[Nivirres: The Frozen World] (Main) Chapter Two - The Frozen World

[Wolf Rawrrr]

The vehicle survived so far, but it looked like the worst was yet to come. Cracks in the terrain began outrunning the APV, and huge chunks of snow were falling down with splashes. Into water.


Commander Tyder frantically made some scans and calculations, and made his results public. "Groundbreaking news, team." A joke. Even at a time like this. "The land we've landed on... It's not technically land. In fact," for a short moment he was interrupted by another fissure opening up, "It's more like a frozen ocean that's not going to stay frozen for much longer." It looked like he was about to add something else, when he pointed ahead and shouted to Nessad: "To the right, to the right!"


A huge chunk of land ahead of the APV suddenly sunk into the water below. It turned out that the ground was less than six meters thick altogether.

 

[Helix Nebula]

"Awh shucks!" Jack said, after hearing the 'groundbreaking news'. "I just had to forget my trunks on the ship!" In Jack's book, this was the perfect time for jokes- Good or bad ones. He looked towards the APV's cockpit, "So Nessad, can you get us the heck outta' here, or should we break out the scuba gear?"

 

[Petal]

"Oh, dear Lord." Aril exhaled, a bumpy ride across the ocean.


This is getting better and better. She looked sick, her skin an uncharacteristic turquoise color.

 

[The World is Flat]

"I will monitor the scanner for incoming seismic activity and plot which direction to turn." Stop almost yelled above the clamor. His eyes were now riveted on the instruments. "Nessad, make another sharp left." Stop hissed. "And then move us as fast as you possibly can in that direction for 260 meters."


Timing and distance was vital. As new signatures splashed over the screen, Stop's mind was operating at full tilt to dichotomize the signals properly into threatening and nonthreatening categories. The screen shuddered with the ground beneath them, the snow and ice cracking sounded like a skyscraper was coming down; the flurry of snow kicked up by the ice dropped visibility to hazardous levels.

 

[Contrition003]

"To the right, to the right!" said Tyder, Coryn began the turn, and then Stop spoke up over the the clamor in the APV; "Nessad, make another sharp left." Stop hissed. "And then move us as fast as you possibly can in that direction for 260 meters."


"Sharp left, aye, hold on!" Coryn again applied the forward breaks just enough to swing the rear end of the APV around and point them in the desired direction, and immediately floor the acceleration pedal. "Alright Stop, keeping feeding me the best headings, I'll do what I can to keep us from taking an ice bath!" Coryn yelled back over the rising raucous of the vehicle and shattering world beyond. Goddamit I can't see a damned thing! ...better and better... I had to think it...


All around them the frozen planet was turning to a frozen hell. Large, glacial chunks of ice were shattering and breaking off, causing torrents of ice water to flow in every direction across the broken fields, and the talon like rock formations were shifting too, like the claws of an angry beast fighting to break free from a frozen prison. Coryn Could barely see ahead of the APV through the chaos of the shifting ice and the swirling snows, he was counting on that big brain of Stop's to keep him on the right heading, his hands hands gripped the wheel tight, and his eyes were unblinking... comon Stop, I'm counting on you...

 

[Wolf Rawrrr]

If anyone bothered to look through the rear window they would see an ocean spiked with floating ice bergs back where they were coming from. In fact, a large area on their right flank had already melted away, and there was nothing but water for as far as they could see. "It looks like we'll be safer if we bear left! I think this storm is passing away." said Tyder. And it was. Slowly but surely visibility was increasing, and they could already see twice as far as when they landed. They were more than halfway to the mountain chain.


Seismic activity seemed to be dropping to low levels, but the chain reaction it caused would persevere until the entire ocean was freed from the ice. The only question was: Where exactly did real land begin? There was no way to know if the sea extended for just half a mile more, or all the way to the bottom of the hills.

 

[The World is Flat]

There was no way to know if the sea extended for just half a mile more, or all the way to the bottom of the hills.

