Just spend a large percentage of my saturday duty writing this. prety proud of it, since its my largest piece of work for around 5-6 months+
June 15th, 2205.
Normally, the Oceans would be dark at this time, with the rise and fall of the few waves only visible in the reflection of the moon. Little else was visible in the pitch black of the night, except perhaps, for the gathering of luminous fish just underneath the surface.
The gathered in shoals and schools; dotting the water just under the surface and making the ocean top look like a sheet of glass, through which a whole different world was in view. Above the surface, it may have been night; but below, it made little difference. The lights were moving quite slowly at first, but all of a sudden they started to move quickly. Then, less than a minute later, they disappeared into the depths. But the light never disappeared.
The moonlight's reflection on the ocean's surface was constant, but there was something else present, something more, something unnaturally more. The blue light of the moon started to turn red. The Ocean reacted as well; the wave sizes increasing in intensity. Soon eddies grew to the size of large yatches, and the ocean began to swell. The unnatural red light started to grow brighter, as if dawn were approaching. But the light did not seem to come from above the sky, but below it. The dark clouds that made up most of the night sky made it nearly impossible for it to be the Sun.
The Oceans surged higher as a flash streaked accross the sky, zig-zagging it's way from cloud to cloud, and then arcing downwards in a long journey down to the waters below. The water in turn seemed to reach upwards, seeking out the sky and the clouds above. The lightning bolt and the ocean finally met. The shockwave from the explosion pushed the tip of the swell downwards, forming a small crater on the top. For a second, it seemed like the ocean had converted itself into a volcano. The crater deepened itself into the swell, digging (if it were possible) further and further into the Ocean itself. For several seconds, the lightning bolt remained, embedding itself quite literally into the heart of the ocean itself, with the sides of the new crater reaching up around it.
Then the wind kicked in. It whipped up out of nowhere, lifting the crater walls upwards. The wind started circling it counter-clockwise; forming an immensly large, rotating column of water, defying gravity reaching upwards to the sky. The clouds started circling as well, and reached downwards, giving into gravity. Both met around half-way. At the point where they met, they inter-veaved with each other, mixing into the other and continuing onwards to the other end. Another flash, and the twister started to move accross the surface of the Ocean, joining others that had touched down and formed elsewhere. They sucked up everything from fishes to squids and yes - even ships. Creatures and objects normally found in the dark depths of the Ocean below were pulled out from the bottom and flung into the air. The power of the twisters was unimaginable, and it was through this that they had to make there gauntlet.
The source of the light suddenly came into view: dozens, if not hundreds of droids; ranging from Blackwings to Dragonflys, Dragon V3s, Massive troop transport craft and smaller transports. All were speeding through the wind, trying to get past the immense obstacle field set before them by the angry sky, which in turn rained lightning down on them. Shields held off the initial blasts, but the source of the light showed how futile this was. Nearly half the entire formation was burning, in some way or the other. Flames reached backwards against Inertia, casting bright shadows onto the surface of the ocean below. The flames were bright and numerous enough to cast a huge glow visible miles away. The only craft that seemed remotely untouched was one towards the center of the formation. A Gargant class Transport, it's wings were the most defining feature, shaped in a sort of 's' shape vertically, it was surrounded almost totally by anti-gravity pods, along with two massive engines at the end. These wings supported the long body underneath, and was steered primarily by the two smaller engines just above the elevators and on either side of the long tail wing. Windows lined the side of the body, which ended in a large cargo door towards the rear (which was closed now of course). Zooming into one of the windows, inside could be seen several people running about, along with a body lying down on the bed next to the window itself. The body was strapped down, staying with the bed even though the craft shuddered and rocked against the heavy wind. It slowed down enough such that the angle viewed through the window changed, exposing the face of Senator Konrad, only slightly obscured by an oxygen mask covering his nose and mouth. The glimpse of the man disappears as the Transport surges forward, the engines glowing brighter. With solace, the entire group prepared to run the gauntlet of twisters lightning and an enraged ocean that lay ahead of them.
**********
The view from the cockpit up front was no different, and Webbed was well aware of their chances here. Up ahead the twisters raced either way, randomly circling each other with no apperant purpose other than to make life difficult for Webbed as he and Lt. Commander Jonas piloted the transport towards their destination. Jonas was seated right next to him in the pilot's seat, flying the transport itself. Webbed was in the co-pilot's chair, managing the transport's systems and co-ordinating the formation. He spoke into the radio and got back reports almost instantly, but keeping the formation in control in such a large storm was near impossible. But all wasn't lost. They just had to get past this, and they would be at the relative safety the underground shelter that Sector 44G provided..all they had to do was get past this goddarn storm. It had been the reason why they had to evacuate Senate HQ, why Webbed was now flying the transport, and most importantly, why Senator Konrad and Rapaxus was in the med-bay of the transport rather than up here with him.
His attention was caught by the radio as first a flash of light blinded him momentarily, then a high-pitched male voice came through. The tone was clearly stressed, panicking even.
