Chapter 7 : Quarantine zone
The Scarran dreadnaught limped into it's home system, making all manner of highly unsafe noises and spurting all kinds and colours of noxious gasses from the engineering sections. A repair dock had been made ready, in deference to the fact the ship would soon explode without it, and the base Commandant and head scientist had arrived with a ten-strong bodyguard squad, in deference to the fact that the prisoners had already killed much of the dreadnaught's admittedly small infantry detachment. A space tug towed the Harbringer to a secure landing bay, and maintenance machinery and personnel of all descriptions swarmed towards the crippled ship.
As soon as a docking tube had been attached, the dreadnaught Captain limped out onto the base entranceway to greet his Commandant, supported by his comm officer. The Commandant saw him arrive and moved towards the Captain, sensing something wasn't quite right with his most accomplished Captain. When he saw the extent of the Captain's injuries he gasped in surprise. These prisoners must be powerful indeed to have been able to inflict such injuries on a Scarran! It is a pity indeed that I can't interview them before the scientists get their grubby hands on them, he mused, because I would really like to know more about them. Oh well, he decided, orders from High Command say the scientists in this benighted hole get them for their project, and even I can't refuse them.
:The Captain hobbled up to him and saluted. "I br...bring you two experimental s...subjects" he gasped. He forced the pain down and continued "There were four, but two d...died from stunb...olt overload. These t...two slaughtered most of my infantry detachment and crippled my ship before th...they could be subdued. My pe...people bring them out n...now" he finished, pointing towards where a team of medical staff brought out Harrigan and Mary, tied to stretchers and heavily tranquilised. The head scientist beckoned four of his own orderlies over, who took the two stretchers off to separate project teams. "Get along to sick bay and get you injuries seen to properly" he ordered. Although the medics I've got here, he added in the privacy of his own thoughts, haven't seen real battle injuries for at least ten cycles. When they see the mess that the Captain's leg is in, they'll probably throw up all over the operating room floor.
The Commandant trudged off back to his office to make his report to High Command. Shutting and locking the door, he activated the comm terminal and slid his hand into the genetic ID unit. Satisfied that it was indeed the base Commandant making the call, the comm unit put him through to his immediate superiors in the military-science division of the Scarran High Command. "Well, then?" his superior growled with barely concealed irritation "Have you found any subjects for the next phase of the project?"
Stupid strutting popinjay! the Commandant raged. Straight out of officer's training school and into a life of privilege in science division! You haven't faced a Peacekeeper command carrier battle group before, and certainly not a Nebari standard host vessel, or even a Luxan war cruiser or any of the innumerable battle craft of the other space-travelling races, have you, you stupid frelling bitch!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------- And this is the calibre of people in High Command these days! But what he actually said was "Just this very microt, in fact, suitable subjects were delivered to me. After they have been through quarantine procedures; as specified in Precept 365, section 78, subclause 14, I believe; the live trial off the two most successful options for Bio-Research Project 12 can proceed". The female Commandant on the other end immediately pounced on that. "Why only two?!" she howled "I would have thought you could have grabbed at least six by this time!". By now he'd had enough of this know- nothing lunatic "Because..." he hissed "Those miserable excuses for soldiers you people saw fit to transfer here were so incompetent that half of this group of prisoners were killed during capture, and the remaining two turned the only company assigned to my best dreadnaught Captain into stinking offal! If we'd had even one squad of special operations troops, or even ten or twelve Deadheads, we'd have had all four of them alive and intact in my hands right now! As it is, we only have two, my Captain lost his right arm and possibly his left leg as well, plus we now have to drain the resources of the maintenance division to repair the dreadnaught that those same prisoners managed to half-smash before getting here!"
"Quiet!" barked the female Commandant "It is just this kind of impertinence that got you banished to a backwater base in the first place! Your previous combat record made sure that you were sent to a military research base instead of a penal colony! I'll see to it that more troops are sent to you immediately, but you'd better get positive results, or..."
"Or what?!" the gammak base Commandant barked back "Staff officers are thicker on the ground than rats, whereas skilled combat officers are rarer than brave Sebaceans. High Command can't get rid of me for this, you know that! With the upcoming war against the Sebaceans, I'll be needed on the front lines commanding a battlegroup. The only way you'll get the..". The female Commandant cut him off with "Just get on with it! Command, out!" and cut off the call.
"Stupid frelling rear-echelon know-nothing FRELLING NUTCASES!!" he yelled. His first officer heard the outburst and stuck her head through the door. "Sir?" she asked "What's up?". "Those lunatics in high command!" he raged "They're so insulated from the real world in their nice cosy offices that they don't know what the hezmana is needed to get by any more! They think they can write half a dozen memos and the world will conform to their wishes! If any of them tried that with a Luxan, he'd laugh like hell and cut their heads off!". The first officer added "Which would solve the whole problem rather neatly, wouldn't you say sir?". The Captain laighed, breaking the tension. "Indeed it would, Captain!" he guffawed "But such a delightful occurrence will never happen, no matter how much we want it to. Unless the Disruptors find out where the next Command meeting is. Let's go down to the science wing and check out thoe new subjects" he finished, and led the two of them out of his office and down the main corridor.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------- Ten minutes and three elevator rides later, they arrived at Project nexus one. There were two nexi, each led by two competing scientists, their teams, and indentured assistants. Each of the two leading scientists had been in on Bio-Reasearch Project 12 from the beginning – and each of them were convinced that their way was the way to success. Mary was transported to Nexus two on the far side of the base – while Harrigan was presently going through a shorter but definitely non-regulation quarantine check inside the main containment section of Nexus one, right when the base Commandant and first officer strode up and knocked on the door.
"Open up!" he yelled. "Right now!". There was a muffled commotion as one of the leading scientists detached himself from his part of the bio-scan currently underway, and who then rushed to the airlock door and opened it before the Commandant kicked it in and smashed the remains over his head. After the disinfection cycle had been completed and the inner door had slid open, the head science officer escorted the Commandant and first officer to the observation window overlooking operating room one. Various machines were scanning Harrigan's now naked body, while his blood and other bodily fluids were being drawn off and tested periodically.
"Status?" the first officer asked "Isn't the quarantine procedure supposed to go for two more days before this phase of testing occurs?". The science officer turned towards her and replied "Normally, yes. At least with a species not yet known, anyway. But a preliminary low-level scan showed enough similarities to Sebacean genetic structure to make it worth our while bypassing most of the quarantine procedures, as there are already safeguards in place against any bacterial or viral outbreak of all known Sebacean diseases, conditions, and syndromes"
The Commandant sniggered "Plus it'll be a black mark on Team Two's record if you get started first, won't it?" and laughed along with his first officer. "How well you know the situation, sir" the science officer replied. "That's why I'm Commandant, because I know things like that" the Commandant stated "The politics of high command are much the same as science command in this case, Science Officer. Personally, I am in agreement that your way is more likely to succeed, from what little I understand of it when it was explained to me. Now just prove me right, and I'll see to it that the head of team two gets to go on a long spacewalk without a suit. Won't that be nice?"
"Indeed so, sir" the science officer laughed "If you'll excuse me, I have to get back to business" and turned to go back inside the lab. The first officer led her Commandant back outside and back to the elevator. "Do you really mean what you said back there, sir?" probed the first officer. The Commandant thought for a few seconds, then replied "Yes, I do. Before being sent here, the leader of team one was one of the most respected scientists in the entire bio-research section of Science Command. Unfortunately for him, he spoke his mind once too often in front of the wrong people. A Deadhead snatch squad grabbed him and brought him before a tribunal, where he was sentenced to life with hard labour for political unreliability. Thankfully, allies in high command were able to send him here, where he can be useful to the war effort – instead of rotting in a mine somewhere"
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------- While this discussuion was going on, automated emergency procedures checklists were being activated on boards the Harbringer. The computer had deduced that its crew were captured and its secrets were in danger of being stolen by an hostile power. So it had put in to action the first-stage emergency plan and activate its Intelligence-class padacc beacon. More sophisticated than the standard type, the computer had decided that the probability of success in this instance was 75% or higher, which was sufficient to prevent a purge of its databanks and activation of the auto- destruct device. Since no enemy personnel were actively attempting to dismantle it or otherwise investigate its capabilities, the ship considered this option the most likely way of being retrieved by Peacekeeper First Command.
Three weeken later, the distress beacon was picked up by a command carrier on the way back to first command for resupply and refit. The duty comm officer, straight out of training as Officer Leeuwin had been, didn't recognise the type of signal and summoned her superior officer. "Look at this, sir!" she exclaimed "Carrier signal, probably from a distress beacon, but I can't decrypt ot to find out its vessel of origin". However her superior did recognise that type of signal and summoned the ship's Intelligence Officer from her bunk. She was in a very grumpy mood, and made no attempt to hide it. "This had better be good!" she grumped "I've just come off a twelve-arn shift and need my rest". The chief comm officer immediately countered his superior's ire with "Take a look at what this trainee officer's found and see if you can still sleep, sir!".