'Or was there?' Stop thought desperately as the vehicle shot forward. His mind was racing even faster than the APV. "In three seconds turn left another 25 degrees!" He was yelling now, his voice firm and strong to keep above the clamor. He needed to focus, was there a way to do an analysis for mass density or replicate the effects of a mass spectrometer with this kind of equipment? He could do a depth analysis and then calculate the gradient trend based on traditional geography for this type of world to give them a sense of how deep they were. Yes, that could work.
His hand was shaking and rigid, clawing at buttons furiously in the furor of the ice storm. Even though it has abated slightly there was no guarantee that they could escape unless stop could calculate a proper path to stable land. As the machine's processor tore through complex algorithms time seemed to slow painfully. The wrong crack could bring them under the ice at a moments notice.

 

[Contrition003]

The storm was clearing, and the chaos was just begining to settle, the way looked clear, but Coryn kept heeding the words of both Tyder and Stop. He veered left and kept on that heading, the mountains were visible once more, and they were closer than he'd thought, just as before though, the mountain that loomed over them looked no less daunting. This mission, was just starting.

 

[Falchion]

Shawn let out a huge breath. The whole time he had been holding one, though he didn't know it. He let go of his seat, and blood rushed back into his hand with a tingling feel.

 

[Petal]

Ok, it looks like we got out of this mess. Aril relaxed. Thank God this guy knows how to drive ant that the Quasai and Commander are fast on their feet.

 

[Wolf Rawrrr]

"Hold up." said commander Tyder after a while. "I think we're in the clear." It was true. No one could really tell when, but they crossed over from the frozen sea onto solid ground. Or at least it looked like that, because the cracks and fissures stopped spreading a hundred meters back, where the sea began. The entire wide area behind them was now an ocean. Weather conditions improved, reducing the blizzard to a mere snowfall. The wind seemed to have let go as well.


They were at the base of the mountain. By the looks of it, on most parts it was about five hundred meters high, though certain peaks extended well above, reaching up to nearly a thousand. This side wasn't particularly steep, and the team could already make out paths that would allow the APV to climb.


"On second thought, don't stop." Tyder revised his previous order. "Keep going. We'll rest once we reach the campsite. There, to the right. Looks like a way up." In this relative safety, the situation was far more relaxed than it was just five minutes ago. "Nessad, Houlder, good work both of you." he added finally.

 

[Contrition003]

"Keep going. We'll rest once we reach the campsite. There, to the right. Looks like a way up." said Tyder, "Nessad, Houlder, good work both of you."


"Thanks Commander, doin' the best I can Sir." replied Coryn. The trip thus far since landfall had been chaotic. With the first disaster averted and everyone on his team still alive, Coryn finally allowed himself a moment to relax and breath, but the moment passed fast. The ocean was past, and now a looming mountain lay ahead of them. "moving ahead right Sir." Coryn took a deep breath and kept the APV rolling onward, up the mountain. His panels showed all green, the APV hadn't gotten too damaged crossing the sundering ice fields it would seem... Coryn keyed in another diagnostic to just make sure, cant hurt to be sure...

 

[Wolf Rawrrr]

The vehicle moved up the mountain without significant difficulties. The driver had to maneuver a bit to bypass ledges and overcome obstacles, but it was possible. And just when everything seemed to be okay, there was a warning beep followed by a red flash. Coryn's advanced diagnostic check just came in.


"Well that can't be good." said Tyder as he leaned over to study the display. A few moments later he concluded: "It's not good. Computer says the fuel line to the thrusters has been damaged. But fuel lines don't break on their own. It's possible that some other component came loose and struck it." He just stood there, thinking for a while. "It's dangerous to keep on driving like this, but we can't stop here. Nessad, take us to the top, but carefully. We don't want any further damage to the APV, and hell, don't go near the thruster switch unless you want to blow us up."


Thrusters would be useful to help with the climb, but with a fuel leak there was a chance of exterior ignition from any of the thrusters, which would most likely blow up the whole vehicle. The commander wondered why was this discovered only after a manual scan.

 

[Contrition003]

Dammit, a ruptured fuel line Coryn thought. Just what we needed, no thrusters and we're losing gas.


Coryn kept the APV rolling up the trail at a steady pace, he didn't want to push it too fast, but he didn't know how bad the leak was, and thus had no idea how long the fuel would last. "Aye Sir, no thrusters, it'll be like a lovely sunday drive..."

 

[Helix Nebula]

"Up Mount Everest, maybe." Jack said after Nessad had finished.

