spacepaladin15 posts
Posts: 625
Files: 0
Prisoners of Sol 6
Mikri was a quick, insatiable, unhappy reader. He’d been patched up as good as new within a few hours, suggesting some crazy regenerative technology; it was like nothing had happened. However, he’d kept his promise to read despite the short recovery. In the few weeks that we’d been here since the incident, he’d called Frankenstein “bunk science.” The Odyssey was superstitious nonsense of no import, people who did not understand the wo...
Prisoners of Sol 5
Mikri’s examination yesterday was rather uncomfortable, being inspected by a Vascar who I wasn’t convinced had any knowledge to be a medical professional. He’d given Sofia and I a clean bill of health, and sent us to get some rest after the earth-shattering events of the day. It was wild to think we were sleeping under an alien roof, and interacting with one on a regular basis. As grating as our liaison was at times, I knew there were milli...
The Nature of Predators - Sovlin’s Capture (What If)
A/N – Here’s an original NOP AU where Sovlin didn’t torture Marcel, but instead follows a human ship to Earth and is captured after the battle we saw in the Arxur cattle world battle (which is the referenced Sirius-9 descriptor). Just a note that “First Strike” was my placeholder name for the Federation’s planned attack on Earth circa 1980 where they would’ve wiped us out. As always, thank you for reading and supporting, I hope you ...
Prisoners of Sol 4
The orbital defense network was the first thing that we noticed at Kalka; thousands of platforms that were brimming with ships and massive cannons. The Vascar had mouthwatering manufacturing capabilities, though I was certain it was much easier for them to escape their gravity well. There was no electric glow across the entire continent, on the night side of the world. Earth, by comparison, had landmasses that were warm and toasty around the citi...
Prisoners of Sol 3
The Vascar appeared to have form-fitting suits, though it was tough to tell if their heads were actually that poofy. The first thing I noticed, as one’s grip pushed the interior airlock inward, was that they appeared to have segmented claws; that is, they bent at two joints, like ours. While human fingers were like little hotdogs inside astronaut gloves, theirs were curved and tapered. Their bodies seemed stocky, with broad chests and legs. Up ...
The Nature of Predators - Arxur Cattle World Battle (6/6)
First | PrevMemory transcription subject: Zarn, Federation InfantryDate [standardized human time]: March 4, 2137The claustrophobia inside the Terran aircraft was unbearable. There was nowhere to sit that wasn’t within lunging distance of a predator, especially with two other humans in the cockpit. I scooted as far away from any of them as possible, trying to sink into the interior wall. They could abduct us, and nobody in the Federation would k...
Prisoners of Sol 2
This universe was a strange one, where I found that I could run much faster and easier out on the asteroid—in spite of a bulky spacesuit. That was entertainment for a day or two, but we’d been stranded out here for three weeks by now. I began to see the wisdom in Sofia’s words about conserving my energy. Oxygen and water would be depleted quicker if I exerted myself. My mind was beginning to slip a bit from the stress, judging by the wild, ...
Prisoners of Sol
The edge of the universe wasn’t that far from us. To be exact, it was 4.3 billion miles away from Earth.A smidgeon past Pluto and mankind’s exploration ships—from our earliest probes onward—ran into some kind of invisible barrier. A forcefield at exactly that distance could be found in every direction we flew. That nonsensical realization sparked quite the uproar in the scientific community. Was everything that we’d witnessed with our d...
The Nature of Predators - Arxur Cattle World Battle (5/6)
First | PrevMemory transcription subject: Zarn, Federation InfantryDate [standardized human time]: March 4, 2137There was no question in my mind that I would die today. It was just a matter of which bullet would connect with my flesh, and how long we could hold out. With the humans and the Arxur joining forces, the Federation would be routed in a matter of months. The predators outclassed us; they were wired for death and destruction. Warfare was...
The Nature of Predators 2-99 [Final]
Memory Transcription Subject: Adam Meier, Terran CitizenDate [standardized human time]: September 3, 2165Running was a tireless process to me, though I kept my body keeled toward the ground and clapped my hands together. This was what a predator species with a fully-honed chase instinct looked like. Little claws tore through the grassy yard, leaping up to sink tiny teeth into my hand; that might trigger pain for most humans, but the metal skeleto...
