to see if there was any variance from the actual historical vessels, but eye-balling the numbers wouldn't really work for that. Still, it was something. He had already started taking an inventory of the weapon systems when he heard the sound of sand shifting behind him. "What's that?"


    "Augusta's measurements," Richardson replied idly. One thing work had prepared him for was multitasking - if he'd stopped working every time someone had asked him a question, he rather doubted he would have ever gotten any work done. "I wanted to compare them to what we have on record if I ever get out of this in once piece."


    "You lot have my measurements on file? I'm not sure if I'm flattered or embarrassed."


    Richardson finally looked up from his notes to see Augusta leaning over his shoulder, her eyes watching his face carefully. Richardson blinked owlishly for a moment before his brain finally kicked in. "GAH!!" Richardson reeled back, sand kicking into the air as he flailed for a moment. He recovered after a few seconds, just in time to catch Augusta dusting sand off of her cloak as she chuckled softly.


    "Really now," Augusta began, "ogling a poor defenseless girl like that? Tis' inappropriate."


    Richardson gaped for a few moments before he managed to put together any sort of coherent comeback. "Defenseless my foot! You have laser batteries!"


    "Are you suggesting I should use them?" As Augusta spoke, the soft whir and hum of high-energy weaponry coming on-line drifted across the water to where he sat in the sand.


    "No!" Richardson quickly answered, arms flailing as he waved her off. "I mean - gah!" Richardson finally just collapsed onto his back into the sand. "I thought normal woman were difficult enough..."


    "Lady troubles?" Augusta asked as she lowered herself to take a seat next to him.


    Richardson gave the Mental Model a sideways glance before dropping his head back down and sighing. "All thing's considered, it could be worse..."
     
  • Threadmarks
    • I like this. I like this a lot.

    Good plan too.

    I've only ever seen one other Blue Steel story on here, which is a real shame. So, since I had this idea bouncing around I thought I might as well see where it goes.
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    Is this from SV or SB? And which fic are you talking about?
     
    Dragontrapper said:
    Richardson looked back down at the small notebook he had dug out from his pant pocket, surprised to find it still dry. the page it was open to was now filled with various guesstimated measurements for the cruiser in front of him in his horrible handwriting.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...

    Only would this series have a man eyeballing measurements be for Length, Beam and Draft and not Bust, Waist and Hips...

    especially when they are eying a lady...
     
    00Zy99 said:
    Is this from SV or SB? And which fic are you talking about?
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    That was from SB - I jumped over here when SB stopped working and stayed because HalkO moved here. The story was...not sure what it was called. all I remember was that it involved an Ace Fighter Pilot for a MC and had the Fog Fleet shelling LA since the city had flooded and thus was 'in their territory' - That was as far as I got.
     
    I don't like that one much. Just rubs me wrong. And the MC's name is stupid.
     
    Dragontrapper said:
    That was from SB - I jumped over here when SB stopped working and stayed because HalkO moved here. The story was...not sure what it was called. all I remember was that it involved an Ace Fighter Pilot for a MC and had the Fog Fleet shelling LA since the city had flooded and thus was 'in their territory' - That was as far as I got.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    I know which one it is, I think, but can't recall the name ATM.
     
    Dragontrapper said:
    That was from SB - I jumped over here when SB stopped working and stayed because HalkO moved here. The story was...not sure what it was called. all I remember was that it involved an Ace Fighter Pilot for a MC and had the Fog Fleet shelling LA since the city had flooded and thus was 'in their territory' - That was as far as I got.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    Found it.
     
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