 

[Petal]

Except for the fact that we might blow up every second, things are looking better now. Aril looked ahead at the path that should lead them up the mountain. They got this covered, no need to worry. She was nervous but had to believe that they will get there safe and sound. She glanced over at the rest of the teammates and then picked up the radio and tried to contact team Bravo again.

 

[Wolf Rawrrr]

It took some time, but eventually they reached their destination. It was a large snowy plateau, about halfway up the mountain. Adjacent peaks loomed over as Nessad brought the APV to a stop somewhere near the middle. It was snowing lightly. Commander Tyder punched the switch and lowered the rear platform doors. "The sooner we get a base setup, the better. Shawn, O'Neill. You two look bored. Grab the camp gear and help me set it up. The rest of you can -" That's about as far as the commander got.


The sound that followed was unmistakably that of automatic weapons fire, coming in bursts. "That's a Wolf assault rifle if I've ever heard one. Bloody close too." said Tyder. Immediately after, a signal flare sprung to life, bright red in the slowly growing darkness. It seemed to be coming from one of the lower ridges on the side of the mountain facing away from the sea. "Shawn, O'Neill! Change of plan. You're on me. We're going to check that out. Chances are it's Bravo." As they were setting out, the commander added: "Houlder! See if you can do something about the APV. At least stop the fuel leak. The rest of you, I expect a base camp set up by the time we return." There were several metal crates in the vehicle meant for easy and quick base setup.


Tyder faced Shawn and O'Neill, turning off the safety on his Wolf assault rifle. "Let's move."

 

[Petal]

I hope they are alright. Aril thought while she started go gather equipment so she could start working on their base. While she worked, nothing distracted her, concentrated on her task she was sure to get the base up and running in no time.

 

[Contrition003]

As Tyder, O'Neill and Shawn took off in the direction of the flare, Coryn climbed out of the APV. He didn't like hanging back, he wanted to back up his team, but orders were orders, Coryn checked to make sure his Marksman Pistol was loaded then holstered it.


Aril was already starting to get the base gear sorted out, Coryn uped the volume on his radio comms to make sure he could hear anything coming over the wire as they worked, and proceeded to help Aril set up base camp.

 

[The World is Flat]

"I'll see if I can do anything." - And he stands, his towering figure bent over in the stuffy cramped spaces of the APV. He moves up to the diagnostic console, motioning Nessad to give him a moment with it. Luckily most machines these days had complete suites of sensor pellets all throughout the chassis. That means quite simply that to open up a 3D map of the chassis, overlay it on-top of an older snapshot, and order the computer to hide similarities will show you all physical movement of components attached to nerve pellets.


The sweep took a few seconds, in which the machine found pleasure in beeping and whooping erratically. It saved it's most savage beep for last; a high pitched affair that rung off the flat surfaces of the interior with marvelous aplomb. Stop analyzed the results; the machine's earlier diagnostic was correct; Extensive line damage to the fuel carriers could have only be heralded by a collapse of the exhaust heat-shield. What did that mean? Well it meant that any minute the heat from the engine block could now travel via the exhaust to the now leaking fuel lines and cause them to catch fire. The engine was extremely hot. Leaking fuel was also dripping onto the thruster cuplink, which meant thruster engagement would cause a fuel line chain detonation which would case the entire engine block and render the APV useless.


"Report: Fuel line loss of integrity, minor leaking fore and aft for 13 percent of transfer. Exhaust Heat Shield cracked and impaled in fuel line, extensive damage to both." He paused, taking an quick breath before continuing in his rapid-fire assessment: "Threats pretain to the ignition of fuel substances brought on either by thruster engagement or further driving causing a heat expansion unimpeded by the now M.I.A. Exhaust Heat Shield. At this current loss of fuel, we have a total drive time of 33 hours. At this current rate of heat expansion, we have a drive time of 15 minutes before overheat fuel ignition. The result of which will render this APV useless, although we should remain fine inside. My full recommendation is..." He paused, taking in another breath. "Stopping for immediate repairs."


And with that he saluted and sat down, fast as you like.

