@ Gordon AI: Trance's "I've explained this to you over 2,000 times" line
has its bases back in chapter 20 when she told Harper how many times she's
tried to fix the past and failed.
Echoes of future past, part 26
Ryan slowly brought the Maru towards the World Ship, using the manoeuvring thrusters and its inerter to guide it towards the cavern on the planet containing the Point Singularity Projector. Dylan looked out of the window, "I'd forgotten how big this thing is!" Ryan looked at the navigation console, "Well, take a good look, because next time you see it it'll be going past at high speed."
The Maru rocked slightly as it started its decent into the cavern. The external lights where set low, belay eliminating the near wall as the cargo ship fell. At the 10-km mark, Ryan fired the retros again, and the Maru came to a gentle stop on the cavern floor. Tyr brought the active sensors on-line long enough for one quick sweep, "Ok, looks clear. I think I've found the path that leads to the PSP." Trance looked at the screen, "Yes that's the one. We should hurry: it wont be long before the Spirit of the Abyss sends the Magog after us." Tyr looked at her, "It doesn't even know we're here." Trance looked him in the eye, "Believe me, it knows."
The five of them started to make their way along the passageways, Rommie in the lead, then Trance, Ryan carrying the free-vacuum energy generator, then Dylan, with Try bringing up the rear. The rock floor of the passage way threatened to trip them up with every step, and the ever present danger of a Magog attack kept them all on edge.
When the attack finally came it was vicious, but surprisingly short: two- dozen Magog came at them when they reached a fork in the path, but quickly died under their guns. The attacks continued: always fast and hard, but never large enough to overwhelm them. Dylan turned to Trance after one such fight, "It's toying with us, isn't it?" Trance nodded, "You have to understand, the Spirit of the Abyss is a being of pure Evil: it gains pleaser and strength from the suffering of others. It will push us to breaking point, but never beyond. Not until we are face to face with it."
Dylan looked at the next fork in the road, "To the left is the PSP, to the right, the Spirit of the Abyss. Don't ask me how I know, I just know." Turning round to see the other looking at him, he swallowed hard, "I have to face him." Trance nodded, "I'll go with you." Rommie stepped forward, "HELL NO! If anyone's going with him, it's me." Dylan rested his hands on her shoulders, "I need you to get the bomb to the PSP." Rommie looked up at him, fear in her eyes "I'm not leaving you, not like this." Dylan smiled slightly, "Where I am going, you can not follow: This is something I have to do, something you can't help me with." Tires started to role down Rommie's Cheek, "I don't want to loose you." Dylan leaned down and kissed her, "Your not going to, I promise." He turned to Try; "We'll see you back at the ship." The Nietzschean nodded, "We'll be waiting."
TBC
Echoes of future past, part 26
Ryan slowly brought the Maru towards the World Ship, using the manoeuvring thrusters and its inerter to guide it towards the cavern on the planet containing the Point Singularity Projector. Dylan looked out of the window, "I'd forgotten how big this thing is!" Ryan looked at the navigation console, "Well, take a good look, because next time you see it it'll be going past at high speed."
The Maru rocked slightly as it started its decent into the cavern. The external lights where set low, belay eliminating the near wall as the cargo ship fell. At the 10-km mark, Ryan fired the retros again, and the Maru came to a gentle stop on the cavern floor. Tyr brought the active sensors on-line long enough for one quick sweep, "Ok, looks clear. I think I've found the path that leads to the PSP." Trance looked at the screen, "Yes that's the one. We should hurry: it wont be long before the Spirit of the Abyss sends the Magog after us." Tyr looked at her, "It doesn't even know we're here." Trance looked him in the eye, "Believe me, it knows."
The five of them started to make their way along the passageways, Rommie in the lead, then Trance, Ryan carrying the free-vacuum energy generator, then Dylan, with Try bringing up the rear. The rock floor of the passage way threatened to trip them up with every step, and the ever present danger of a Magog attack kept them all on edge.
When the attack finally came it was vicious, but surprisingly short: two- dozen Magog came at them when they reached a fork in the path, but quickly died under their guns. The attacks continued: always fast and hard, but never large enough to overwhelm them. Dylan turned to Trance after one such fight, "It's toying with us, isn't it?" Trance nodded, "You have to understand, the Spirit of the Abyss is a being of pure Evil: it gains pleaser and strength from the suffering of others. It will push us to breaking point, but never beyond. Not until we are face to face with it."
Dylan looked at the next fork in the road, "To the left is the PSP, to the right, the Spirit of the Abyss. Don't ask me how I know, I just know." Turning round to see the other looking at him, he swallowed hard, "I have to face him." Trance nodded, "I'll go with you." Rommie stepped forward, "HELL NO! If anyone's going with him, it's me." Dylan rested his hands on her shoulders, "I need you to get the bomb to the PSP." Rommie looked up at him, fear in her eyes "I'm not leaving you, not like this." Dylan smiled slightly, "Where I am going, you can not follow: This is something I have to do, something you can't help me with." Tires started to role down Rommie's Cheek, "I don't want to loose you." Dylan leaned down and kissed her, "Your not going to, I promise." He turned to Try; "We'll see you back at the ship." The Nietzschean nodded, "We'll be waiting."
TBC
