05-19-2008, 06:35 PM
Pagemaster City, 0307 hours.
The doors to the communication room hiss open as Bishop marches through, with a look of concern on his face.
"Get me the Jageran delegation, and our diplomats." One of the technicians protests quietly. "I don't care what time it is! Do it now!"
The most important members of each delegation presently assemble inside the comms room. "Could I have your attention please?" says Bishop loudly to quell the tired muttering. Quiet falls. "Thank you. The President has highly urgent information on the Data Module. I just received a call from him some minutes ago -- he told me he wouldn't say more until he could speak to the Jageran delegation."
"What about President King?" pipes up a voice from somewhere in the Fervean diplomatic wing.
"President King will find out in the morning. For now, the only people who need to know are us and the Jagerans, who have pledged their support in this matter. I'm going to open up a link to President Seismos in Ferveo City." He motions to a tech, who hurriedly stabs at a keyboard. Seconds later a large screen displays the face of President Seismos at his desk. He is surrounded by folders and looks deadly serious.
"I'm afraid this is no time for formalities," he says gruffly, clasping his hands together. His knuckles are white. "About an hour and a half ago, the Stratos armed transport carrying the Data Module vanished off our tracking systems. The airbase on Terminus Island was receiving a transmission at the time." He presses a button and crackly audio comes over the speakers.
"Shifting path by bearing three three niner, over."
"Copy, Stratos One. From there it's clear skies all the way to Ferveo City. Over."
"Routine transport mission, ground control. I can't really say..." (knock) "Yes?" (pause. Door opens, then clicks shut. Screams. Two suppressed shots heard.)
"Stratos One, do you copy? Stratos One, come in!" (static)
"The pilots are dead. Evidently our transport's been hijacked, and the GPS locator is off. We can't track it. I won't lie, ladies and gentlemen, our situation is extremely dire." There is a beeping noise from Seismos' end. "Excuse me," he says, pressing a small button. Dr Sylvie Honneur's face fills half the screen, compressing Seismos'. She is beaming.
"Mr President, Foreign Secretary, First Minister, Guardian. I have great news!"
Bishop speaks. "What is it, doctor? Please tell me you know where the Data Module is?"
"Yes and no. You see, before we put the Data Module onto the transport, we noticed it was sending out some sort of radio pulse every fifteen minutes. Last we checked it was over a small island, some 200km west of Terminus Island, in the middle of nowhere. The next signal is due...now." A bleep comes from an electronic source, and Honneur looks left for a few seconds. Eventually, she faces the camera again, looking exhilarated.
"Yes! It's in the same place! It's landed!" She pushes her long hair out of her eyes.
"Thank you, doctor. You have perhaps performed an invaluable service to us," replies the President.
"Anytime, sir!" she smiles excitedly as her uplink deactivates. Seismos expands once again.
"We cannot allow the Data Module to fall into the hands of terrorists. God knows what's on that thing. Knowing the Unseen Master, plans for experimental weaponry, or some sort of cybernetic program, or a revolutionary fuel system. Any one of these things could -- and would -- destabilise the IDU and the rest of the world.
"So, gentlemen and ladies," he continues. "What do you suggest?"
The doors to the communication room hiss open as Bishop marches through, with a look of concern on his face.
"Get me the Jageran delegation, and our diplomats." One of the technicians protests quietly. "I don't care what time it is! Do it now!"
The most important members of each delegation presently assemble inside the comms room. "Could I have your attention please?" says Bishop loudly to quell the tired muttering. Quiet falls. "Thank you. The President has highly urgent information on the Data Module. I just received a call from him some minutes ago -- he told me he wouldn't say more until he could speak to the Jageran delegation."
"What about President King?" pipes up a voice from somewhere in the Fervean diplomatic wing.
"President King will find out in the morning. For now, the only people who need to know are us and the Jagerans, who have pledged their support in this matter. I'm going to open up a link to President Seismos in Ferveo City." He motions to a tech, who hurriedly stabs at a keyboard. Seconds later a large screen displays the face of President Seismos at his desk. He is surrounded by folders and looks deadly serious.
"I'm afraid this is no time for formalities," he says gruffly, clasping his hands together. His knuckles are white. "About an hour and a half ago, the Stratos armed transport carrying the Data Module vanished off our tracking systems. The airbase on Terminus Island was receiving a transmission at the time." He presses a button and crackly audio comes over the speakers.
"Shifting path by bearing three three niner, over."
"Copy, Stratos One. From there it's clear skies all the way to Ferveo City. Over."
"Routine transport mission, ground control. I can't really say..." (knock) "Yes?" (pause. Door opens, then clicks shut. Screams. Two suppressed shots heard.)
"Stratos One, do you copy? Stratos One, come in!" (static)
"The pilots are dead. Evidently our transport's been hijacked, and the GPS locator is off. We can't track it. I won't lie, ladies and gentlemen, our situation is extremely dire." There is a beeping noise from Seismos' end. "Excuse me," he says, pressing a small button. Dr Sylvie Honneur's face fills half the screen, compressing Seismos'. She is beaming.
"Mr President, Foreign Secretary, First Minister, Guardian. I have great news!"
Bishop speaks. "What is it, doctor? Please tell me you know where the Data Module is?"
"Yes and no. You see, before we put the Data Module onto the transport, we noticed it was sending out some sort of radio pulse every fifteen minutes. Last we checked it was over a small island, some 200km west of Terminus Island, in the middle of nowhere. The next signal is due...now." A bleep comes from an electronic source, and Honneur looks left for a few seconds. Eventually, she faces the camera again, looking exhilarated.
"Yes! It's in the same place! It's landed!" She pushes her long hair out of her eyes.
"Thank you, doctor. You have perhaps performed an invaluable service to us," replies the President.
"Anytime, sir!" she smiles excitedly as her uplink deactivates. Seismos expands once again.
"We cannot allow the Data Module to fall into the hands of terrorists. God knows what's on that thing. Knowing the Unseen Master, plans for experimental weaponry, or some sort of cybernetic program, or a revolutionary fuel system. Any one of these things could -- and would -- destabilise the IDU and the rest of the world.
"So, gentlemen and ladies," he continues. "What do you suggest?"