What's up all! 4th Wall here! I finally have power returned to my home, and can play a little catch up! This one's a heavy hitter, No NSFW needed (I hope) but if you've got kids, be warned.
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A bright flash of blues and whites spat a greyish black object into normal space a mere one hundred Clicks from physical asteroid cloud that provided a natural barrier into the Lurix system. USN Olyvia’s drives instantly flared to life, and she made for the outer edges of the asteroid field with a purposeful stride. The senior Crew was at hand, having alternated shifts so they were well rested for this endeavor. Captain Correllus Grarzia shifted in his chair slightly, watching with interest as his star helmsman switched from his standard control configuration to a more “analog” twin joystick and pedals. ‘The kid really should be piloting a fighter’ he mused just as the young lad turned to look at him. “Ready, skipper”

“Take us in. All ahead slow.” Cory ordered calmly, before keying up the ship wide broadcasting channel. “This is the captain. We’ve just entered the Lurix system. Rig for silent running. I repeat, rig for silent running.” All across the ship, nonessential systems were shut down; their lack of electronic signature aiding the stealth coating on the bulky former troop transport. In engineering. Patrick, Cammy, and the rest of their section powered down a large portion of the larger systems onboard.

Life support was set to emergency backup, with old school oxygen candles lit in special housings that allowed their life-giving emissions to be circulated throughout the ship. Each major section of the vessel had their own supplies of these low-tech solutions, and Olyvia carried enough of these candles to survive for several days without functioning life support if needed.

Only a few were lit this time, using them as an augmentation to allow for minimal use of their perfectly functioning life support systems; and Cammy returned from the compartment just in time to aid in shutting down two thirds of Olyvia’s fusion reactors. This was not usually part of the silent running protocol, but Cory had added it for this mission. While they knew where their target would be, they still knew very little about what defenses awaited them inside the system.

Patrick keyed up the mic, “Engineering reporting in, silent running.”

*acknowledged* came a voice back. And Patrick leaned back in his chair just as Cammy arrived. “Well, that’s that.” He sighed.

Cammy stepped behind his chair, rubbing his shoulders for a second, “candles are lit. Two per section. At this rate we won’t run out for a year.”

Patrick chuckled, standing before looking over at his team, “sandwiches are in the mess hall. Half go now, half after. We’ll wait and go with second shift.” The team nodded and soon. The room was half as full. “Hurry up, and wait” Patrick mused, and turned to the rest. “Hold’em anyone?”

Over the next several days, shifts were kept short with a high rotation frequency. Olyvia picked her way through the natural minefield created by a destroyed world, slipping between the dead planetary shards with deadly caution. She ran quiet, with all but minimal deflectors shut down, and a single detuned laser online on each of her flanks as a last resort against impacts. Cory, Jesse, Patrick, and Cammy met regularly to keep tabs on the ship’s progress. The admiral’s transmission had reached them in time, and the four of them, plus Jacky when she could pry herself from the infirmary, worked to formulate a plan to get into the freighter without killing everyone. They had Hera and Jacobs reports, but those reports also admitted to a certain degree of incredible luck on their part. Things could have gone very differently, and the murder of the freighter during the admiral’s capture operation hinted at a change in tactics from their foe.

Mackenzie’s Privateers had liberated several freighters since they began operations, keeping to their cover as “pirates” by leaving nothing big enough to betray their secrets behind. A few of the other captains had left pieces of inoperative Unity tech, strategically damaged and jettisoned after the fight, as red herrings to convince both the Vorath, and the Thermians that these “pirates” had somehow gotten ahold of Unity warships.


Cory stepped into the cargo bay to meet Patric and Camorra. They were tinkering, carefully he hoped, with one of Olyvia’s harpoon missiles. It was a project triggered by Cammy’s brilliant, if outlandish, idea. “We know these freighters all ran the same codes, and the same infrastructure in their computer cores. Why can’t we hack it. Human computing should be perfectly capable of it.” Cory remembered her words as he stepped up to the two, “at ease” he waved them away as they threatened to salute him, “how’s out little project coming.”


“See for yourself” Patrick smiled handing him a data pad.

Cory took the offered device, quickly scanning through the data, “All I see is Olyvia’s system logs. Did you give me the wrong one?”

Patric smiled evilly, “that is coming from the missile, we found a common power regulator chip that dam near all Delmar freighters use in their integrated core management. Our mole here mimicked that regulators protocols to get into one we installed in a conduit over there” he pointed to an open panel. “It’s designed to cycle through several common chip sets and protocols to get access.”

“You hacked Olyvia?” Cory asked, eyebrow raised in a combination of amusement and irritation.

“Well, “Cammy said calmly, “we had to test it, and Oly’s the only ship close enough…”

“I see…” Cory mused, “it will have to do, we will be reaching the edge of the field in three days, how many of these can you have ready?”

Patrick scratched the red stubble punctuating his jaw line. “Hmm two, maybe three, including that one.” He winced at his captain’s expression, “took us a minute to get the virus right, sorry.”

Cory sounded to himself like a broken record, “I guess that will have to do as well. I’ll leave it to you.” He turned to return to his office but was interrupted half way there by an urgent request for his presence on the bridge.

Jesse rose to greet him as Cory stepped into Olyvia’s command center, and he nodded towards the ready room off to the side. The two of them quickly stepped inside and Jesse closed the door. “Jesse, what’s this about” Cory asked, settling into his desk chair.

Jesse, his first officer, and battle born brother looked at him seriously, “The first of our stealth probes have made it into the system proper….. It’s not good” He tapped at his data pad before handing it to his captain, “The enemy is doing something big down there, and we don’t know what. What we do know, Is that there are three heavy cruisers in orbit, and three more destroyers in floating patrols around the system.”

Cory scrolled through the pad as his first officer made his report, pausing at the same information on the planet’s surface, “These are military installations. This makes no since. We haven’t had a use for Lurix in millennia. It’s always just been a haven for aquatic and semi aquatic species. Why didn’t our intel warn us of this.”

Jesse nodded grimly, “I don’t know for sure, but I have my suspicions.” He reached over, tapping at the tab to open a particular file Cory had yet to find. “We found these in orbit as well.” He pointed to a pair of Delmar constructed freighters, parked in orbit over the marsh world. “I authorized a single transmission to a single drone, uploading Patrick and Camorra’s hacking program into it, and we sent it to one of those freighters... this is what we found.”

Cory opened the indicated file, and felt bile rise in the back of his throat as he watched. “Ready a tight beam, send it back the way we came, Towards Simo.” Jesse looked at his captain in understanding. The risks of transmitting this close to the enemy was a grave risk. Measured against the information they just witnessed; however, it was an absolute necessity. Jesse took the offered tablet, “The Admirals need to see this…. Both of them.”

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Clint Stevens groaned as his communicator beeped from his desk. It was a very early morning on a weekend, and Frie had let Natalie stay at her grandparents for the weekend. He quietly slipped from the entanglements of a profoundly comfortable Delmar goddess he had somehow been gifted with as his wife, and silently cursed the inevitable destruction of his plans. The Com was linked to his computer console, and Clint tapped the file as he sat down.

The file opened, beginning with a grim looking Corellus Grarzia who made an intro statement that froze Clint in his thoughts. Before he could begin to prepare himself, images flooded in that turned grogginess into razors edge consciousness ringing with a white hot fury. Frie was ripped from her slumber instantly, reaching for her biometric pistol safe as a response to the unbridled rage she experienced from her husband. It took her a moment to realize that they were not being attacked, and she rushed from their bed, neglecting even basic decency to be by his side.

The two of them watched the Horrors unfold. Children… small children of multiple different races, stacked in a freighter’s hold like cattle, being thrown food like one would an animal. Massive screens played, promising safety and full bellies should they only but kiss the hand of a severe looking Vorath female. All who had not, were treated to daily ice cold sprays mixed with random beatings. He watched as desperate older siblings attempted to shelter their kin from the abuse, often times paying the ultimate price for their valor.

Clint and Frie were spared a further assault on their senses by a beeping light, indicating an urgent call from Clint’s adopted brother. Frie slipped out of view, reaching for a night gown as a furious Mac, accompanied by an equal parts shocked and livid Lyrian, appeared on screen.


“You’ve seen it” Clint stated. There were no barriers between them, no formalities. Only pure truth.

“I have,” Mac rumbled. “Why is it always kids..”

Clint shook his head, “I can have a battle group there in two weeks. It’s not soon enough, but.”

Mac nodded sharply, “I’m redirecting everyone not on critical missions. Simo and Kid are already there with Olyvia. Wisconsin is enroute. We will await your arrival….. Clint…” Clint’s eyes met Mac’s in a joined promise that reached across time and space.

“No, there won’t.” Clint answered, responding to Mac’s unspoken statement.

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A week later, The Chancellor Thomas Durrant of the Sol Federation perused the latest transmissions from Unity space. He was due for reelection this coming fall, and it was a close race. His opponent was labelling him a Warmonger, as he was an outspoken proponent of a more active role in the struggle against the Vorath, and it was working. The points were closing in the polls, and The Chancellor had not come out on top with the latest debate results. Humanity simply was not interested in further conflict. For the first time in human history, the vast majority of the Human race was content with peace.

The Chancellor took a sip of his mug as he opened a file from Admiral Stevens marked priority, but not top secret and promptly spit the contents in his mouth back into the mug. It was a complete file on some kind of intelligence operation, and Durrant almost wondered if it had been sent to him in error. The gruesome cover video dispelled that notion as the leader of Humanity itself watched horrors thought long dead play out in front of him. Several minutes later, he closed the file, and opened a message prompt.


“Viktor, are you up.” He typed.

*Yea, Tom. I’m up, the campaign ain’t gonna run itself into the ground.*

Durrant snorted at the dark humor, “Viktor, I was sent something. It changes… everything” he typed, attaching the cover video, and the longer form surveillance recording he had found inside the file from Clint. Several minutes passed in tense silence before…

*Jesus Christ, Tom.*

Tom Durrant took a long slow breath, “Do you still have your man at The Post.” He paused before sending, knowing what he was asking.

*Yea… yea I do, Tom. Are you sure you want to do this. This has ‘it will blow up in my face’ written all over it.*

“I know, but this bigger than me. Do it, and announce a press conference to follow if The Post runs with it.” Durrant typed and sent the last message, closing down his console. He stood slowly, feeling his age for the first time in recent memory, and walked heavily to bed.

The Post ran with the story. In the next 48 hours, the “leaked” scenes of tortured children, some barely more than infants ripped its way into Humanities Psyche. The revelations of what exactly was going on behind Vorath lines assailed Humanity, spurring many to call for blood, and Others to cry hoax. Around and around the political commentators debated, and redebated the shocking footage.

Chancellor Thomas Durrant followed through on his word, and was now stepping up to the platform and the Microphone as promised. He stood there for a full minute, meeting the eyes of as many of the hundreds of reporters before him as he could. The weight of his expression prompted a flurry of flashes as camera drones captured the image. Durrant allowed all of this to happen, waiting until the din of activity settled into a heavy silence. “People of Humanity… By now, you have undoubtedly seen the shocking pictures from the far side of the galaxy. Many of you believe it to be a hoax, a desperate ploy for political points. Allow me to be clear. This is no hoax, I received these disturbing images directly from Admiral Clint Stevens, who is marshalling the forces at his disposal as we speak. He aims to do something about these orbital concentration camps, and I support his actions with the full backing of my authority as Chancellor of the United Sol Federation.”

Durrant paused, letting the information sink in before continuing, “to answer the question as to whether this is a political ploy for points. Let me be perfectly clear, I alone released the footage from inside those torture ships, and I do not care if you believe it to be a political ploy. If Humanity can see the atrocities committed to the young innocents in those images and refuse to stand up for them; I no longer would wish to lead that Humanity. Yes, we are few compared to what we once were, but we have a strength that cannot be fathomed by those who chose to side with pure evil. Make no mistake, any being that is capable of torturing and murdering children deserves the title.” The Chancellor of United Sol skewered the silent crowd with a withering gaze, “All of you here know that I have been an ardent supporter of taking a more active role against this pure evil, and my opponent has made a great many statements regarding my supposed “warmongering”. I believe that to debate him further on this matter is as wasteful as it would be irrelevant. As such, I am suspending my campaign immediately. Pending permission from donors and the campaign review board, I will be donating the totality of my campaign war-chest to the purchase of relief supplies and construction of rehabilitation facilities for these children.” Durrant paused as a wave of gasps swept through the room as a volley of flashes assaulted his eyes. “Holding the position of leader of the Human race seems so insignificant in comparison,” he said softly, almost to himself before scanning the crowd. “The election is 4 months away. If you wish to reelect me, so be it; but know this.” Thomas Durrant rose to his full height, “If you elect me this fall, know that I will use the full weight of this office to unleash the full might of Humanity upon this evil, or I will resign from my post and travel to Unity space myself.”

With that. Chancellor Thomas Durrant spun on his heals and marched off the stage.
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Chapter 1

