05-31-2008, 01:05 PM
Victory River bridge, 0640h
Saxon looks across the water towards the island. The huge frame of the Nimbus is visible, hovering over the island, occasionally letting fly with a series of cannon shots and rockets. She smiles painfully.
"So that's where the defence budget went."
Without warning, the screen on the comms equipment hisses to life, displaying a few seconds of static. Saxon walks over slowly and is joined by Heikier and Carter. A low laugh emanates from the speakers.
"Oh God..." says Saxon. She goes rather pale. "I know that voice."
The screen clears, showing a fuzzy image. Seismos is visible, standing up. A pair of soldiers can be seen in the background, weapons at the ready. A single light bulb swings gently from the ceiling, giving the entire scene a rather macabre quality.
"Good afternoon, ladies and gentleman."
"For God's sake, Gabriel, what do you want? Can't you just accept defeat and surrender?" asked Saxon, frustrated.
"As a matter of fact, I was just calling to let you know the battle will be over shortly," he replies matter-of-factly.
Saxon smirks. "Indeed it will. We have you surrounded, wherever you are on this godforsaken place."
"I'm a bit underground, you know. Heavily guarded. It's a good thing your forces won't get the chance to come down to meet me. They'd be torn to shreds."
Saxon clenches her fists. "What are you getting at?"
Seismos smiles, a smile that shoots dread into all the onlookers. "I'll show you in a minute or so."
"Why are you doing this? Why now?"
"Isn't it obvious, Jennifer?" he says with a hint of malice. "I'm doing this for you."
Saxon stands silent.
"Shall I explain?" He steps a little closer to the camera, and steadies himself as an explosion rocks the room. "As soon as Bishop picked you I had privately earmarked you as the very, very best to succeed me. You're a strong, powerful woman. Can't you see how noble my ideals, and those of the Unseen Master are? Think about it!" His voice rises to almost a shout.
"Think of it, Jennifer! A completely pure Ferveo, wiped clean of all foreign filth! Returned back to the good old days of centralised government! No democracy, for the sake of stability! Isn't that worth fighting for?"
Saxon presses her face very close to the screen. "No. I would never support you or your ideology. You murdered my colleagues, my friends. You, and all who follow you, make me physically ill."
Seismos' face collapses into an ugly glare.
"Very well, Jennifer. I'm sure you'll see the light eventually." He chuckles. "You will indeed see the light." He turns to his left and gives a terse order. Moments later, a strange device is wheeled into view. It is at least twice as tall as Seismos and is a rough cube. Saxon then sees a symbol that strikes fear into her heart.
A circle. Surrounded by three blades. A trefoil. The nuclear trefoil.
"Oh...God..." she whispers. "A nuclear bomb..."
"My time on this earth is done," continue Seismos unconcernedly. "Yours, however, is just beginning. We need a grand gesture to mark this event." He indicates the device. "This thermonuclear bomb has an estimated yield of fifty-five megatons. It's the single most powerful nuclear device constructed in the history of the Unseen Master. It's enough to vaporise this island and a large amount of sea surrounding it." He crosses to the device and places his hand on a scanner. He then types in a very long code on a ten-digit pad beside it. Lastly, he flips up what looks like a countdown timer, and presses 3, 0, 0. Three minutes.
"I had hoped it wouldn't have to come to this. Farewell, Jennifer. See you on the other side. He smirks, and as the picture fades, he strikes a red button, starting the countdown timer."
Saxon reacts immediately. She seizes a radio and begins contacting all Fervean forces. Carter and Heikier do the same.
"All forces, retreat. Seismos has triggered a fifty-five-megaton thermonuke. If you don't get off the island within three minutes you will all die."
Aircraft react immediately, firing at full throttle to get away from the island. The fireball alone would be over four kilometres in diameter.
"Nimbus, do not go horizontal, go upwards. Get above cloud level, then go horizontal. Make sure the mushroom cloud doesn't touch you," orders Saxon.
Like a great bird, the Nimbus hurtles upwards and soon cannot be seen, save for a tiny speck.
Saxon turns to the other two, who have just finished giving orders.