She growled at the comm officer, but looked at the trainee. "Well, come on then?!" she insisted "Show me!". The trainee, clearly out of her depth, brought up the record of transmission. "Hmm...Do you know what this is, trainee?" she asked. "No, sir" replied the trainee. "It's a padacc beacon, trainee." the intelligence officer replied "But not a normal one. It's from an intelligence vessel of some type that has been captured by the enemy. It will broadcast for approximately half a cycle. If there's no response, it will instruct the vessel's computer to purge the databanks and activate the auto-destruct. Then it's goodbye to all that valuable data and a kilometra-wide crater wherever the ship was. Advise the Captain that I'm cutting this ship off from the group under my own authority, clearance Decca-6. We'll refit at an intelligence base on the way while the rest of the group returns to First Command. There, we'll pick up a Disruptor assault unit and then move to retrieve the vessel and any crew still alive"
The Captain was not pleased when he heard what the intelligence officer was doing, but knew that the intelligence officer had the full authority of First Command behind her actions. "Very well, I'll accede to your directives" he grumbled "Orders to proceed as normal to First Command will be dispatched to the rest of the group. Since I lack the clearance to know where the intelligence bases are, you will assume navigation duties and lay the course yourself. The crew will not like missing out on planet leave, but they'll have to lump it I suppose". The intelligence officer rplied "Yes sir. I expected that. The directives covering this contingency also state that the crew are entitled to full hazardous-duty pay for the duration of the retrieval. This starts now. Enter time and date for the log" she directed the ships's computer. "Noted. Hazardous-duty order noted. Intelligence officer to report to the navigation console to lay in the course" the computer responded.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------- The Captain gestured towards the door. "After you, then" he stated. The intelligence officer strode off to the bridge while the Captain dispatched his orders to proceed to First Command from the console in his stateroom. Then he threw his rumpled uniform down the laundry chute and climbed into bed. "At least I'll get some rest out of this debacle" he muttered. After locking the door, he drifted off to sleep.
The scene on the bridge was one of consternation. The intelligence officer quickly silenced the cries of "But we were getting shore leave!" and "I was looking forward to real earth under my feet" and many variations on these and other themes with a sharp "Button it!". When the bridge officers had quietened down, she proceeded to explain the situation. "The broadcast from an Intelligence-rated padacc beacon has reached us. We'll refit, resupply, and pickup some additional personnel at an intelligence base fairly close by. All personnel other than myself will be restricted to the ship for the duration of our stay there. No one leaves". She held up a hand to stifle the groans of the others. "Now it's not all bad. As of..." she looked at the wall chronometer "300 microts ago, the entire crew goes on hazardous-duty pay. I would suggest that as many crew as possible re- familiarise themselves with their sidearms. We should reach the stricken vessel with approximately one-eighth of a cycle remaining, if I read the signal right, and I want the crew ready for anything" she finished, stressing the 'anything'.
She ejected the nav officer from his console and laid in the new course, plus her clearance code. After confirming her ID, the ship changed course. "Estimated time of travel, 5.5 months at hetch 3" responded the computer. "Not enough" the intelligence officer responded. She turned to the helmsman. "All ahead flank!" she ordered. The computer responded with "Travel reduced to 3 months at hetch 5.5". "Much better" she reponded. "Everyone, you're all off duty until we get there. When we arrive insystem, only you will be permitted on the bridge for the approach to the base. Until then, we'll catch up on our training, and get what rest we can"
Back at the Scarran base, events at Nexus One were going well for the staff after a total of twelve weeken, though Harrigan didn't like it a bit. Apart from being held captive, he had been stretched, prodded, pinched and twisted until he'd gone nuts; several science staff and a couple of overly- complacent guards now had the fruits of this showing in the bruises on their faces. Guards were already trying to find inventively believeable excuses to avoid Nexus One, which suited Harrigan perfectly – he had enough problems already.
"Preliminary testing is now complete" stated the senior science officer "While your genotype does diverge from the Sebacean baseline in several respects, it shouldn't affect the results in any important way". Harrigan refrained from pointing out that he wasn't Sebacean at all – he'd tried before, and they either weren't interested or didn't believe him. The science officer reached for a large air hypo. This doesn't look good, Harrigan thought. His wary looks were noted, and the second science officer spoke up "The next phase of the project must be conducted with the subject under total anaesthesia" he explained "Those philistines at Team Two might not think that's necessary, but it won't do anyone any good if the subject dies-". Harrigan interrupted with "The 'subject' happens to be me, thank you very much!".
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------- After a "Yes, yes" the science officer continued with "If the subject here- "pointing at Harrigan "dies during transformation. Vital data must be collated during the transformative procedure. Additonal data to establish physical and mental tolerances and changes will be necessary after the transformation is complete. The procedures you have just undergone" he added "were so we could establish mental and physical baselines to compare post-transformation data against. You will be under anaesthesia for a total of –"tap, tap, tap went his fingers over a small keyboard "twelve more weeken. If everything goes as planned, you will emerge alive, well, and much improved". Though how long you'll stay that way, he added in the privacy of his own head, I haven't a clue. The chief science officer pressed the hypo to Harrigan's neck and he was out like a light. "Move, people!" the chief scientist ordered "We have three arns to get him in the tank, hook up the monitoring sensors, nutrient and waste removal feeds, and get the first lot of nanites in him before the anaesthesia wears off!" A scene of controlled chaos ensued as Harrigan's sedated body was lowered into a stasis tank so the transformation could occur safely. Previous attempts at Bio-Research Project 12 had established the need for secure and safe subject acommodation while the transformation occurred. Failure to do this had lost Team One one subject and Team Two three, before the tank was instituted for all subsequent experimentaion.
"Oxygen feed!" yelled one orderly. "Check!" came the reply. "Nutrient feed!" "Check!" "Waste removal!". After a swift "Yuck, absolutely disgusting" from one orderly, a swift "Check!" followed. "Good" muttered the sceince officer. "Diagnostic sensors!" "Check!"
Then the chief science officer for Team One approached with a large syringe, which he injected into the nutrient feed once its operation had been verified on the monitors. "First stage nanites injected on schedule" he stated for the record "Final stage nanites to be added in precisely seven weeken fron now" he finished, pressing a button on the console. This entered the exact time and date for the log and medical monitors, so the final phase could proceed on schedule. "All we need to do is monitor the automated readouts" the chief science officer stated with some satisfaction. They were several weeken ahead of those heathens in Team Two, whose overly-traditonal (some said lazy) outlook had slowed them down considerably. "I'll inject the final stage nanites in seven weeken, but all we really have left is to indulge ourselves in such recreational services as this festering pit provides for the next twelve weeken. Secure this lab and let's get out of here". They put away all the instruments, activated the security system, and rushed over to the canteen in the hope that something edible would be left after the dreanaught's crew had been in after their last retrieval mission. No success was reported, but no more was needed, the chief science officer thought, we've got it right this time, I know it!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------- An automated message awakened the Peacekeeper intelligence officer from a sound sleep. "Yes?" she mumbled. "We have entered target system, sir" the flat monotone of the computer responded "Three moons and one planet capable of supporting life". The intelligence officer came fully awake. "Set course for the moon closest to that planet, best safe speed. Alert the bridge crew". She quickly showered and pulled on a fresh uniform, then headed for the bridge.
The rest of the bridge officers were waiting for her when she arrived. "We now approach an intelligence division base" she briefed "Do not attempt to use the comm. Do not attempt to leave the ship without arranging a security clearance. The ship will be resupplied with best-quality foodstuffs and drink – this kind of mission is often dangerous, we almost certainly will face hostile enemies, so giving top-quality food is considered important in keeping the crew on-side". The gunnery officer chimed in with "And if the crew has just stuffed their guts full of rich food, they're less likely to talk, aren't they?". "Your excellent deductive reasoning in this instance will almost certainly ensure your swift promotion" the intelligence officer said ironically "I'll take the helm and guide us in. Except for approach control, no-one except the comm officer will have anything to do; but they always expect to see a full bridge crew"
She grasped the helm controls. She'd been out of practice in handling large craft, but the knowledge returned swiftly – how to give the rudders and manoevre jets just the right nudge to drift right up to the docking collar. The ship shook slightly as the auto-clamps of the docking collar locked on to the hull and clamped down. When the seal was complete, the intelligence Commandant strode up to the base end of the tube to wait for her to approach. She secured the helm station, and ordered the beidge crew to return to quarters. After locking the bridge, she strapped on her sidearm and a long dagger, grabbed the comm record that brought them here, and strode down to the docking tube. A number of crew were watching the base commander down the tube. "Good luck, sir" several wished "You'll need it. He looks a bit of a nutcase". "Stow that!" she ordered "Whatever your opinion of him, he is a superior officer, and you WILL treat him appropriately. Is that clear?!". After a much more subdued "Yes, sir" she proceeded down to the base end of the tube.
After stepping through, she sealed the tube and saluted the base Commandant. "We have not hosted a command carrier in our humble corner of the universe for several cycles" he stated "Might I ask what brings you here?". Diplomatic he may be, but this is clearly an order to explain myself. So she replied with "We detected and Intelligence-class padacc beacon. I assumed temporary command, and brought the ship here for resupply and to pick up a Disruptor assault unit for the actual retrieval of our stricken vessel". The Commandant took the proffered comm record and slotted it into a viewer his aide passed to him. After prusing the record, he nodded. Handing the record back, he added "You've done well. That beacon is on the prototype Harbringer-class vessel. The location of its broadcast matches that of a suspected Scarran gammak base, the exact purpose of which we've never been able to discover.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------- Every time we send anyone in there to have a look, they're either chased away or captured and never seen again. Your ship will be resupplied and when that's done, I'll send the best assault team we have with you on your mission. Good hunting" he concluded, and turned round to walk back to his duties. She immediately got on the comm to the security officer on her carrier. "Open the rear cargo bay doors" she ordered "Base resupply operations commence immediately. Get the cargo handlers ready". A blunt "Aye, sir" was the only response. She made her way to visiting officer's quarters, where she spent several arns catching up on the latest unclassified developments, possibilities, and wild gossip. This included several rumours on the Harbringer, but as the actual details of the program was very highly classified, nobody knew whether the ship actually existed (except the base commander and her, apparently).