 

[Helix Nebula]

Jack clicked off the safety from his rifle. "Yes sir." He said, stepping out of the APV right after the Commander. Standing his feet deep in the snow, Jack gazed in the direction the flare had risen up from. "That better be Bravo.." He thought, pondering about the chance that flare might be an enemy trap- Chances were, whoever inhabited this rock, knew about the Alliance teams and were trying to break them up; Make them easy pickings.


As the Commander, Jack and Hraelus started moving forward in the snow, Jack spit out the bit of bubble gum that had already lost all flavor. Adjusting his sunglasses, Jack then asked the Commander; "So whether or not that's Bravo- What's our plan? Guns-a-blazing, or recon first?" He then glanced at Shawn, "We do have a sniper with us, I'd suggest we put him to good use.. Maybe send Hraelus here to higher ground, and cover our asses if things go south.. Sir."

 

[Wolf Rawrrr]

"Recon. It might be Bravo in trouble, but we need to verify that first." Tyder replied. "And that's a good idea." Once they reached the edge, they could see what was on the other side. It was a twenty meter drop down to another snowy plateau, a much larger one. Structural ruins penetrated from the ground, looking like a large warehouse of some sort. "That's big enough to hold an aircraft. I wonder what's inside." The signal flare seemed to have been shot somewhere from down there. As if in confirmation, another burst of bullets followed, lighting up the windows.


"Hraelus." the commander turned to Shawn. "Cover us from this ridge. O'Neill and I are going in. Let's move, it looks like we can get down over there." There was a natural path leading downwards to the left.

 

[Helix Nebula]

"Let's move, it looks like we can get down over there."


Jack nodded and glanced in the direction the Commander was pointing in. It looked like a gentle slope, but Jack felt a bit concerned about what might be hidden underneath all the snow - Rocks, ice, or worse. They didn't have time to go mine sweeping though, Bravo was most likely in trouble and Jack wasn't about to let caution be the reason, a full team of people got killed. Not this time, "Not again.." - As the Commander and Jack reached the path leading down, Jack crouched and grasped the radio attached to his chest, close to his shoulder. He pushed the "Talk"-button a couple of times, causing the radio to send out a burst of quiet, buzzing noises, before Jack quietly spoke into the radio; "Thunder, Bravo Uniform on your six." At least now Bravo would know Back Up was on it's way.


Jack then detached the strap of his assault rifle, grasping his weapon tightly as he started to climb- and partially slide -down the path, towards the lower plateau.

 

[The World is Flat]

Stop was hot in the thickly layered confines of his suit. His hands worked feverishly at the controls of his Gauntlet, trying to separate the exhaust shield from the fuel line without further leakage. He had a soldering splint ready to slide in place, but he needed to calculate just the right cut or things were not going to go as planned. He didn't have an accurate gauge of the fuel pressure, but he decided on 'winging it'. He needed to fix the issue immediately to prevent further leakage, and then move on to clearing out the thruster port.


Sighing, he continued his work, his hands moving around the carapace of the machine with delicate, but skilled motions. He wasn't trained to clear out filth and contaminates, but unfortunately that came with the job. Stop at this time realized that he didn't want to continue his service in the army. It was a most in-opportune timing, but he suddenly came upon brilliant concepts for research he would love to persue, given access to applicable facilities. Oh well. Back to clearing out gunk and soldering tubes together. And putting an exhaust heat shield back on; was the part even still here?


After a moment's observation, it didn't look like it. Well that was bad. Only half of the damn thing left lodged in the fuel line was there. Tyder would not want to hear this....

 

[Wolf Rawrrr]

As Tyder and O'Neill made their way carefully down the slope, the occasional gunshot bursts continued from within the old warehouse. Or hangar maybe. Hraelus was camped up topside, monitoring the area through the scope of his sniper rifle. It was still snowing lightly, but the wind had died out. And soon would daylight. They could no longer see the sun, and the skies had begun to darken in the east. There was a growing shadow over the plateau.


Commander Tyder led the way across the field all the way up to the door. It looked old and abandoned, but the there was rust on the ground indicating that the door had been opened recently. "This must be where they got in." said Tyder. "Wait. I hear footsteps on the other side." There were indeed heavy footsteps on the other side. "Get ready to breach. Unless it's Bravo, shoot first and questions later." He moved to the right side of the door and readied himself. "After you."