Distant Earth CYOA part 23
#27 of Distant Earth text adventure
Sorry for the delay work has been insane, hope you like this weeks installment.
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Option D won, looks like you guys are up to take a little risk. Deju risk 15% Qerry risk 20% and Byron risk 25%
I used a random number generator and took the first three numbers for Deju, Qerry and Byron respectively.... I'll tell you the results after the chapter...
It wasn't long before the badger returned, still the minutes dragged by for Zack, and even when Qerry regained consciousness and assured him he was ok, the rabbit wasn't happy to know the panda would be trying again soon, even with backup. It seemed risky to him and he wasn't sure why the Captain needed to know where the device was headed; wanting it so badly he would risk his own life and that of two of his crew.
Karlos wasn't alone when he returned and he brought more than just the Naga with him. Daisy was in tow, wandering around bottom-less, as alway,s the pink rabbit had her med-kit with her.
"Great thinking, we might need her," Deju muttered to Karlos as the rabbit ran a quick scan on Qerry.
"Wasn't my idea, I kinda burst in on Bryon and her having some fun and she insisted on helping out," the badger replied with an honest shrug.
"I'm your medic, if you guys are going to do something stupid and dangerous, the least you can do is let me watch over you," Daisy snapped, her tone full of rebuke for her captain. "Besides the quicker you boys get done playing with your new toy the sooner Byron and I can finish what we started."
Zack couldn't help but smile as the female gave the captain attitude that most of his crew wouldn't dare. He also felt a great deal of relief to have the medic present, certainly if things went wrong she would be helpful. She was checking the red panda over right then, a quick look in the eyes and a scan and she confirmed he had taken no damage.
Deju pulled a chair over next to the panda, the naga coiled up next to them balancing carefully. The fox glanced at his two shipmates and said, "I figure I'm the weak point, my graft is really out of date now and things do march on in A.I development. So I'm going to do the data mine, that leaves you two to do the fighting. Keep that A.I. off me. Qerry you have the newest and most advanced graft you stand the best chance against that A.I., I want you to take lead. Bryon you back him up, you got the experience use it to guide him."
The rabbit couldn't help but worry, given that Qerry's first encounter with the A.I. hadn't ended well. He worried his new love was greatly outmatched. However, he could see the chubby male giving a brave and determined nod, he winked at the rabbit and Zack found himself flushing. His loins ached just a little as he thought how much more fun he could have been having if he had just not picked up that device.
"Ya don't worry, til go fine. Keep calm and remember, I behind you... not checking out y'r sweet tuss..." the naga said with a wink to the red panda who blushed, he stopped as he noticed the look Daisy was giving him. "y'us got a sweet tuss too." He reassured her.
"Yes well, Qieth, Karlos you guys better be ready. If we need these guys pulled out you need to knock them out, " she gave the naga an evil smile as she added. "No pulling punches, break their jaws if you got to, but their lights go out. It's for their own good."
Zack had to stop himself chuckling at the exchange, he was reminded to the man old sayings of the danger of a woman scorned. He guessed in this case it would be along the lines of 'hell hath no fury like a woman with a lust bleedthrough only half fucked.'
"Y'us just keep calm, let y'ur graft do the work. U'r panic will screw it up, but A.I. follow code too, let u'r instinct take a move once 'n a while." The naga advised trying not to look at Qieth and Karlos who were flexing and stretching their arms loosening up just in case they were needed.
"Can... we watch?" Zack asked a little quietly, he was slightly embarrassed by the question but he knew he would feel a little better if he could somehow observe.
"Sorry, all you can do is watch our vitals. This ain't a movie, we ain't going into some V.R. game to fight. This is far more ethereal, fighting in the mind through information exchanges." Deju snorted as he eyed the device and reached out to pick a white hair from the back of his wrist. "Ok boys let's get this over with."
The three hackers reached out with their access ports and as one they attached. As one they announced, "We're in."
"Starting data mine," Deju announced.
"I sense the A.I." Qerry stated and Zack could here worry in his tone. The rabbit stared at his lover and tried to keep calm. His breath was coming in short pants, his pulse was racing.
A paw landed on his shoulder and he looked up into a reassuring smile and a pink face, "don't worry, the Cap and Byron will look after him." the blonde rabbit smiled in reply, he did feel reassured.