At the Scarran base, the seven-weeken alarm had just sounded. All scientific personnel were watching the Nexus One team now – Nexus Two had botched it again. The chief science officer added the final phase nanites, reporting as he did so "Final phase nanites injected on schedule. Hmm..." he added, looking at one particular set of readouts "Nutrient and sedative consumption levels 20% higher than projected – perhaps some of the alterations have kicked in already..." He twisted a dial, increasing the nutrient flow. Then he secured the lab again. "Five more weeken, and we can view the fruits of our labour" he stated "After a further weeken to allow the subject's body to stabilise, the stress-testing can begin, and we'll find out just how far the new program can go". Then they all returned to their quarters or regular duties.
The resupply of the Peacekeeper command carrier had proceeded without incident. The Intelligence ground crew was well-trained, and had finished one whole solar day ahead of schedule. The base commander led her to meet the assault team leader. A heavily scarred and musclebound woman, she was experienced in all manner of military operations, and the other members of her team now lounging about the room with their weapons and gear were just like her in outlook and skills. "So you command this little jaunt" she stated gruffly on seeing the intelligence officer walk in. "Yes, Lieutenant, I do" she responded "A trainee comm officer aboard my carrier detected the beacon of what the base commander says is a Harbringer-class vessel. I assumed temporary command and headed here. We have eight weeken before the final stage measures activate the auto-destruct and deny us the vessel and its data. We have to get it back, and any crew who remain alive"
"And if no crew remain?" asked a sergeant. The intelligence officer responded with "Then we retrieve the Harbringer and leave, pronto. If we cannot retrieve it, we activate the auto-destruct. The Scarrans must not learn its secrets!" The assault leader mulled that over, and replied "That's a good mission. Saddle up, people!" she yelled "We got us a war to fight!"
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------- The assault team headed for the carrier at a dead run. Once the intelligence officer, who was the last to arrive, climbed through the air lock, the docking clamps let go and the helmsman brought the ship slowly out of the base. The assault team had bunked down in the bunkroom closet to the starboard flight bay, but had otherwise stayed away from the rest of the crew. When she arrived on the bridge, the trainee who detected the signal reported in. "Signal still coming in strong, sir" she reported "Still hasn't shwon any sign of interference. Time remaining : two weeken exactly".
"Trainee, attention to orders!" she boomed. The trainee immediately stood to attention. "By order of Commandant ------- , whose name is classified, you are hereby promoted to the rank of Superior Officer Third Class, for conduct above and beyond the call of duty". The trainee could barely believe her ears. Superior Officer! You normally have to wait at least five cycles before being eligible for that rank! "Our newly promoted comrade is evidently overcome with gratitude" the intelligence officer laughed. The stunned Superior Officer responded with a barely understandable "Yes, sir. Thank you, sir". "I suggest you get along to stores right away to get your insignia updated, Superior Officer" prompted the intelligence officer "Then you may wish to consider which branch of service you career will follow from hereon in. I'd recommend the intelligence service, naturally" she said, with a proud grin "but it's entirely up to you. There are experienced officers of all the major services on board who can advise you on what their service branch can offer". The new Superior Officer hurried out of the bridge and down to the nearest stores section for new insignia.
Three more weeken had passed. As more of the alterations kicked in, Harrigan's ability to neutralise the sedative increased, as did his consumption of nutrients. Several sections of the program had apparently melded together in some way, enhancing the effects beyond what was originally projected. Harrigan rocked back and forth in the tank, moaning and groaning. As many of the alterations had already run their course, he was at maximum physical size – he barely fitted inside the tank now, his enormous bulk pushing the limits of the available space. The internal alterations were slowly destroying the monitoring sensors and nutrient and waste feeds as well – they were considered invading enemies by Harrigan's newly enhanced body, and destroyed as such. This got to the stage a further three weeken later where the continuing diagnostic failure triggered an alarm in the chief science officer's quarters in the middle of the night. "What the hezmana is going on...Holy frelling cow!" he exclaimed, seeing which alarm had sounded. The main project lab! He immediately put on fresh uniform and lab coat and dashed out the door and along the currently deserted corridors and staircases. When he got there, about ten minutes later, he saw that Harrigan had completely woken up and was busily smashing the stasis tank into tiny pieces. He opened the door and pleaded "No! Stop that! You'll do yourself an injury!". Harrigan turned on hearing a voice he recognised. "You're the chief egghead round here, aren't you?" Harrigan asked. His voice was somewhat lower and harsher due to the fact that the alterations had warped his vocal chords, which surprised him. "Get me unhooked from all this crap. Now"
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------- The chief science officer hurried to obey. His mind was bursting with questions, but he knew that the subject would be in no mood to answer anything right now. After he had removed the last sensor patch he entered one more comment for the log. "Transformation phase concluded two weeken ahead of schedule. Full transformation is complete. Subject appears, on visual inspection, to be 100% healthy" he concluded, somehwat dazed. Harrigan added "100% hungry as well. Where can I get some food round here?". Harrigan looked around the room, his enhanced vision picking out things the science officer couldn't see in the dim light. "Doesn't seem to be any here" he finished grumpily. The science officer finally calmed down. "Before you start eating" he explained "You'd better have a look in the mirror. It's alomg one of these walls somewhere...". Harrigan pointed "Yes, over there" he replied "But where's the light switch?"
The science officer finally found the light switch, and flipped it on. "Aaaah!" replied Harrigan. His enhanced vision was more sensitive to light, but compensated more quickly. Shaking the stars from his eyes, he looked in the mirror. "I look like some giant black knight without a helmet, don't I?" he pondered out loud "No wonder things look different. I'm at least a foot taller". A chance for a quick body-scan! the science officer exulted. "Over here!" he called "Just step onto this pad here, and make sure your head is drectly under the matching one on the ceiling. Very good" he said happily as Harrigan complied. After a few seconds, as various beams flowed over Harrigan's body, the computer displayed the results on screen. The results were good, and the changes massive.
"Preliminary examination is as follows" the science officer stated, adding to the lab log again "Starting height : 25 hentae, starting weight : 9.75 units. Final height" he continued, craning his neck upwards "Well, 'frelling huge' is not exactly a good scientific notation, is it? We need to be more precise. Final height : 30.48 hentae, final weight ...". He almost couldn't believe the numbers the scanner was giving him. He ran a quick diagnostic check. Everything as normal. "Final weight : 49.5 units". He shut off the log, and turned towards Harrigan. "Well it appears your height has increased by approximately 20%..." Harrigan did a swift burst of mental arithmetic. 8 feet tall! "And weight by a staggering 5 times starting value. Considerable amounts of that will be bone bulk and density increases, plus muscle bulk and density enhancements as well..." he muttered under his breath. Harrigan piped in with "I can hear you very well, thank you very much. What's all that gobbledygook you're spouting? Care to translate it into real language?". The scientist continued with "...Plus newly added carapace weight...hmmm....oh, yes, of course!" he replied. "In practical terms, best guess would make you approximately five times heavier than you were when you arrived, due to the enhancements applied to you, and probably three times stronger" the scientist explained. Another burst of mental arfithmetic as Harrigan worked out how heavy he was now. Almost 1100 pounds! About as much as a small sports car!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------- Harrigan walked slowly up and down the lab, marvelling at his new body. After a couple of hundred microts, he turned to the scientist. "Enough of all this ego tripping. I'm hungry! You look a little under the weather too. Pity you don't have coffee here" Harrigan said regretfully. The scientist perked up "What is this 'coffee'?" he asked fumbling over the unfamiliar word.
Harrigan was eager to explain. "It's a drink from my home planet. Has some stimulant properties. Great for keeping you awake at nights. It's made from a bean that grows in some of the hotter parts of my world. Great stuff". The scientist mulled this over. "We have something similar. I don't know if you'll like it, though...". Harrigan added happily "Only one way to find out, isn't there?". The scientist laughed. "Indeed so!" he added "The empirical test! Try some and see what happens! The morning shift at the commissary should be on duty by now. What they'll say when they see you, I don't know..."
The scientist led the way down to the comissary, dodging several returning guard patrols. The subject does not appear to be any less dextrous, he pondered as Harrigan ducked into the shadows one more time, in fact he appears even more so than before! There's something about the way he moves that disturbs me slightly, he added in his head, though I can't for the life of me figure out why...