Concept art for Sybil
Of Men and Ghost Ships, Book 1: Chapter 18
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After the news of more arrivals and what that implied, Carter turned around and looked at the girl. "How long until they get here?"
The girl seemed to be expecting that question. "We've got considerably more notice this time, but that's only because of the size of the distortion. Unfortunately, that same distortion makes it harder to be sure, but our best guess is they seem to be arriving in waves, with the vanguard arriving in maybe thirty minutes, give or take a ten-minute window. We'll be able to more accurately estimate as the time draws near."
Carter nodded. "How long will it take to decouple the ship you're cannibalizing?"
The girl took a moment to consider this. "Well, in order to recall all drones safely, the whole process would take close to five minutes, though obviously, that'll depend on what parts they are currently involved in removing."
Carter nodded. "Alright, take what you can get, but be ready to drop what you're doing with plenty of time to spare so we can cut and run. I'm not looking to commit suicide today!"
Erik, who seemed pretty calm despite the news, looked up with interest. "What about our crew mates drifting out in their escape pods?"
Carter looked at the larger alien and tried to figure out what was going on in his head. Would he get violent if Carter said he was just gonna leave them to their fates? Not that he wanted to just leave them out here to be butchered, but taking an entire crew onboard this ship was just asking for a hostile takeover. On the other hand, was he so monstrous he'd just leave people to the same fate he'd come so close to experiencing not so long ago?
Carter started to open his mouth to say he was sorry, but the girl cut him off. "Captain. You might want to speak with the rest of the crew before making a decision like that."
Right, despite how they were behaving in front of their "guests," he didn't have unilateral control. He looked over toward the viking alien. "I'll ask you to remain in the dining hall for a bit. I need to head to the bridge for now, and I'll decide after speaking with the crew."
For once, Erik wasn't grinning, but he didn't argue either, and he nodded to Carter. "Fair enough, I suppose. Just don't take too long and leave us out to dry while you make up your mind."
Carter simply nodded and took his leave.
As he walked onto the bridge, the vixen and the pirate were already there, and the girl walked up behind him. With everyone present, Carter dove right in. "Alright, so you all know what's happening and what's at stake. What are we going to do with the people in the escape pods?"
Predictably, the vixen didn't seem overly sympathetic. "We weren't the ones who put them in those pods. We have no responsibility to stretch out our necks to save them."
Also, predictably, the pirate seemed to be on the other side of that equation. "These lads fought the good fight and deserve another chance to fight again! I say we take them on as additional crew!"
With that, it came down to the one Carter had been wondering about. The girl hesitated a moment as if giving this careful thought. "...There is some risk with taking so many people onboard...and I'm not big on the idea of letting so many people see the inner workings of the Sybil at one time...but I can't bring myself to leave these people out here to die, either... I vote we take them in."
That put Carter in an odd position. He'd all but decided these people were too much of a risk to take on, and with his tie-breaker authority, he could say they were just going to cut and run, and the others would go with it. However, he found himself hesitating, if only because he questioned any decision that would leave him siding only with the vixen regarding how they were going to treat other people. After a little bit of consideration, he shook his head. "Alright, fine. We'll take on anyone who can make it in time, but we'll have to take some precautions, such as limiting their access to the ship, etc. We can work out the details after we're clear. It's not like they're in any position to argue..."
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The captain nodded. "That seems more than fair. I will relay your offer...thank you."
Carter couldn't help but notice that he seemed somewhat subdued. However, that was easily explained by his being in one of the furthest groups of escape pods, unlikely to make it in time. It was difficult to look a man in the eye and know that he could likely measure his remaining time in minutes rather than years. All Carter could offer was a half-hearted "Good luck, Captain." before ending the transmission.
Carter looked over at the three Sybils. "How much will we be able to get from the pirate ship before getting out of here?"
The girl appeared to be looking through various charts. "Well, not all of it will be immediately available, as it'll need to be processed and installed, but we should get enough to restore the Sybil to roughly seventy-three percent of operational capacity."
Carter nodded. "And how much will be immediately available?"
The pirate seemed to see where he was going with this and grinned as he answered. "Enough to give some pirates a serious black eye and bloody lip, boyo!"
Carter's grin mirrored the pirate's. At least he could do this much before running away. "Then what say we do just that?"
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Elias scowled. He was in charge of leading the vanguard to "restore his lost honor." What good was honor if your ship was dead in the void? He knew the real reason he was leading the vanguard. In a three-on-one fight, he'd lost an entire ship in less than a minute. His competency was being questioned, and he needed to either prove himself here or lose his position as a strike team leader. Hell, he might even be demoted out of his captaincy. Not that anyone could typically remove a captain from his position on a pirate vessel without some bloodshed, but this was a new era, and the old rules no longer applied.
Not that it mattered. Elias wouldn't give his opponent the opportunity to perform the same stunt as before. Every ship was under orders to immediately raise shields and take evasive action upon reentering realspace. He would win the fight methodically this time rather than using brute force. If they were stupid enough to hang around, that is.
As soon as they appeared in real space again, Thomas immediately gave the same warning as last time. "Captain, we have incoming!"
Elias couldn't believe his luck. Not only were they still here, but they were stupid enough to try the same trick twice! He turned to the helm calmly. "Evasive maneuvers." Then, turning to communications, he added, "Tell the other ships to begin firing as soon as they have a clear shot of the main vessel!"
However, Thomas didn't seem like he was done. "Captain, they're adjusting course! It's the Sybil, not a dead vessel!"
The Sybil? Were they trying to actually ram his ship? Elias turned to the helm with more urgency. "It's too big to match our maneuverability! Just take us out of their turning radius!"
The helmsman seemed rather focused. "Trying to captain!"
Elias could only stare in horror as the large vessel loomed closer and closer despite his helmsman's best attempts to turn away. However, it started to look like they'd squeak past by the skin of their teeth, and the other ships were pouring on fire even though it seemed they were unable to break through the Sybil's shields. Still, once the immediate danger of being rammed was passed, they could easily stay out of the larger ship's reach and add in their own munitions, forcing the larger ship to fight a four-on-one battle with reinforcements approaching or retreat.
As the two ships passed within spitting distance, alarms started blaring. Looking at his console, Elias could see the two ships had passed close enough that their shields were overlapping, sending powerful feedback into each other's systems, creating dead spots where shields should have been. It was an insane maneuver spoken about by the occasional seasoned captain that took such a degree of precision maneuvering and a lack of self-preservation that it hadn't seen use since the AI war half a century ago!
Realizing what was about to happen, Elias shouted, "Rotate the ship now!" but it was too late as the Sybil open-fired on the unshielded portions of the ship.
All Elias could do was ride out the storm. It seemed every alarm aboard the ship was screaming, and his ship felt as if it was being shaken to pieces as the Sybil poured an ungodly amount of ordinance onto the exposed side of his ship. A part of him wanted to run for the nearest escape pod, but doing so would only ensure his loss of command.
Then, almost as soon as it had started, it was over. The shaking finally stopped as the Sybil flew past. Elias turned to one of the few officers still seated at their station. "Status?"
The officer's hands flew across the screen. "Sir, floors two and three on the port side are in ruins. Total losses. Floor one is evacuating personnel to vent the atmosphere to try and control several fires. We're more or less dead in space."
Elias's eyes narrowed. "And what of the Sybil? Are they coming around for another pass?"
The officer shook their head. "No, they seem to be headed for an escape jump. I think we're clear."
Elias settled into his seat as the remaining officers retook their positions. At least this wasn't a total loss; however, this wasn't exactly going to "restore his honor" either. As he watched the Sybil reach a safe distance and jump out of real space, he cursed the supposed ghost ship silently.
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Hmmm, that's a thing that happened! Now what?
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Hey everyone, I’ve finally turned to the Reddit community. I’m not sure where’s the best place to post this but there is an element of GERD and is very likely and a root cause for at least a large portion of it so will try here first. Apologies for how lengthy it is.
I’m a M38, obese through childhood and young adulthood, hypertension since teens that was treated with metoprolol (had palpitations as well) and even high cholesterol that was finally treated with statin in early twenties. Around the age of 25 I took last 2 years to lose about 150 pounds going from 360 to 210, (all natural from diet and exercise).
Shortly after this, I started getting one side numbness and tingling, rate headaches, and sometimes along with or separately bouts of chest pain and palpitations, sweating, hot flashes, left shoulder pain, arm pain, dizziness. This lead to a decade long investigation that lead to no real solution. Countless stress tests, echo/ekg, holters, blood work, head and neck MRIs, dopplers, EEGs, etc, no real diagnosis was made. The only thing that change was about 2 years after switched from metoprolol to losartan, as it was more appropriate now after the weight loss, which a doc thought was just the right thing to do and had no explanation for my symptoms otherwise. No more rate control since 2015.
Ultimately, after 10 years of this… For the neurological symptoms, it was a deemed hemiplegic or basilar migraines, with aura, with or without headache. I was told hey, it hasn’t killed you yet, so that alone tells us at least it’s not fatal. For the cardiac symptoms, anxiety or some type health anxiety, or something in the psych realm was deemed the culprit. I was told it’s best you ignore it, or jump on a medley of different drugs, which I was told likely won’t benefit me. Imagine having to live with all this, and being told by doctors to essentially ignore it all. I asked the crucial question, at least to me, that I’ll go ahead and listen to their advice, but what is my threshold? At what point am I to rush to an ER? Most people would run to one if they had these symptoms, as neuro could be stroke, and cardiac could be heart attack. They had no answer for this. After this decade long hunt, I spent a year in misery, personal issues, my blood pressure medications was doubled in dose after a breakup, then doubled again 2 weeks later (it was stressful), all during Covid year 2020. Unfortunately over the decade I slowly gained back 100 of the weight I had lost. Back 290 pounds. During this year I lost 30 of it again, down to 260 In 2021, I had pretty crazy bout of chest pain, and was offered do a coronary CTA, came back completely clean. No obstruction at all in vessels, and zero calcium score. This was reassuring enough to me at least cardiac wise I can rest easy(to some degree). For the neuro side, CGRP antagonist was on the table to try, but it would just be throwing medications at it, along with gabapentin and topamax as options. The latter were tried, but were not tolerated at all. In 2022, I had my first bout with covid, moderate, it left its lingering symptoms (which are hard to discern as I had a large amount of the symptoms of long covid for years before this too) An endoscopy was done. As a GI doc said since you’ve been having such a long list of symptoms for so long, let’s explore the GI route since you’ve ruled out the rest from what it seems. Endoscopy found a small hiatal hernia. And the trail went cold. Can a small one perhaps cause such symptoms?
Which brings us to the most current situation. March of 2023 I decided to do the stationary bike, high resistance and high effort for 30 minutes with HR at about 130, then 5 more minutes I ramped up effort even more to HR of 150. Towards the last minute or two o started getting chest pain. I obviously should have stopped but I figured hey I get some type of pain like this time to time let’s just hit the 35 minute mark. Big mistake.
When I stopped, the pain persisted. And took a while to get better. Like an hour or so. And it felt different than anything I’ve felt before. Felt radiating to arm and jaw. By nightfall it was fine, next morning it all started again when I got out of bed. I wish I had gone to ER so at least they’d run some tests on the spot. I contacted my cardiologist, who I saw four days later. He said there’s nothing to be done, even though I told him these are different symptoms, and seem to come from exertion. He offered me a repeat of the CT or a trip to the cath lab. I let him decide and he went with CT since it was non invasive.
2 weeks later I got the test done, and this time they found a 10% Non calcified plaque in the proximal LAD, the calcium score still zero. He said this doesn’t explain your symptoms, but since we have evidence of CAD, you have to be put on aspirin 81. Additionally, he offered Ranexa, as he thought maybe this could be microvascular disease. Ultimately he did not believe this to be new and different like I’ve been saying and jumbled it all into the last 15 years or so. No enzymes got tested, which I really wish had been.
*****I now had this exertional left arm pain, wrist pain on the outside, numbness, chest pain, pressure, dizziness, jaw pain, pain behind left ear, left side of neck headache, bouts of nausea and sweating, shortness of breath even. This was all way worse than what I used to deal with. And different too
My pcp advised against his trial medicine, as it has a very little success and plenty of adverse effects. Days past by, no improvement, I’m getting these symptoms on the daily. An incident 3 months later in summer after swift walk to the car after eat a large cookie (I include that because maybe it was GI?). For hours I felt tingly in the chest, light headed, just confused. My girlfriend even noticed I just seemed out of it. Chest felt tight and painful. It eventually got better many hours later.
Mid summer I went for a pulmonary consult, at my doc’s behest, only for this doc to rush me to an er on suspicion of an aortic dissection. They did a full CTA of head neck chest abdomen and pelvis….. nothing but unnecessary radiation and contrast exposure.
Late summer I had a week of sweating and light headed ness, now 6 months out from the exercise incident from March. I went to another cardiologist, who had no idea why my pressure was suddenly 90/60 (literally no changes have been made). I was told to cut my medication dose in half. Could this be due to the contrast from the CT earlier??
He ordered a stress test, my first one since then, which came back subpar 6-7 minutes only but I did hit the target rate. I may have called quits 1 minute or 2 early as I saw my blood pressure skyrocketing. It was considered a normal test regardless. That night I had the worst left arm pain lasting hours, but I was told there’s no explanation. I did start getting very intense headaches, ones that I still get
Interestingly, 1 month later, my blood pressure was suddenly now high, 150/80. Suddenly. no explanation why it was low then, and none for why it’s high now. We went back to regular dose of the medication.
I got a neuro consult again to see if it could all connect, autonomic testing was done for dysautonomia, came back normal. Back to Square 1 again.
In the fall of 2023 I tried a bout of PPI as all docs were pushing for this , nothing changed, but it did help with the occasional heartburn I got. I even gave a month try to benzodiazepine as to rule out psych causes, and then tried an Ssri for 2 months. Nothing, other than sedation.
This new year I caved and started metoprolol again. I was told maybe it will help if it’s microvascular disease. It wasn’t exactly indicated but at this point I was willing OT try it all. Initially it had some benefit I think, then dose was doubled in February but not much changed. I still take it presently, as my base HR had recently been higher than normal anyways.
In these last few months, all of this persists. And subjectively I think it’s getting worse. I’ve been feeling cold for months, but then feel like sweat at the same time (not drenched just clamy). Get bouts of nausea even at rest. All of the cardiac symptoms episodic pain dizziness with chest shoulder jaw back neck ear, etc all still there. Even from left arm it runs down like into the palm and pinky. I even get them during sex I just power through. Stressful moments also incite them. I cannot say for sure, but possibly food or spicy food can do it as well.
My cardiologists still believe nothing is new here, even though it feels completely different to me after that exercise incident. They suggest coping as is, or going in for another coronary CTA, or finally take a trip to a cath lab. Essentially they say objectively they see nothing, but if I keep complaining those are the best routes.( I was offered nitro as well but scared to take it) My neuro says unlikely they are related, but it they could be to the possible migraines. At least the new headaches. There’s some possible link with migraine and chest pain. Only way to know is try a cgrp. He’s going with Qulipta. My GI doc says it could be vagus nerve related, and/or esophageal, so let’s try a TCA, amitriptyline. I’ve also been suggested to try a higher dose of Xan.
——— I have no idea which trail to follow????
My labs are normal, -except CRP (I believe around 40 if I recall correctly) which is often elevated, -hsCRP of 1.8 which was moderate risk category, -and CPK which is often high as well around 400 but my docs blame it on statin use or maybe exercise (idk about that no one entertains it as cardiac but they must have their reasons)
I really don’t want to sit on all this and find out later I didn’t take the action necessary. I’m afraid of something serious happening. And daily this is interfering with my life.
My concern is maybe during that exercise I did something. Initially was concerned about damage from really high blood pressure during, coronary dissection maybe? Something else damaged? Or something missed? Did I make something worse? Does anyone think it’s all related to my past symptoms?
What could have happened with this exercise incident??
Any input, advice, suggestions, similar stories, appreciated.
If you made it this far. Thank you so much for reading. Take care.

Chapter 1
Next>
Concept art for Sybil
Of Men and Ghost Ships, Book 1: Chapter 16
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As he made the Captain's case, Carter was staring down his...crew, for lack of a better term. "Listen, I'm not big on allowing some random people on our ship either, but according to the Captain of their vessel, this guy might not last until rescue gets here. You can quickly treat him while we're cannibalizing that pirate vessel, and then we'll put them back in their pod and be on our way. In return, they're offering us all the munitions on the ship they have a claim on. It's not a bad deal."
The vixen seemed to have already made up her mind. No surprises there. "Absolutely not! We don't owe these people a thing! They're already lucky you're letting them keep what you are!"
The girl adjusted her glasses. "I don't see any particular benefit to us in this either. What few munitions are left on that ship aren't likely in any condition to be of use to us unless we take them apart and put them back together again, costing us almost as much time and energy as just going out and finding more elsewhere. We've got more than enough resources from that nearly whole vessel at our disposal for the time being. It is an unnecessary risk with little payoff."
So, this time, it came down to the pirate. All three turned to him as he considered the options. "Well, I don't know about owing anyone anything or how well we'll get paid, but from the sounds of things, this lad got injured fighting against overwhelming numbers in an all-hope-is-lost kinda situation and managed to get not only himself but his companions out alive! That kind of heave-ho attitude deserves to be rewarded! Sides, the only one who'll really be at risk is our Captain. It's not like they can do anything to the ship if we don't let them!"
Carter was starting to suspect the supposed pirate was more of a softy than he let on but wasn't about to say anything to that effect. Instead, he just shook his head. "Even split, so I guess I get to use my tiebreaker authority to make the call again. Contact Captain Dimitri and let him know we'll be taking the injured man on board just long enough to stabilize him, but no one can take any weapons off the pod with them. If we see so much as a knife, we'll space the lot of them."
-
As Alen sat up, he noticed he was having trouble focusing. Vanessa was speaking with someone on their console. It might have been the Captain, but he wasn't sure. "Are you sure we can trust them? This is taking a considerable risk..."
The response didn't sound as confident as he usually did. "Honestly, no, I'm not, and from what I remember of this ship, it doesn't exactly have the best of reputations. However, they could have easily waltzed in here, killed us, ignored us, and/or taken everything they wanted. Instead, they took the time to say hi and even bothered with negotiations. Also, judging by what we just saw, they aren't any more friendly toward pirates than we are, so that's a mark in their favor. If the boy was in better condition, I'd say he could just ride it out, but you mentioned he's not doing very well, so this is his only option. Besides, it's not like the government would let us keep many of the munitions on board that ship. He's got no choice, and it's not really costing us anything, might as well."
Vanessa didn't seem particularly appeased, but she didn't argue other than to mutter low enough that the Captain probably couldn't hear her. "It might cost a couple of us something..."
At this point, Alen was reasonably sure they were talking about him. However, the world wouldn't stop spinning long enough for him to consider his own thoughts on the subject. Instead, he just closed his eyes and hoped things would work out for the best.
-
Carter watched from overhead as the pod docked in the ship's bay. It seemed so small compared to the cavernous room, but he knew appearances could be deceptive. For instance, he wasn't exactly prepared to put up much of a fight himself, as his handgun was still mostly empty, but he wasn't about to let them know that.
The Captain had warned him there were not one, but two aliens aboard the pod and that they were pretty intimidating to look at. Carter had to admit that it made him curious. Everyone knew about the Vitexrā by now; they'd made quite the galactic splash a couple hundred years ago, but he'd never heard anything about a second species being discovered and wondered where the hell this other guy had come from or even what he looked like.
The girl was beside him as usual. "We've begun cannibalizing the pirate ship. The process will take several hours, though we're prioritizing more important components first in case we're interrupted."
Carter nodded. "Sounds good."
As he watched their guests disembark the ship, Carter couldn't help but frown. The big alien he's been warned about looked like he could easily cause more than his fair share of trouble. Nodding in their direction, he asked the girl, "Any weapons you can scan on them? And how about the kid? Is he really injured?"
The girl shook her head. "No weapons, although those two are pretty much weapons in and of themselves. Even if you had a full magazine, I'm not sure I'd put any money on you in a fight. Luckily, now that we have a captain, you won't be alone. We have some ancillaries ready to escort our guests to and from the med bay. As for the injured party, he seems legitimately in trouble, and the wounds are from before we showed up."
With a sigh, Carter turned away from the observation screen. "Alright. Sounds like we might as well get down there and say hi."
-
Carter conceptually knew how large the alien he was greeting was, but when he first opened the door, he had to fight the urge to take a defensive step back. Standing in front of him was some sort of anthropomorphic, nearly eight-foot-tall cat lizard, which gave off a vaguely Viking aura as it grinned down at the much smaller human.
When it spoke, Carter noticed the alien had a thick accent, thick enough to make him somewhat hard to understand, even though he seemed to be speaking Basic. "You must be the Captain! Good to meet ya!" Then, he turned to the other alien, the Vitexrā, who would have been just as intimidating despite her smaller size if Carter hadn't already had some idea what to expect. "See? I told ya they wouldn't bother inviting us on just to space us!"
The alien gave Carter a grin he suspected was meant to be more friendly than intimidating, but it failed on that account. Still, with the two large robotic frames at Carter's back, he knew that if push came to shove, he stood a reasonable chance of getting out of this alive. "Yeah, well, I'm not in the habit of spacing people who just need some help. I'm Captain Carter, by the way, and so long as you don't make any trouble, you won't get any from us. With that said, welcome aboard the Sybil."
Carter wasn't exactly a medical expert, but he'd been around the injured enough to see that the human the two aliens were escorting was in rough shape. Blood loss and shock, at the very least, probably caused by some sort of traumatic injury. Hopefully, the out-of-date medical facility on this ship would be up to the task, though Carter guessed the odds were more fifty-fifty.
The large alien's grin somehow grew broader and more toothy. "Call me Erik. This is Vanessa and Alen. Any help you can offer would be welcome!"
Carter refrained from commenting on how weird it was to hear the alien use such a standard human name, and instead simply nodded. "Alright, then follow me."
With that, Carter turned and led the way to the med bay, with the two robotic frames walking between him and their guests. He was reasonably sure he remembered the way from here, and if not, Sybil could say something. He had to fight the urge to turn and get another look at the two aliens, though.
As he finally approached the door he'd been looking for, Carter triggered the lights and pointed to the table. "Alright, put him there, and Sybil will see if she can't fix him up. I have to warn you, though, our facility isn't the most up-to-date, and given his condition, I'd say his odds are pretty even at this point."
As the large cat/lizard put the human down, the Vitexrā looked around as if searching for something before she spoke up, surprising Carter with her unexpected English accent. "Are there no medical personnel around?"
Carter was so surprised by the accent that he hesitated answering just long enough for the vixen to pop into existence and answer for him. "As if I need some wasteful organic assistance to do my job. And not to contradict my Captain, but I'd say this boy has a more than seventy-three percent survival chance. Now, if you will all please leave the room and let me do my job, I'll see if I can't save this human despite your best efforts!"
Carter sort of wanted to say something about her bedside manner but decided to keep his mouth shut as it served no purpose at this point. Besides, as the various metallic articulated arms around the table came to life, he decided he didn't want to see what the vixen considered medical assistance and decided to do as she'd commanded and leave the room.
However, the Vitexrā, Vanessa, he reminded himself, spoke up. "I am able to not release biologically active micro lifeforms when I so desire. May I remain to observe your treatment of the boy?"
As the vixen seemed to consider for a moment, Carter prepared himself for the usual belittlement, but surprisingly, she nodded. "Very well, but please observe from the corner. It would be best if you did not get in my way."
Vanessa nodded. "That is agreeable."
Carter looked back and forth between them, then decided it wasn't worth getting involved. Instead, he led the way out the door, and Erik followed. "Well, if you like, I can show you our mess hall while we wait, though I have to warn you, the food options are somewhat limited... Can you even eat human food?"
Erik grinned, making Carter wonder if the alien had another expression, and nodded. "Yup, for the most part! Don't worry. I can smell if you've got anything troublesome in there, but for the most part, if you can eat it, I can eat it. Don't waste your time on anything sweet, though; I apparently can't taste sweet!"
Carter raised an eyebrow, wondering if he'd heard that right or if it was just the accent. Then, after a moment's hesitation, he responded. "Well, how do you feel about mint flavors?"
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Next>
Next chapter, lets see how these folks hit it off!
My Wiki has all my chapters and stories, including the short series and stories that I write for an occasional change of pace or style!
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So picture this if ye will...
Me and my mate come to port in a little place called Sanctuary, we're sailing his Sloop: The Starling, a fine vessel to be sure if a little inexperienced on the Sea of Thieves...
We noticed some other lads come to port at the Sovereign dock, they too were in a sloop, the lads are unloading precious cargo, hard earned, hard fought I'm sure.
Now I'm a sociable soul, so I head over to admire their vessel and see if they need a hand unloading any cargo. Obviously they're wary as any Pirate would be of another approaching their plunder, but with my calm demeanor I convince them I mean no harm, they pop their plunder onto the platform and...
Well t'was the damnedest thing, both lads disconnected at the same time, and I was faced with a bit of a morale dilemma, all this loot is sat here and the owners are currently absent, I'm about to log out for the night so I could pinch the lot...
If I was a craven thief! Nay I stood there on that port and guarded their plunder from my own crew, those lads were right gobsmacked when they logged back in "I bet it's all been stolen" were their words. For me kindness and honesty those fine gentlemen offered me one of their chests which by my estimate was worth around 15,000 due to its contents.
One good turn deserves another as they say!
-Captain Morrison of The Jammy Dodger.

