Sep

No Turning Back - Surving the Abyss

C H A P T E R 1

S U R V I V A L

^{Five Years Later}

---

William sat on the sofa in his office, coupled with his quarters it had a desk and shelves in one corner. A door to his personal shower and sleeping units and two sofas facing eachother with a small coffee table in the centre. He lived more lavishly than others did aboard the ship, yes. Did he fully agree with the concept? No. In the Martian Navy the Captains quarters didn't differ than those of anyone else. It was expected that they were able to live in the same conditions as everyone else. Still, the ship was years ago now so there was no point dwelling on it once again. Though he couldn't help it with the current climate and attitudes aboard the ship, five years travelling through the abyss of space. Jumping to one location, scanning every nearby system for a couple of weeks before making another jump and performing the same routine over and over again. He had lost count of how many jumps they had made, no doubt Noah would be able to tell him if he asked. Though he wasn't entirely sure he wanted the exact number in his head. That would likely only fuel the despair and depression that was spreading through his ship like a cancer, he had already heard of Security arresting individuals for illicit substances.

Even the best of humanity could fall, under stressful conditions. He took a sip from his cup of tea, placing down a tablet and sliding it over to Joanne. His forever trustworthy XO. "They're calling for elections now." She looked up at him and raised an eyebrow.

"Elections?"

He nodded. "Mhm. We've got HR representatives for the Fleeters, Feds and the Cons and they're pushing for elections. The only ones happy with the current status quo are the Martians-" He realised his mistake before he made it "-and the Fleeters." Despite five years, he sometimes still forgot that Joanne Carter, was a Fleeter. Born and raised. "Though as you're aware, the Fleeters are having their own identity issues." William sighed, Joanne nodded. "So what we've got is Federation and Conglomerate citizens claiming that we're living in a Martian Military Dictatorship, despite the fact that you're a Fleeter, and not every high ranking military position is held by a Martian-"

Joanne raised a finger as she interupted. "A lot of them are though. The third highest ranking officer is Ross, Martian. The Marine Captain, Martian. Yes I know you didn't choose who got a place, and who got which position though we need to look at both sides. With unrest growing we need to do something, my kin don't care whose in charge. Most of us are still adjusting to life stuck aboard one ship and living to the laws of society."

"You weren't lawless Joanne."

"I know that Sir, but even after five years a lot of us are used to settling our own minor disputes. Lawmen only ever shown up if it was a serious offense, security are very proactive. Much to the credit of Chief TreVayne, he keeps on top of things."

"Still, we need to focus on the matter at hand. If this unrest keeps growing, we're going to end up with protests and riots. This isn't something we can really afford."

"You can't step down though in lieu of elections, you are the most qualified person to run this ship-" William raised his hand to stop her.

"Exactly. Run this ship, the military. Not the civillian personnel. What I'm suggesting is we hold elections, for a civillian President or Prime Minister or... whatever they want to be called. Someone who makes decisions for the civillian populance. Like opening Sector 21, lifting the current ban on pregancies, adjusting credit income or food rations, security procedures. Basically anything to do with the hub and the habitation areas becomes their jurisdiction."

She paused as she read over what was onfront of her, William watching her intently. "It could work. It would certainly take some pressure of us having to make all the decisions."

"Exactly. We've got enough going on, no-ones abandoned their posts yet but tensions within the military haven't been great recently either. People are loosing hope, but thankfully I've got something to help that." He pressed a button on his datatab, changing the screen on Joannes to show a sensor output.

"Is that what I think it is?"

"It is indeed, a planet with breathable atmosphere. It isn't ideal, largely water based but sending a team down there is going to do wonders for morale. I doubt we'll end up settling there, but it's progress and a sign of things to come. I've already told Elijah and Matthew to begin picking their crews for the operation, I'm going to brief them tomorrow morning at 0530. I expect them to be underway by 1200hrs."