"I'm under attack," Qerry announced, this time his tone was far more calm and measured than when he had been in alone. "I... am holding him, but hurry."
"Na problem, ah'm on 't," the naga replied, his tone full of confidence. "Got h'm located, making counter attacks." Zack noted Qerry's brain scans showing reduced activity as the naga's increased, Deju's activity was reasonably high but stable.
"That's better, how's the data mine?" Qerry replied getting a little confident smile on his face. it was a new look for the panda, Zack couldn't help but notice how sexy it was, his eyes wandered down to the panda's crotch but just for a moment.
"Shit, the security coding is complex, it's slow going, I need a few more minutes, just hold it off," replied the fox, his tone sounded more angry than worried, the was a definite snarl to it.
"You got time, I think we got this locked down," Qerry replied with absolute confidence. Then his brain activity spiked. "Fuck....ahhh shit that hurt..."
The naga's scan followed suit a second later and Byron hissed in rage, "y'all pay f'orn that ya' fucker. G'n to his base code."
"Fuck...fuck fuck," Qerry squeaked a little jerking in his seat. "This hurts, I am starting to lose it guys."
"I need more time, I'm getting close, just a minute or two more," said the fox quickly, his breathing getting rapid along with the other two. "We can do this, just hold him...ahh fuck. I felt something there, he's noticed me. You have to get me more time."
"Ready wit ya fist wol'f, things is about ta get a wee bit rough, attacking base code now." Byron announced and the naga's brain activity suddenly spiked as he increased his attack. The other two showed signs of reduced activity as their breathing returned to almost normal.
Daisy's ears perked and she looked up, the naga's body began to convulse, "put him down now!" She squeaked and a heat beat later a badger fist smashed into the naga's face.
"How much longer?" Qerry asked as the A.I no longer distracted by the Naga's attacks turned it's full attention to the panda.
"Just...ahh fuck... a few more seconds, almost there," the fox said, as both their brain activities began to spike.
"Mmmm fuck..hurry!" Squealed the panda as he struggled to hold back the might of the A.I. "I can't... hold much longer."
"Almost there," the fox repeated as his own brain activity began to spike. "just one more firewall."
"I... can't... it isn't... I ....I I," Qerry's voice sounded desperately strained like he was unable to think, his brain activity was too high to record.
"Put him..." Daisy didn't even finish before Qieth's fist smashed into his brother's jaw just as hard as the wolf could manage.
"FUCK!" Deju howled as a second later his brain activity went off the charts. Karlos didn't wait to be told his fist smacked the fox cleanly on the jaw in a smooth uppercut.
Daisy grabbed her scanner and began to check the three hackers, Zack's heart was in his throat as he waited to find out if they had survived, or if there was any harm. As she finished scanning the captain the pink rabbit gave a huge sigh of relief," they are all fine, brain's intact. Though Qerry's jaw is fractured. I can fix that easy enough but he'll need to spend the night in the med bay."
"I got it!" Shouted the captain as he came too, year's of scrapping had left him better able to take a punch than the other two. "I got the destination a ship, named Pryon out in the middle of no-where dead space between the stars. She has an impressive defence force. We'd need a lot of help taking her." The last few sentences sounded distant, like the fox was talking more to himself than the people around him. "Ok, everyone, time to go back to your bunks. I'll have to think how we are going to use this information. I downloaded a lot from that device, I'll need to look it over. Go find something fun to do, or sleep or something."
Byron came too, but before Qerry could Daisy hit him with a powerful sedative, "he'll sleep to morning. Qieth could you be a dear and carry your brother down to the med bay?"
Zack and the others followed after them stopping n the corridor, Daisy turned and gave Zack a smile, "he is going to be out for at least a day, I suggest you find something to do in the mean time."
As Zack watched the three figures go he was disturbed by the naga sliding passed him, the tailtip lightly flicking his buttocks, "ya welcome ta spend that time with me."
He could see Kelo and Reese heading back to the engine room.
Ok hope you enjoyed, the rolls were in our favour though Qerry was just 1 away from death.
This weeks choice is:
Option A follow after Daisy and Qeith anyway and spent the time sittng in the med bay.
Option B take Byron up on his offer
Option C help Kelo and Reese in the engine room.