"Mayday, mayday, this is Epsilon niner, engines are hit, I'm going in - look out Epsilon one!" Jonas cursed from his right as he suddenly banked the transport to the left and pulled the nose up, barely missing Epsilon niner as it started crashing downwards to the ocean. The transport passed by the windscreen, almost hitting them. Their transport flew through the black smoke left by both engines, and the sound from the explosion as it hit the ocean surface was louder than that of the thunder echoing around them.
"Holy crap - people, get into tighter formation here! MOVE! MOVE! MOVE!" Webbed shouted over the radio. immediately the formation started to close in together, moving tightly.
"Move people, avoid those columns and we may make it out of here alive! Take evasive action if necessary, but don't stray away from the group."
"uhhh....sir....." Jonas muttered from Webbed's right.
"What?" Webbed asked. Jonas only nodded towards the windscreen. Webbed looked outwards, and his mouth gaped open at the sight in front of him. Flying right towards the formation was nothing short of the things one's nightmares were made of. The twisters had done the unbelievable: they had managed to dredge up not one wreck from the bottom, but three!! Now those wrecks were being flung into their direction.
Webbed screamed into the radio as Jonas cursed and put the transport into a dive.
"DIVE! DIVE! DIVE! HIT YOUR GOD-DAMN F****** BURNERS PILOTS!!!!!!!!!!
The desperation of the order hit home on everyone and the entire formation scattered, dodging the incoming projectiles. The engines glowed brighter on Webbed transports as it first went around one spout, then another. The other transports followed in the same way, but not all were so lucky. Whenever a spout twitched or moved in an unpredictable manner, a droid would go down in a fiery explosion. Dodging right around another twister, Webbed heard the status reports come in. There were almost through - Webbed could actually see the entrance to the labs on the horizon.
"All craft, re-double your efforts, we're almost there! Get in there immediately, GO GO GO!"
A chorus of 'aye sirs' and 'roger that' came through and Webbed watched as droids charged past the transport, afterburners lighting up the sky, all heading for the entrance, which was now open and waiting for them.
"This is Sector 44G, we see you on the way Epsilon wing, report status, over." The transmission came in it was static-ridden and barely audible, but it was there.
Webbed replied almost immediately.
"Sector 44G, we have taken heavy losses and require immediate use of repair facilities. We're bringing in Refugees and the rest of the Senate government inside. Put all the projects into storage and declassify the main holding areas. We are incoming, ETA zero-two minutes."
"Acknowledged. We're way ahead of you Epsilon one. Better pick up the pace - the storm seems to be getting worse and the twisters appear to be approaching us. We will seal the doors in zero-three minutes, as soon as you are inside.
"Affirmative. We're - HOLY $#$@#$"
Lightning flashed ahead of them, hitting their craft on the right engine. The shockwave and electricity overloaded some of the panels next to Webbed, and he had to raise his hands to his face else risk getting injured. The transport lurched forwards, and the boiling ocean came into view on the windscreen.
"Jonas! Pull us up, PULL US UP!!" Webbed shouted. He looked over to Jonas and his blood froze when he saw what had happened. Jonas was dead, the console had exploded in his face and taken him out, leaving Webbed as the only one to pilot the craft in. He switched on the co-pilot controls and pulled up the transport.
Switching on the intercom, he only said "Hold on" before re-routing all power to the Anti-gravity thrusters, trying to get as much hieght as possible. The view on the windscreen changed from that of a boiling ocean to the horizon and then to the dark sky above. The transport rose steadily till Webbed decided he was high enough. Then he switched off all the Anti-gravity generators, bringing the main engines online on full power. The transport surged ahead as it used Gravity as a natural boost, increasing the speed even more.
"Epsilon 1, be advised we are currently waiting on you. Doors will close in 35 seconds."
Webbed didn't reply, instead he focused on holding the transport steady. Struggling with the joystick in front of him, he ignored everything else, focusing on the target: the hangar doors for Sector 44G. Everyone was counting on him to get there, and get there alive. Konrad was in the back room and helpless, so were the rest of the Senators. None of them knew that he was piloting the craft down, not one of them. Yet, even if they did know, Webbed knew that they would trust him....at least, he hoped they did.
The transport's course was unsteady, trailing smoke from the port engine - admittedly, he was no pilot, but it managed to pull through. He rounded the last water spout and aligned himself with the doors.
"Epsilon 1, 4 seconds to door closing."
Webbed didn't reply. Instead, he hit the burners, pushing the remaining engine past the limit. He could barely keep the transport on course, much less spinning around in circles.
Don't have a choice...looks like this is do or die. Webbed thought to himself.
"3 seconds.....2.........1........beggining close down initiation sequence."
Webbed switched on the power even higher - he had to make it! The transport was less than two seconds out now. But the doors were closin - it was almost closed.
Everything went black as the Transport went screaming through, the wings scraping off either side and it coming to a screeching stop inside the hangar.