They arrived at the commissary shortly afterwards. Though staff could clearly be seen moving inside the door was locked. "We'll have to wait a microts or two" the scientist explained "Shift isn't ready, and the damn door's locked". Harrigan stepped forward "No problem, Sunny Jim!" he said "We'll see just how strong this door is..." and promptly threw his whole weight behind a punch aimed at the join of the two doors. Harrigan's enormous new strength smashed the lock to pieces, and sent the sad remains of the doors flying across the room. "That's what happens" Harrigan said happily, grinning "when you use cheap, sub-standard materials and useless, bargain basement hinges, and" he emphasised "thin, reedy doors. That was fun, that was. A little exercise is good for the appetite as well. Where's the food?" he boomed, asking anyone within hearing range. One duty chef, somewhat scared by Harrigan's size, which was huge even by Scarran standards, beckoned them over to him. "Here sir" he stuttered "What would sir like for breakfast?" Harrigan thought a while. "Everything" he replied "In big portions. Just keep bringing it over, I'll tell you when I've had enough. Oh, yes" he added "Plenty of that stimulant drink that the scientist here was telling me about"
Half an arn later, a procession of kitchen staff was being run off their feet trying to keep up with Harrigan's voracious appetite. One of them stopped by the scientist for short while between trips. "Will he always be like this?" he wailed "We'll need a special shift to keep up with him! Plus a resupply flight every eight weeken!". The scientist's brow wrinkled, as he thought about this new problem. "Shouldn't do this beyond tomorrow. He needs lots of energy today while his body settles down. By tomorrow he'll be eating the same as anyone else around here"
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------- Word of the kitchen situation percolated rapidly throughout the base. Many of the nearby personnel not on essential duties dropped in to see this new, huge, arrival. Soon, informal bets were being taken to see just how much he could get down him before he exploded. Harrigan was enjoying the whole situation immensely. His staggeringly huge gut had already lost one infantry officer two hundred krepna, which he'd have a hard time finding in a hurry.
The one remaining set of doors flew open. "Who the frell's this?" yelled the new arrival. The crowd parted to open a narrow alley between him and Harrigan's table. Harrigan turned to the scientist. "Who's Frankenstein's monster over there?" Harrigan asked with his mouth full. Swallowing, he continued "Doesn't he know it's rude to interrupt a man's meal?" The scientist almost choked on his drink. "While I don't quite understand your idiomatic speech, your intent was perfectly clear" he said "That's the head of Nexus Two, our rival on this project. A bit of a nutjob, really. Not open to new ideas. Overly hidebound and traditional, which isn't a good idea in a scientist. Probably why he got stuck here". The Nexus Two leader tapped his adversary on the chest. "What were you saying?" he ordered belligerently "Didn't sound too nice". Harrigan stepped in, adding "He's with me. We're just having breakfast. Go back to your table and finish yours, why don't you?" This only added to the opposing scientist's rage, who grabbed Harrigan by the shoulder and yelled in his face "Who the frell-"but got not further, because Harrigan had a notoriously short fuse when it came to (a) being interrupted while eating, (b) being yelled at in any way, and (c) anyone trying to shove him out of the way, and flipped out his arm casually. This resulted in the other scientist's nose being smashed into fragments, his neck snapping back, and his body flying at high speed across the canteen and out the door, not even hitting the ground until his head had left the commissary.
"Hmph" Harrigan muttered "Another helping of that meat dish , please, if there's any left". The chef stuck his head up from behind the counter-top. "Afraid not, sir" he responded "You ate the entire shift's supply. There'll be no more until tomorrow". Harrigan shrugged "Never mind. It was good, though. Pass on my compliments to the chef. Let's get out of here" he beckoned the scientist. "A bit late, whoever you are!" stated a new voice "I've just heard about this little episode with the ballistic scientist; plus the fact that you appear to have eaten the entire supply of my favourite breakfast! That at least demands an explanation!" The scientist whispered "The base Commandant!", then continued at normal volume with "The experimental subject, Commandant. The transformation concluded unexpectedly ahead of schedule at about two arns ago, sir. After a preliminary external scan, we came here. The subject had need of considerable energy to fuel the end of the transformation and stabilisation of his altered body – that's why there's no food left. He ate it all." The Commandant mulled over this new but not entirely unwelcome development.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------- "Very well" he said. The chefs will prepare more food for the other personnel and you" he ordered, pointing at Harrigan "are not to eat any of it!". Harrigan belched, and replied "That's quite alright, sir. I've had enough for now. Plus the exercise was good for me. I could do with sharpening up my other skills, though. Doesn't do to let them slide, not at all"
The Commandant looked at Harrigan, surprised. "If it's testing you request, then testing you shall have. An extensive physical testing regime was part of the program at this stage, was it not?" the Commandant enquired of the Nexus One leader. "Yes, sir" he replied. The Commandant sniggered nastily. "Full military assault course, then. We'll see how you take that. With live-fire for added flavour." He turned to Harrigan "How does that sound?". "Top stuff" Harrigan replied "Exercise is good for you. Live fire adds some fun to it, keeps you alert, stops you nodding off half way up a ladder or climbing rope" Harrigan looked around at some of the off-duty guards present "Looks like some of these sorry-looking gits could do with a little exercise as well". The guards looked around for a way out of this new problem.
There wasn't one. The Commandant laughed "Very good! A base-wide fitness test! You versus my entire garrison! Much fun to be had! Though not for you sorry lot. HA!" he finished. "We start tomorrow at dawn in the training arena. You have today to practice, ALL OF YOU!" he boomed, turning to leave for the officer's mess.
Harrigan was the target of some extremely nasty looks from some of the guards, which he only encouraged by grinning back in return. "Do you know what you've got yourself into?!" the scientist asked loudly, and proceeded to go into full detail of a standard Scarran military assault course. "Hmm..." said Harrigan when he'd finished "Harder that the ones I did back home, but not appreciably so. At least not with this new body. I'm getting to like it already. Pity that my neck aches, my back hurts, and my knees and elbows are twanging badly. Why's that, do you think?"
The scientist responded "Probably just recovery from the transformation. It should go by this evening. At least this will be a full test of your capabilities. We should go through them back in Nexus One.", standing up to leave. Harrigan followed, whispering so only the scientist could hear "And where my rivals tomorrow can't hear us, yes?" added Harrigan. "Exactly" replied the scientist "You catch on fast". "I'm not just a pretty face" declared Harrigan. "You're not even a pretty face, mate" said a passing female guard "But it'll be good to see some of those overblown egos out there eat humble pie tomorrow, oh yes" she finished, walking out of the door.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------- Next stop, base hospital. The science officer knocked on the door. An irritated doctor turned around after opening the door, ready to bawl out whoever was arriving at this revolting hour and ran straight across a giant wall of blackness. He looked up. No change. Further up. "Hello" grinned Harrigan "Came for my check-up". His eyes bugged out, and he collapsed in a boneless heap on the floor. "Oh, well, I am a doctor, after all" the scientist grumbled. "This way" he gestured towards a large machine.
"A non-invasive high-energy bioscanner. A prototype model; but since I doubt very much that we'll get a mediprobe through that carapace of yours, it's all we've got. Get in" he ordered. Harrigan got on the slab. The adjustment mechanism had to be wound out all the way before Harrigan's shoulders would fit inside, but it was managed eventually. They started up the scanning device. Nothing showed on-screen. "Have we started yet?" yelled out Harrigan from inside. "Maximum standard power" ordered the science officer to the controlling orderly. She turned up the power as high as was considered safe for Scarrans. A fuzzy glow appeared, but no detail. "Maxiumum emergency power on narrow beam!" he ordered. "But that's lethal!" the orderly exclaimed. The scientist turned around to re- educate this unknowing orderly. "He's already absorbing more energy than even the most accident-prone Scarran would get in a quarter-cycle – what more could it do to him?" he said rhetorically. The orderly shrugged and turned both control dials all the way up.
Slowly, a full three-dee image of Harrigan's insides began to form over the holotable. The orderly looked on in abject terror. "What the frell's that?" he exclaimed, clearly frightened at what he saw. The science officer walked around, looking at the scan from all angles. Finally, he saved the scan to a small vidchip, put it in his pocket, and erased the machine's memory. Then he pressed a button, re-extending the slab which Harrigan was on. "Thank God that's over!" he said, relieved "It really reeked in there. I'd swear that there was burning insulation in there at the end". "I'll explain when we get back" he finished, cutting Harrigan off "The program's classified anyway; most of the base isn't cleared to know the details". Soon they got back to Nexus One and locked the doors behind them.
"Ooooo kay" he muttered, inserting the chip in a holoprojector. The machine lit up, projecting a full, reasonably detailed image of Harrigan's internal organs, nerves, bones and muscles. Then he launched into a full, detailed lecture on what they saw. Half an arn later, Harrigan shook his head, thoroughly bewildered. "What does that all mean?" he asked. "Right, the short version" the scientist decided "The enhancements to your nervous system increase your reaction speed and agility, and should increase your ability to resist any nerve poisons that penetrate your carapace. The skeletal enhancements – well, that ought to be obvious. Muscle, the same. Your lungs have been altered to allow you to breathe atmospheres previously deadly to you – you can also hold your breath underwater for about four, maybe five, times longer than you did before. This works in conjunction with you enhanced and displaced heart to increase you physical endurance as well"
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------- "What about that bad smell?" Harrigan persisted. The scientist added "Oh , yes. Four of your senses have been enhanced as well, both in sensitivity, frequency range, and protection against over-stimulation. Except touch, because of your armoured skin. Like when you switched the light on, remember?" "Yes, I do" Harrigan replied. "That smell was probably scanner coils overlorading and burning out. In addition to its obvious defensive properties, your carapace" he explained, tapping Harrigan on the shoulder, blocks most forms of radiation. You shouldn't register on any sensors. We had to turn that scanner past safe limits to get this picture, and it still doesn't show everything"
"What about, well, calls of nature?" Harrigan added uneasily. "Ah, yes!" the scientist laughed "The room you require is behind that door" He pointed at the right door. "Find out for yourself" Harrigan did so. "That's that taken care of. What about clothes. I'd feel better with at least some combat trousers." An assistant fetched the largest size available, which barely had enough room to fit him. "Get some rest"suggested the scientist "You'll need it"
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------
The Scarran dreadnaught limped into it's home system, making all manner of highly unsafe noises and spurting all kinds and colours of noxious gasses from the engineering sections. A repair dock had been made ready, in deference to the fact the ship would soon explode without it, and the base Commandant and head scientist had arrived with a ten-strong bodyguard squad, in deference to the fact that the prisoners had already killed much of the dreadnaught's admittedly small infantry detachment. A space tug towed the Harbringer to a secure landing bay, and maintenance machinery and personnel of all descriptions swarmed towards the crippled ship.