I trembled, another rejection. I numbly gazed at the floor and was surprised to see my reflection staring back -- an expression of despair. I leaned on my spear for support, the base buried in a combatant’s face. The once regal polished floor now bore the scars of our battle. From the jagged gash on my neck, a single bead of silky white blood slipped free, tumbling down to join the pool below. It struck the surface with a quiet finality, sending ripples shuddering outward. Ripples that twisted and distorted my reflection until even that oh so familiar expression blurred beyond recognition. My vision swam, and the emptiness washed over me, pulling me under, a sorrow that seeped into my membranes like a numbing rot.
A small squeak broke the silence, I looked up and matched my next adversary’s gaze; it’s grip tightened around the small captive creature. I slumped in near fatal exhaustion. Beady red eyes stared back in maniacal amusement, it’s serrated grin growing wider. It’s mind betrayed a brutish horrid lust for my anguish. My hopes for kinship amongst the stars had flown to the heavens and been brought crashing back down. There was no ashkhen, mutual bond. I had tried everything. The thoughts were so alien and unlike anything from my planet. Not that any of the other creatures I had come across were any different. Perhaps the others were right, there was no common ground with the starfolk.
I had hoped to appeal to this warrior’s spirit during the heat of battle to establish ashkhen. But it only sought a self fulfilling vengeful quest and I was left floundering trying to break the simple mind’s barriers.
My outstretched limbs had seemed to cause insult as they were promptly severed, bitten, burnt, or pulverized. Not to worry, they grew back. The stars had not been kind, my desperate search for kinship thrown aside. Some gifted me strange lights, shapes, or tremors, unbridled kindness from charitable creatures helped me along my path exploring the stars. But as the decades churned on I still walked it alone. Over time the bond I had with home weakened, it grew to a whisper then faded away.
I convulsed as my body struggled to keep up with the numerous wounds. The loss of vital fluids was catching up to me, every membrane wanted to cramp as lacking resources caused panicked biological reactions. Organs rattled on new dreadful sensations as they began to fail.
I wondered if dying now would curse me to wander the emptiness of space forever, the life tree not able to pull my spirit into her embrace.
The captured creature didn’t seem to be faring much better than I.
One tentative step forwards.
It’s pale face had grown a slight shade of blue.
Not much fight left in me, but I couldn’t let a potential friend die.
One more step.
The creature stopped struggling.
I lashed out with my spear, it hurtled towards the brute in a carefully calculated trajectory. It barely had time to react as the charged tip arced across the room and burned itself into the shoulder opposite the held captive. I was accurate, but in my state not that accurate. I had aimed for the head. I fell to the floor not able to stand any longer.
It reeled in pain as I saw its mind explode with hatred. With the other arm it flung the captive straight at me. I didn’t have the energy to hold open my eyes any longer. The creature might at least survive now I thought grimly. A worthy trade for my life.
Silence. A touch. The universe imploded to a singularity of focus, time was near frozen. A tingling sensation began to burn into bolts of energy shooting up my arm. The point of contact. I could feel it, something almost forgotten. Another mind reaching out.
* * * * * * * *
Lucy couldn’t breathe, the scaly hand was wrapped too tightly around her neck. She desperately lashed out with her hands trying to dislodge it, if only for a moment to get the life saving air.
My forehead began to sweat, a hot wave washing over my body. The giant ugly lizard was babbling on about how it would hunt down and end the invader’s entire family lineage for how much trouble it caused. The strange alien had come aboard without invitation as we were all being loaded into the pirate’s cargo bay. It had oozed its strange jellyfish octopus body... began fighting... oh god. Hard to fucking think.
I managed a squeak. My vision narrowed to a tunnel, and my temples pulsed with my pounding heartbeat, the world was drowning out.
A loud whistle cut through, and the brute screeched. Suddenly the deathly grip tightened even harder. My eyes bulged as the sharp boney fingers dug into my neck. My arms slumped as stars filled my rapidly darkening vision.
“If you want this one so bad, here, you can have it.”
Darkness. Pain rocked my world as I was forcefully thrown forward. My lungs, desperate and burning, greedily seized the air with a ragged, choking gasp. I felt it cut a cold path down my throat as my chest expanded with a sweet ache. For a precious moment, nothing existed but the overwhelming sensation of being alive. And flying. I was flying.
I didn’t have time to tense in preparation for crashing, but I was even less prepared for what happened next. Suddenly the universe rushed away again and a barrage of feverish dreams plagued time. How long it lasted I don’t know, my eyes opened barely registering the world in front of me. An eternity and no time at all had just passed. Reality was confusing, it was like I was another person inside me, looking through and not from my own eyes.
A tremor rocked through the floor at my back, a flash of light and a strong gust of wind washed over me. My kidnapper’s head suddenly exploded in a shower of green blood as the contingent of marines filed through the breach.
Someone grabbed me by the arm and a bright light moved over my eye.
“She’s alive, vitals are non critical.” The female medic didn’t wear an assuring look however as her gaze fixed on my neck.
The helmeted figure’s suit crackled to life as a gruff male over the speakers blared to get me back onboard the vessel.
Wait, I can still hear it. But my complaint barely came out a coherent mumble.
The doctor gave me a dumb fake smile. “Don’t worry, we’ll get you back to medbay. Can you sit up for me?”
The armored figure turned to the doctor and pointed at me. “More ships are on the way and our shuttle won’t survive the trip back if we don’t get a move on.”
My raspy breath finally caught up as I paused panting to spit out the blood in my mouth.
“Wait! You have to help my friend.” The outburst surprised even myself. I looked, pointing over to my left, I must have rolled over the strange creature as I was thrown across the room.
A black visor stared back at me. “Our only priority is you, and that pile of fish guts doesn’t look alive.”
I quickly crawled over and scooped up one of the, fish gut, arms. God it was heavy. “I can still hear it, it's alive. I owe it my life.” Holy shit I must look mad. Maybe I am going crazy.
The doctor looked incredulous, like I had just proudly procured a mud pie for her wedding cake. The armored soldier glanced back at his troops now firing their weapons down the next corridor. His speakers seemed to pick up in volume. “We don’t have time for this, we’re leaving. Now.”
Unheard commands passed between the suits as the lead soldier tossed a grenade into the tunnel and the group peeled back to the breach. The doctor suddenly appeared next to me and wrenched the mass from my arms. I yelled in protest barely registering over the grenade's blast. “I’m not leaving without it!”
Doctor Yuki growled at the armored figure. “Lieutenant, help me get this thing on top of the gurney since Lucy wont be needing it.” I wasn’t so sure about that, but was relieved we wouldn’t be leaving my new buddy behind. I owed it that much for busting me out and sticking it to the ugly beast.
He hesitated before dropping his rifle. Two soldiers flanked him providing cover as he unceremoniously bear hugged the mass residing on the floor and began lifting. Yuki quickly ran the gurney over from beyond the breach as another soldier scooped me up. It was a tight fit for the marines, medic, patient, and alien, on the shuttle.
A voice called back from the cockpit as the pilot confirmed for departure. “We’ve got three minutes until the rest get here, we’ll just barely make it back before they drop in.” A pause as the thrusters blared to life. “Captain wants to know if we got her?”
The lieutenant blared back. “And a plus one it seems.” Yuki frowned, “I’ve got a connection back to the main ship’s database, but I’m still getting no records of whatever this thing is.” Everyone was now staring at the gurney, even the pilot reached his head back to see what the commotion was about. “Holy saints, what did you lads bring back onto my shuttle.”

Everything was fuzzy and warm, like a childhood blanket. Yet flashes of dread memories invaded his mindless bliss.
A storm howled and struck at the ship with mighty waves, rocking and beating at the masts as though it meant to crush the great vessel. The sky was a churning mass of black clouds, flickering with lightning and moving with the rotation of an angry storm.
A tremendous crack and the groan of splitting timber rode over the shrieking wind. Water crashed against him and coldness seized his body. Chaos and terror stole his mind. Then there was the sensation of sinking into a warm dream, welcome and content. So long since he’d slept this well.
Something cold hit his face.
Drue's eyes flew open, and he expelled his lungs in a great coughing fit that left water on the worn and beer-stained wooden planks of the floor on which he now lay.
"What're ye layin about fer?" A crusty-sounding voice asked from the ringing daze that lay heavy on Drue's head.
"Huh?" he managed between fits of coughing. He blinked bleary eyes up at a bearded face split into a grin missing more than a few of its teeth. "Wha—"
Slowly, the ringing in his ears subsided, and the pleasant thrum of voices washed over him. There was music and laughter and the sound of a kitchen in the distance.
He rose to an elbow and blinked at his surroundings. “Where?” he croaked.
"Here," the man said, and a foaming mug of ale was thrust at Drue’s face. "Yer gonna need this."
"What is this place?" Drue said, his voice growing strong. He ignored the proffered mug and rose to a sitting position. "How am I here?"
Laughter exploded around him.
A crowd of faces that were not there just a moment ago grinned at him, all bearded but the women and in various states of cleanliness. A few were braided and intertwined. Others were a long bush of wiry hair in black and blonde and red. Some of the folks around him wore the three-pointed hats of his time, some cloth wrapped tightly about their skull. Some nothing but a mop of wild greasy hair.
Music came to him, a lute, was it?
He turned his head to follow the sound and found a pretty little man with golden curls and a face bereft of a single hair standing on a small wooden stage, plucking at his instrument and humming to get his tune. He was dressed as if for court in silks of red and gold with matching jewelry on fingers and neck. All around the stage, sailors lifted their tankards and shouted encouragement to the lad. Then they danced a spinning caper.
"Storm sent ye here, lad," said the wild-eyed man missing a few teeth and wearing a silver studded eyepatch. "Same as most of us."
"Where is here?" Drue was starting to get angry and scared. He was confused and alone and did not recognize this tavern. "Might be I can't remember."
"Why, Davy Jones’s Locker, lad," the men and women gathered around him all exploded into drunken laughter, looking at each other and clapping shoulders. Then they drained their mugs, ale spilling down the sides of bearded and unbearded faces alike. "The afterlife for those of us what met our end at sea."
Drue stood up. Was this some kind of joke?
He scanned the crowd and the faces around him. He recognized no one. The vast open bar room seemed to stretch forever. Endless tables and chairs, milling men and women dressed in every shade of attire ever worn, stretched as far as he could see in any direction.
Panic seared to life in his chest.
What was this place? Was he dreaming? No structure ever built on earth was ever so big as this. Davy Jones’s Locker? The words echoed in his thoughts. And his temper flared.
Before he realized what he was doing, Drue had the man with the long black beard and silver studded eyepatch by his lapels, their noses an inch apart.
"Enough of your game, swine," Drue was really pissed. He didn't like being toyed with. "Where’s Captain Wil? Where are me shipmates? Answer or I'll gut ye like a fish for dinner!" The fancy speech he'd worked so hard to master fell away in the heat of his anger. The pirate in him came out.
Everyone around had a good laugh at that, toasting Drue with a crash of foaming mugs, drinking as if they expected the well to run dry. None laughed harder than the man he held in fists of rage, the man with the silver studded eyepatch, throwing his head back and laughing at the ceiling. "Ye don't believe, is it?" the man said once he'd caught his breath. "Look," he pointed past Drue to something behind him.
Drue was no fool; the first thing you learned as a lad on a ship was never to turn your back on another pirate. Or any man, for that matter. Women, too.
"Look," the crowd said in unison, pointing with their mugs. "Look." And he looked. He didn't want to; resisted the urge to crane his face around and look behind him. But it was as if a giant's hand held his face and slowly turned him to see what lay behind.
A wall of storm-thrashed ocean hovered in the air before him.
Waves crashed over a three-masted ship, tossed like a child's toy before the fury of a god. A shadow passed over his heart. Memory stirred. He recognized the Emerald Maiden and the carved figure of a woman holding a great longbow on the ship's bow. She was carved and painted in intricate detail, so lifelike you had to look twice to make sure she didn't draw breath. There could be no mistake.
"What sorcery is this," Drue rasped with a throat suddenly dry as desert bones.
A wave three times the height of the Emerald Maiden reared up and raced toward her starboard side, looming over the ship like the hand of death. The ship vanished in a tremendous watery explosion of splintered wood and sails, men flailing in the thrashing waters. Then the scene winked out, and the tavern, its lively music, and endless crowds stretched out before him. His crew was there now, smiling at him and raising their glasses. Captain Wil was among them, the saw-faced bastard he was.
Drue felt his bones relax, and suddenly he couldn't remember why he'd been so upset. The minstrel's voice was elegant and sweet as birdsong, the way the glittering notes danced with the pluck of his fingers on the lute strings. Everyone laughed and clapped him on the shoulder, and he couldn't remember a time in his life when he'd been so happy. He lifted his mug and tasted the best drop of ale to ever touch his lips. And that was saying a lot.
A woman with a face to make a man dig out his heart and offer it to her, took his arm and pulled him to dance.
"If yer half as handsome with those rags off as ye are with them on, we'll be having a good time tonight," she said, smirking over her shoulder and bursting out laughing at the color that suffused his cheeks. Never had he met a woman so forward. Food, drink and laughter without end, somehow he knew it would never end. What was this place? Had he died and gone to heaven?
He nearly laughed at the thought.
Then struggled to remember what it was he was laughing at. Well, it didn’t matter, did it? This was a place of celebration. Here there was no need to muse on troubled thoughts. Here? Where was here?
"I told ye," the man with the eyepatch laid a hand on his shoulder and whispered in his ear. "The sea brought ye to me. Welcome to me tavern."

V'rakth sighed. He'd been out at sea for some time now, with no jobs or assignments to keep him and his crew occupied. Has the Prime Material really become this dull? The last job he got was just a basic fetch quest, and the artifact wasn't even that hard to find. He sighed again, and put his pipe back in his mouth. He'd have to find something to do, quick, before his crew start tearing each other apart for 'entertainment'.
"Let's see... major towns and cities are a no go... villages can get borin'... S'pose we'll just keep sailin' till we hit somethin' of note... sooner the better..."
The galleon continued to sail aimlessly across the seas, until one day, when it came across another ship. It seemed to be nothing remarkable, being a simple trading ship, but it was a damn good opportunity for some action.
"Right lads! Get the ropes! We're doin' a raid!"
And V'rakth was damn well going to take it.
Hundreds of roped harpoons were launched towards the vessel. Those that stuck were quickly used as zip lines for some of V'rakth's crew to board the other ship. As that happened, a rather large pit fiend grasped one of the thicker ropes, and began pulling the merchant ship towards V'rakth's galleon. Soon, the two ships were right next to each other, and hoards of devils began piling on to the merchant ship, seeking to maim and slaughter every living soul on board.
"Right! Youse knows the drill by now! Kill 'em all 'nd grab what looks shiny!"
The guards were no match for the overwhelming horde of devils. Each one was either skewered by a harpoon or torn to shreds by their claws. Soon, the fighting had ended, and V'rakth made his way on to the other vessel.
"Throw the loot in the hold. Try ta clear out the gore from it first though. People ain't gonna pay us very much if we hand over blood-splattered jewlery, eh?"
He watched as the devils carried armfuls of gold coins, necklaces, rings, and other valuables into the hold of his ship. "Aah, how I've missed this. Just can't get a good enough place ta raid anymore, ain't that right lads?"
One of the larger devils emerged from below deck. "Boss. Someone wanted see."
"Huh? Right as we're gettin' ta the good part? Alright, fine. Where's the schmuck?"
"Below deck. In hall end room."
V'rakth sighed, then made his way down. He walked along the hall, his peg leg clinking along the floor every time he stepped. Inside the room at the end of the hall was a man, beaten and bruised, sitting in a chair.
"So, what is it then? What's so important that ye needed to tell me?" V'rakth asked the man.
"Let... let me live... and..."
"And what? Ya gotta speak up bud. Me left ear's hard of hearin'."
"I'll tell you... where more treasure is..."
"Hah! You're one o' those chumps who thinks ye can buy yer life with gold! But fine, I'll bite. So, where's this treasure then?"
The man sighs, then smiles a smile of relief as he reaches into his coat pocket and pulls out a folded piece of paper, throwing it over to V'rakth. "Here... it... should be on there..."
"Good doin' business. Now then, I s'pose yer free ta go. Run along now." V'rakth replied as he picked up the paper. The man shakily got to his feet and scrambled for the door.
"Boss. You letting him leave? That easy?"
"Of course not," V'rakth replied. As he spoke, he reached down to his waist and took out a flintlock. "I just wanted ta see how far he can run." With that, he shot the man straight through the chest. "Now then, let's take a look at this paper then, eh?"
He unfolded the paper the man had given him, and a smile crept across his face.
"Right then lads! Raise anchor! We're settin' off again!"

Chapter 1
Next>
Concept art for Sybil
Of Men and Ghost Ships, Book 1: Chapter 13
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As he lay down, Carter wondered just how long it had been since he last slept, not counting however long he'd been knocked out for the surgical implementation of his new augments. Between the pirates, the surgery, and "getting to know" his new...huh... Were they his subordinates, his bosses, or just the ship? He shook his head. It didn't matter. He'd gotten to know them a little better, and they didn't feel quite so psychotic anymore. They were still plenty psychotic! But at least he could relate a little.
He thought back to the girl, the original one. How long had she been alone out in space, with nothing but the void, stars, and an emotionless, unthinking ship that only followed orders and offered nothing in return for company? It's a wonder she didn't just up and kill herself! Then again, maybe some people would feel the same about his situation...
Not that he had any intention of taking that easy way out any time soon! Carter had fought too hard and too long to just give up now! He'd find a way to turn this all to his advantage somehow! Though how exactly he'd do that with those three breathing down his neck remained to be seen.
Then, a thought occurred to him. Carter spoke into the darkness. "Hey, Sybil, are you there?"
Even before he turned to look her way as she answered, the glowing light in his room told Carter she was. "Yes, Captain?"
Carter laughed. "You don't know how long I've dreamed of someone calling me 'captain.' Now I've done it, and somehow...it feels empty."
The girl looked confused. "Oh? Why does it feel empty?"
Carter looked up at the ceiling, now illuminated by the girl's presence. "I don't know. Maybe it's because of how many 'captains' have already run this ship and how few of them seemed to have meant anything to you. Maybe it's because I just stumbled into the position rather than earning it by virture of my wit and skill. Or maybe it's because everything I do seems to lead me one step forward and two steps back..."
The girl pushed her glasses up, a motion Carter remembered the original girl doing in the memories he'd been shown earlier before answering. "Well, I suppose you'll have to earn the position. After all, it's not like any of our captains came into the role after being carefully selected from a pool of capable candidates. Although, you are mistaken in one aspect."
Carter looked over at the girl with a raised eyebrow. "Oh yeah, what's that?"
The girl looked off into the distance and smiled. "I remember all of my captains. Even the ones who didn't do a good job or were around for very long, and I learned something from all of them. You've already earned a place in my memories. Long after the rest of the galaxy has forgotten almost every human who lives today, your name and accomplishments will live on through me." She paused and smirked a little. "Although, how big the chapter of your tenure as captain will be largely depends on you."
Carter chuckled. "Fair enough, I suppose."
The girl tilted her head. "Was that all you wanted? To vent to me about your worries?"
Carter barked out a laugh of his own. "It sounds a little sad when you say it like that! But no, that just occurred to me when you called me captain. I called for you because I realized I forgot to tell you just what my first order as captain was going to be."
The girl smiled. "Yes, I suppose you did negotiate for the right to issue the first command. So tell me, what would you like to do, oh captain, my captain?"
Carter considered throwing his pillow through the image of the girl but knew it would cause no more harm than some slight digitization. Then he'd have to go get the pillow himself, taking any sting out of the point he wanted to make. Instead, he just grinned and answered, "Simple. I want to get my old ship back!"
-
They were almost to the escape pods when they were sandwiched between two groups of pirates. As Vanessa fired down one corridor to keep the first group at bay, Erik looked around the corner to try to get a count of the second.
The alien ducked back just as a hail of gunfire erupted around the corner. Despite the near miss, Erik grinned. "Well, the group ahead looks smaller but better armed! I don't think blindly charging at them will work this time!"
Vanessa spared her friend a glance as she reloaded the rifle. "Showing restraint in the face of danger, my lady? I suppose there's a first time for everything."
Erik laughed. "Danger is one thing, but I'm not exactly suicidal! What I need is a distraction of some kind!"
As Vanessa poured more gunfire back the way they'd come, keeping the pirates from doing more than blindly firing around the corner while Alen kept his head down, she offered a slightly unladylike grunt. "I would love to be of assistance, but I'm afraid I'm busy keeping the second group at bay."
Realizing this could very well be the end, Alen decided it was on him to do something for once. He could see a room with an open door across the hall. There was almost no chance he could make it without getting shot, however... "I'll do it!"
Erik looked at Alen and laughed. "No offense, kid, but I don't think you can take out the pirates any better than I can!"
Alen shook his head. "No, but I can give you a distraction. It won't be much, a second or two at most, but I can make them aim their guns at the opposite side of the hallway. Would that be enough?"
Erik's grin grew wider, and Alen could swear his eyes dilated just a little. "You buy me a full second of distraction, and I'll make it work, kid! Whenever you're ready!"
With a sigh, Alen shook his head to clear his thoughts, then took a deep breath. "Alright..." Then, without giving himself more time to think about it, Alen stood up and started running.
Alen was used to running. He knew he was in reasonably good shape, doubly so for someone who planned on spending his life aboard a ship as an officer, but he'd never run this fast before and likely never would again. As he passed the corner at a dead sprint, time seemed to slow to a crawl. Each step felt like he was pushing his legs past the breaking point as he willed himself to rocket forward faster with each step. He ignored the blurs at the corner of his vision, even as they opened fire, tracing his movements with their gun barrels as they roared to life, spewing deadly projectiles at his heels. He knew they could turn faster than he could run, but he just had to make it through the doorway ahead, and he'd be home free!
As his foot lifted off the ground, Alen felt a tug at his pant leg but refused to think about it. He slammed his other foot down, propelling him forward again. The sheer volume of gunfire chasing his every step felt like a pack of wolves chasing him through a forest, and all he could do was keep running...but when he slammed his other foot down again, everything went to hell. Pain shot up through his leg. It wasn't the kind of pain that can be described as burning or stabbing. It was the kind of pain that exists only as an abstract concept for most until it is experienced, the kind that sends a shock through your body and stops all conscious functioning.
Alen fell, but he didn't care. His mind was blank except in a pure reactionary way as he curled up around the leg that screamed in agony. He was only dimly aware of Erik's roar as the alien rounded the corner and threw his first two axes. There were screams and more gunfire, but Alen didn't care. He just wanted the pain in his leg to stop, but when he reached down to see what was wrong, his hand encountered only the bloody mess that had once been his foot. Alen's scream joined the rest.
Eventually, Alen became aware he wasn't alone anymore. He was being carried, and the pain was still excruciating, but somehow, it felt more distant. He felt cold, and the world was spinning around him. A part of him wanted to go to sleep, but then something slapped him in the face. "Nuh-uh, kid! No closing your eyes yet! Here. This ought to help!"
Alen felt something jabbed into his side. It hurt, but the pain was so much less than what he was going through it barely registered. Meanwhile, he was being manhandled as someone gripped his foot tightly, sending fresh waves of agony through him. It seemed like they were wrapping something around or above it. Alen tried to fend them off, but his hands were batted aside like a child's. After a moment, the voice returned. "There we go. That ought to stop the bleeding. Hey, that pack got any blood in it? I'm pretty sure he lost more than he ought to..."
Another voice that Alen recognised as Vanessa's answered: "There is a stable chemical similar to human plasma. It's insufficient as a total blood replacement, but it should help stabilize low levels due to traumatic blood loss. Allow me to administer it, as this requires a more delicate approach than I believe you are capable of, my lady."
As the pain started to fade, Alen recognized Erik pulling back from his position. However, the alien was strangely hunched over, as if he'd grown to gigantic proportions and was now too large for the room.
Suddenly, Alen remembered they were in the middle of a firefight. He started to sit up while shouting, "The pirates!" but was restrained by a surprisingly strong carapaced arm.
Erik laughed. It was strangely comforting to hear him back to his usual jovial self as Vanessa continued to treat him. "No worries there, lad! The captain must have done whatever he was gonna do because just as things were looking bad, all the pirates' suits all went dead, as did my axes and Vanessa's gun. However, with a little extra muscle, the axes still did their job just fine!"
Vanessa calrified as she stuck a needle into Alen's arm. "It was a powerful electromagnetic wave. Thankfully, the escape pods seem to have been shielded from the effects. Probably a necessity if you have such a system on board your vessel."
They were on board one of the pods, which explained a few things, including why Erik seemed so large in the relatively small confines of the room they were now in. Alen looked down at his foot. It was wrapped in bandages and looked like a bloody mess. "So then...this was all a waste? I could have just waited a few more moments, and we would have been fine?"
Seeing where Alen's gaze was resting, Erik's smile faded just a bit as the larger man answered. "Maybe. Or maybe we would have been overwhelmed and killed seconds away from salvation. We'll never know. What we do know is that when things were looking bad, you stepped up and did something brave, kid. That's not something Vanessa or I will be forgetting any time soon!"
That spin made Alen smile just a bit, even through the remaining pain. "Well, I just didn't want to die not having tried something."
Erik's smile widened again. "You'd be surprised how rare that is when things get real, kid! You did good back there! Take a little pride in that! You earned it!"
Just then, Vanessa jabbed Alen with something else. Shortly after, the world started getting hazy as she offered her two cents. "What he's earned is a rest. We'll deal with the rest when he wakes up."
Alen wanted to offer a counterpoint but found his mind slipping as the world got hazy while the rest of the pain seemed to fade into oblivion. Not long after, he found the effort of keeping his eyes open too much to deal with, and he quietly slipped into unconsciousness.
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Next>
Gonna take tomorrow off as I have a vet appointment in the middle of the day, but I'll add a chapter on Friday to make up for it!
My Wiki has all my chapters and stories, including the short series and stories that I write for an occasional change of pace or style!
As a reminder, "Of Men and Dragons" Books 1 and 2 are available to purchase in e-book or physical form. (Both softcover and hardcovers are available!) Book 3 is almost done being edited, so I'll just have to get the cover art and formatting done, and it will be available to purchase as well! Hopefully, in no more than a month or two! (Barring more Amazon drama like last time...finger's crossed!)
OMAD Book 1: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09NCPP3PP
OMAD Book 2: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CQ7FQ1ZJ
41 comments