He sighed as he leaned back in his chair. "I think that's all for today though Joanne, the rest can wait till tomorrow." He checked the time. "You're watch in the CIC starts in an hour anyway, go grab something to eat or a drink or something. I'll finish up the paperwork."

Joanne stood up, and offered a quick salute. "Sir." He responded in kind to it, as she then turned and walked out of his office.

"Noah."

The holographic body of the ships A.I appeared hovering above the table. "Yes, Admiral?"

"Play music file, twelve."

"At once sir." The music started playing over the speakers int he office and he sat and closed his eyes. Tears forming in them as he thought back to his last days with Amanda, before the Three Day War. It was so long ago now, him and his beloved. Watching their daughter try and chase a holographic butterfly. Then scowling at him when she found out that he was the one casting the projection. Those days were so long ago, Amara was a grown woman now and Amanda was left behind on a world that was now dead. He took a deep breath, centering himself.

She would be proud of him, that's what William told himself at least. She was always about saving lives, for as long as he had known her. Don't start crying now Will, you'll ruin your eyepatch. He chuckled to himself, that was exactly what she would say about now. Everything happens for a reason, it's up to us to be the reason for stuff happening.

He would be the reason, they had five years of bad luck. Though now they had found the first system capable of hosting human life, he'd be the reason for humanity finding a new home. William would make sure of it, for his daughter Amara. As was his promise to his wife on her dying day.

No Turning Back - Surving the Abyss

In the end...

---

The ship shuddered as weaponry from the Devastator vessel chassing them lashed out against their rear shields. Williams knuckles turned white as he gripped onto the console, he was looking at the hologram above him. The Eye of Thea was still too far off, and each shot drained their shields significantly. Even while diverting as much power to the engines as they could take, they weren't going to pull away from the Devastator vessel. It was going to tear through there shields long before they reached the Eye. He turned to Joanne. "Prepare codes for Exodus Protocol. Don't send the codes yet-" The keyword was yet, they locked eyes and both knew what activating the protocol now would mean. The Rejuvination had made it through the eye. The other ten Arks were ruins still on the landing pad. The Vitae was the only other Ark with the possibility, with the chance... no the hope to make it. "-but prepare the nuclear option."

She nodded, despite the other hightech weapons the Vitae weilded it's nuclear warheads were by far still the most powerful. Far more devastting than what had been used on Japan and the European Confederacy during the second and third world wars. Each missile held several warheads, as well as decoy warheads to try and prevent point defense systems from taking out each of the lethal warheads. William never thought he'd be in the position to fire a nuke, but then again he didn't think he'd be flying what was one of the largest ships humanity had ever created housing what would become one of the last flickers of humanity.

He minimised the holographic display, bringing it down from a large hologram that everyone could see down to his and Joannes eyelevel, making it less distracting and ominous for everyone else in the room. In front of him he began looking through reports on all the ships systems, despite being heavily taxed the shields were still putting up a fight. There was something to be said for cooperation in technologies afterall, if the shields were any indication. "Shields at 80%!" He nodded as the helmsman made his callout. At least their screens were displaying the same data. The Nukes would slow the Devastator vessel down, maybe. Though there was still no way they would make it to the Eye in time, they could jump traditionally but they ran the risk of being followed. They couldn't jump to the Eye itself as it was far too close. He could launch everything he had at the Devastator vessel but even then that wouldn't do them much good, it would just get people killed and drones destroyed. Which wasn't something they could really afford at this moment in time.

"CONTACT!" The entire ship shook, William had to grab onto the console before him to prevent himself from being knocked to the floor. Several others around him fell out of their chairs, the entire ship groaned in protest. Whatever ship had jumped in was big, and had jumped in close enough that the spacial displacement had knocked the entire Vitae.

Williams voice cut through the noise, clear and commanding. "What have we got?!" He looked at the hologram as it tried to stabilise. He couldn't help but break a smile as he saw the ship on his scans. The Judicator.