The Nature of Predators - Arxur Cattle World Battle (4/6)
First | Prev | NextMemory transcription subject: Zarn, Federation InfantryDate [standardized human time]: March 4, 2137My unit began to march out at daybreak, so we could be in position at the designated time. The sky was tinged crimson, the color of Dawson’s viscous blood. As the sun began its slow climb across the horizon, the temperature soared, punishing us with grueling heat. It was a strenuous walk, but the use of ground vehicles was inad...
The Nature of Predators 2-98
Memory Transcription Subject: Tassi, Bissem Alien LiaisonDate [standardized human time]: September 14, 2161There was no magical solution to the lingering hostility between the three Bissem subspecies, due to the war that had engulfed our planet, but I felt that we were all moving toward cooperation for the first time. Enjoined Flippers was a supranational organization formed to set out a single agenda for Sapient Coalition matters, which was mode...
The Nature of Predators - Arxur Cattle World Battle (3/6)
First | Prev | NextMemory transcription subject: Zarn, Federation InfantryDate [standardized human time]: March 1, 2137My gun rested on the floor, within arm’s reach. It was pointed at the human; I only hoped I could fire it in time if he lunged at me. Despite the tiredness clouding my mind, I refused to close my eyes. Without a constant state of alertness, Dawson could stir and make a quick meal out of me. The predator’s breathing had levele...
The Nature of Predators 2-97
Memory Transcription Subject: Taylor Trench, Human ColonistDate [standardized human time]: May 30, 2161I didn’t know what place I considered home anymore, but I wasn’t sure that such a title even belonged to a physical planet or a building where I rested my head at night. Instead, what felt most like home to me was being with the people who believed I could be something more than I was, even when I didn’t believe it myself. I peeked out fro...
The Nature of Predators - Arxur Cattle World Battle (2/6)
First | NextMemory transcription subject: Zarn, Federation InfantryDate [standardized human time]: February 27, 2137Dawson was already awake by the time I stirred. He was warming some sort of liquid over a fire, which he had scooped out of a can. My stomach growled as the scent of food hit my nostrils. I hadn’t eaten a real meal since my deployment, and it was all I could do not to pounce on the cauldron.“Good morning.” The human seemed mor...
The Nature of Predators 2-96
Memory Transcription Subject: Adam Meier, Advisor to the Secretary-GeneralDate [standardized human time]: April 29, 2161To say there was a great deal of opposition to the idea of reviving billions of citizens from five dead species was to state the obvious. Perhaps it was surprising that I would voice such an opinion, since I neither believed myself to be Elias nor thought it wise to revive people without their consent. However, it was when I cam...
The Nature of Predators - Arxur Cattle World Battle (What If 1/6)
From the Original NOP Draft. Please see the plot explanation and list of canonical differences posted here!Memory transcription subject: Zarn, Federation InfantryDate [standardized human time]: February 26, 2137Federation forces had fought to a standstill on this Arxur farm world. We held our encampments surrounding their cities, but never made significant progress into the actual territory. Their fortifications thwarted major advances, and their...
Original NOPverse Notes
Hello! Since the AU was quite enjoyed, I thought about releasing some chapters from original NOP, which never saw the light of day and was very different! The first iteration of NOP was more of a traditional HFY story, before I decided no—I wanted there to be despair, humans to be underdogs, and a gritty yet over-the-top tone that even threw shade at a few of the detrimental tropes that I realized had been done to death.So with that said, I was...
The Nature of Predators 2-95
Memory Transcription Subject: Adam Meier, Advisor to the Secretary-GeneralDate [standardized human time]: April 29, 2161Without the backing and raw manufacturing power of the Listeners, and with the KC drone reinforcement taken off the grid with the UN assuming remote control, the Fed remnants didn’t have the capacity to withstand the Sapient Coalition and the Shield’s full might. Many had already offered their unconditional surrender, especi...
The Nature of Predators - Arxur First Contact (What If?)
The icebox on the floor reminded me how meager the rations were, which sent my hungry eyes to the viewport. It was a monotonous job, guiding the stealth cruiser through the edge of Venlil space. The hope was always that the prey would wander off alone, and plop themselves into our jaws. Fresh meat would beat frozen, aged food any day.There was never much traffic in this region, which was curious. No Federation colonies or institutions were establ...