TLDR mod list from this post available HERE
NOTE-Spectra and related configs are not available with this modlist because they are incompatible with BlackRack's volumetric clouds. Download those separately through CKAN, they are not in this download.
Single-download modpack version of this list coming soon here: GITHUB .CKAN FILE DOWNLOAD
Hello everyone! This has taken me days to type, apologies for the wall of text.
With the coming demise of Intercept Games and their long-troubled and likely-shuttered development of Kerbal Space Program 2, a question I’m seeing come up more and more, and have also asked myself arises: “How do we turn KSP1 into the game that we all dreamed KSP2 would be, with mods?”. I believe I have an answer that will satisfy you. This IS in fact, achievable. While no modlist could ever match the dream we had/have for what KSP2 could have become, we can get fairly close with the tools we have presently available. KSP1 is a mature game with a thriving modding community. Many mods are cross-compatible and designed to work together despite independent creators, and we have a powerful mod manager in the form of CKAN that makes modding the game pretty easy. And new mods are actively being developed all the time. Given the tools avialable, I'd like to help you all create an aproximation of KSP2 in regular KSP, with mods, I call this list "The Community Lifeboat Project". My hope is that this will sate those of you, like me, who dreamed of a KSP2 that surpassed the original in every way, and still hope that we may someday see a version of a complete KSP2 in some form or another. For now, this is the best thing I can offer the community that has given me so much in its stead.
Who am I? Just another player, same as the rest of you. Someone who has at the time of writing, 1800 hours in KSP1, and about 300 hours in KSP2, and about 100 hours in modded KSP1, and many more planned. I pray to the Deep Space Kraken that my rockets will fly and that we someday get a fully-released and realized version of Kerbal Space Program 2. In the meantime, this what I’m playing in lieu of our long-awaited sequel.
Who am I not? I am not techy. I am not a modding guru. I am neither a customer service line, a mod author, nor a troubleshooter. I do not have the answers to any ensuing chaos or game corruption that may ensue from playing this modlist. This modlist is just me telling you all what I am playing with personally, right now. My best effort at Homebrew KSP2. Some mods may be redundant or break unexpectedly in the future, but I have had no major issues to date. However, again, I am not a modder or a game developer, I know about as much about modding KSP as you do, maybe less.
If you run into issues I probably can’t help you. You need to do the legwork yourself to learn how CKAN works and install these mods, and to troubleshoot anything that explodes.This is a curated recommendation list only, not a complete how-to guide. If some more experienced modders and players in the community want to review this list and comment below with improvements and revisions or point out redundancies, please do so. If someone wants to make this list into some sort of compiled modpack, easier to use than the current CKAN download, go for it. Also please comment if there are other mods that you all think might be a good fit here whenever they get released, or just other stuff the stockalike-ksp2-in-ksp1 community should be aware of.
Who is this mod for? This modlist is for anyone in the Kerbal Space Program community who wants to make use of it, but is primarily geared towards giving veteran players new mechanics and content to play with. This modlist actively makes the game more challenging with new gameloops and mechanics it does not trivialize the base game or make it easier to learn. Quite the opposite, in fact.
How many mods are in this list? 150, approximately, at time of writing. About 40 of those are configs/backend/compatibility patches so about 110 actual mods, with varying levels of impact on gameplay.
How are your load times? Startup takes me about 5 minutes, loading VAB/SPH takes a bit longer than stock KSP but everything runs surprisingly well. Your own mileage may vary but I wish you the very best.
Disclaimer: Many of the mods here are relatively old and no longer under development, their most-current versions are built for prior versions of Kerbal Space Program. CKAN will warn you of this on install. Play with them anyway, everything seems to mostly-work so far as I can tell. Further, some of the mods listed here will require other framework mods like Kopernicus to make them run. Make sure to get those, CKAN will tell you when you need something supplemental for the most part, but I cannot remember every necessary sub-mod and may have missed some here. I have listed these under the “Precursors” section. DO NOT download all of the "reccomended" mods that CKAN will ask if you want to grab alongside the reccomended ones. you will wind up with massive mod-bloat and I can't guaruntee that anything not already on this list will work correctly.
I will update this list periodically as more suitable mods come online, and am actively looking for more recommendations to add to this list. Check the changelog at the bottom of the OP for updates, download link will be updated periodically as well.
My rules are that these mods must:
1) Be “stockalike” and fit the aesthetic of the base game, I am not looking for a complete game overhaul like RSS or similar.
2) This modlist is designed to be BROADLY compatible and downloadable through CKAN. I am aware there are great mods that are either incompatible with some of the ones on here, or not available on CKAN. The goal of this list is broad accessibility through our existing tools. I will also try to link user-guides for the mods that require tutorials where available, some of these are quite large and I do not understand how to use them all myself. I will answer questions where possible but I have only started using this modlist relatively recently and am not intimately familiar with all of the new gameplay.
Again, if your Kerbals are dying because life support is failing for seemingly no reason, I cannot help you and my Kerbals are likely frozen corpses drifting through space as well. I'm no mod author and have no involvement with any development for any of the mods listed below. If the descriptions here aren’t enough, do some research, there’s probably more/better info out there other than what’s banging around in my head/copied from CKAN.
Mods, if possible can we pin some version of this list going forward for all the people asking how to make a "Homebrew KSP2"? I don't need personal credit, just the modlist is fine by me. This post helps to answer a pretty common question we've been getting in light of recent KSP2 development news, or lack therof.
Anyway, here we go:
Objective: Mod KSP1 into what KSP should have been, principally by:
1) Adding new places to visit in the Kerbol System,
2) Add new star systems and interstellar locations to visit
3) Give the player the ships and engines, and parts to get there
4) Give new parts to build with, with a stockalike vibe
5) Add mechanics like colonization and life support to balance ship construction and general gameplay
6) Increase depth of gameplay for veteran players.
7) Give more/better “campaign” missions to fill out the base game randomized contract system with a bit more purpose.
8) “The intent is to give players a sense of pride and accomplishment”
What does this list of mods add to my game?
This feature list is not all-inclusive, but primary added features include, in no particular order:
1) -Vastly improved graphics, ground cover, and the ability to paint your ships similar to how you do in KSP2
2) -New places to visit: Both the inner and outer Kerbol System have been modified with the addition of 34 NEW bodies to visit between new planets, their moons, asteroids, planetoids, and other Trans-Neidonian Objects. These are all based on real objects in our own Solar system or observed exoplanets. An interstellar mod (Kcalbeloh) adds 7 new star systems and a black hole accessible via wormhole for your intersterstellar gameplay needs, with an additional ~40 new bodies to explore. All of the stock planets are present, plus nearly 75 new ones.
3) -Expanding and improving the Campaign with more meaningful, focused, and varied Contracts apart from the randomized ones stock KSP gives you.
4) -New Game Mechanics including but not limited to:
-New and/or improved UI elements to assist with docking and landing
- Life Support and Cryosleep mechanics
- New engines, mainly from mods by Nertea, a prolific modder and KSP2 dev, including gas-core nuclear engines, new electric engines, cryogenic engines, plasma engines, nuclear pulse propulsion, fusion drives, torch drives, and antimatter engines. New 5m and 7m engines for massive rockets are also available.
- Colonization mechanics and associated management gameplay
- New resources, distribution, and utilization gameloops through colonies
- Vast amounts of new parts to build with that we were supposed to get with KSP2 including hab rings, new ship modules, laboratories, buildings for planetary base construction, etc.
- The ability to explore your ships in first person mode as if you were a Kerbal
- New ways to move resources between ships such as flexible piping rather than docking.
-Orbital construction and construction of craft at colonies, apart from the VAB & SPH, away from Kerbin.
-Harvesting resources from the atmospheres of planets and dust/gas clouds present in outer space.
-Building Custom Service modules with both stock and modded mechanics
-Logistics Systems related to colony activities for sharing resources between nearby installations and craft.
CAVEATS: I am sure I have missed some people’s favorite mods and am open to further additions to this list under the following conditions: All of the following mods and any future additions to this list MUST be available on CKAN, they MUST work with the most current version of KSP1, they MUST be mostly-compatible with each other as well as this list, and they MUST be freely available, not paywalled. The only exception I will allow is Blackrack’s volumetric clouds because he’s our community’s darling and we love his work.
I want this mod selection to be as accessible to the community as possible while providing as much content as possible. Pick and choose anything from this list or the entire thing to use yourself. I play with everything listed here, concurrently, but your performance may dictate the need to leave some of this stuff by the wayside. At a bare minimum, make sure you have the relevant “precursor” category mods so nothing else breaks. This list adds A TON of new and challenging gameplay sure to give even the most seasoned KSP veterans pause and I’m very much a beginner myself, it’s alot of new stuff to learn being thrown at you quickly. Pace yourselves lads!
Without further ado my, modlist, with a brief description of what everything does and broken down by category:
Myst’s “Community Lifeboat Project” Modlist:
Not Required, but highly reccomended:
- Blackrack’s Volumetric Clouds: This is the only paid mod on this list. I like it, other people like it, Blackrack did incredible work here for the community. Costs $5 on his Patreon, everything else on this list is free.
PRECURSORS/CONFIG STUFF TO MAKE OTHER MODS WORK: (33 mods)
- AT Utils: Common Library for a set of plugins made by Allista
- B9 Part Switch: A module which allows parts to switch objects, resources, nodes, attach points, temperature, add mass, cost, and more.
- Background Resources: REPOsoft Tech Background Resources Plugin
- Community Category Kit: Common Parts Categories for KSP mods
- Community Parts Titles: Rename parts for useful and consistent grouping/sorting in the VAB/SPH, Many mods are supported. This mod is intended for the English version of KSP.
- Community Parts Titles Extras: Categories: Highly-Recommended Extras for the Community Parts Titles. Create new categories or place parts in a more appropriate category.
- Community Parts Titles Extras: CCK- No Duplicates: See Above.
- Community Resource Pack- Common Resources for KSP mods.
- Community Terrain Texture Pack: High Quality textures for use by planet-creators, makes other stuff on this list work, probably.
- Contract Configurator: A config-file-based solution for creating new contracts. Makes added contract packs work.
- Cryo Tanks Core: Cryo Tanks standalone plugin, adds functionality to other mods, contains no parts and does nothing by itself.
- Custom Asteroids (Alternative OPM config): Replaces default Outer Planets Mod asteroid config and makes it work with Custom Asteroids mod further down this list.
- Custom Barn Kit: Small Plugin to change parameters related to career, science, and building upgrades when various features are unlocked.
- Custom Prelaunch Checks: C# API to write prelaunch checks that run when the VAB/SPH launch button is pressed. Makes other stuff work.
- Deployable Engines Plugin (Nertea Mod): Plugin to manage extending and retracting engine nozzles.
- DMModule Science Animate Generic: Replacement for Module Science Experiment and ModuleAnimateGeneric.
- Firespitter Core: Core Firespitter .dll. Makes something else work, don’t remember what.
- Global Construction Core: dependency for the Global Construction Mod
- Harmony 2: Library for patching, replacing, and decorating.NET and Mono methods during runtime (I have no idea what this does, other mods probably use it as a dependency)
- Kerbal Actuators: A plugin used to create VTOL engines and robotic parts. Makes other stuff work.
- Kopernicus Planetary System Modifier: REQUIRED for all other planet packs on this list
- Kopernicus Expansion Continue-er: Kopernicus Dev Tools and Footprints.
- Modular Flight Integrator: Modularly Integrates flight models or something idk.
- Module Manager: Modify KSP config files without conflict (ESSENTIAL).
- Rasterprop Monitor Core: plugin and props for IVA use.
- Shabby: Shader Asset bundle Loader for KSP
- Textures Unlimited: KSP Shader, texture and modeling utilities. Makes other stuff work.
- Toolbar: API for Third-party Plugins to provide toolbar buttons
Sub-mod: Toolbar Controller: Wrapper mod for Blizzy and stock toolbars.
- USI Tools: Libraries to make the USI mods work correctly. NEEDED.
- Vertex Mitchell/Netrevali Filtered Heightmap: Makes some of the other graphical stuff work correctly relating to planetary textures. Idk.
- Waterfall Core: Core Waterfall Plugin to drive upgraded fancy engine effects.
GRAPHICAL AND AUDIO IMPROVEMENTS (25 mods)
- Chatterer: Configurable audio that allows you to hear your Kerbals communicating over the radio with Mission Control, breathing on EVA, etc.
- ChattererExtended: Adds 625 new kerbalized chatter files for added variety
- Distant Object Enhancement: Lets you see other planets all the way back on Kerbin. Works with the modded planet packs on this list.
- Distant Object Enhancement /L default config: default planet colors.
- Environmental Visual Enhancements Redux: Version of EVE which significantly improve performance, used as a replacement for base EVE. Adds clouds, lighting, etc.
- Parallax: PBR tessellation shader for planetary textures,
- Parallax Stock Planet Textures: adds HD textures to the stock planets, highly reccomended.
- Parallax Stock Scatter Textures: adds HD textures to planetary scatters and ground cover.
- Planetshine: light from planets and moons can now reflect up and color your spacecraft, adding realism and immersion.
- Planetshine default config: Support config.
- Restock+: Community-built resleeve of stock part models and textures to make them look a bit nicer. Can be disorienting at first and isn’t quite as pretty as the KSP2 models, but its something. This mod may clash with Waterfall, I’ve had issues with offset engine plumes on some of my engines and suspect this mod is the culprit.
- Scatterer: Atmospheric Scattering Shaders
- Shaddy: Collection of Shaders for Kerbal Space Program
- Simple Repaint: Allows you to choose colors for individual ship parts out of a pre-selected list of shades. Adds some badly-needed customizability to the base game.
- Singularity: Black Hole Shaders for KSP by the one-and only Blackrack. Needed for optimal looks for Kcalbeloh.
- Spectra: EVE configs for stock celestial bodies, also grab the self-explanatory sub mods below:
- Spectra EVE 64k Kerbin Clouds
- Spectra EVE Kerbin/Laythe Snow
- Spectra EVE Minmus Geysers
- Spectra Scatterer
- Spectra Scatterer for Minmus
- Spectra Scatterer: Jool Shine on Laythe
- Spectra Scatterer Vibrant Sunsets
- Staged Animation: Plays an animation when a part is staged.
- Stock Waterfall Effects: config to give Waterfall Effects to the Stock engines.
REPLACE WITH Waterfall: Restock and Restock Waterfall Expansion
Rocket Sound Enhancement-Overhauls engine noises
NEW PLACES/THINGS TO VISIT: (8 mods)
- Custom Asteroids (inner stock system data)- Adds asteroids inside the orbit of Jool
- Custom Asteroids (Kuiper Belt Analog for Outer Planets Mod)- Adds “Kentaurs” and trans-Neidonian (Neptunian) objects.
- Minor Planets Expanded: The lesser-known counterpart to the Outer Planets Mod. Stock KSP has planetary analogues for our Solar planets out to Jool, and Pluto. The acclaimed Outer Planets Mod has analogues for Saturn (Sarnus), Uranus (Urloom), and Neptune (Neidon). Minor Planets Expanded adds many additional objects and lesser-known worlds to the game alongside the previous, including analogues for Eros, Ceres, Orcus, Haumea, Makemake, Sedna. This mod also includes analogues for a number of real-life asteroids and comets present in our Solar System . Adds 15 new worlds to visit.
- Outer Planets Mod: Celebrated Mod that adds planetary Analogues for Saturn (Sarnus), Uranus (Urlum), and Neptune (Neidon), and Pluto (Plock), as well as some of their moons. Adds roughly a dozen new places to visit. Eeloo gets shifted to become a moon of Saturn to make room for the Pluto Analogue. The wormhole to the Kcalbeloh System can also be found in Sarnus orbit. Adds 15 new bodies to land on.
Outer Planets Mod: Parallax with Scatters: Adds the HD Parallax mod ground scatters to the outer planets, dramatically improving their visuals.
- Lt Duckweed’s QuackPack: Adds a slew of new planets, both terrestrial and gas giants, to the inner Kerbol System, inside the orbit of Moho. These are based on real-life exoplanets and are extremely difficult to reach and land on due to their hostile environments and include extreme temperatures, lava worlds, metallic atmospheres, etc. Adds 4 new places to visit.
- Kcalbeloh System: Interstellar planetary mod that adds several new star systems, each with their own planetary systems, orbiting a supermassive black hole. The Black Hole is accessible via a wormhole orbiting Jool. Assuming you have the Outer Planets mod installed and working, the wormhole will be orbiting Sarnus (Saturn equivilant) instead.
- Kcalbeloh System 8k Textures: See Above. For those of us who play in UHD.
CONTRACT PACKS TO IMPROVE THE STOCK CAMPAIGN: (8 mods)
- Contract Pack: Anomaly Surveyor: Contracts that guide you through exploring the stock game’s easter eggs, UFO’s, memorials, etc.
- Contract Pack: Bases and Stations Reborn: Space-station focused contract pack, replaces the base game’s “Build a Space Station” contracts
- Contract Pack: Clever Sats: Overhaul of stock satellite contracts
- Contract Pack: Exploration Plus: Overhaul of stock “Exploration” contracts
- Contract Pack: Field Research: Do more Science! Receive contracts for performing different experiments under a variety of conditions.
- Contract Pack: Kerbal Academy: Training your Kerbalnauts the sensible way.
- Contract Pack: Research Advancement Division: More Scientific Contracts, complimentary to the Field Research pack.
- Contract Pack: Tourism Expanded: 11 new contracts to send Kerbals across the Kerbol system
- Contract Pack: Tourism Plus: Better tourism! A richer tourism experience than stock. Take tourists to space and visit the stations you have created. Build new tourist attractions like the space casino megaproject. Includes 15 new contracts.
NEW GAME MECHANICS: (25 mods)
- BetterTimeWarpContinued: Improved Time Warping
- DeepFreeze continued: adds cryosleep and the ability to freeze and thaw Kerbals for long journeys. Compatible with USI life support featured further down
-GUIDE:
- Dynamic Battery Storage (Nertea Mod): mod intended to help vessel construction by providing electricity planning functions and solve problems related to power-flow. Pairs well with his other engine and advanced poweheat mods
-GUIDE:
- Extraplanetary LaunchPads: Adds ability to build craft in flight mode, including at orbital facilities and at bases on other planets.
-GUIDE:
- FreeIVA: Lets you explore the insides of your ships as well as EVA in First-Person mode from the point of view of your kerbals. Extremely immersive and usable with several of the parts mods by Nertea featured below. Adds a new tab of IVA-compatible pieces into the SPH/VAB.
Sub-mod: -Through the Eyes of a Kerbal: See the world through a first-person viewpoint. Needed for use with Free IVA.
- Global Construction: Lets you build vessels directly on other planets and in orbit around other planets.
-GUIDE:

• HEAT CONTROL: New Categories of radiators to add to spacecraft, neccesary for some of his more advanced engine mods like Far Future technologies with big reactors and exhausts putting out monstrous amounts of heat.
  -GUIDE:
  

- Kerbal Attachment System: Adds new gameplay mechanics in the form of winches, struts, and pipes. Vessels can now be connected in EVA without docking them.
-GUIDE:
- Kerbal Inventory System: Adds new inventory system and EVA mechics and usables. This one works, but does have some odd behavior in-game with the native EVA/breaking ground stuff, I haven’t totally figured out using this one yet and have had some instances of odd item storage or kerbals not being able to grab parts they should, etc.
-GUIDE:
- Kerbal Joint Reinforcement Continued: Fixes issues with unstable joints and wobbliness.
- Kerbal Konstructs: Adds a slew of new buildings and launch sites
-GUIDE:
Submods:
- Off-shore Launch Platform: Designed to be used with Kerbal Konstrukts, lets you launch off an oil rig.
- Omega’s Stockalike Structures: ALPHA BUILD. Statics content pack for Kerbal Konstrukts.
- Konstruction: Weldable docking ports, cranes, magnets, other construction equipment.
- KSP Community Fixes: Fixes many stock KSP bugs and provides some Quality of Life and UI improvements
- Rational Resources: Resource Placement is no longer random but reflects composition templates. Promotes Cryofuels mods and planet pack/life support compatibility.
- Space Dust: Adds atmospheric and exo-atmospheric resource harvesting. Includes a new harvesting system, displays, resource distributions, and parts.
- Space Dust Unbound: Expands Space Dust resource harvesting abilities to other modded planets and systems like the Outer Planets Mod, Galaxies Unbound (not included on this list for now), and others.
- System Heat/associated sub-mods: By Nertea: revamps the core Heat system of Kerbal Space Program, many of his engine mods require use of this new system, or at least strongly benefit from it.
Sub-Mods:
- System Heat- Nuclear Engines Config
- System Heat- Nuclear Reactor Config
- System Heat- Resource Converter Config
- System Heat-Resource Harvester Config
-GUIDE:
- USI Kolonization Systems (MKS/OKS): Interlocking modules that bring planetary colonization gameplay. Expansive mod for building both terrestrial as well as orbital colonies and associated deep gameplay GUIDE
- USI Life Support: Advanced Life Support Mod, more advanced than Kerbal Snax or whatever its called but not as unforgiving as Kerbalism, I was going for a balance between accessibility and depth of gameplay with this one, plus it links seamlessly with the USI Kolonization mechanics. Hooks in seamlessly to kolonization mechanics. GUIDE
-Kerbal Inventory for All: Adds inventories to many 3rd part rocket parts and unifies inventories with Kerbal Inventory System.
-Stage Recovery: Staged rocket parts with parachutes attached can be recovered for spesos.
Persistent Thrust: Allows burns during timewarp.
SCANSat: Overhaul for scanning Technologies
RemoteTech: Adds in probe signal delay and a host of new mechanics.
Sub Mod: RemoteTech Stock Configs
NEW ENGINES AND OTHER PARTS: (33 mods)
- AlphaMensae’s Modular Launch Pads: Beyond Launch Clamps: Mix and match components to build all kinds of launch infrastructure.
- Cryo Tanks: (Nertea mod). Liquid Hydrogen fuel tanks and storage for most stock tank designs.
- Cryogenic Engines: (Nertea Mod). Provides new, high-efficiency engines in 1.25, 2.5, and 3.25 sizes that burn liquid hydrogen rather than normal “liquid fuel”
- Cryogenic Engines- Near Future Aeronautics- patch to convert relevant engines in near-future aeronautics to burn Liquid Hydrogen
- Far Future Technologies: (Nertea Mod) Adds theoretically possible engines we might have IRL within the next few hundred years powered by exotic forms of nuclear fusion, antimatter, torch drives, etc. Good for Outer Planets missions and interstellar stuff
-GUIDE:
- JX2Antenna: Adds a special 2.5m antenna with 1,000G transmisison power, important for hyper-range deep-space missions.
- Kerbal Atomics: Nertea Mod. Adds new anbd exciting nuclear engines to use in-game. Included in a slew of size classes and technology levels for greater access to nuclear engines at different stages of the game. Adds things like gas-core reactors, nuclear aerospike engines, multimode engines that switch or utilize both nuclear and conventional afterburning fuel.
-GUIDE:
Sub-mod- Kerbal Atomics Other Mod Support: Optional Patch to allow the KA nuclear thermal rockets to run on LH@ for additional performance.
- Kerbal Planetary Base Systems: Adds multiple parts for building better bases and colonies on planet surfaces such as Habs, Greenhouses, Laboratories, and more. This IS compatible with the life support mods featured above.
-GUIDE:
- Near-Future Aeronautics: Nertea Mod. Adds advanced aerospace parts including propellers, intakes, jet and multimode nuclear engines for massive spaceplanes.
-GUIDE:
- Near Future Construction: Nertea Mod. Structural components and truss segments for building deep space vessels and bases. These will look familiar to anyone who has played a bit of KSP2, Nertea was a prolific KSP1 modder and was hired by Intercept Games to bring his mods native functionality in KSP2.
- Near Future Electrical: Nertea Mod. Stockalike nuclear reactors, capacitors, and more batteries. Neccesary for many of his electrical engine mods.
- Near Future Electrical (Decaying RTG’s): Nertea Mod. Optional patch to make RTG output gradually decrease over time as they do in real life. This will force additional planning for long-range missions to the outer planets and interstellar locales.
- Near Future Electrical Core: Nertea Mod. Standalone sub-mod, needed to make Near Future Electrical work.
- Near Future Exploration: Nertea Mod. Expands probe selection, adds new cores, bus parts, minisatellite parts and a slew of new antennas.
- Near Future IVA Props: Nertea Mod. Prop pack to configure and acessorize IVA spaces on your ships.
- Near Future Launch Vehicles: Nertea Mod. Large launch vehicles including 5 and 7.5 meter engines for launching massive spacecraft and parts.
- Near Future Propulsion: Nertea Mod. Advanced electric engines and new fuel types, stockalike.
-GUIDE:
- Near Future Propulsion (Xenon Hall Effect Thruster): Nertea Mod. Converts NFP Argon thrusters to use stock Xenon fuel instead if desired.
- Near Future Solar: Nertea Mod. Adds new solar panels in lots of new sizes and shaped for utility and customizability.
- Near Future Solar Core: Nertea Mod. Support plugin for NFS.
- Near Future Spacecraft: Nertea Mod. New Command pods, control systems, and engines for crewed spacecraft. Some of the stuff here closely resembles some of the new pods we got in KSP2.
- Near Future Spacecraft-LFO Engines: Nertea Mod. Converts monopro orbital engines to use stock liquid fuel/oxidizer if desired.
- Project Orion Nuclear Pulse Engine: Adds a nuclear pulse engine powered by repeated nuclear device detonations, one of the many planned engines for KSP2 we may never get to see.
- Simple Adjustable Fairings: As described.
Sub-mod: Simple Adjustable Fairings-Plugin
- Stockalike Station Parts Expansion Redux: Nertea Mod. Adds tons of new station parts in a number of size classes, including some new components int he small-medium ranges.
Sub-Mod: Stockalike Station Parts Expanded Redux: Internal Spaces Nertea Mod, adds compatibility between SSER and FreeIVA so you can explore your stations from a first-person view.
- Universal Storage II Finalized: Modular Parts Mod that facilitates the building of custom service Modules, integrates well with life support mods.
- USI Asteroid Recycling Technologies: Can remove Asteroid Mass and attach storage tanks to its surface.
- USI Core: Kontainers, Reactors, and shared tools for the USI mods.
- USI Exploration Pack: Flat-packed rover and parts geared towards exploring planetary surfaces.
- USI Freight Transport Technologies: Modular Parts for hauling, mining, and space transportation needs.
META GAME AND UI STUFF: (10 mods)
- Astrogator: A space-navigational aid for Kerbal Space Program. Shows table of bodies reachable from current in-game location and the deltaV to reach them, can get perfect transfer windows and maneuver nodes for you.
- Better Burn Time: Extra automatic burn time indicators for suicide burns and target rendezvous.
- Better Early Tree: New Disposition of the beginning of the tech tree. Designed for an unmanned start and give stockalike vibe, Needs to be used alongside CTT
- Clickthrough Blocker: Helps eliminate the clickthrough problem with mods
- Community Tech Tree: Modding community-developed tech tree that reorganizes the base game tech tree and is compatible with the vast majority of mods on this list to balance the parts for the campaign. ESSENTIAL.
- Custom Asteroids: lets user control where asteroids appear.
- Docking Port Alignment Indicator: Self-Explanatory, Makes docking stuff easier.
- Hide Empty Tech Tree Nodes: Gets rid of tech tree nodes in the Community Tech Tree mods if you don’t have the mods installed, CTT is huge so this can help simplify it if you only have a few mods installed.
- ImprovedTechTree Placement: Tech Tree Mod that adds an additional engine-focused propulsion line. Grabbed on random impulse, no idea how this interacts, if at all, with other tech tree mods.
- Reviva: Dynamic Switching between multiple IVA’s in-editor and in-flight
- Speed Unit Annex: Adds speed units and some other helpful values to the Navball, depending on vessel type.
-Trajectories: Accounts for aerobraking to let you acurrately see where you are going to land
EasyVesselSwitch- Changes vessel switching to LeftAlt+M1 Click for easy switching
-ScienceAlertRealerted- Mod that provides notification when science is available
End of the List, for now.
Ad Aeternum Inanis
MOD TYPES THAT I AM ACTIVELY LOOKING FOR (please help):

• A mod or combination of mods that gets KSP2’s soundtrack into KSP1 AND TRIGGERS TRACKS IN SIMILAR WAYS (i.e. not just a playlist, but performing in-game actions causes a given track to play, like going from Kerbin orbit to the Mun’s SOI, achieving low orbit and starting descent, etc. ) (possible solution now in the works thanks to u/ )
  
• Some sort of part-welding or optimization mod to facilitate construction of much larger ships and stations and improve performance far past the current 250 part count beyond which stuff starts lagging and breaking.
  
• Alternative/bettemore colonization mechanics mods for proper cities and landmark facilities and such.
  
• More planet packs and places to visit, especially interstellar stuff.
  
• Interstellar mods COMPATIBLE WITH EVERYTHING ELSE ON THIS LIST SO FAR.
  

MODS CURRENTLY UNDER CONSIDERATION TO ADD TO THIS PACK:

MODS THAT I AM NOT ADDING FOR THE FORSEEABLE FUTURE (and why):

• Galaxies Unbound: Great mod, but suffered from some usability problems and has been removed from CKAN. I’ll add it back if it reappears.
  
• Interstellar Extended: sadly not compatible with Nertea’s stuff
  -BlueDogDesignBureau:Way too many parts. Never again.
  

-Kerbalism: a bit more complicated than I'm looking to make the gameplay right now MKS/USI covers life support mechanics already
-Mechjeb: I believe in flying manually, download it separately if you need it
Other Useful Links Here:
(emptiness intensifies)
Changelog:
5/7/2024: -Updated OP with some new information, fixing formatiing
-Adding new sections on soundtrack upgrades and additional mods being evaluated for inclusion
Special thanks to the following people for their assistance and suggestions:
-Kemot221
-LadyRaineCloud
-PiBoy314
-mibsman
-j-steve
-Goufalite
5/12/2024:
Added current github download, includes additional mods:
-ScienceAlertRealerted
-RemoteTech
-Rocket Sound Enhancement
Persistent Thrust-REMOVED
5/14/2024
REMOVED Persistent Thrust Mod, was causing timewarp issues
Updated download, re-download/reinstall modpack to effect changes.

At the airfield outside westbridge, a lander touched down, and five men walked out into the crisp air and the surrounds of utter carnage. “Right lads,” came a voice westbridge had not heard in a long time. “yer can ‘ave t' day off.” It said, as colonel Harry Burton walked into the town, to find out what the hell was going on.
//////
Hazel had been told to sign some papers. But she hadn’t read them. She knew she could never go home anyway, and the night after had confirmed she had made the right decision, to herself at least. Now, she faced a harsh moment, as her and Darwin returned to the section of the trenches where the squad were on duty. She hoped this wouldn’t upset them too much. Especially Scarlett. She would miss her terribly. “Hazel!” she heard the voice of Gwyn, a girlish joy. “where have you been, we missed you terribly!”
//////
Colonel Burton was on his way to the headquarters, or where he thought it was, when he ran into the officer he really needed to see. Not that he could think why. Seeing her brought a brief stab of pain. “Miss me? Sophy, what’s going on?” He asked her in his best mock posh voice. She slapped him in the face, he laughed, “good girl,” and then she told him what she knew.
//////
The whip cracked. Private Stephens screamed. Captain Forrest asked him again. “You were with a praetorian last night, weren’t you.”
“No, I was,” his reply was interuped as he was flogged again.
“I don’t want your lies!” Forrest shouted. “Tell me her name!”
“I didn’t…” he began as the whip cracked again, five times in succession.
“Name!” the captain shouted again.
“Ellie” he lied.
An hour later, a letter arrived on the desk of major Potts, informing her that one of her soldiers, ‘Ellie’, had been caught in an inappropriate relationship, and should be punished as her commanding officer saw fit.
//////
Colonel Burton forged his way into the HQ of the 1066th as he saw captain Mary standing at a map, and General Batherston looking contemplative in the corner, stroking a sideburn.
“Still using others?” Burton said sarcastically, as he looked to Mary as she stood, still with her walking cane. “Where is Poppy?”
There were a succession of awkward glances. “Don’t tell me. Playing bloody hero girl again?” He turned to Mary. “Don’t yer ever do that, Mary,” He said sternly.
“Carry on,” he said as he headed to inspect the men and meet his allies.
//////
On the last remaining thunderbolt, wing commander Fothersby sat with his can of paint. It was a ritual. He added carefully seven kestrel emblems. It was the red of house Walcott, same as he had seen on the bomb. He knew full well what it was. But to him it was something different. To him, it was the reminder. All of them, dead at kestral hand. To even see the uniform hurt. And now, they were everywhere, as he jumped form the wing, and came face to face with one of the kestral officers.
“What do you want!” he asked curtly.
//////
Outside the Valyrran HQ, a lone, recognised and unwelcome figure cut an approach, as Burton wandered up, rifle in hand and addressed the guard on the door.
“Whoever is senior, I have a message for them.” He said.
//////
Lieutenant Sophy walked half conscious through the town, her new boots still aching as she broke them in. She was tired. Then she saw something she didn’t believe. Was she sleep hallucinating? She saw a Praetorian lieutenant doing work. It must be really bad for that.
“What’s going on ma’am?” she asked.
(thought I would let you define the nature of the work)
//////
Colonel Burton came to one of his men, and one he really trusted.
“Rico,” he said, “How is it going?” he offered a Iho stick to the Kalerian. “You buried kid commissar yet?”
//////
In the harbour at westbridge, two heavily damaged vessels limped in, decks soaked in blood and badly shot up above and below the waterline. On board, deep in the ship, Amy and Laura shivered, and cried together as the battle sunk in. They were the last two left. Neither felt they deserved to be that, as the wounded began to be hurriedly ferried to the hospital. Several hours later, there came another boat, as the small vessel limped in itself, the crew preparing to bury their own dead.
//////
Colonel Burton, general Batherston, captain Mary, Tammy, Josy, Ada and a group of the chosen men approached the kestral command centre. At the front, the colonel spoke first to the sentries.
“I would like to see the brigadier about a new liaison, and whatever the hell just happened in my town,” He said.
//////
Commissar Mason saw the kalerians sitting round the fire, some smoking, all smiling. Was she in the group, she didn’t know. But she did have something for them. She made her decision, and she walked up.
“May I take a seat?” she asked gingerly as she produced a bottle of Rum, to seal the deal.
//////
He had left the meeting he hated most for last. Colonel burton approached the praetorian HQ. He was very polite to the sentries.
“May you please inform the senior officer I wish to speak with her.”
//////
The murders had scared Elzy, and she hadn’t left her room since. She had attempted to send Oats away, but she seemed not to leave her post. Damnably loyal. She was scared what would happen. Oats was a sweet, lovable childlike figure, and she was not going to hesitate to give her life for Elzy. And Elzy did not thing she could handle that herself. She wondered what created this loyalty.
“Oats? What are your dreams for the future?” she asked.
//////
Colonel burton had had a very long day, hostile meetings, tense moments, as he returned to the barracks area of the chosen men. He knew everyone here. His men. He sat into a chair. His own. Knight, Palmer, Montgomery, Smith, Harmer, Benson, Davids. The men he trusted. One group he could trust, regardless.
“Lads,” he addressed the small crowd. “It’s good ter be back.”

Fantasy novel that follows a young man with a troubled past who, through a series of events, gets locked in the middle of a war between two immortal Dragon-bonded Monarchs. This story has themes of abuse and neglect and is largely focused on an internal struggle of the main character trying to come to terms with his past and gain self worth. This is my first novel and first time writing anything on reddit, I am looking for beta readers, but I'm not really sure what else I need to add for people to know.
As far as feedback, any and all is welcome. I will gladly critique/review anyone else's story as well. No time line really.
Prologue below,