"It's the Judicator sir! Admiral Constantine is here." Admiral Constantine, ever the hero. He watched on the readout as one of the massive plasma cannons fired up, lashing out a beam of energy at the Devastator vessel. Tearing into it, but not knocking it out. They would make it now, but with the Judicator here he knew that Mars wouldn't last much longer. Admiral Constantines vessel was the backbone of the fleet, and with it here to help out the Vitae... the fleet was doomed. He couldn't dwell on that though, he had to make use of the sacrifice. He wouldn't let it be in vain. "They're hailing us Sir."

"Put it through." A hologram of the Admiral appeared on his console, as the display of the battle minimised to Joannes side of the console.

"William. It looked like you could use a little help. Get out of here, that's an order."

He couldn't help but salute the Admiral. "Yes sir, thankyou sir." He started to look back to Joanne, before turning back to the transmission. "And sir?" Constantine nodded. "Goodbye, and goodluck." With that Constantine returned the salute and the transmission ended. He sighed.

"Lets get out of here." He couldn't help but watch the battle as the Vitae continued to get clsoer and closer to the Eye. The Judicator was dishing out the pain but she was loosing ground, anyone could see that. As the finally began the docking procedure William placed his hand on the scanner. "Initiate Exodus Protocol." None of them could see it but electricity began to arc around the Eye of Thea the second the Vitae entered the event horizon of the wormhole. Once the entire ship had croshed the threshole of the Wormhole, the Eye blew up.

As sparks through all around the bridge of the Judicator a tear fell down the cheek of Admiral Roland Constantine. Many considered him to be humanities greatest hero, but what he did paled in comparison to those that had just left Earth behind. "God speed Rejuvination. God speed, Vitae."

No Turning Back - Surving the Abyss

GM Notice:

The Prologue is ending today, so that those waiting for it to end can finally post. If anyone else wants to post 5 years prior to what will soon be the current events, feel free to do so but please ensure your post is labelled to make it obvious. I know originally the Prologue was going to be a week long, however that was to allow everyone to finish sheets. Which you all did really fast as you're grade a power troopers.

I will be double posting, to make it clear that the first Chapter is beginning.

No Turning Back - Surving the Abyss

@Drag Afraid so. Down the line there'll be more room, no doubt, but for now we're at maximum capacity.

No Turning Back - Surving the Abyss

@The Valkyrie as a partly colourblind individual I second Rawks statement.

I find dark on dark difficult, personally I'd rather not squint to read a post. If you want a red not on the guild Google BBC colour codes

No Turning Back - Surving the Abyss

@Fuzzybootz One does not apply to the Genesis Project, one is chosen. Though it is possible I suppose that some people put their names into a hat.

Accepted.

Last one everybody :P

Prologue ends today.

No Turning Back - Surving the Abyss

@Fuzzybootz No.

No Turning Back - Surving the Abyss

Rear Admiral William Locke
Command and Control Center

---

It was organised chaos in the CiC as the ship followed the path that the Rejuvination hard carved out toward the heavens. Already the battlenet was filling with chatter as the Devastators pushed through the various defences placed around Mars to try and slow their advance. It was all designed to make Mars a more difficult target, a more alluring one. In the past the Devastators had always been systematic, moving inwards slowly. Never moving onto a new target until they had finished with the last, it was the hope of the council that this trend would continue. Meaning that the longer they held the Devastators at Mars the longer the Arks had to escape. It also gave time for the Federation and Conglomerate to institute their individual survival plans. How many Arks could they have built if all nations had truly worked together? If they had been united could they have saved everyone? Could they have prevented all of this from happening? William pushed such thoughts out of his head, it didn't do to dwell on the past. The reality was that he was responsible for what would be one of the last colonies of man, and the second he went through that wormhole he had to assume that he was responsibly for the last colony of man. He couldn't dwell on what could be, or what was, merely what is.