"Batten down the hatches. This is going to get heavy."
Saxon looks across the water towards the island. The huge frame of the Nimbus is visible, hovering over the island, occasionally letting fly with a series of cannon shots and rockets. She smiles painfully.
"So that's where the defence budget went."
Without warning, the screen on the comms equipment hisses to life, displaying a few seconds of static. Saxon walks over slowly and is joined by Heikier and Carter. A low laugh emanates from the speakers.
"Oh God..." says Saxon. She goes rather pale. "I know that voice."
The screen clears, showing a fuzzy image. Seismos is visible, standing up. A pair of soldiers can be seen in the background, weapons at the ready. A single light bulb swings gently from the ceiling, giving the entire scene a rather macabre quality.
"Good afternoon, ladies and gentleman."
"For God's sake, Gabriel, what do you want? Can't you just accept defeat and surrender?" asked Saxon, frustrated.
"As a matter of fact, I was just calling to let you know the battle will be over shortly," he replies matter-of-factly.
Saxon smirks. "Indeed it will. We have you surrounded, wherever you are on this godforsaken place."
"I'm a bit underground, you know. Heavily guarded. It's a good thing your forces won't get the chance to come down to meet me. They'd be torn to shreds."
Saxon clenches her fists. "What are you getting at?"
Seismos smiles, a smile that shoots dread into all the onlookers. "I'll show you in a minute or so."
"Why are you doing this? Why now?"
"Isn't it obvious, Jennifer?" he says with a hint of malice. "I'm doing this for you."
Saxon stands silent.
"Shall I explain?" He steps a little closer to the camera, and steadies himself as an explosion rocks the room. "As soon as Bishop picked you I had privately earmarked you as the very, very best to succeed me. You're a strong, powerful woman. Can't you see how noble my ideals, and those of the Unseen Master are? Think about it!" His voice rises to almost a shout.
"Think of it, Jennifer! A completely pure Ferveo, wiped clean of all foreign filth! Returned back to the good old days of centralised government! No democracy, for the sake of stability! Isn't that worth fighting for?"
Saxon presses her face very close to the screen. "No. I would never support you or your ideology. You murdered my colleagues, my friends. You, and all who follow you, make me physically ill."
Seismos' face collapses into an ugly glare.
"Very well, Jennifer. I'm sure you'll see the light eventually." He chuckles. "You will indeed see the light." He turns to his left and gives a terse order. Moments later, a strange device is wheeled into view. It is at least twice as tall as Seismos and is a rough cube. Saxon then sees a symbol that strikes fear into her heart.
A circle. Surrounded by three blades. A trefoil. The nuclear trefoil.
"Oh...God..." she whispers. "A nuclear bomb..."
"My time on this earth is done," continue Seismos unconcernedly. "Yours, however, is just beginning. We need a grand gesture to mark this event." He indicates the device. "This thermonuclear bomb has an estimated yield of fifty-five megatons. It's the single most powerful nuclear device constructed in the history of the Unseen Master. It's enough to vaporise this island and a large amount of sea surrounding it." He crosses to the device and places his hand on a scanner. He then types in a very long code on a ten-digit pad beside it. Lastly, he flips up what looks like a countdown timer, and presses 3, 0, 0. Three minutes.
"I had hoped it wouldn't have to come to this. Farewell, Jennifer. See you on the other side. He smirks, and as the picture fades, he strikes a red button, starting the countdown timer."
Saxon reacts immediately. She seizes a radio and begins contacting all Fervean forces. Carter and Heikier do the same.
"All forces, retreat. Seismos has triggered a fifty-five-megaton thermonuke. If you don't get off the island within three minutes you will all die."
Aircraft react immediately, firing at full throttle to get away from the island. The fireball alone would be over four kilometres in diameter.
"Nimbus, do not go horizontal, go upwards. Get above cloud level, then go horizontal. Make sure the mushroom cloud doesn't touch you," orders Saxon.
Like a great bird, the Nimbus hurtles upwards and soon cannot be seen, save for a tiny speck.
Saxon turns to the other two, who have just finished giving orders.
"Batten down the hatches. This is going to get heavy."