As soon as a docking tube had been attached, the dreadnaught Captain limped out onto the base entranceway to greet his Commandant, supported by his comm officer. The Commandant saw him arrive and moved towards the Captain, sensing something wasn't quite right with his most accomplished Captain. When he saw the extent of the Captain's injuries he gasped in surprise. These prisoners must be powerful indeed to have been able to inflict such injuries on a Scarran! It is a pity indeed that I can't interview them before the scientists get their grubby hands on them, he mused, because I would really like to know more about them. Oh well, he decided, orders from High Command say the scientists in this benighted hole get them for their project, and even I can't refuse them.
:The Captain hobbled up to him and saluted. "I br...bring you two experimental s...subjects" he gasped. He forced the pain down and continued "There were four, but two d...died from stunb...olt overload. These t...two slaughtered most of my infantry detachment and crippled my ship before th...they could be subdued. My pe...people bring them out n...now" he finished, pointing towards where a team of medical staff brought out Harrigan and Mary, tied to stretchers and heavily tranquilised. The head scientist beckoned four of his own orderlies over, who took the two stretchers off to separate project teams. "Get along to sick bay and get you injuries seen to properly" he ordered. Although the medics I've got here, he added in the privacy of his own thoughts, haven't seen real battle injuries for at least ten cycles. When they see the mess that the Captain's leg is in, they'll probably throw up all over the operating room floor.
The Commandant trudged off back to his office to make his report to High Command. Shutting and locking the door, he activated the comm terminal and slid his hand into the genetic ID unit. Satisfied that it was indeed the base Commandant making the call, the comm unit put him through to his immediate superiors in the military-science division of the Scarran High Command. "Well, then?" his superior growled with barely concealed irritation "Have you found any subjects for the next phase of the project?"
Stupid strutting popinjay! the Commandant raged. Straight out of officer's training school and into a life of privilege in science division! You haven't faced a Peacekeeper command carrier battle group before, and certainly not a Nebari standard host vessel, or even a Luxan war cruiser or any of the innumerable battle craft of the other space-travelling races, have you, you stupid frelling bitch!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------- And this is the calibre of people in High Command these days! But what he actually said was "Just this very microt, in fact, suitable subjects were delivered to me. After they have been through quarantine procedures; as specified in Precept 365, section 78, subclause 14, I believe; the live trial off the two most successful options for Bio-Research Project 12 can proceed". The female Commandant on the other end immediately pounced on that. "Why only two?!" she howled "I would have thought you could have grabbed at least six by this time!". By now he'd had enough of this know- nothing lunatic "Because..." he hissed "Those miserable excuses for soldiers you people saw fit to transfer here were so incompetent that half of this group of prisoners were killed during capture, and the remaining two turned the only company assigned to my best dreadnaught Captain into stinking offal! If we'd had even one squad of special operations troops, or even ten or twelve Deadheads, we'd have had all four of them alive and intact in my hands right now! As it is, we only have two, my Captain lost his right arm and possibly his left leg as well, plus we now have to drain the resources of the maintenance division to repair the dreadnaught that those same prisoners managed to half-smash before getting here!"
"Quiet!" barked the female Commandant "It is just this kind of impertinence that got you banished to a backwater base in the first place! Your previous combat record made sure that you were sent to a military research base instead of a penal colony! I'll see to it that more troops are sent to you immediately, but you'd better get positive results, or..."
"Or what?!" the gammak base Commandant barked back "Staff officers are thicker on the ground than rats, whereas skilled combat officers are rarer than brave Sebaceans. High Command can't get rid of me for this, you know that! With the upcoming war against the Sebaceans, I'll be needed on the front lines commanding a battlegroup. The only way you'll get the..". The female Commandant cut him off with "Just get on with it! Command, out!" and cut off the call.
"Stupid frelling rear-echelon know-nothing FRELLING NUTCASES!!" he yelled. His first officer heard the outburst and stuck her head through the door. "Sir?" she asked "What's up?". "Those lunatics in high command!" he raged "They're so insulated from the real world in their nice cosy offices that they don't know what the hezmana is needed to get by any more! They think they can write half a dozen memos and the world will conform to their wishes! If any of them tried that with a Luxan, he'd laugh like hell and cut their heads off!". The first officer added "Which would solve the whole problem rather neatly, wouldn't you say sir?". The Captain laighed, breaking the tension. "Indeed it would, Captain!" he guffawed "But such a delightful occurrence will never happen, no matter how much we want it to. Unless the Disruptors find out where the next Command meeting is. Let's go down to the science wing and check out thoe new subjects" he finished, and led the two of them out of his office and down the main corridor.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------- Ten minutes and three elevator rides later, they arrived at Project nexus one. There were two nexi, each led by two competing scientists, their teams, and indentured assistants. Each of the two leading scientists had been in on Bio-Reasearch Project 12 from the beginning – and each of them were convinced that their way was the way to success. Mary was transported to Nexus two on the far side of the base – while Harrigan was presently going through a shorter but definitely non-regulation quarantine check inside the main containment section of Nexus one, right when the base Commandant and first officer strode up and knocked on the door.
"Open up!" he yelled. "Right now!". There was a muffled commotion as one of the leading scientists detached himself from his part of the bio-scan currently underway, and who then rushed to the airlock door and opened it before the Commandant kicked it in and smashed the remains over his head. After the disinfection cycle had been completed and the inner door had slid open, the head science officer escorted the Commandant and first officer to the observation window overlooking operating room one. Various machines were scanning Harrigan's now naked body, while his blood and other bodily fluids were being drawn off and tested periodically.
"Status?" the first officer asked "Isn't the quarantine procedure supposed to go for two more days before this phase of testing occurs?". The science officer turned towards her and replied "Normally, yes. At least with a species not yet known, anyway. But a preliminary low-level scan showed enough similarities to Sebacean genetic structure to make it worth our while bypassing most of the quarantine procedures, as there are already safeguards in place against any bacterial or viral outbreak of all known Sebacean diseases, conditions, and syndromes"
The Commandant sniggered "Plus it'll be a black mark on Team Two's record if you get started first, won't it?" and laughed along with his first officer. "How well you know the situation, sir" the science officer replied. "That's why I'm Commandant, because I know things like that" the Commandant stated "The politics of high command are much the same as science command in this case, Science Officer. Personally, I am in agreement that your way is more likely to succeed, from what little I understand of it when it was explained to me. Now just prove me right, and I'll see to it that the head of team two gets to go on a long spacewalk without a suit. Won't that be nice?"
"Indeed so, sir" the science officer laughed "If you'll excuse me, I have to get back to business" and turned to go back inside the lab. The first officer led her Commandant back outside and back to the elevator. "Do you really mean what you said back there, sir?" probed the first officer. The Commandant thought for a few seconds, then replied "Yes, I do. Before being sent here, the leader of team one was one of the most respected scientists in the entire bio-research section of Science Command. Unfortunately for him, he spoke his mind once too often in front of the wrong people. A Deadhead snatch squad grabbed him and brought him before a tribunal, where he was sentenced to life with hard labour for political unreliability. Thankfully, allies in high command were able to send him here, where he can be useful to the war effort – instead of rotting in a mine somewhere"
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------- While this discussuion was going on, automated emergency procedures checklists were being activated on boards the Harbringer. The computer had deduced that its crew were captured and its secrets were in danger of being stolen by an hostile power. So it had put in to action the first-stage emergency plan and activate its Intelligence-class padacc beacon. More sophisticated than the standard type, the computer had decided that the probability of success in this instance was 75% or higher, which was sufficient to prevent a purge of its databanks and activation of the auto- destruct device. Since no enemy personnel were actively attempting to dismantle it or otherwise investigate its capabilities, the ship considered this option the most likely way of being retrieved by Peacekeeper First Command.
Three weeken later, the distress beacon was picked up by a command carrier on the way back to first command for resupply and refit. The duty comm officer, straight out of training as Officer Leeuwin had been, didn't recognise the type of signal and summoned her superior officer. "Look at this, sir!" she exclaimed "Carrier signal, probably from a distress beacon, but I can't decrypt ot to find out its vessel of origin". However her superior did recognise that type of signal and summoned the ship's Intelligence Officer from her bunk. She was in a very grumpy mood, and made no attempt to hide it. "This had better be good!" she grumped "I've just come off a twelve-arn shift and need my rest". The chief comm officer immediately countered his superior's ire with "Take a look at what this trainee officer's found and see if you can still sleep, sir!".
