The Annals of Tereus Mitchell

[Errant.Venture]

Bartender! Tereus stated, Another Sidewinder Fang please.

The bartender nodded in acknowledgement and set to work mixing the different beverages together to create the potent, yet blissfully satisfying alcoholic drink. A few moments of twirling bottles, shaking mixers, and finally a quick frosting, the bartender was done.

Here yah go sir, the bartender said as he slid the tankard of booze down the bar.

Tereus stopped the beverage with one hand, and in one fluid movement, raised it to his lips and took a long sip, letting the mixtures of alcohols numb his senses, while his taste buds exploded with joy. He slowly lowered his glass to the bar, and turned in his stool to watch the entertainers play in the far corner of the room.

This was a rare moment for Tereus, a moment when he could relax, kick back, and enjoy himself, He continued to sip on his drink, letting the melodies created by the entertainers fill his head. The setting in the Missouri Bar was, at this moment, one uncommon when visiting a warship in these trying times. The dimmed setting in the bar, was counteracted by the blast shields being open, letting in the cosmic rays of celestial light. As the band played on, the pulsating, radiant, warm light coming through the windows danced across the skin, creating a nice atmosphere. Tereus stood up from the bar, paid his tab, and chucked a few extra credits into the bartenders tip mug. The bartender nodded in appreciative acknowledgement.

Glass in hand, Tereus walked over to the windows on the observation deck, taking in the view, and letting the suns rays warm his slightly chilled body. He raised the glass again to his lips, taking another deep drink. The band had switched songs now, and the slower melodies and rhythm set the mood. Tereus reached into his jacket and pulled out a cigarette, he cupped his hand around it out of habit, and lit up. Inhaling deeply, Tereus held his breath for a moment, once again taking in the view, before exhaling slowly, creating a cloud of smoke.

After finishing his sidewinder fang, Tereus headed down to the equipment dealer to see if he could purchase some more shield batteries to replenish the ones used in his previous engagements. After paying for the batteries on his credit, Tereus headed back to the main deck, and made his way to the hangar bay. By the time he had arrived, the equipment dealer already had the equipment droids loading the supplies onto his ship. The refueling crew had finally arrived and began to replenish his H-Fuel cells. He waved at the crew, then made his way up the rear boarding ramp, closing it behind him as he armed the internal ship security. While the Spatial he flew looked like any other on the outside, this spatial had all kinds of aftermarket upgrades and goodies.

After arming the interior ship security, Tereus headed down to the storage room in the lower deck to take a quick visual inventory of supplies. While the spatial was already a formidable extended exploration ship right out of the shipyard, one of the major flaws that Tereus had found was the way that the interior had been designed. The IMG had done a good job of including everything that a small deep space exploration team would need, right down to the cryostasis tubes. The one thing they had done poorly was maximizing the space in the ship to its fullest potential.

The first thing Tereus had done after purchasing this particular spatial, was to have The Errant Venture engineering team, completely gut the interior. After talking to Lieutenant Calego and thoroughly going over the plans, and design of what he had wanted done, the engineering team had gone to work. Working around the clock in shifts, it had still taken them a month to complete the overhaul and upgrade, but it was worth it. After everything was all put back together, the spatial had a full medical bay, full kitchen facility, a science bay equipped with a state of the art containment and quarantine chamber, and storage room on the lower deck. This was a welcome upgrade from the standard science bay, tiny galley, and enlarged storage facility from the original plans.

The main deck had been overhauled as well. A portion of the main deck, that in the past had been the home to large and bulky equipment, had been converted into the captains quarters. Due to the technological advantages that Tereus had access too in Gallia, and especially because of his line of work, the engineering team was able to create a 40% increase in space on the main deck, after they had overhauled the outdated Sirian Technology. The captains quarters included a full latrine, a large bed, rotating storage for clothing, and equipment, as well as a desk, and computer equipment. Some aftermarket hardware included a state of the art safe, and a mini armory. One of the nicest features of the captains quarters though was that Tereus could handle every aspect of ship control, from his room. This was important because, where most companies or organizations using this type of ship would have a crew of up to five or six, Tereus seldomly operated with a crew at all. While his ship could accomadate them, it was advanced enough that a single person could efficiently operate it.

The crew quarters had been enlarged, and had also been given a full latrine. On top of that weapons and rotating storage had also been added. Since Tereus rarely had need for a crew, he had converted it into a makeshift ship armory. He kept spare powered SRT Armor, anti-vehicle weaponry, and a plethora of small arms and explosives there. The original cargo bay had been enlarged, and re-arranged. Instead of the walls being lined with Cryostasis tubes, they were now lined with orbital drop pods. Due to advances in technology, the crew could now perform cryosleep from the comfort of their quarters. The bay had been enlarged, and could accommodate several different types of vehicles, and gear. As per his specifications two drop pods had been equipped with personal mechanized AS units. The middle of the cargo bay served as a brig and holding facility, it also doubled as the tractor bay. Lifepods being tractored would be sustained in a levitating force field preventing its cargo from being able to get out. The inside of the tractor bay also was equipped with auto turrets, in the event that a threat was posed, Tereus could set them to stun, or kill. In the event a prisoner or crew member needed to be placed in the brig, a force field was created inside, preventing access to the door and door panels, and also on the outside as a fail safe.

