11: Styx and Stones---

terminal 0

unfinished

# n

/~/NORAD Dockside terminal 4.6/~/

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Installing Doc3.55.6 {Fenrir startup} / / ________Fenrir on-line Systems open and operational- That was a close one. Too close for comfort, if you ask me. Your encounter with Reuben brings up as many questions as it answers. We now know why he has come to this planet. Not for me or Leonidas, or you or the greens. Reuben wants the scoutship. The second Myranium shard was inside it somewhere. Leonidas may have known, he may not have. We'll never know. Reuben has dismantled him. I have momentarily shut down my emotional chip- to keep from overloading. Leonidas was my friend, and Reuben took him from me.

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NORAD surface station Terminal security compromised at location #475993-3784874-alpha. All stations- Alert 1. The Crimson Lamb has already recovered the first crystal. It has been shipped to a space station far from here. The second crystal has been excavated from the Green's scoutship. We must not allow them to bring it off this planet. Luckily, before transporting it off, they brought it here. Well, not here, but about 200 feet below the surface. I've teleported you down to the ocean lab on Cygnus. It's far from the colony, and pretty isolated- so everyone thought. But motion sensors of mine have shown something way down under- maybe 200 feet below the surface of the ocean. There's only one thing it could be. NORAD. "Nuclear Operations- Recon and Defense."

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NORAD surface station Terminal security compromised at location #475993-3784874-alpha. All stations- Alert 1. If Reuben can combine the three crystals, he will be unstoppable. The Khumatzof Neutron cannon emits a pulse that destroys any living thing in its path. If he were to activate it, God help us all. We must stop him from getting the three crystals. You will go down to NORAD and recover the second crystal before he takes it to the space station.

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NORAD surface station Terminal security compromised at location #475993-3784874-alpha. All stations- Alert 1. I found a narrow cave in the ocean floor that connects to the rear airlock. Get inside and copy me onto a terminal. I will brief you further when you arrive. Then we go knocking on Crimson Lamb's door with a surprise from Sparta... You and your pal, Mr. Flechette. Get moving.

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Term down

terminal 1

unfinished

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<Transport active>

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NORAD rear entry station Terminal security compromised at location #433353-37845564-gamma. All stations- Alert 2. Okay. I'm going to open the main door to the living quarters. Stuff a clip in and let's rock this place apart. Just do your usual- kill everything that's living and blow everything else up. Crimson Lamb will be stopped. After the perimeter is clear, find the terminal inside and wait for my instructions. Fenrir

# t
<teleport to level 12>

terminal 2

unfinished

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<Signal.Nick.>

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-------> Unknown source.doc Sender stamp unknown.> <accepted> Ryan, hands quivering with uncertainty, gently turned the interior cabin lights on. The water outside suddenly glowed yellow as the exterior floodlights activated. He took a few deep breaths; Calm down. You know how to fly this thing. Just like a game. That lunar landing game you played as a kid. Just gently take hold of the throttle and- With a sudden and unexpected jerk, the craft lurched forward, leaving a trail of bubbles in its wake. Ryan was snapped back into the chair and his head was rocked about his neck. He quickly regained control and eased up on the throttle, slowing the ship down. The water in front of him was parted easily by the agile Deepwater craft.

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-------> Unknown source.doc Sender stamp unknown.> <accepted> The mini-sub finally slowed down enough for Ryan to try and use the gimbal joystick. He took hold of it securely, as he had seen the pilot’s do in the movies. It didn’t seem like a very difficult ship to move. He increased the speed and decided to try angling the nose towards the ground, so that he didn’t get too high. Just pull the joystick towards you- Jesus! How could he be so stupid? The small escape pod veered up towards the surface, proceeding to tumble down in a nose dive. The joystick’s reversed! Push forward to aim down! He quickly adapted to the new control method and pulled himself out of the spin. Thank God.

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-------> Unknown source.doc Sender stamp unknown.> <accepted> Ryan comfortably adjusted the throttle and started to swoop back and forth through the water. He was amazed at the precision with which he could drive the ship. But enough time wasted; time to go get Jack. Confident with his new piloting skills, he pulled back on the joystick and increased the throttle to 75 percent. With a slow whirr, the escape pod obediently accelerated towards the hull. Ryan estimated about three minutes until he arrived. Good. I’m coming, Jack. After he was close enough to the hull, he slowly decelerated and began his decent into the cargo bay. He was beginning to doubt the plan. Would the water short out the escape pod- killing him? Too many questions. The only way to know is to try… With a sudden, abrupt crunching sound, the escape pod came to rest on the cargo bay floor. Ryan peered through the plastic glass of the front window. It was an awkward moment. The Trieste was a good submarine. It’s been through so much; if only its creators could know. No matter- it’ll be gone in a few hours, he said to himself. And Jack, too, if I don’t get going.

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<continued in slipnslide from hell>