She growled at the comm officer, but looked at the trainee. "Well, come on then?!" she insisted "Show me!". The trainee, clearly out of her depth, brought up the record of transmission. "Hmm...Do you know what this is, trainee?" she asked. "No, sir" replied the trainee. "It's a padacc beacon, trainee." the intelligence officer replied "But not a normal one. It's from an intelligence vessel of some type that has been captured by the enemy. It will broadcast for approximately half a cycle. If there's no response, it will instruct the vessel's computer to purge the databanks and activate the auto-destruct. Then it's goodbye to all that valuable data and a kilometra-wide crater wherever the ship was. Advise the Captain that I'm cutting this ship off from the group under my own authority, clearance Decca-6. We'll refit at an intelligence base on the way while the rest of the group returns to First Command. There, we'll pick up a Disruptor assault unit and then move to retrieve the vessel and any crew still alive"
The Captain was not pleased when he heard what the intelligence officer was doing, but knew that the intelligence officer had the full authority of First Command behind her actions. "Very well, I'll accede to your directives" he grumbled "Orders to proceed as normal to First Command will be dispatched to the rest of the group. Since I lack the clearance to know where the intelligence bases are, you will assume navigation duties and lay the course yourself. The crew will not like missing out on planet leave, but they'll have to lump it I suppose". The intelligence officer rplied "Yes sir. I expected that. The directives covering this contingency also state that the crew are entitled to full hazardous-duty pay for the duration of the retrieval. This starts now. Enter time and date for the log" she directed the ships's computer. "Noted. Hazardous-duty order noted. Intelligence officer to report to the navigation console to lay in the course" the computer responded.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------- The Captain gestured towards the door. "After you, then" he stated. The intelligence officer strode off to the bridge while the Captain dispatched his orders to proceed to First Command from the console in his stateroom. Then he threw his rumpled uniform down the laundry chute and climbed into bed. "At least I'll get some rest out of this debacle" he muttered. After locking the door, he drifted off to sleep.
The scene on the bridge was one of consternation. The intelligence officer quickly silenced the cries of "But we were getting shore leave!" and "I was looking forward to real earth under my feet" and many variations on these and other themes with a sharp "Button it!". When the bridge officers had quietened down, she proceeded to explain the situation. "The broadcast from an Intelligence-rated padacc beacon has reached us. We'll refit, resupply, and pickup some additional personnel at an intelligence base fairly close by. All personnel other than myself will be restricted to the ship for the duration of our stay there. No one leaves". She held up a hand to stifle the groans of the others. "Now it's not all bad. As of..." she looked at the wall chronometer "300 microts ago, the entire crew goes on hazardous-duty pay. I would suggest that as many crew as possible re- familiarise themselves with their sidearms. We should reach the stricken vessel with approximately one-eighth of a cycle remaining, if I read the signal right, and I want the crew ready for anything" she finished, stressing the 'anything'.
She ejected the nav officer from his console and laid in the new course, plus her clearance code. After confirming her ID, the ship changed course. "Estimated time of travel, 5.5 months at hetch 3" responded the computer. "Not enough" the intelligence officer responded. She turned to the helmsman. "All ahead flank!" she ordered. The computer responded with "Travel reduced to 3 months at hetch 5.5". "Much better" she reponded. "Everyone, you're all off duty until we get there. When we arrive insystem, only you will be permitted on the bridge for the approach to the base. Until then, we'll catch up on our training, and get what rest we can"
Back at the Scarran base, events at Nexus One were going well for the staff after a total of twelve weeken, though Harrigan didn't like it a bit. Apart from being held captive, he had been stretched, prodded, pinched and twisted until he'd gone nuts; several science staff and a couple of overly- complacent guards now had the fruits of this showing in the bruises on their faces. Guards were already trying to find inventively believeable excuses to avoid Nexus One, which suited Harrigan perfectly – he had enough problems already.
"Preliminary testing is now complete" stated the senior science officer "While your genotype does diverge from the Sebacean baseline in several respects, it shouldn't affect the results in any important way". Harrigan refrained from pointing out that he wasn't Sebacean at all – he'd tried before, and they either weren't interested or didn't believe him. The science officer reached for a large air hypo. This doesn't look good, Harrigan thought. His wary looks were noted, and the second science officer spoke up "The next phase of the project must be conducted with the subject under total anaesthesia" he explained "Those philistines at Team Two might not think that's necessary, but it won't do anyone any good if the subject dies-". Harrigan interrupted with "The 'subject' happens to be me, thank you very much!".
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------- After a "Yes, yes" the science officer continued with "If the subject here- "pointing at Harrigan "dies during transformation. Vital data must be collated during the transformative procedure. Additonal data to establish physical and mental tolerances and changes will be necessary after the transformation is complete. The procedures you have just undergone" he added "were so we could establish mental and physical baselines to compare post-transformation data against. You will be under anaesthesia for a total of –"tap, tap, tap went his fingers over a small keyboard "twelve more weeken. If everything goes as planned, you will emerge alive, well, and much improved". Though how long you'll stay that way, he added in the privacy of his own head, I haven't a clue. The chief science officer pressed the hypo to Harrigan's neck and he was out like a light. "Move, people!" the chief scientist ordered "We have three arns to get him in the tank, hook up the monitoring sensors, nutrient and waste removal feeds, and get the first lot of nanites in him before the anaesthesia wears off!" A scene of controlled chaos ensued as Harrigan's sedated body was lowered into a stasis tank so the transformation could occur safely. Previous attempts at Bio-Research Project 12 had established the need for secure and safe subject acommodation while the transformation occurred. Failure to do this had lost Team One one subject and Team Two three, before the tank was instituted for all subsequent experimentaion.
"Oxygen feed!" yelled one orderly. "Check!" came the reply. "Nutrient feed!" "Check!" "Waste removal!". After a swift "Yuck, absolutely disgusting" from one orderly, a swift "Check!" followed. "Good" muttered the sceince officer. "Diagnostic sensors!" "Check!"
Then the chief science officer for Team One approached with a large syringe, which he injected into the nutrient feed once its operation had been verified on the monitors. "First stage nanites injected on schedule" he stated for the record "Final stage nanites to be added in precisely seven weeken fron now" he finished, pressing a button on the console. This entered the exact time and date for the log and medical monitors, so the final phase could proceed on schedule. "All we need to do is monitor the automated readouts" the chief science officer stated with some satisfaction. They were several weeken ahead of those heathens in Team Two, whose overly-traditonal (some said lazy) outlook had slowed them down considerably. "I'll inject the final stage nanites in seven weeken, but all we really have left is to indulge ourselves in such recreational services as this festering pit provides for the next twelve weeken. Secure this lab and let's get out of here". They put away all the instruments, activated the security system, and rushed over to the canteen in the hope that something edible would be left after the dreanaught's crew had been in after their last retrieval mission. No success was reported, but no more was needed, the chief science officer thought, we've got it right this time, I know it!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------- An automated message awakened the Peacekeeper intelligence officer from a sound sleep. "Yes?" she mumbled. "We have entered target system, sir" the flat monotone of the computer responded "Three moons and one planet capable of supporting life". The intelligence officer came fully awake. "Set course for the moon closest to that planet, best safe speed. Alert the bridge crew". She quickly showered and pulled on a fresh uniform, then headed for the bridge.
The rest of the bridge officers were waiting for her when she arrived. "We now approach an intelligence division base" she briefed "Do not attempt to use the comm. Do not attempt to leave the ship without arranging a security clearance. The ship will be resupplied with best-quality foodstuffs and drink – this kind of mission is often dangerous, we almost certainly will face hostile enemies, so giving top-quality food is considered important in keeping the crew on-side". The gunnery officer chimed in with "And if the crew has just stuffed their guts full of rich food, they're less likely to talk, aren't they?". "Your excellent deductive reasoning in this instance will almost certainly ensure your swift promotion" the intelligence officer said ironically "I'll take the helm and guide us in. Except for approach control, no-one except the comm officer will have anything to do; but they always expect to see a full bridge crew"
She grasped the helm controls. She'd been out of practice in handling large craft, but the knowledge returned swiftly – how to give the rudders and manoevre jets just the right nudge to drift right up to the docking collar. The ship shook slightly as the auto-clamps of the docking collar locked on to the hull and clamped down. When the seal was complete, the intelligence Commandant strode up to the base end of the tube to wait for her to approach. She secured the helm station, and ordered the beidge crew to return to quarters. After locking the bridge, she strapped on her sidearm and a long dagger, grabbed the comm record that brought them here, and strode down to the docking tube. A number of crew were watching the base commander down the tube. "Good luck, sir" several wished "You'll need it. He looks a bit of a nutcase". "Stow that!" she ordered "Whatever your opinion of him, he is a superior officer, and you WILL treat him appropriately. Is that clear?!". After a much more subdued "Yes, sir" she proceeded down to the base end of the tube.
After stepping through, she sealed the tube and saluted the base Commandant. "We have not hosted a command carrier in our humble corner of the universe for several cycles" he stated "Might I ask what brings you here?". Diplomatic he may be, but this is clearly an order to explain myself. So she replied with "We detected and Intelligence-class padacc beacon. I assumed temporary command, and brought the ship here for resupply and to pick up a Disruptor assault unit for the actual retrieval of our stricken vessel". The Commandant took the proffered comm record and slotted it into a viewer his aide passed to him. After prusing the record, he nodded. Handing the record back, he added "You've done well. That beacon is on the prototype Harbringer-class vessel. The location of its broadcast matches that of a suspected Scarran gammak base, the exact purpose of which we've never been able to discover.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------- Every time we send anyone in there to have a look, they're either chased away or captured and never seen again. Your ship will be resupplied and when that's done, I'll send the best assault team we have with you on your mission. Good hunting" he concluded, and turned round to walk back to his duties. She immediately got on the comm to the security officer on her carrier. "Open the rear cargo bay doors" she ordered "Base resupply operations commence immediately. Get the cargo handlers ready". A blunt "Aye, sir" was the only response. She made her way to visiting officer's quarters, where she spent several arns catching up on the latest unclassified developments, possibilities, and wild gossip. This included several rumours on the Harbringer, but as the actual details of the program was very highly classified, nobody knew whether the ship actually existed (except the base commander and her, apparently).