The reality was that he had picked his crew from a candidate pool of millions, picking people who he felt were the best suited and would work together in the best fashion. This crew of the best was put on a vessel, the very first to be built by members of all mankind. The technology within it being superior to anything else man had ever built: Weapons, shields, FTL and even communications were to a level that nothing else built by mankind even came close, bar one exception. He shrugged off the thoughts agian and focused himself on what was ahead. "Noah." The hologram of the very plain masculine individual appeared. "Cut battlenet access to all stations, except those under command authority-" That basically limited access to his and Carters station, as well as that of Ross aboard the Nyx. He had told him that having the ship crewed was unnecessary, if it was launched then the chances of them escaping were slim to none. He had insisted, and William had to appreciate that. The willingness of sacrifice, the necessity of routine and the requirement of some sense of control.

Either way William had had Noah magnetically seal the hangar doors, and the clamps. As well as revoke access to the Nyx. Meaning that it couldn't leave the hangar without his authority, short of blasting it's way out anyway. Having the overall command override was a rather useful tool. While he initially wasn't too fond of Noah, being Martian he preferred to deal more with V.I than A.I. Overtime however he had learned to trust and even depend on the construct. He trusted his crew, depended on them... however sometimes the fact that Noah could comply with his request in a mere instant was beneficial. He tried not to depend on him too much, he was very much a crutch for him and his crew and they all needed to be on their toes. "Status?"

"We're passing through Earths Exosphere now Sir." There was a brief pause before Joanne spoke again. William looking directly at her. "We are now officially in space." William turned up to look at the hologram, projecting their course to the eye. The Rejuvination was already on final approach to dock, as the energy began to build within the strucutre.

William moved closer to the hologram as something caught his attention. "Somethings happening-" He took a deep breath and hit a button on his console, immediately an alarm sounded throughout the ship. Lights dimmed, flickered and turned off. Replaced by red emergency lighting. "-all hands battlestations. Route all non-essential power to engines and shields. Have engineering prep the FTL drive but don't charge it yet-" The only issue with FTL technology. Once you charged a drive you had to jump, there was no other way to expel that kind of energy. "-NAVIGATION!"

He heard a sir from nearby, Lieutenant Andrews. Chief navigation officer - who like many of the heads sat close to his console. "Calculate a course, if we do need to jump out of here the old fashioned way there needs to be a course already laid in." Joanne moved closer to William, moved around his side of the console. He leaned towards her as she leaned in to speak, she didn't want to be heard.

"Sir, what exactly is going on?" William in any other circumstance would have smiled at getting to show off his tactical skills. Now was not the time however. Instead he merely raised a finger, indicating she should wait a second. Then right on cue...

"CONTACT!" William didn't really need to hear the call, he knew it was coming. The change in fleet movements above Mars, a ship from the Devastators attack had jumped. A massive vessel, which is what caused the fleet changes above Mars. He focused Noahs scanners on it, looking up at the hologram of the vessel. It's physical size rivalled that of the Arks, bigger than any Devastator ship they had ever seen and likely just as deadly. So far it seemed uninterested in them, as ships around it managed to compensate for it's arrival and began firing on it. Sister Arks opening fire on the ship that stood between them and escape, there was nothing William could do now but hope that they could last long enough to stall the monster of a ship. His orders had been clear, no turning back under any circumstances.

Instead he just leaned back closer to Joanne. "Have all fighters, bombers, drones, gunships, frigates and even the cruiser prepped for launch. Also contact engineering, see if we can't get more juice out of the engines." Typing into his console he brought it back to the view between Earth and the Eye of Thea. "We're going to need it."

No Turning Back - Surving the Abyss - Original Sci-Fi RP.

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No Turning Back - Surving the Abyss

@Fuzzybootz You could always go another robotics expert, you could take over Amara ;) (Kidding).

Go what makes your heart happy.