The Nature of Predators 2-94
Memory Transcription Subject: Taylor Trench, Human ColonistDate [standardized human time]: March 18, 2161Agh, my head. I felt disoriented, though of course, I’d heard concussions could do that. Everything had a dreamlike hue, down to my fingers feeling like they were a mile away from me. The explosions kept crackling off around me, as sheer rage at the unfairness of the universe coursed through me. The Krev Consortium was breaking into the cave...
The Nature of Predators 2-93
Memory Transcription Subject: Taylor Trench, Human ColonistDate [standardized human time]: March 18, 2161It was eerie to swoop past the ruined crater that was once Tonvos, the capital city of Avor. I remembered the first trip here with Gress, marveling at a pyramid that was taller than many skyscrapers stacked atop each other; the megastructure was a work of art in its own right, having many lives and fixtures set inside like it was a snow globe....
The Nature of Predators - Krev DND (3/3)
First | PrevThe party followed Mavai to the edge of the hallway, catching a glimpse of the Trombil-built metal guardians. It was like looking at an armor stand, which made the motion seem unnatural; it wasn’t fully understood in Evrel how they were stitched together and acted on a directive, yet with a mind of their own. They were bound to the Slayers’ wishes to keep any unwanted visitors out, so there was nooption to persuade them. It would ...
The Nature of Predators 2-92
Memory Transcription Subject: Taylor Trench, Human ColonistDate [standardized human time]: March 18, 2161Gress and I had transcripts in the Krev Consortium’s database. Were there versions of ourselves among the robot army, living in a glossy, falsified reality or trapped as puppets on a string? My life had been miserable enough without reckoning with the idea that somewhere out there, a Taylor existed who never even got my slight glimmers of ha...
The Nature of Predators - Krev DND (2/3)
First | NextThere was a musty smell in the air, with the dust that had gathered on old braziers kicked up when Mavai illuminated the chamber. Lighting was a necessary evil, since a wrong step down the spiral staircase could send them tumbling in fatal fashion. Toddel burrowing underground was the only one who didn’t needed to worry about being perceptive; Juvrelor barely noticed the crumbling pebbles at the edge of a step in time to alert the g...
The Nature of Predators 2-91
Memory Transcription Subject: Adam Meier, Advisor to the Secretary-GeneralDate [standardized human time]: March 18, 2161Battles often boiled down to a single snapshot that would be remembered by history. Grenelka was the hardest-fought battle, showing the reasons why the adversarial Yulpa had been a Federation ally we hit the hardest in our cyberattack decades ago. The ghosts’ aid had gone a long way toward rebuilding the fanatics, stronger tha...
The Nature of Predators - Krev DND (1/3)
Crawlers and Firefossils Cast List: Species and ClassNotes prior to the Session log to any humans new to the game: All classes generally fall within or between the five specialization schools, Magician, Orator, Outlaw, Naturalist, or Warrior. Some classes are only playable by certain races, with their unique stats, abilities, buffs, and debuffs. Notable examples are the Jaslip Torporwalker (a form of Spirit Magician), the Krev Cira (considered a ...
The Nature of Predators [Book Chapter #2]
A/N - Happy Thanksgiving! When I opened up about my fatigue, people encouraged me to take the holiday off and to pace myself as needed, and I appreciate the support. I've decided not to post today or tomorrow for Thanksgiving at everyone's urging; phew, that's quite frankly a relief! The home stretch of a marathon is always where the legs want to give out, isn't it? I guess writing 12K words a week in the same universe for three ...
The Nature of Predators 2-90
Memory Transcription Subject: Taylor Trench, Human ColonistDate [standardized human time]: March 18, 2161The past month and few odd days had been a whirlwind, one that left me unable to stay on Earth with Gress. The United Nations relented to permit us to join assault forces on Avor, when Captain Sovlin was pointed to as a precedent. We had to go. Even if I wasn’t returning to Tellus long-term, I wasn’t going to let the Krev throw himself int...
The Nature of Predators 2-89
Memory Transcription Subject: Quana, Jaslip SoldierDate [standardized human time]: February 16, 2161It all felt a bit too easy how we’d been able to gather Jaslips from the first three enclaves: the Trombil, Ulchid, and Resket worlds. There hadn’t been much resistance mounted by the locals, allowing for quick stops and collecting Jaslips on the Resket fleet with ease. Kaisal chalked that up to the Krev Consortium losing the backbone of their ...