Prologue

Drake’s Fang island, 100 miles off the northern coast of Alathaal, Mid-Summer, the Year 185 DM, Daniel…
SMACK! Daniel slammed into the wooden wall of the ship. He sat up trying to get his bearings as the ship lurched side to side. He quickly threw his blanket off and jumped out of bed. CRASH! Daniel stumbled forward as the ship continued its wild swaying. They had been aboard the vessel for two months now but had not found what they sought. Daniel’s stomach threatened to spew last night’s dinner.
He pulled on his clothes and threw the door open. He had the captains’ quarters, the only place on this shabby vessel fitting for someone of his station. Even still, it proved to be barely adequate as the storm had buffeted him awake. As the door flung open and he glared out at the sheets of rain, some of his bluster faded.
He saw grown men, hardened sailors with years of experience, being tossed around like children by the monstrous winds. The rain was so heavy he could only make out the shapes as he stepped onto the deck. Determined to find the captain and figure out what was happening, Daniel hung onto the wall and made his way to the stairs. Pulling himself along, Daniel gritted his teeth as the winds threatened to rip his hands from the railing and launch him into the murky blackness beyond the rails. Mercifully, he made his way up the stairs and to the helm.
“Hold steady ye dogs! Old Roy be throwing all he’s got at us,” the captain shouted from the wheel.
Several cries of agreement rang from around the boat. Daniel reached out and grabbed the captain by the shoulder. “What the hell is happening!” He demanded.
“Ah, good of you to join us lordling,” the captain said with unmasked sarcasm, “we’re just getting batter’d by the damned god of the seas himself!”
Daniel scoffed at the idea, as if Royth would rise from one of his watery palaces just to throw a storm at them. “That’s ridiculous,” he said, doing his best to stay calm. Changing the subject he said, “With weather like this we must be getting close by now.”
The captain looked at him, the grizzled face of a man who should have retired years ago. His skin was like leather and he was missing an eye, but that one eye seemed to pierce him to the core, “An’ how would ye know that?” he asked, suspiciously.
Knowing he had overshared, Daniel gave his best smile and said, “Gut feeling.”
The captain grunted, clearly not believing him, but not wanting to press the matter while the storm raged. Daniel was thankful for that; if pressed, he would have had to reveal how he’d known about the storm. The captain wouldn’t have liked that, not since it had killed nearly a quarter of his men already. While he didn’t fear the captain, Daniel knew his rank alone wouldn’t protect him from a knife in the back.
All around them the wind raged, the water flying so fast that it felt like bee stings against his neck and face, but Daniel didn’t dare go below deck. Should the worst happen, and they capsized he had a better chance of getting to a lifeboat from up here. He eyed the rest of the crew warily, making note of those larger than him. Lightning ripped across the sky casting light to what had been pitch blackness, the moment of light revealing what he sought. He broke into a grin; the island was in sight. His dream was only a mile, maybe two away. He could almost taste the power.
“Land ho!” called the barrel man from the crow’s nest.
The captain echoed the call, which was then echoed through the crew, their voices raising above the torrential rains and wind. Though exhausted, the crew seemed to have a renewed vigor as they went about their duties. Daniel watched them scuttle about, not really caring what they did so long as they got him to the island.
“Fang of the north,” Daniel whispered, almost unconsciously.
“You say somethin’ lad?” the captain asked.
“Hmm? No, and its Lord, not lad,” Daniel corrected, not bothering to conceal his annoyance. Not once on this four-month trip had the captain used Daniel’s title. At first it had annoyed him, then it infuriated him, and then he realized that it wouldn’t matter once he claimed his prize.
“Aye, Lordling, I suppose it is,” the captain replied with a snort.
Eyeing him dangerously, Daniel said, “You would do well to watch your tone, I am not just some ‘Lordling’. I am Prince Daniel Draeken, son of King James Draeken, grandson of Liran Draeken of the six Dragon-bonded, and you will show me the respect my bloodline deserves!” What had started low rose quickly finishing in a shout, which spewed spittle across the captain—not that he would have noticed with the rain.
For a moment the ship went silent, even the wind seeming too quiet, as if holding its breath. The captain held eye contact for several tense moments, and Daniel began to wonder if the man would strike him. Just as he reached for the sword on his hip the captain turned away.
“As you say, your Royal Highness,” the captain replied, his voice monotone.
Finally satisfied after months of disrespect, Daniel nodded and turned to look for the island once more. The night was still pitch black, but it hadn’t been his imagination; the wind had died down. Even the rain had slowed to a trickle, falling lazily upon his shoulders. Daniel looked at the sky, wishing for one more strike to illuminate the island.
As if on cue, a bolt cracked in the sky streaking across and casting light upon them all. Daniel looked to the island, but to his dismay he didn’t see it, only a deep blackness. Had they gotten turned around in the storm? Daniel wasn’t sure, but he didn’t think so. Confused, he turned to ask the captain what was going on, but that was when the boat slammed to a stop.
The force knocked him to the ground and tossed several men overboard. Daniel heard their cries and heard them splash into the water. He didn’t concern himself with their fate, not when so much more was at stake. He pulled himself up and ran back to the helm where the captain still stood. The man’s face was pale, ghost white in fact. Daniel tilted his head, then followed the captain’s gaze; the old sailor was staring at something in front of the ship. Daniel was confused once more, since there seemed to be nothing but blackness before them.
That was when the lightning struck, and Daniel understood. It wasn’t pitch blackness, but a massive form seemingly made of blackness. As he watched, the form rose from where it rested in the water. It stood impossibly tall, towering over the caravel. As the light from the lightning faded, the thunder shook in his ears with a deep rumbling - at least he thought it was thunder. But thunder stopped, it didn’t grow louder. In the darkness Daniel couldn’t see the towering figure anymore, but he knew it was there - he could still feel its rumbling. Was it growling? What was it?
He searched once more hoping to see something. From the blackness he saw a blue orb, floating above the ship seeming to hover, then a second one appeared beside it, with both orbs being at least the size of a full-grown man. Daniel couldn’t understand what he was seeing.
Then it blinked.
The boat shook, harder than before. So hard that Daniel was thrown to the floor, holding onto the railing for dear life. The ship raised, lifting out of the water, and Daniel screamed. He wasn’t the only one. A few dozen men remained on the ship, surely no more than thirty. He had long since lost sight of the captain. He felt the boat lurch to one side, and heard several people fall off crashing into the railing that was now below them.
Daniel was now holding himself fully as the boat was held aloft on its side. He didn’t know what to do, he was terrified, and his arms trembled with the effort it took to hold himself in place. The boat shook once more and then was dropped, falling for several seconds before crashing into the ground, finally dislodging Daniel from his railing. His back slammed into the sandy beach, knocking the breath from him. He lay there for several seconds, still unable to comprehend what had happened.
A voice shook his body, but it seemed only to speak in his mind, rattling his skull. It said, Why have you come to this place, scaleless one?
A simple question, one Daniel had been asking himself for the past several minutes. He opened his eyes and saw the glowing orbs hovering only a few feet from his face. The deep blue orbs with a black slit from the top to bottom, like a cat’s eyes. They seemed to pierce him—the eyes promised him that to lie was to perish.
So, he told the truth. “I come in search of Dragon eggs. My grandfather’s journal contained a map, and on that map was this island. I scoured the libraries of our country, but no other map listed this place.” Daniel stood then, dusting himself off.
The eyes regarded him, and if he didn’t know better, he would think they looked amused. The voice resounded in his head once more, And what would you do with a Dragon?
Daniel grinned and replied, “Whatever the hell I wanted.”
A deep rattling laugh boomed around him, not just in his mind. He dropped to his knees, covering his ears to try and stop the painfully loud noise. The voice spoke to him once more, An egg, you say? Why settle for a hatchling when you stand before the King of Dragons?
Daniel blinked. He knew the legends of the War of Fire, the war of Dragons, all descendants of the six did. . The King of Dragons, a title only one had ever claimed. “Maelkor,” he said aloud, not even aware he had. He had heard the legends told time and again since he was a boy - tales of his grandfather and his allies doing battle against the ‘evil’ Dragons and banishing them from the continent.
Maelkor, the voice confirmed in his ears, Maelkor the Unforgiven. That is what they call me. A stream of fire lit the night sky, streaming from the ancient black Dragons mouth and setting the ship ablaze. His towering form was even more impressive than Daniel had realized. The Dragon turned its gaze upon him once more and asked, What do they call you, scaleless one?
Daniel steeled himself; this was greater than he ever could have hoped. With as much confidence as he could muster, he shouted, “My name is Daniel Draeken! Future King of Alathaal, and the man who would bond with you. After all, one King deserves another.”
The laugh returned, but it didn’t hurt this time. Maelkor spoke in his mind once more, We shall see..

I will level with you all, this is a result of the “You should write” post and the first story I have posted publicly rather than languish on a hard drive for the rest of time.
This story originated from the whole uplift nature of yotul and pondering the long term impact it created for small/remote mining communities on Leirn around N.O.P.1, though this evolved into something completely different as time went by. If anybody enjoys this let me know and I will try to edit/upload the remaining chapters for what could be considered the first arc, though I can’t guarantee anything due to time constraints.
Thank you to u/SpacePaladin15 for creating this universe and allowing folks like me to tinker with it.
Enjoy.

The Isle Of Werna
The hiss of gas lights and roar of burners kept the an old yotul company while working away in his diminutive workshop, trying to preserve what little heritage remained after they had arrived. A rare survivor of Wernas heydays sat upon the family's time worn workbench, the remains of an old signal lamp with its brass sheet buckled and solder joints burst.
I would be carted off if the feds ever found out about this...
The island's remote location offered a degree of safety to his pursuit, few federation minded folk made the ferry trip since the mines had closed but it still paid to be cautious. It was well known that the fitters from Kelna's north coal works had been taken away for attempting to save their engine from the gas axe.
“Dad! Mum says you can sleep out there if you don't come in soon!”
His daughter's shout caused the soldering iron to slip, sending splashes of molten metal to places he rather it wasn't. While sighing he shut down the burner and extinguished the lamps, he knew a good night's rest was required considering the island's sole exterminator wanted him for some task tomorrow, plus Sharnas threats were never to be ignored.
Inside the house Enla enquired how the project had progressed, a gesture to the silver dashes stuck to his extremities was all that was needed to elicit a laugh “I keep saying you need me to take over the finer stuff, those old paws ain't so steady... you know I'm right.”
A dismissive tail wave was all he could muster, pre federation she could have made a name for herself here in Werna but those times had passed. Frankly he felt guilty for her staying at home and didn't want to give any more reason to stay.
An unusual pair trudged up the winding path leading to the island's oldest set of quarry workings. Located on the south side near the town proper the works were a hive of industry prior to the uplift, now the main buildings sat empty and neglected. The old yotul initially concerned about what the exterminator had in mind, but noted the lack of flamer and protective garments that would normally adorn the elderly avian.
The walk had been mostly in silence, any attempt of verbal communication thwarted by the winds that sprung up from the sea, though once they had reached the top of the cliff the avian signalled to pause. Expecting this to be for a rest Denna was surprised to see a holopad produced from a satchel followed by the bird panning the item in a 360 degree arc.
It took most of Denna’s strength to shout over the wind “Are you seriously recording on a day like today! Why?”
No verbal response, only the pad being placed back into its satchel and a gesture to move on.
“Can you now please tell me why you wanted to come here?” The pair had taken shelter from the wind in what was once the workers' refuge, now its main use as a storage shed by the local farmers. A brief puff of feathers and erratic talon tapping resolved whatever was going on inside Relkas head.
“Only if you promise not to laugh and take what I say seriously.” A confirmatory ear flick prompted him to continue “I want to make a record of this, the life and history of Werna. It's not like I can go and find it anywhere else.”
This was the last thing Denna would have expected, indeed upon asking why elicited a laugh from the bird. “I'm not young and my nephews are pestering me to retire back on Nishtal. I guess I want this all recorded on the off chance it happens... for the record I don't want to go before you start getting excited.”
That last part surprised the most, Denna had known Relka for the best part of twenty cycles and was aware his posting to Werna was a punishment. In the early times the bird would loudly bemoan “I'm caged on this primitive rock!” As if he could see what Denna was thinking he continued “This place has grown on me, no targets to be met and being able to use your own judgement, this is what the job of exterminators used to be. Besides I would miss everyone here so please let me hear Wernas story and have something saved.”
“But why me?” echoed down the empty corridors of the town's old centre of commerce, Denna confused why he was put forward to escort a trio of federation representatives around the various old workings on the island.
“Because you know this island and its history like the back of your paw, plus Relka recommended you for the job.”
“...I'm going to choke that bird with his own tail feathers...” Denna’s tail now displayed full blown annoyance as it thudded against the tiled floor.
The portly controller chuckled at the response followed by warning “Don't use such language around them, I don't need the federation sending unknown exterminators here.”
“There better be something good in it for me.”
Pulling a drawer open on the well worn desk the controller produced a pile of documents.
“These are the technical drawings from when your old winding house was being designed, technically these should have been destroyed cycles ago... but I thought these should be with someone who cares.”
Denna’s annoyed tail thumping was now replaced with a happy sway “When are they arriving?”

Stood on the edge of the pier Denna did his best to bring a warm welcome to the feds “Welcome to Werna. The names Denna and I shall be your guide for the day. Please feel free to ask any questions you may have.”
The only reply being “proceed” from the oldest looking farsul. No introductions, small talk or even an ear flick promptly reminding him why he hated their kind. Walking up to the main street a “Look at her size!” and “I thought they had police and exterminators here? She must have P.D.” emanated from the group.
Unfortunately Denna knew exactly who they were referring to, up the street Elna was helping move a produce cart for the green grocer.
“She’s my daughter! I can tell you now she does not have that disease... and for the record height was considered a blessing before your kind showed up so keep your mouths shut if you want my help!”
No apologies from the group, only “proceed” being uttered.
An annoyed Denna and the trio of farsul unhappily trudged up the old track bed leading to the final site on the south side, the last slate mine to be closed. The only thing the farsul commented on during the walk was a sore subject, “Why did you people remove transportation to this place?”
“Your people removed our railway and promised us new! Guess what? We're still waiting!” Denna immediately regretted his outburst considering it was from the youngest member who had nothing to do with the uplift, the young farsul’s ears and tail drooping meekly while the rest said nothing and continued on.
Once at the site lots of mutterings and debating was had among the trio but it still boiled down to slate mines only containing slate, quartz and a few other minerals.
“What's behind the blocked up portal?”
Denna thought Were the feddys always this useless? They had the blasted records!
“If you looked at the records you would see this was the entrance to the oldest workings. People got killed in various collapses so hence it being capped off.”
Some bickering proceeded between the three as they stared at the old entrance, more precisely at some ventilation holes at the top of the capping, the result being a small drone being produced from a satchel.
The oldest member spitting “It's a primitives slate mine for god's sake and you're willing to risk losing that? What are you expecting to see that we haven't already!?”
“Just let him have his fun, he's been itching to use it since the department received it. As far as I'm concerned it's a valid use, the boss requested we investigate all possibilities of valuable deposits.”
“Fine! By the god's make it clear I was against the idea!”
Panic washed over Denna when he realised what they were going to do, and he knew what lay down the abandoned shaft. Cycles ago when the federation were busy removing all backward technology he and his friends concealed the works best locomotive, hoping one day it might see the light of day again. Before he could even formulate some way out of the situation the drone had already been launched and sent through the vents.
The youngest controlling the device soon remarked “Huh some old track... what's that in the distance?”
As if by some cosmic intervention the middle farsul sneezed, spooking the youngest enough to send the drone hard into the tunnel wall never to recover. The look of shock was enough to give the game away to his senior.
“Right, we are done here. Remember this is your problem now, not mine.”
The young one just stood in a trance, looking at the wall as though he could will himself through it by staring.
Who do I have to thank for this? Ralchi or have the ice maidens got something to do with this? Bah I will thank them all properly later... Hmm the lad seems genuinely upset. Feeling a twinge of guilt for feeling happy about the drones destruction Denna placed a paw on his shoulder “Don't dwell on it lad we all make mistakes, if this is the worst you will ever do consider yourself blessed.”
Soon the little group was heading back to town to report their findings.

A lone vessel made its way through the morning sea mist, its destination Werna. Inside, two siblings Dren and Drax were in discussion on how to break bad news to their parents. Throughout the lower government offices word had spread of unproductive settlements soon to be relocated, Werna was one such town after the farsul’s report on its mineral wealth.
“Maybe we can soften the blow with the promise of a new workshop?”
“Not going to happen, remember the gasifier incident? You aren't going to talk him into a new shop when I couldn't get him to relinquish gas lighting!”
“I had forgotten that... I think he still blames Ralchi for burning off his whiskers. Do you think Enla could talk him into moving?” Drax, the elder of the pair slapped his tail in annoyance at the younger brother's naivety, Enla was arguably more stubborn coupled with her distaste for all things federation. He knew today wasn’t going to end well.
“What do you mean the town is to be relocated!?” Denna was taking the news about as well as the brothers could have hoped for, themselves thankful Elna was out helping a neighbour.
“I know you don't like it, but think of the positives! You could have a nice warm modern house and workshop, no more draughty cold stone buildings, no suspect lighting and heating systems.”
“But this house has been in the family for generations! Your great great great grandfather started smithing here when they first inhabited this land proper! You're telling me just to leave it all?”
“It's not my decision, I'm just letting you know so you can prepare for when the officials come around and make you leave.”
Unfortunately Dren now made one of his less thought out comments “I still don't understand what the fuss is all about, the new buildings are much better.”
A small potted plant narrowly missed the younger brother's head, all turned to look at the source of the attack. In the doorway Enla stood shaking with rage.
“Don't you dare say such things! Get out!”
Denna promptly stepped in between the two “Elna!... maybe they have a point, for you at least. Think about it, what future do you have here?”
The unexpected admission by her father left her confused.
“You should go with your brothers to the mainland and find yourself a place to live and a mate, we can survive until they kick us out.”
The now distraught woman promptly left the building, making her way up the cliff to the old workings so she could be alone to process what had been said.

I have been playing the game for a little over a month at this point on Steam, and wanted to share a recent excursion that happened with members of my guild, one of which went sailing with me for the first time on this voyage(we'll call him Tyger for this story). Another guildmate and friend came along with who mainly did Tall Tales and quests with his wife a while ago(we'll call him Goat for this story).
​
We set out for this adventure as everyone does, waking up from a drunken stupor in a tavern at an outpost. This one happened to be Sanctuary Outpost, and I wanted to show Tyger the ropes as an emissary for the Gold Hoarders to earn him money and reputation. Goat came aboard my ship, the brigantine Charon Express, and was intent on helping with what he could and having a blast with adventure, with maybe a song or two for laughs. After raising the flag and gathering supplies, we took a treasure vault quest and dove to our destination.
​
We managed to gather treasure as we made for the islands to get our map pieces, both on the islands and from skeleton crews who made the mistake of challenging us. All around good experiences for a new player like Tyger. After gathering all the map pieces needed, since the 'x' piece didn't show up till the end, we made our way to Crescent isle to unearth our key and plunder the vault. Upon getting the key, entering the vault and hauling out as much loot as we could carry, we determined that using the harpoon rowboat attached to the brig would be our easiest means of transferring our precious cargo. As we made our way back to the ship though, Tyger made mention "I just got a notification about patching up holes in the ship?", to which I sword lunged towards it with a curse. Lo and behold, there was a figure jumping on the ship deck right before the mast caught fire and the whole ship sank to the briny deep. A few well placed curses, as well as a blunderbuss shot to the back of the head, and the saboteur was sent to his untimely end.
​
As Captain, I decided to take the mermaid express to the ship they dredged up for us, while telling Goat and Tyger to take the rowboat and hide around behind the island from the incoming Galleon bearing down on the floating treasure. No sooner did I raise anchor and let loose the sails, Tyger joined me on the ship, having been sniped from someone aboard the dastardly vessel. So we made all haste back to Crescent Isle, hearing Goat curse and grunt every so often as he made attempts at evading his pursuers. Now, he claims that his ineptitude for piloting the rowboat, since he was using a keyboard while I was using a controller and Tyger a Steamdeck, saved his life. But whatever it was, this mad-lad of a man managed to row all the way to the nearby trading post to the north and try to hide behind it from the Galleon. Closing in as fast as we could we heard more yelps and grunts as they continued giving chase and he kept rowing like his very life depended on it to save our plundered booty. By the time Tyger and I made it to him, he had gone past the large rocks to the East of Crescent Isle, and asked if we should pick him up.
​
I grinned and stated, "No, keep up the distraction. We'll sail past and deal with them." Goat chortled and responded, "Don't have to tell me twice." as he hauled tail away again. A short ship battle with shots exchanged both ways led to both ships running aground on Crescent isle to the Southern tip, but the brig got the best luck and got pushed back out to sea while Tyger was down below repairing and bailing like crazy. With a shot from a sniper whizzing past my head, I looked to the island with my own sniper to shoot at the pirate taking pot shots. A hit sent him dashing for cover as we took off to pick up Goat, who was still rowing like mad.
​
We were successful in picking him up just SouthEast of Port Merrick at this point, and chose to head out to Ancient Spire Outpost to avoid being followed. Not until we docked at the Sovereigns and the server change happened did we realize that our would be pursuers had probably disconnected. After selling off our loot and calling it a night, we also managed to find out from Tyger's achievements, that we had apparently sunk the Galleon without realizing it.
​
And with that, I will leave you all with an impromptu rendition Goat made about his little expedition:
​
"Row, row, row says Goat
​
Holy fucking shit
​
A huge pirate ship is chasing me
​
I have got to split!"
​

So. I’m 32, I’ve always been overweight, and my family history of CAD is hot garbage. I’ve been on a statin for about a year because I’ve been unable to bring down my cholesterol with diet for a decade (being super strict lowered it by like 20 pts. That’s it). They started testing me when I was like 22 and it’s been high since. The statin seems to cut it pretty much in half, though I’m working to get it down lower. I’m not sure where it is now. I seem to have genetic problem with cholesterol. Recently I’ve had some shoulder pain and new episodes of PVCs- my dr wanted a CCTA (and an MRI but we’ll see if that happens). The results seem very bad to me (though I’ll be speaking to the doc in a few days and we’ll see.
I posted them down below.
I was wondering a few things. Is there anyone around my age in the same boat? And has anyone reversed this? Is this reversible?
I also see they mentioned that this is all calcified plaque. I didn’t know it was possible to have that at 32. I thought it was going to be soft plaque. Which I know is worse. I’m thinking of sending it off to cleerly.
*LM: Number of lesions = 0; volume (mm³⁾ = 0; calcium score = 0.
LAD: Number of lesions = 5; volume (mm³⁾ = 38; calcium score = 42.
LCX: Number of lesions = 2; volume (mm³⁾ = 22; calcium score = 21.
RCA: Number of lesions = 2; volume (mm³⁾ = 15; calcium score = 15.
TOTAL: Number of lesions = 9; volume (mm³⁾ = 75; calcium score = 78.
LAD: The LAD is a normal caliber vessel. Short segment calcified plaques throughout proximal, mid and distal LAD causing minimal luminal narrowing between 10% and 20%.
LCX: The LCX is a normal caliber vessel. Short segment calcified plaque in mid to distal circumflex just distal to the origin of first obtuse marginal causing minimal luminal narrowing up to 25%. In addition there is short segment calcified plaque causing minimal luminal narrowing up to 10%.
RCA: The right coronary artery is dominant. Short segment calcified plaque in mid RCA causing minimal luminal narrowing up to 10%. Additionally there is a short segment calcified plaque in mid RCA causing minimal luminal narrowing up to 15%. Distally, the LAD is patent.
ADDITIONAL FINDINGS: Please note this is a cardiac focused examination and the chest is incompletely imaged. The left atrium is dilated. The left atrial appendage is patent. Trileaflet aortic valve. Normal size ascending aorta. Mild left ventricular hypertrophy. Small hiatal hernia.*

