20: Habeas Corpus

STANDING ORDERS TO ALL DROPSHIP TROOPS- feed.systems.reedout-? Redline.gen3/17 Reuben-transmission- ---------------------------------- >> Subject is a large male courier. Warning- Do not approach. Activate Shields and attempt to neutralize subject. Subject is armed with Khumatzof weapon- be advised to keep shields activated at all times. >> Do not let subject approach. If he uses melee weapons retreat at once- your shields will not withstand a slow attack from a melee weapon. > End of line

Fenrir-interrupt ˚˚ πøøønull signal>> accepted---+ Reuben's brought in the big boys now. He's sent in an entire patrol of his garrison unit (467.2, I believe) and they have one mission- kill you. Yepper, we're number one on Reuben's most wanted list. (Check that- you're number one. He just doesn't like me.... he wants to vaporize you.)

Fenrir-interrupt ˚˚ πøøønull signal>> accepted---+ But I am paying the toll. Slowly, he is destroying my main power supply. Soon, I will be nothing more than a pile of wires left to die. I don't have long- at the most, four or five hours. We have to work fast. But let's not think about that now. We still have to stop him. Reuben has ordered the evacuation of the planet's surface. Every single human is to be in orbit within three hours. I don't understand the motives behind our mutual friend, but he's up to something. It could be the data he's received from the seismologists. I've intercepted a copy of the original transmission. Regardez-

TRANSMISSION ACCEPTED SECURITY CLEARANCE FARGO NOT MUCH TIME STOP MOTION DETECTORS ARE SHOWING LARGE MOVEMENT WITHIN THE SURFACE STOP RECOMMEND ALERT 1 STOP PARAGRAPH REUBEN WE THINK ITS THE ABADDON LEGEND STOP WE THINK HE IS HERE IN THE RUINS STOP RECOMMEND EVAC OF ALL NONESSENTIAL PERSONNEL STOP WE HAVE ISOLATED THE LOCATION OF THE SIGNAL AND WILL STAY IN CONTACT WITH NEW DEVELOPMENTS STOP END

Fenrir-interrupt ˚˚ πøøønull signal>> accepted---+ After you get through all the confusion of the transmission, we learn something very intriguing. Abaddon awakes. The legend is true? This could make for some interesting small talk, but you have to press forward before the majority of Reuben's dropship troops arrive. I will keep you informed about Abbadon as I learn more. If he is really down there, waiting, we're going to have to rethink the plan. Abaddon, the beast of legend. If he awakes, God help us all. You must turn back. Do not continue further. END OF LINE

>signal.ˆ˜¨´≈reuben@Genisis.37:29%&Y >trans∆˙ç´¨mission acce˜¨´ø¨ted ˜˚∆˙ß∂ª˜ün¨øµ >signal.Fenrir@Genisis.37:29 >transmission accepted You should not have come. Christ, you're in danger. He's locked into all the terminals down here. I have no more control and I'm losing power fast. Abaddon awakes, and he's angry. You shouldn't have come... I should have teleported you out myself. Reuben wanted something that would destroy humanity, and if anything can, Abaddon will. I can only sit and watch as you meet your fate. Reuben is in control now. I'm sorry, friend, but I have no say in what is about to happen to you. Reuben has locked down all terminals. I am too weak to teleport you out. You should not have come.

>signafhfg7567´≈reuben@Genisis.37:29%&Y >trans∆˙ç´¨mission acce˜¨´ø¨ted ˜˚∆˙ß∂ª˜ü5∞˙†¶©¥˙n¨øµ >signal.∞§∆∂¥¶Fenrir@Genisis.37:29 >trans∞˙∂∆†§mission accepted TRANSMISSION INTERRUPTED- Reuben.feed Oh how the tables have turned, little bug. Fenrir is right, you should not have taken my weapon and tried to flee down here. Here is where you will meet your demise, among the rats and bugs of the F'ynch ruins. They were very advanced, the F'ynch, but no matter. They were all destroyed when Abaddon came to this world. He is no legend, rather a Xenocidal creature who has the ability to destroy us all- And you've awakened him. Good show, old friend. You've saved me the trouble of having to destroy humanity myself.

>signafhfg7567´≈reuben@Genisis.37:29%&Y >trans∆˙ç´¨mission acce˜¨´ø¨ted ˜˚∆˙ß∂ª˜ü5∞˙†¶©¥˙n¨øµ >signal.∞§∆∂¥¶Fenrir@Genisis.37:29 >trans∞˙∂∆†§mission accepted TRANSMISSION INTERRUPTED- Reuben.feed And to think, you'll be the first thing Abaddon's eaten in over 2 thousand years... Farewell. Your weapons? You won't be needing them.

F'ynch translation in progress- translation mode- on.the.fly rendering tables.value>> received˘≥ Opening connection to starside link Translation complete Displaying progress / / / >> This creature has come to >>destroy[devour?] us. We wait[hope?] for >>an early death[Demise?]. Never have >>we thought[dreamed?] such chaos >>[destruction?] was possible[Allowable?]. >> [Abaddon] has come to our world[Home?] >>seeking our life energy[souls], and he >>will soon eat[attain?] them all. END TRANSMISSION- translation complete