Amongst the various upgrades and enhancements added to the spatial was the capital armor upgrade that Tereus had installed. While it would normally severely limit cargo capacity in a normal spatial, Tereus had been able to do a level 3 upgrade, while still retaining a larger storage area then a typical spatial.

Tereus walked to the cockpit and closed the blast shields. After programming some exterior defenses, he made his way to his quarters, securing the door behind him, and also setting the localized security protocols. While the typical space farer may not go to such extreme lengths, it was habit for Tereus. Besides he hated uninvited guests. Tereus stripped, tossing his soiled clothes in the refresher, and then stepped into the shower. Tired, and clean, he put on a fresh set of clothing, placed his boots at the foot of his bed, and checked the weapon he kept under his pillow. Satisfied that everything was in order, he clambered on to his bed, laid back and closed his eyes, letting the fatigue overcome him.

*crack*, *crack*, *crack*. Tereus watched as the lifeless body dropped to the control center floor, and then in horror as the helmet rolled off towards the corner of the room. Delta 2642-182s lifeless gaze fell across him, as she exhaled her last breathe, and the blood started to run from her mouth.

Delta 2642-253, what is your malfunction! The instructor yelled, spittle spraying onto his goggles. Why did you hesitate, why did you call a cease fire.!? The instructor stomped over to 182s body, and gave it a kick, pointing, This was the enemy, we do not show mercy to the enemy...

The instructors voice was droned out and Tereus felt as if he was being sucked from his younger body, then in a flash the control room faded from view.

His dream started to flash forward, he was standing at attention, shirtless, in the rain, in front of his entire company. The instructor from earlier was giving some kind of speech, no, a lecture...Words like failure, and punishment, and example were spoken. The instructor stopped talking, and was now in front of Tereus, an evil glint in his eye. He raised his hand, and then dropped it. *Crack* One! Yelled the instructor, *crack* two! Yelled the instructor. Tereus could feel the lash lacerating his back. He watched still standing at attention as a pool of red formed on the ground then ran off the parade ground, along the gutter. Just as the blood had run from 182s mouth.

The dream fast forwarded again, he woke up in the infirmary. He could feel the bandages that had been placed on his back sticking to the sheets of the bed he lay on. He tried to sit up, and suppressed grimace of pain as he felt his wounds start to reopen as the bandages freed themselves from the sheets. He remembered hearing a conversation going on outside the room, muffled, but semi comprehendible.

A womans voice: I do not care Sergeant. Its unthinkable, they are children..

Then the Instructor: They are the future. They are soldiers. Whether they die here, or die out in the vastness of space it does not matter, as long as they learn and are capable of completing their missions...

The woman again: You cannot do this, engineered or not, they are just...

*SLAP!* the woman let out a whimper...

The instructor: They are expendable. Do not forget your place doctor, you are expendable as well..

The door slides open, and the woman comes in, holding her face, with tears in her eyes...She stares at Tereus, then rushes over, talking to him, and checking his wounds..

The dream moves on, He watches as the dead from the exercise are stripped of all clothing, and equipment and tossed into a giant pit. He watches as they spread petrochemicals on the bodies, He watches as he tosses in the flare...

Tereus bolted upright, breathing heavily, and wiped the perspiration from his face. He had worked up a cold sweat in his sleep. He turned, coming to a full upright position on the bed, and let his feet touch the cold metal of the deck plates. What was happening to him? What was the purpose of these Dreams?

Tereus stood, and walked over to the dispenser on the wall, taking a glass from the cupboard. He placed the cup under the nozzle and hit the water button. He waited for it to fill halfway, then took the cup and gulped the water down. He walked to the latrine turned on the sink, and splashed water on his face and dryed it with a towel, as he finishes drying his face, he stares at himself in the mirror.

Nothing is different, He thinks, That is me in the reflection, what is wrong with me?

He takes a look at his emotionless face, staring himself in the eyes, a few moments later, he forces himself to look away, and kills the lights, walking back to bed.

I must be losing it, Tereus thinks to himself, I will end up like the rest of the insane of the batch, crying and rocking, unable to control myself..

Tereus sat on the bed and thought in his mind, Your fine, you wont end up like them, it must have been the liquor..yeah it had to have been, nothing else makes sense, the past in umimportant..

He placed the anesthetic injector to his carotid artery once again, and pulled the trigger. He was out before his head hit the pillow, the injector hit the deck plates moments later with a *click, clack,clak*.

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The reports of my trying to imitate the revered Michal Golanski are greatly exaggerated...my avatar should prove this.

[4:17:08 PM] Michał Golański: I knew you have some prehistoric backing to kick them in the nuts.