The Shadows Speak
Chapter 10
Warlord Grexus of House Drakorin
I was quite annoyed right now. I was woken up early in the morning, apparently I was being summoned to the throne room of the royal ship, Sovereign Scale, by none other than the head of the Scalebound who guards the princes. He seemed even more annoyed to be an errand dog for Prince Raxil than me having to go see what is making that pompous man-child upset this time.
We entered a hovercraft that would take us towards the massive ship above the city. I didn’t even have time to eat breakfast and It was starting to increase my discomfort. “So, Sentinel Varkesh, what has angered the ‘oh so noble’ prince this time? Has his brother not been able to calm him down?” I asked, hidden venom spewing between my teeth. “It's something about one of your underlings screwing up and needing to be taught a lesson.” he commented back, swaying a bit as it seemed he hadn't gotten a good sleep in some time.
“Of course it’s one of mine again,” I said as I let out a dry chuckle. That Prince Raxil was a womanizer and I bet either one of my female troops that he fancied had done something to offend him or the lover of said female has caused a ruckus in protest and is being punished for it. “What a waste of time,” I said after a good pause as we landed in one of the hangars on the ship. I turned around to look outside as the hangar doors were closing. There was a large storm cloud coming from the east. “Strange, the wind is blowing from the west.” I said to myself but didn’t think much of it as we exited the hovercraft.
We were greeted by a Scalebound retinue and walked towards the exit to the hangar. “Greetings, Warlord Grexus, Sentinel Varkesh, you are expected in the throne room.” came a cheery voice from the speakers above. “Thank you, Guardian Saurix. Tell me, has my cousin Tharnix arrived as well?” I asked politely. “Yes, The Master of Scales is already in the throne room trying to de-escalate the situation at hand with Prince Thalos. So far this is not going to plan, as Priestess Vexora seems to be encouraging Prince Raxil to continue smearing the huntress with shame.” Saurix continued, sounding like he was going to enjoy the upcoming show. That damned AI, he liked watching the nobility squabble more than his own duties and that priestess is no better. Besides that she is probably committing adultery, which those priestesses of the faith love to do with the nobility and especially the royalty, she also seems to enjoy having the prince at the tip of her claw.
“I bet that the huntress has somehow insulted them, by not joining her and the prince in their quarters and now they both feel insulted. Ugh, what a pathetic excuse for an early wakeup, and why do I need to be here exactly?” I asked into the air, not really caring who answered. “Because you are the Warlord, and have to be held accountable for your subordinates, or that is what the prince said.” Saurix answered in a playful tone. I sighed as we entered through the doors to the throne room.
The vast hall was covered in fine tapestry and statues of old emperors. Paintings lined the walls as we stepped on a gold trimmed carpet that stretched towards the end of the room where a marbled staircase led up to a grand platform where two thrones sat. Ten Scalebound stood guard at the edges of the stairs and two Feralisk Masters were at the bottom with their mounts laying coiled around them, staring hungrily at the poor huntress that was groveling on her knees in front of the staircase. Both Prince Raxil and Prince Thalos were sitting in their throne chairs, arguing. Priestess Vexora stood next to Prince Raxil and my cousin stood next to his brother, they were both silent but were giving each other looks of disdain. “Well, the teams have been set and guess I have to play the mediator to this deadly childrens fight. Which side are you going to pick?” I asked Varkesh. “Please take this seriously or your warrior might end as breakfast of the Feralisks, and I take no sides.” he answered back in a huff.
“I believe I am on Prince Thalos’s side in this, the blood stains on the carpet would be dreadful to look at.” Guardian Saurix chimed in with a whisper. “Please get back to your duties, Guardian, we don’t need more flames to be fuelled here.” Varkesh snapped back angrily. The AI was quiet for a second then politely excused itself. “Well that is one less problematic character to worry about,” I said as we walked closer.
I knelt down next to the huntress. She was shaking in fear. I placed my hand on her shoulder which made her winch. “Easy huntress, tell me, what is your name and who is your direct commander?” I asked gently as the two parties verbally fighting seemed to not have noticed me. “D…Draxara, my lord, I belong to unit 13 under Prime Hunter Morthal.” she responded hesitantly as her red scales shivered a bit. She was a young, pretty female, I could understand why the prince would fancy her. “How did you end up in this mess, young one?” I asked again. “My officer told me that I would be sent on an assignment early this morning, my lord, and before I knew it, I was escorted by the Royal Scalebound to the prince’s quarters to join him and the priestess. I politely refused and the prince became furious when I said so and threatened to execute me for insubordination.” she explained with a shaky voice. I simply nodded as I walked up the stairs.
“Brother…won’t you see reason, you will gain no favour from doing this, besides we are not in command here, you wanted to come here to watch how our empire conquers planets but why do you insist on causing problems wherever we go?” Prince Thalos said in mild anger. He was a good image of royalty. Strong mind, capable fighter and a kind ruler, although too timid. “That scaly whore insulted me and the priestess, I am a royal of the empire, insulting me is akin to insulting the founding emperor himself.” his brother Raxil responded in huffed anger. That manchild was anything but a competent ruler. He was handsome and fit but one could see that he was undisciplined and arrogant. He had a vile temper that flared up in a heartbeat and by the Eternal Conqueror, he enjoyed overstepping his boundaries.
But this is the last chance, enough is enough. I walked up the stairs, making sure they heard every step as I got closer. They stopped their bickering momentarily when I stood in front of them. “Care to explain why I had to be woken up and rushed here, Prince Raxil?” I said in a cold tone as I stood about 3 meters in front of him now. “That soldier mocked me and the prince, that is a serious offense, she must be pun-” the priestess began to speak before I cut her off. “Silence, priestess, I was not talking to you but to his highness.” I snapped back at her with my head feathers puffed and teeth bared.
“DO NOT speak to her that way, Warlord Grexus, she is a priestess of the Conqueror and I am a prince, show some respect.” he began to rant in anger but I was having none of it. “It’s the ‘Eternal Conqueror’ you fool, any less than that is a mockery to the faith, I would have expected you to know that, and I show respect when it is earned, prince. Since you came here, you have shown me no reason to give it. You do not outrank me, I answer only to the Emperor, my House Archon and The Eternal Conqueror. Now, my soldier is going to go back to her duties and you will stop bothering me and my troops whilst you decide to stay here. If not I will make sure your carefree lifestyle will go into the void forever. Do I make myself clear?” I asked as I stared cold daggers at him.
I could see it in his eyes that he was trying hard to find a counter to my words but none were coming up. A moment went by, “alright, Warlord Grexus, perhaps I was too hasty in my judgment, the huntress is free to go. Now if you will excuse me.” he said, trying to sound dignified and posh as he walked out to the side exit. To his private quarters I presumed, with the priestess in tow and four guards tailing them. “You are free to go, Huntress Draxara, those two Scalebound will escort you to your troop location.” I said gently as I looked at Sentinel Varkesh for his approval. He nodded at the guards and they escorted the huntress back out of the hall. “That was roughly said, cousin, but most effective.” came a voice from behind me. “Indeed, I don’t think I would have done better in any scenario within my head.” said Prince Thalos as he gave me a gentle smile.
“That brother of yours needed a talking to and I have had enough of his antics since arriving here.” I answered back as I watched the huntress disappear from the hall. “Warlord Grexus, could I invite you and Lord Varkesh to breakfast? I would find it most enjoyable if I could gather some wisdom from both of you.” the prince suggested. I nodded in approval and we headed out the hall. The prince asked me some questions about military matters and governing ideas, which was quite amusing to answer as I felt his personality was a polar opposite to his twin brother. Unfortunate that he was a timid lad, otherwise he would be a powerhouse of some magnitude within the royal family. “Cousin, how are your sons faring?” I asked Varkesh as we continued to walk at a leisurely pace. “Both Vorakar and Drekarn are doing their duties well, my grandson Sarnak has even been promoted to Prime Hunter recently. Although I have not heard from them in person for some time, their communication beacon is still on and sending the all clear sign. I guess they are just busy with enemy remnants.” he said with confidence. I liked both his sons, they were competent leaders and that boy Sarnak shows potential but still lacks a sense of danger. “I hope I get to meet them again soon.” I said as I nodded to Varkesh’s comment.
Suddenly a blaring alarm sounded in my ears as Guardian Saurix chimed in the speakers. “Attention, all personnel, get to your battle stations, enemy vessels are jumping out of FTL in orbit.” he said in a bland yet urgent tone. My instinct went on high alert as I told the Scalebound to protect the prince. “Saurix, how many enemy vessels are there? Who are they?” I said as we headed towards the bridge. “I am counting 5000 enemy vessels of unknown origin and they are exiting FTL in between the fleet. That is impossible with known FTL drives, so I do not know how they do it but the enemy armada is decimating our forces. I suggest we-.” he spoke but abruptly stopped. “Brace for impact.” he chimed over the speakers as the entire ship rocked from an explosion.
I fell to one knee as more shells bombarded the ship until it abruptly stopped. “Status, Saurix?” I asked hurriedly. “Shields are down, three enemy vessels are attacking, one is sending hundreds of small vessels that are heading straight for us.” he answered back. “Boarding parties I assume.” I said in a cold tone. We must get the princes to safety. Considering that the enemy is boarding us, they want something or someone here. Tell every warrior on this ship to fight to the last.” I ordered as we ran towards the bridge.
We met Varkesh on the way, he had a sizable retinue with him and the foolish prince and priestess in tow. “You heard the Guardian, we are under attack, the bridge is the safest place until we know what we are dealing with.” I commented as I ran next to him. “Indeed, I ask that you command the forces, Warlord Grexus, you are the most senior officer here and you have the most experience among all of us.” he replied as every thump of his armor echoed in the hallway. We were about two minutes away from the bridge when the ship was rocked again by a myriad of loud clangs like something was hitting the hull over and over. “The enemy landing party is here, let's double pace it.” I ordered as everyone increased their speed.
We entered the bridge, and it was in chaos, the admiral was unconscious, his head was bleeding, presumably from hitting his head when the first enemy batteries hit us. Every crew member was frantically trying to figure out what to do, some were looking over the videos of the breach locations, others were trying to contact the fleet in orbit, and gun operators were focusing on shooting at the three massive, obsidian ships that were on display at the central screen.
“Prime navigator.” I yelled over the bridge, making everyone halt in their tracks and look at me. “Yes, yes that would be me, sir…?” came a response from one of the crewmen who wore colorful clothing with insignia over his red and purple hued skin. “I am Warlord Grexus, I will be in charge here for the time being, get your men in order and get me a live feed from the cameras around the breeches. Operators keep the enemy ships occupied.” I commanded as I walked to the center. “Guardian Saurix, how many enemies do you estimate are on board?” I asked. “One Hundred ninety six breaches are detected and I suspect from the size of each boarding craft we are looking at around ten thousand enemy soldiers.” he replied back. That is not a number to take on this vessel, they are too few, even the Scalebound number is around fifteen thousand and there are twenty thousand soldiers stationed here as well. ”What are they planning?” I said to myself as my mind wandered through every possible scenario. “Warlord sir, I can’t access the cameras closest to the breaches, the power seems to be going off in those sections.” one of the staff members said as she frantically typed away on her station. “Guardian, what is happening?” I asked, my insight telling me I was missing something. No response came. “Guardian, come in, tell me what is happening.” I ordered as I was feeling more tense every second. A moment of silence went by, “Warlord…I am…under attack…enemy AI.” came a jagged response form Saurix through the speakers. “Shit, operator, give me a feed of any camera that is still operational close to a breaching site.” I ordered hurriedly. The staff typed in a few keys and a video of a dimly lit hallway came to the screen. There were two Scalebound standing in it, shooting one way. From their body language I could tell that they were in distress. They were firing wildly, like they could not properly see their enemy. Their guns ran out of ammo and they threw them to the side and picked up their shield and sword, not moving a centimeter from their spot. From the edge of the camera I could see four figures walk towards them. They looked like hooded ghosts, no, the white shimmer on their hands, the glowing eyes and the hood made them look like- “The…The Eternal Shades?” came a whimper from the priestess behind me.
I said nothing as I simply focused on the screen in front of me. The hooded figures dashed forward at a ludicrous pace, and in two pairs started to battle the Scalebound. It was hard to watch as they simply danced around the best soldiers of the empire, cutting with precision at the joints of their armor, focusing on their arms and legs before the two were lying on the ground from loss of blood and numb limbs.
One of the shades looked directly at the camera as the other three dashed forward and from the end of the hallway sprinted a dozen more, the one simply standing still, looking up at the camera before executing the two Scalebound and dashing off after the others. “What were those things?” asked Tharnix as he walked next to me. “I don’t know, but it’s a given that whoever these enemies are, they are highly skilled, have advanced tech and know our culture.” I answered back. I pressed a button that broadcasted my voice through every speaker in the ship. “Attention all personnel, group up in large numbers, the enemies on board are highly trained and dangerous. Focus on defending wide areas.” I commanded into the mic.
“What are our plans now, Grexus?” asked Tharnix as we looked in silence upon another camera feed of three shades killing a Feralisk and its rider with precise shots and simply moved on. “I’m not sure, we might need to evacuate, get the princes to safety or barricade the bridge and hope our fleet manages to fend off the attackers in orbit. I feel like the first option is more viable.” I responded in turn. “I am afraid I can’t let you leave just yet.” came an unfamiliar voice in the speakers. My senses went on high alert as I looked down at the speaker by the table.
The camera feeds turned off and an avian creature not dissimilar to the Alerians appeared on the screen. It had pitch black feathers and a longer beak that curved down, its obsidian eyes staring at me with an interest of a predator. “Greetings, Warlord Grexus, I am AI Huginn of the Terran Federation.” it said in a flat cold tone. “Whe…where is Guardian Saurix?” I asked despite knowing he was probably gone now. “He is no longer here I’m afraid, he had to disappear into the inner networks of your ship after we started eating him and it will take some time before me and my brother finish our kill. We do not like to cause unnecessary suffering but your AI was quite stubborn to hold out.” It said as an unnatural smile curled on its face. “Now don’t leave just yet, my soldiers have yet to come greet you.” It continued. I took out my pistol and shot the command table. It hissed and fizzled as I looked back at the puzzled personnel behind me.
“Our option is clear now, we are heading towards the hangars on the port side of the ship, now move.” I commanded as I headed towards the exit.
Chapter 9
Chapter 11

“I'm sorry, I need you to repeat that.” A hologram of a hooded figure said, moving the hood to the side as they stared up at the four armed, weasel-like Wellian pirate. “I could have sworn you said, you raided a Human orphanage that sat at the edge of their systems and made off with the young to hold as hostages…..” The figure continued, an odd sort of calm tone in their voice.
“Yeup. Got a bunch of good ones, too. Couple actual human young along with a few galkans, which ‘ll fetch a-”
“Put them back. For the love of the fabric of reality, put them the FECK back before whoever runs the orphanage decides to come for ALL of us!” the figure interrupted, tone no longer calm, but panicked, jabbing a finger at the captain, even as the surrounding crews glanced at one another in confusion, short of the first mate, who was in the brig at the back of the bridge for vehemently disagreeing with such a line of action, and now sat with said young, and only shook their head from underneath the gaggle of children sleeping on his body.
“Already too late, lads. Ah warned ya, but ye didn't want ta listen.” The hammerheadded alien sighed, simply setting back, wincing as a few of his bruises twinged as it rubbed against the little ones, but bit back a curse. “An’ now ye be reapen’ yer desserts.” He said as alarms screeched suddenly, waking the children up, many Of the downy covered galkan heads popping up in alarm, spinning about. “shhh, little uns’. Just yer caretakers coming ta get ye back.” The shark like pirate said, rubbing the galkans heads, making them chirp lowly, and settle back down with the others again, chattering softly.
“Cap'n! Ship to our aft! Looks like an old Hauler type.” One of the sensor officers spoke, catching everyone's attention, and confused the hammerhead for a moment.
An image of the aging, former cargo vessel appeared on the holoscreen, burning towards them with a vengeance. She was beaten and battered, clearly having been put lovingly back together with care over her who knew how many decades in the Black, designed like an old seafaring container ship. MAC turrets replaced her cargo containers on her deck, flanking a massive cannon, raised off her deck, aimed directly at them, while nose and keel were more heavily armored then a normal. Her hull sprouted more turrets to her fore and aft, with broadside cannons in-between them, aimed outwards,while the eerie glow of whatever engines she now bore glowed behind her, pushing her forward in a steady pursuit.
“Sir, we be out of the turrets firin’ minimum effective range, but we can't do anythin’ about her main cannon.” One of the officers said, eyeing the cannon dubiously. “Not like they'll fire on us anyways. Got hostages, don’ we?” they said as they smirked…. Only for it to fade at the Aquarian shaking his head amongst the little ones. One of the children poked their head up and giggled like a little menace.
“Unca B brought Fleur ” they giggled, making one of the other officers freeze, and slowly turn to face them… noticeably, this officer was a Ka'ri, and had agreed to this as a act of revenge…… but now sported a pale complexion on their body, their massive, cycloptic eye's iris shrunk to a pinprick.
“The Fleur?…..?” they said slowly, before spinning around, hands flying across the console-
“Sir! Massive energy spike in the vessels energy output, engines increasing heat output, they actually gonna'-” the officers report went silent as the screen showed the worn vessel rock as the main cannon fired silently into the black, a pointed shell rocketing towards them at near lightspeed.
“helm’ adjust course. It's a low speed MAC, jus’ let it pass. Dumb humies” the captain smirked, as the ship shuddered, RCS Engines strafing them up….
And then they saw fire erupt from the ‘shell’ zipping towards them, realigning to still hit them, and was closing distance at a rapid pace.
“Sah! Transmission from the ship!” One of the Vox officers called out, as a screen flickered….
And revealed a brute of a man, squished into a chair with a crash harness overtop him and his armor, rolling a cigar between his lips with a frown of disdain. A bandana kept his hair neat underneath, while a thick beard with faint, white stripes in it adorned his face, his thick, bushy eyebrows bent down in a scowl. After taking a draw from the cigar, the human pulled it from his mouth and spoke. “This is Captain Brutus of th’ Fleur De Cadavre. Yeh morons got ten seconds tah hand over me nieces and nephews before me brother an’ I come in there and give the lot of yeh a pummelin’.” Came the deep, bear like voice of the man, even as he flicked the ash forming on the end of his cigar into a tray on the arm.
“......... Feck.” The hologram near the pirate captain whispered quietly, staring at the same screen the captain was.
“and what's a human Pirate got with a bunch of cast offs and nobodies?” The wellian growled back, narrowing his eyes at the brute of a human staring back, even as the room the man sat in seemed to shake, lights flickering.
Nearby, the helmsman on the wellian pirates ship cursed viciously, and pulled hard on the controls, the ships artificial gravity systems fighting to keep the rapid velocity change from affecting the organic occupants.
“that bunch o’ ‘cast offs and nobodies’, as yeh called ‘em,” the brute said, as a slow grin spread across his face, revealing a metal tooth in his grill, “happen ta be me Brothers adopted family, makin’ ‘em ME family. May not agree with me straight laced brother on much, but somthin’ we both agree on is yeh don't touch our family, Stoat brain. So ah'd best be ready tah hand em back, unharmed.”
The transmission cut out, just as the sensor operator yelled.
“BRACE FOR IMPACT!”
the entire ship shook, waking up the other kids, while the ones who had been awake giggled playfully. “Unca B's maaaaaad” one giggled.
/zzzzzzzzzzzzzz/
Several pirates surrounded the spike like projectile that had punched a hole in their ship, splitting the deck apart. The back half, just before the engine on it, thankfully had a flange and had sealed the air in. What worried them most, though, was the hatch on the side, opened up, showing signs of literally being forced through the deck that should have, by rights, kept it shut.
“Kriffing….. the Thall was in this thing?” One said as they inched closer to the ruined marks on the floor.
“No clue.” Another said as they slowly walked closer to the thing and peeked inside. “Huh.” They mumbled. “Only one crash harness is up, all the others are still down…wait, the pilot's one is up too…..”
“Ya don't say” a deep voice said behind them, right before a massive, metal covered fist appeared where their head HAD been, the pirate themselves now embedded in the opposite wall.
“Now the real fun begins” the towering human smirked, rolling his shoulders as he calmly lit a fresh cigar he pulled from a pouch on his armor, “ain't that right?” He asked a smaller figure, who was lighting their own corncob pipe, and gave a grin up at the other.
“Yep. Let's go and say hello” said a lighter, more bubbly voice, though it had a raspy edge to it, like someone who was used to belting out orders and having them followed to the dot.
/zzzzzzzzzzzzzz/
“Oim one tough Gazookus, which hates all palookas, what ain't be on the up an’ the square-” an eerie, jovial shanty rang out through the corridor, much to the huddling pirates horror, the words distorted either by a speech impediment, or likely the corncob pipe in the singer's mouth.
“Sonoffa-kriffing-Thall, we should have never gone to that station! Just what in the seven rings of torment did the captain piss off this time!?” One pirate whispered, poking their head out of the corridor.
A light down the hall suddenly had a silhouette of a human, wearing a officers cap and a pipe pass through it, forcing them to duck back down into the cupboard.
“so oi biffs and oi buffs ‘em, and ALWAYS out rough's ‘em-” the voice continued, before trailing off quieter down the hall, making the pirates sigh with relief.
“Thank the void he didn't turn down the hall, there's no way he wouldn't have found us.” Another pirate whispered softly, leaning against the wall.
“BUT NONE OF ‘EM GETS NOWHERE!”
Twin fists punch through the bulkhead besides them, ripping a hole through the wall, right as a wiry form grabs the pirate that had been against the wall and snaps them in half like a toothpick, throwing them to the side, the sound of a hissing piston heard, just before a punch is thrown, and the faint light in the cupboard showed a piston, jutting out of the elbow area along the back of the bulky forearm slamming forward with the blow, helping drive the fist through his opponents chest-
/zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz/
The bridge was, understandably, in a tizzy, officers sprinting left and right, barking orders, and getting worrying reports from the lower decks.
Outside the ship, the Fleur De Cadavre kept pace, like some sort of horrific specter hounding them, her cannons tracking them closely, not letting go them once, keeping them locked in, even if the main cannon was no longer aimed at them.
“Sir! Multiple injuries on the lower decks, blunt injuries, broken bones, snapped limbs by the sounds of it!” One officer called out as another ran up, panting.
The officer in question looked terrible, armor beaten and tattered, dented in various places by what looked like a fist, though oddly, it looked like the armor was twisted around said fist mark.
“Sir! We can't stop them and getting close is virtual suicide!” they said as they tried to pull themselves together as the captain wellian snarled, pulling out a small, black vial, and began to load it into his armor.
“All this for a bunch of cast offs.” He snarled under his breath as multiple troopers Surrounded the doorway that had just slammed shut, the sound of pneumatic locks hissing shut.
BOOM
A massive fist suddenly appeared in the door on one side-
BOOM another fist, similar sized, but set lower, and a different shape, appeared on the other side, forcing the door off its rails, even as the metal.tried to hold firm-
BANG!
the doors flew off their hinges as a duo of laughter rang out, one deep and harsh, the other lighter, more jovial, though a chaotic tone accompanied it
“A guh-guh-guh-guh!”
And stepping of the shadows was the hulking form of Dread Privateer Bluto the Terrible, his trademark smirk on his face….
And at his side was the smaller, laughing form of a wiry human, one eye unable to see thanks to a deformity on one side of his face, the result of countless fistfight he had likely gotten in and rumored to have won, his corncob pipe angled in the air as he grinned widely, though his working eye panned about the room, locking onto each of the soldiers and pirates, noting their position….
All while he tore the lid off a can of a green, leafy food with his bulky hands, calmly tipping it back, before swallowing, smirking.
“So,” Former Commodore Frank ‘Popeye’ Fiegel said, as the synthetic skin on his bulky lower arms separated along his wrists, his fists beginning to spin as capacitors in his arms whined loudly. “Who's da Palookas ahm pummelin’ tahday?” He said with a vicious grin