At the Scarran base, the seven-weeken alarm had just sounded. All scientific personnel were watching the Nexus One team now – Nexus Two had botched it again. The chief science officer added the final phase nanites, reporting as he did so "Final phase nanites injected on schedule. Hmm..." he added, looking at one particular set of readouts "Nutrient and sedative consumption levels 20% higher than projected – perhaps some of the alterations have kicked in already..." He twisted a dial, increasing the nutrient flow. Then he secured the lab again. "Five more weeken, and we can view the fruits of our labour" he stated "After a further weeken to allow the subject's body to stabilise, the stress-testing can begin, and we'll find out just how far the new program can go". Then they all returned to their quarters or regular duties.
The resupply of the Peacekeeper command carrier had proceeded without incident. The Intelligence ground crew was well-trained, and had finished one whole solar day ahead of schedule. The base commander led her to meet the assault team leader. A heavily scarred and musclebound woman, she was experienced in all manner of military operations, and the other members of her team now lounging about the room with their weapons and gear were just like her in outlook and skills. "So you command this little jaunt" she stated gruffly on seeing the intelligence officer walk in. "Yes, Lieutenant, I do" she responded "A trainee comm officer aboard my carrier detected the beacon of what the base commander says is a Harbringer-class vessel. I assumed temporary command and headed here. We have eight weeken before the final stage measures activate the auto-destruct and deny us the vessel and its data. We have to get it back, and any crew who remain alive"
"And if no crew remain?" asked a sergeant. The intelligence officer responded with "Then we retrieve the Harbringer and leave, pronto. If we cannot retrieve it, we activate the auto-destruct. The Scarrans must not learn its secrets!" The assault leader mulled that over, and replied "That's a good mission. Saddle up, people!" she yelled "We got us a war to fight!"
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------- The assault team headed for the carrier at a dead run. Once the intelligence officer, who was the last to arrive, climbed through the air lock, the docking clamps let go and the helmsman brought the ship slowly out of the base. The assault team had bunked down in the bunkroom closet to the starboard flight bay, but had otherwise stayed away from the rest of the crew. When she arrived on the bridge, the trainee who detected the signal reported in. "Signal still coming in strong, sir" she reported "Still hasn't shwon any sign of interference. Time remaining : two weeken exactly".
"Trainee, attention to orders!" she boomed. The trainee immediately stood to attention. "By order of Commandant ------- , whose name is classified, you are hereby promoted to the rank of Superior Officer Third Class, for conduct above and beyond the call of duty". The trainee could barely believe her ears. Superior Officer! You normally have to wait at least five cycles before being eligible for that rank! "Our newly promoted comrade is evidently overcome with gratitude" the intelligence officer laughed. The stunned Superior Officer responded with a barely understandable "Yes, sir. Thank you, sir". "I suggest you get along to stores right away to get your insignia updated, Superior Officer" prompted the intelligence officer "Then you may wish to consider which branch of service you career will follow from hereon in. I'd recommend the intelligence service, naturally" she said, with a proud grin "but it's entirely up to you. There are experienced officers of all the major services on board who can advise you on what their service branch can offer". The new Superior Officer hurried out of the bridge and down to the nearest stores section for new insignia.
Three more weeken had passed. As more of the alterations kicked in, Harrigan's ability to neutralise the sedative increased, as did his consumption of nutrients. Several sections of the program had apparently melded together in some way, enhancing the effects beyond what was originally projected. Harrigan rocked back and forth in the tank, moaning and groaning. As many of the alterations had already run their course, he was at maximum physical size – he barely fitted inside the tank now, his enormous bulk pushing the limits of the available space. The internal alterations were slowly destroying the monitoring sensors and nutrient and waste feeds as well – they were considered invading enemies by Harrigan's newly enhanced body, and destroyed as such. This got to the stage a further three weeken later where the continuing diagnostic failure triggered an alarm in the chief science officer's quarters in the middle of the night. "What the hezmana is going on...Holy frelling cow!" he exclaimed, seeing which alarm had sounded. The main project lab! He immediately put on fresh uniform and lab coat and dashed out the door and along the currently deserted corridors and staircases. When he got there, about ten minutes later, he saw that Harrigan had completely woken up and was busily smashing the stasis tank into tiny pieces. He opened the door and pleaded "No! Stop that! You'll do yourself an injury!". Harrigan turned on hearing a voice he recognised. "You're the chief egghead round here, aren't you?" Harrigan asked. His voice was somewhat lower and harsher due to the fact that the alterations had warped his vocal chords, which surprised him. "Get me unhooked from all this crap. Now"
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------- The chief science officer hurried to obey. His mind was bursting with questions, but he knew that the subject would be in no mood to answer anything right now. After he had removed the last sensor patch he entered one more comment for the log. "Transformation phase concluded two weeken ahead of schedule. Full transformation is complete. Subject appears, on visual inspection, to be 100% healthy" he concluded, somehwat dazed. Harrigan added "100% hungry as well. Where can I get some food round here?". Harrigan looked around the room, his enhanced vision picking out things the science officer couldn't see in the dim light. "Doesn't seem to be any here" he finished grumpily. The science officer finally calmed down. "Before you start eating" he explained "You'd better have a look in the mirror. It's alomg one of these walls somewhere...". Harrigan pointed "Yes, over there" he replied "But where's the light switch?"
The science officer finally found the light switch, and flipped it on. "Aaaah!" replied Harrigan. His enhanced vision was more sensitive to light, but compensated more quickly. Shaking the stars from his eyes, he looked in the mirror. "I look like some giant black knight without a helmet, don't I?" he pondered out loud "No wonder things look different. I'm at least a foot taller". A chance for a quick body-scan! the science officer exulted. "Over here!" he called "Just step onto this pad here, and make sure your head is drectly under the matching one on the ceiling. Very good" he said happily as Harrigan complied. After a few seconds, as various beams flowed over Harrigan's body, the computer displayed the results on screen. The results were good, and the changes massive.
"Preliminary examination is as follows" the science officer stated, adding to the lab log again "Starting height : 25 hentae, starting weight : 9.75 units. Final height" he continued, craning his neck upwards "Well, 'frelling huge' is not exactly a good scientific notation, is it? We need to be more precise. Final height : 30.48 hentae, final weight ...". He almost couldn't believe the numbers the scanner was giving him. He ran a quick diagnostic check. Everything as normal. "Final weight : 49.5 units". He shut off the log, and turned towards Harrigan. "Well it appears your height has increased by approximately 20%..." Harrigan did a swift burst of mental arithmetic. 8 feet tall! "And weight by a staggering 5 times starting value. Considerable amounts of that will be bone bulk and density increases, plus muscle bulk and density enhancements as well..." he muttered under his breath. Harrigan piped in with "I can hear you very well, thank you very much. What's all that gobbledygook you're spouting? Care to translate it into real language?". The scientist continued with "...Plus newly added carapace weight...hmmm....oh, yes, of course!" he replied. "In practical terms, best guess would make you approximately five times heavier than you were when you arrived, due to the enhancements applied to you, and probably three times stronger" the scientist explained. Another burst of mental arfithmetic as Harrigan worked out how heavy he was now. Almost 1100 pounds! About as much as a small sports car!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------- Harrigan walked slowly up and down the lab, marvelling at his new body. After a couple of hundred microts, he turned to the scientist. "Enough of all this ego tripping. I'm hungry! You look a little under the weather too. Pity you don't have coffee here" Harrigan said regretfully. The scientist perked up "What is this 'coffee'?" he asked fumbling over the unfamiliar word.
Harrigan was eager to explain. "It's a drink from my home planet. Has some stimulant properties. Great for keeping you awake at nights. It's made from a bean that grows in some of the hotter parts of my world. Great stuff". The scientist mulled this over. "We have something similar. I don't know if you'll like it, though...". Harrigan added happily "Only one way to find out, isn't there?". The scientist laughed. "Indeed so!" he added "The empirical test! Try some and see what happens! The morning shift at the commissary should be on duty by now. What they'll say when they see you, I don't know..."
The scientist led the way down to the comissary, dodging several returning guard patrols. The subject does not appear to be any less dextrous, he pondered as Harrigan ducked into the shadows one more time, in fact he appears even more so than before! There's something about the way he moves that disturbs me slightly, he added in his head, though I can't for the life of me figure out why...
They arrived at the commissary shortly afterwards. Though staff could clearly be seen moving inside the door was locked. "We'll have to wait a microts or two" the scientist explained "Shift isn't ready, and the damn door's locked". Harrigan stepped forward "No problem, Sunny Jim!" he said "We'll see just how strong this door is..." and promptly threw his whole weight behind a punch aimed at the join of the two doors. Harrigan's enormous new strength smashed the lock to pieces, and sent the sad remains of the doors flying across the room. "That's what happens" Harrigan said happily, grinning "when you use cheap, sub-standard materials and useless, bargain basement hinges, and" he emphasised "thin, reedy doors. That was fun, that was. A little exercise is good for the appetite as well. Where's the food?" he boomed, asking anyone within hearing range. One duty chef, somewhat scared by Harrigan's size, which was huge even by Scarran standards, beckoned them over to him. "Here sir" he stuttered "What would sir like for breakfast?" Harrigan thought a while. "Everything" he replied "In big portions. Just keep bringing it over, I'll tell you when I've had enough. Oh, yes" he added "Plenty of that stimulant drink that the scientist here was telling me about"
Half an arn later, a procession of kitchen staff was being run off their feet trying to keep up with Harrigan's voracious appetite. One of them stopped by the scientist for short while between trips. "Will he always be like this?" he wailed "We'll need a special shift to keep up with him! Plus a resupply flight every eight weeken!". The scientist's brow wrinkled, as he thought about this new problem. "Shouldn't do this beyond tomorrow. He needs lots of energy today while his body settles down. By tomorrow he'll be eating the same as anyone else around here"
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------- Word of the kitchen situation percolated rapidly throughout the base. Many of the nearby personnel not on essential duties dropped in to see this new, huge, arrival. Soon, informal bets were being taken to see just how much he could get down him before he exploded. Harrigan was enjoying the whole situation immensely. His staggeringly huge gut had already lost one infantry officer two hundred krepna, which he'd have a hard time finding in a hurry.
The one remaining set of doors flew open. "Who the frell's this?" yelled the new arrival. The crowd parted to open a narrow alley between him and Harrigan's table. Harrigan turned to the scientist. "Who's Frankenstein's monster over there?" Harrigan asked with his mouth full. Swallowing, he continued "Doesn't he know it's rude to interrupt a man's meal?" The scientist almost choked on his drink. "While I don't quite understand your idiomatic speech, your intent was perfectly clear" he said "That's the head of Nexus Two, our rival on this project. A bit of a nutjob, really. Not open to new ideas. Overly hidebound and traditional, which isn't a good idea in a scientist. Probably why he got stuck here". The Nexus Two leader tapped his adversary on the chest. "What were you saying?" he ordered belligerently "Didn't sound too nice". Harrigan stepped in, adding "He's with me. We're just having breakfast. Go back to your table and finish yours, why don't you?" This only added to the opposing scientist's rage, who grabbed Harrigan by the shoulder and yelled in his face "Who the frell-"but got not further, because Harrigan had a notoriously short fuse when it came to (a) being interrupted while eating, (b) being yelled at in any way, and (c) anyone trying to shove him out of the way, and flipped out his arm casually. This resulted in the other scientist's nose being smashed into fragments, his neck snapping back, and his body flying at high speed across the canteen and out the door, not even hitting the ground until his head had left the commissary.
"Hmph" Harrigan muttered "Another helping of that meat dish , please, if there's any left". The chef stuck his head up from behind the counter-top. "Afraid not, sir" he responded "You ate the entire shift's supply. There'll be no more until tomorrow". Harrigan shrugged "Never mind. It was good, though. Pass on my compliments to the chef. Let's get out of here" he beckoned the scientist. "A bit late, whoever you are!" stated a new voice "I've just heard about this little episode with the ballistic scientist; plus the fact that you appear to have eaten the entire supply of my favourite breakfast! That at least demands an explanation!" The scientist whispered "The base Commandant!", then continued at normal volume with "The experimental subject, Commandant. The transformation concluded unexpectedly ahead of schedule at about two arns ago, sir. After a preliminary external scan, we came here. The subject had need of considerable energy to fuel the end of the transformation and stabilisation of his altered body – that's why there's no food left. He ate it all." The Commandant mulled over this new but not entirely unwelcome development.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------- "Very well" he said. The chefs will prepare more food for the other personnel and you" he ordered, pointing at Harrigan "are not to eat any of it!". Harrigan belched, and replied "That's quite alright, sir. I've had enough for now. Plus the exercise was good for me. I could do with sharpening up my other skills, though. Doesn't do to let them slide, not at all"
The Commandant looked at Harrigan, surprised. "If it's testing you request, then testing you shall have. An extensive physical testing regime was part of the program at this stage, was it not?" the Commandant enquired of the Nexus One leader. "Yes, sir" he replied. The Commandant sniggered nastily. "Full military assault course, then. We'll see how you take that. With live-fire for added flavour." He turned to Harrigan "How does that sound?". "Top stuff" Harrigan replied "Exercise is good for you. Live fire adds some fun to it, keeps you alert, stops you nodding off half way up a ladder or climbing rope" Harrigan looked around at some of the off-duty guards present "Looks like some of these sorry-looking gits could do with a little exercise as well". The guards looked around for a way out of this new problem.
There wasn't one. The Commandant laughed "Very good! A base-wide fitness test! You versus my entire garrison! Much fun to be had! Though not for you sorry lot. HA!" he finished. "We start tomorrow at dawn in the training arena. You have today to practice, ALL OF YOU!" he boomed, turning to leave for the officer's mess.
Harrigan was the target of some extremely nasty looks from some of the guards, which he only encouraged by grinning back in return. "Do you know what you've got yourself into?!" the scientist asked loudly, and proceeded to go into full detail of a standard Scarran military assault course. "Hmm..." said Harrigan when he'd finished "Harder that the ones I did back home, but not appreciably so. At least not with this new body. I'm getting to like it already. Pity that my neck aches, my back hurts, and my knees and elbows are twanging badly. Why's that, do you think?"
The scientist responded "Probably just recovery from the transformation. It should go by this evening. At least this will be a full test of your capabilities. We should go through them back in Nexus One.", standing up to leave. Harrigan followed, whispering so only the scientist could hear "And where my rivals tomorrow can't hear us, yes?" added Harrigan. "Exactly" replied the scientist "You catch on fast". "I'm not just a pretty face" declared Harrigan. "You're not even a pretty face, mate" said a passing female guard "But it'll be good to see some of those overblown egos out there eat humble pie tomorrow, oh yes" she finished, walking out of the door.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------- Next stop, base hospital. The science officer knocked on the door. An irritated doctor turned around after opening the door, ready to bawl out whoever was arriving at this revolting hour and ran straight across a giant wall of blackness. He looked up. No change. Further up. "Hello" grinned Harrigan "Came for my check-up". His eyes bugged out, and he collapsed in a boneless heap on the floor. "Oh, well, I am a doctor, after all" the scientist grumbled. "This way" he gestured towards a large machine.
"A non-invasive high-energy bioscanner. A prototype model; but since I doubt very much that we'll get a mediprobe through that carapace of yours, it's all we've got. Get in" he ordered. Harrigan got on the slab. The adjustment mechanism had to be wound out all the way before Harrigan's shoulders would fit inside, but it was managed eventually. They started up the scanning device. Nothing showed on-screen. "Have we started yet?" yelled out Harrigan from inside. "Maximum standard power" ordered the science officer to the controlling orderly. She turned up the power as high as was considered safe for Scarrans. A fuzzy glow appeared, but no detail. "Maxiumum emergency power on narrow beam!" he ordered. "But that's lethal!" the orderly exclaimed. The scientist turned around to re- educate this unknowing orderly. "He's already absorbing more energy than even the most accident-prone Scarran would get in a quarter-cycle – what more could it do to him?" he said rhetorically. The orderly shrugged and turned both control dials all the way up.
Slowly, a full three-dee image of Harrigan's insides began to form over the holotable. The orderly looked on in abject terror. "What the frell's that?" he exclaimed, clearly frightened at what he saw. The science officer walked around, looking at the scan from all angles. Finally, he saved the scan to a small vidchip, put it in his pocket, and erased the machine's memory. Then he pressed a button, re-extending the slab which Harrigan was on. "Thank God that's over!" he said, relieved "It really reeked in there. I'd swear that there was burning insulation in there at the end". "I'll explain when we get back" he finished, cutting Harrigan off "The program's classified anyway; most of the base isn't cleared to know the details". Soon they got back to Nexus One and locked the doors behind them.
"Ooooo kay" he muttered, inserting the chip in a holoprojector. The machine lit up, projecting a full, reasonably detailed image of Harrigan's internal organs, nerves, bones and muscles. Then he launched into a full, detailed lecture on what they saw. Half an arn later, Harrigan shook his head, thoroughly bewildered. "What does that all mean?" he asked. "Right, the short version" the scientist decided "The enhancements to your nervous system increase your reaction speed and agility, and should increase your ability to resist any nerve poisons that penetrate your carapace. The skeletal enhancements – well, that ought to be obvious. Muscle, the same. Your lungs have been altered to allow you to breathe atmospheres previously deadly to you – you can also hold your breath underwater for about four, maybe five, times longer than you did before. This works in conjunction with you enhanced and displaced heart to increase you physical endurance as well"
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------- "What about that bad smell?" Harrigan persisted. The scientist added "Oh , yes. Four of your senses have been enhanced as well, both in sensitivity, frequency range, and protection against over-stimulation. Except touch, because of your armoured skin. Like when you switched the light on, remember?" "Yes, I do" Harrigan replied. "That smell was probably scanner coils overlorading and burning out. In addition to its obvious defensive properties, your carapace" he explained, tapping Harrigan on the shoulder, blocks most forms of radiation. You shouldn't register on any sensors. We had to turn that scanner past safe limits to get this picture, and it still doesn't show everything"
"What about, well, calls of nature?" Harrigan added uneasily. "Ah, yes!" the scientist laughed "The room you require is behind that door" He pointed at the right door. "Find out for yourself" Harrigan did so. "That's that taken care of. What about clothes. I'd feel better with at least some combat trousers." An assistant fetched the largest size available, which barely had enough room to fit him. "Get some rest"suggested the scientist "You'll need it"
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------