This particular festival is tied strongly with the Iliac Bay politics. The preceding week is devoted to the election of the two leaders who would guide the League through the next six years. By tradition, the candidates, and delegated voters from every city-state of the league gather in the city of Balfiera to present themselves and cast vote in person. Counting their ships with crews, and invited honorary guests, the population of Balfiera is said to double on those days.
After the outcome of the election is announced, the celebratory part begins. The main attraction here is a regatta, a sea-race though all the length of the Iliac Bay from the isle of Balfiera to the isle of Betony. But that is not the contest of pure speed - packed cargo waits on Betony, its amount exceeding the size of a typical ship hold two or three times. Thus, it measures the logistical capabilities of the captains, and the endurance and speed of all the crew.
From the Iliac Bay, each city-state puts forward its own ship. They all are much similar in construction - mid-sized, with two or three masts, mostly square-rigged, except for the gaff sail on the aft. Such ships have shown themselves to be capable both in the relatively calm waters of the Abecean Sea and in the open ocean. They are small enough to be fast and maneuverable, but big enough to carry the cargo, and the fighting complement of the marines and shipboard ballistae. There is no surprise that the shipbuilding of the rest of the nations is influenced by the Iliac designs to a greater or lesser degree.
YgM: They are cheap to build, that's their main advantage. Freehold and Sapiarchy designs are superior in every way, but you can't turn them out with the same speed as those clinker brigs.
The only ship standing apart is under the banner of Daggerfall. An example of Iliac martial ship-building, rather than mercantile one, Red Dragon is a seven-masted floating fortress. It isn't the biggest ship in the harbor, though.
Similar enough to the classical Iliac brig is Hundig's Rage of Stros M'kai. She is lateen-rigged, though, in a more archaic way reminiscent of the ships of the Warrior Wave. And she seems to carry more ballistae than usual, including the compact alchemical ones hidden behind the clever windows of the lower deck. There also appears to be no distinction between the sailors and the marines in the crew, as everyone is lightly armored and carries a sword at all times.
The most impressive of the guest competitors is, obviously, the one from the Potentate. Saint Barenziah of Port Katariah is competing for the second time. She has been constructed as a flagship for the upcoming expedition to the Akavir, and now waits for the rest of the fleet to be built. Her dark hull is made of the finest Nibenese softwood, the multitude of independent sealed holds ensure that it stays afloat even when severely damaged. The fully battened sails from the closely-woven moth silk are dyed bright purple. A great treasure ship, she is slower than average. But she is big enough to fit all the cargo in one go, and the crew can populate a decent-sized town. Using the ship-mounted cranes, she can be loaded and unloaded surprisingly rapidly. Only the unfortunate low tide had prevented her from winning the race the last time.
YgM: This bloated cow of a boat managed to run aground smack in the middle of the Iliac Bay. Independent holds worked well, though. So after the high tide she needed only three months to limp back to Port Katariah. Let us all hope they don't run aground in the middle of the ocean if and when they finally sail to Akavir. It's a fine bunch of lads and lasses serving on her, would be a pity to loose them.
From the port of Alinor hails the beautiful Root Square of Minus One. The wrought glass ships of Sapiarchy, with their impossible geometry and wing-like sun-sails are rarely seen on the trade routes. The performance under sail is invariably awe-inspiring, but it is mitigated by the fact that the crew seems to be enthusiastic amateurs who don't see the open seas often.
A less refined take on the same design is marked as being from the newly-constructed port town of Jode's Pocket. The port doesn't see much trade, as few merchants wish to go up the Strid river, but just as a ship itself, it is a testament to the fledgling Bosmer state ambitions. The ship, pretentionsly named Valentis the Great, has been commissioned from the Sapiarchy shipyards. Doubly restricted by the unwillingness of the Altmer to disclose all their secrets, and the necessity to dock in the freshwater port, it came out too small for its sails, and a bit awkward on sharp turns.
Two longships from the port of Solitude and the port of Windhelm stand side by side, as similar as sisters. Named Blessing of Akatosh and Kyne's Breast, both are in Atmoran style, and thus much different from the rest. Clinker-built from the long planks of the ancient northern oaks, their length is limited by the height of the tree itself. Shallow-keeled, broad and flexible, they show their best in the icy Sea of Ghosts, where they can go up the rivers on oars, and survive the impact on floating ice that sinks bigger and sturdier ships of the southern style. The sail plan is simplistic, though, and doesn't allow to sail as fast and as close to the wind. The Wrothgarian ship is all prettied up, with the sails and crew uniforms dyed Queen's red. The Snow-Throat crew, in comparison, looks as if they have wintered on the floating ice halfway to Atmora with only horkers for company.
YgM: If that's the ship I know as 'Kyne's Tits', then yes. Yes, they did.
The port of Greenheart is represented by Thousand and First Eye. Formerly an EEC merchant ship, it has been claimed under the ancient rights of salvage. The legality of its aquisition is as dubious as a Free City status of the Greenheart itself, but too many interests are tied in to make an issue of it. Built in the Potentate many years ago, she started her life as a double-decked coastal galley. Such design, dating back to Mede times, is far removed from the splendor of the Saint Barenziah. However, recently it has been upgraded with the taller masts and the complicated system of studding sails that unfurl to the sides like a pair of great wings - and which its agile Bosmer-Khajiit crew operates flawlessly.
Similar sails adorn the ships from Pelletine and Anequina. Few can match the natural grace of the people of Azurah on the masts, and that allows them to operate the rigs of such complexity that would confound the average sailor. The hull of the Anequina's ship is another Mede-period classic - a triple-decked galley, captured together with its home port Leyawiin in the time of troubles. Such warships, although refubrished with modern sailing plans, are still used to patrol the Niben delta by both Potentate and Anequina. The ship of Pelletine is newly-built though, garish with the carved guilded ornaments and bright paint.
Freehold is represented by a different vessel at each Regatta, following some complicated internal arrangement between the merchant families. Once they even put out a full Goblin crew, if you can imagine that. This year's contestant comes from the port of Woodhearth, and is a most unique ship. Verdant Verse is a Bosmeri song-carrack, her hull a single living tree, persuaded to take a shape of the ship. The rigging is a mixture of dense broad foliage, canvas, and Altmer sun-sails.
Gifted Heart flies the banner of port Evermore. Depending on the complicated ebb and flow of the relationships between the Iliac Bay and their eastern neighbours, it is not always allowed at the Regatta. But the trade up the Bjoulsae is not blockaded by Wayrest now, and the ancient galley of old Breton design is welcomed as an honorable guest.
From Blacklight comes Saint Jiub. Her battened silk sails make her appear similar to the Potentate ships from the distance. The hull design, however, marks her as a product of House Sadras. The Resdayn ships only rarely make it as far as the Abecean Sea, mostly being used for local transportation across the Inner Sea, and so their designs are still not fully adapted to the open ocean.
The most outlandish-looking is the contestant from Soulrest. From the first impression, an uncharitable observer would call it a giant raft fully assembled of reeds and hollow trunks. But a closer look reveals much cleverness - Eternal Change is a twin-hulled vessel, stable enough for the shore trade, but also able to navigate the swampy shallow rivers and lakes of the southern Black Marsh. The materials are chosen with the traditional Argonian ingenuity to either resist rot naturally, or treated with fire to become such.

Sea of Embers Chapter One Eye of the Storm
The winds howled over the surface of the Silver Sea, acting as criers announcing the presence of the coming hurricane. The Sea Bitch was barreling straight towards it, all sails down and full of the screaming wind, hurtling her across the choppy and violent waves. Next to the helm, her captain stood against the railing, a spyglass up to her eye. As the two masted brig smashed into another wave, the dark skinned woman had to grunt and grasp the railing to keep her feet, lowering the spyglass. Dark eyes stared out from a dark green tricorn hat, the white feather in its top slicked flat to the brim from the rain already pelting it. Captain Thii’s dark green coat, left unbuttoned and open, was slick with rain, the tails fluttering and flying in the wind. Her white drawstring shirt threatened to open entirely beside the already generous view of her cleavage it gave, held in place by all the belts and buckles that kept her pistols and cutlass where they needed to be. “Damn child,” the woman muttered in her liquid accent marking her as a Nulharan from the jungles of the south beyond the pharaohs of Ankha and the deserts of the continent of Salvara. “When I get my hands on them, I’ll tan their hide, I swear it.” She took the spyglass from her eye and collapsed it, replacing it in her coat. “Steady as she goes, Iktan!” She ordered as she turned and staggered over to the helm, holding her hat flat against her head to keep it from blowing away. “Keep after that frigate!”
The blue skinned elf manning the helm responded with a grunt, his sharp teeth gritted against each other as his muscles strained to keep the wheel from spinning out of control, the Sea Bitch’s rudder with it. Bare from the waist up during the storm, the brig’s helmsman was a sea elf, a Sai’vhen in the elven tongue. With blue skin, blue hair, webbed feet, and curved webbed ears, it was clear the man was made for the sea, and would never be anywhere else. His body was covered in scarring, marking him as a warrior of his people, at least once. The slave brand on his chest and back and right cheek marked him differently. The ritualistic scars of the Sai’vhen were done with precision and care, telling a story in smooth curved lines that looked like a work of art. The brands were brutal, ugly, and left behind mottled bumpy raised skin that never healed properly, and he wore a black patch over his right eye, additional ugly burns and scars peeking from its edges to hint at what ruin may lay beneath. The muscles of his bare back and shoulders coiled and rolled and tightened as he strained to keep control of the wheel, steering the Sea Bitch straight into the hurricane, still chasing her prey.
“She won't hold together in that storm, captain!” An accented voice shouted from Thii’s left, the woman glancing over her shoulder. Ashtavakra, better known as Ash to the pirates of the Sea Bitch, held tightly onto his lifeline as he clung to the railing next to the helm. The hellspawn’s clothes were so soaked with rain they stuck flat to his fire-red skin along with his long dark curly hair. His large curved horns rolled the rain off, providing some relief for his glowing eyes. The crimson sclera and bright gold irises only further separated him from the rest of the crew, even pirates hesitant to take on a hellspawn. The Sea Bitch’s first mate was dressed in loose fitting drawstrings, trousers and shirt that allowed plenty of free movement. The wind had opened the chest of his shirt to the point that his muscled and tattooed chest was visible, red and covered in a light trail of dark hair that ran down the valley between his pectorals into the depths of his shirt, teasing those who stared too long, a personal delight of his. His fanged teeth grit against each other tightly as another crested wave slammed into the brig, and a general creaking groan came from the ship in protest. “If we steer her into the hurricane, she’ll break into pieces!”
“I'm not giving up!” Thii growled, glaring at her first mate. “I raised that child since I found them in the sea, and I won't give them back now!” She stuck her head out over the railing, staring out at the deck where the crew of the brig scrambled about in their tasks. “Full speed ahead!” She commanded, shouting to be heard over the wind and rain, “lower the top sails and secure the deck! Be ready to brace! I swear to the gods if I see any man lazing about I’ll throw him to the sea myself!”
“Aye captain!” came the response from the crew, and the multi-racial pirates that called the Sea Bitch home scrambled about, fearing the wrath of their captain. Thii looked back to Ash, shaking her head. “Three days,” she cursed, looking to the horizon where their quarry struggled against the storm same as them, “three bloody days we’ve been tailing them across the Silver Sea, and now they lead us into a bloody hurricane.”
“They think they can lose us!” Ash responded instantly, wiping his wet hair out of his golden eyes. “What bothers me is why they haven't tried to call any other ships.”
Thii did not respond to that, but her facial expression made it clear she felt the same way. The Royal Navy of the Castryxi Empire was renowned across the world for its power and coordination, but this frigate had avoided any and all Castryxi trade routes and ports for days. It was one thing to flee a pirate ship like the Sea Bitch. It was another to do this. “What if they aren't there?” Ash questioned as they rose high above the crest of another tall wave, coming down hard. “What if this is for nothing?”
“They're there,” Thii insisted, pushing her hair lower on her head, wiping water out of her dark eyes. “I know they're there. Bastards are trying to take them back to Vylyn to hang him before the king.” She turned her head and spat onto the poop deck to show what she thought of King Caelus III. “I’ll be damned to the Depths before I let them put them in the pirate’s necktie.”
Onboard the HMS Sparrow, the deck was a frenzy of activity. Three days after leaving Aegea, the island capital of the Castryxi Empire in the Silver Sea, the crew was absolutely exhausted from hard and fast sailing trying to escape the Sea Bitch. Dressed in tattered rags that were once the King’s colors, the sailors shouted to each other over the howling of the wind and the crashing of the waves. Below deck, you wait in the brig, chained and fettered to the wall of the cell. Taken for being part of the famous Captain Thii’s crew of cutthroats and brigands, you had been told you were being taken to Vylyn, across the Altari Ocean to the homeland and to be paraded in front of the king before being hanged. However, while still in port, the plan seemed to have changed. Based on your familiarity with the stars above the Silver Sea, you knew the ship was still heading east, towards Castryx, but the energy was much different. The ship itself was full of tension, creaking and groaning with it. Down in the deep belly of the vessel you could feel it.
Your current rags are so worn you might as well be entirely nude. There is about four inches of water covering the floor, just enough to submerge your feet in salty filth if you so choose to. The waste bucket in the corner and your jingling chains are your only companions besides the rats and bugs, who have not yet become brave enough to come nipping. Wiling away the time, you are suddenly aware of the hatch to this portion of the deck opening, and voices are able to be heard. “Unhand her at once!” A woman shouts as steps come down the stairs. “This is no way to treat a royal in captivity, traitor! I’ll see you hanged for this!”
“Shut your gob, bitch!” A man growls and the meaty echo of a backhanded slap can be heard alongside a woman gasping and stumbling. “Only reason I don't keelhaul you is because the captain says I can't. Keep trying me and maybe I’ll consider ignoring him.” The figures are in sight, now, approaching your cell. One of the sailors dressed in Castryxi navy blue, a dark haired woman in a dark green officer's uniform that had seen better days considering the giant red mark on her face, and a young woman with long red hair and fine apparel that could not have looked more out of place. With smooth and sharp features, flawless pale skin, flowing copper red hair and eyes so amber they almost glowed with light, her black finery was a dress that cost more than you had ever held in your hands. Clinging to her, it gave her modesty while also showing off her womanly form, giving her the airs of the aristocracy. It's too dark to make out the crest sewn into her dress, so you can't be sure from which House she claims that blue blood from.
The sailor reached the cell and unlocked it, smiling at you with a gap toothed grin. “Liking your accommodations, good sir? Anything else I could get you? How about some company?” He shoved the two women in there with you, making them stumble and splash about in the refuse. “You two be careful with this one, now. Them's a pirate they is, one of Captain Thii’s lads.”
“Captain Thii?!” The woman in the green uniform exclaimed, turning to look at you in horror. “The most wanted pirate in all the Empire?!”
“The one and only!” The sailor boasts as he closed the cell door. “Caught them all by their lonesome. Why do you think the Sea Bitch has been after us for days?”
“It isn't for me?” The red headed woman asks in a soft tone of voice, her amber eyes widening.
The sailor scoffed. “Why would Thii be after you? No one off this ship even knows you’re here except the new king and the Lady Admiral.” With that he left them, returning to the top deck. The two women turn and stare at you, the officer putting herself between you and the young noblewoman. “Stay back, Your Highness!” She warned, glaring at you with angry green eyes. “Thii’s pirates are bloodthirsty killers, all of them.”
“They're hardly a threat while they're in chains, now are they?” The young woman retorted in her posh Castryxi accent, taking a few steps in the water while holding her skirts up a bit to try and spare as much as she could. She stood before you, looking down at you with curious eyes, a little smirk on her lips. “I’ve never seen a pirate before,” she mused, “not living at least. Truthfully, I expected you to be much taller and more rough, and with far more pox scars.” She curtsied as best she could in the cell, executing it perfectly. “Princess Alyssandra Vixi, heir to the throne of Castryx, Duchess of Vylyn, and all the usual titles. This is the head of my personal guard, Major Auria Cassili.” Auria crossed her arms over her chest, staring daggers at you, not responding, so the princess continued. “I understand it may be disconcerting to be in the same cell as a princess. In truth I find it quite distressing to share a cell with a pirate, but dark times make strange bedfellows for us all, no?” She knelt next to you, keeping her skirts out of the water as best she could, picking up your wrists and examining where the chains had rubbed them raw and bleeding.
“What is your name, pirate?”
Hello, everyone. I am looking for a partner in a long term literate and detailed story set in a flintlock fantasy Golden Age of Piracy setting! Some of my main inspirations to give you an idea of what to expect are Black Flag, Assassin's Creed IV, Pirates of the Caribbean, Treasure Island, and other classic stories of plunder and adventure and intrigue! I have maps, lore, flags, character art, and lots more to answer any and all questions you might have!
I am an advanced literate writer that writes multiple paragraphs to novella length per post, depending on what I have to say, and I am looking to GM a story with you taking the role of the Main Character. This MC role is open to male and female writers and anything else in-between! Your character can also be anything you want them to be! I have tons of options for romance, friendship, and rivals no matter what you do. If it exists in a fantasy setting, and fits the aesthetic, I'll make it work!
I am a writer that explores dark interests, themes, and the more unpleasant side of humanity. This is a story of fighting for freedom against a world determined to take it, of love, of revenge, of ambition, of loss, of hope, of sorrow and joy. You will travel across the Silver Sea and beyond chasing treasure, sea ghosts, political intrigue, and personal goals. I'm just here to guide you! I am also open to smut.
If you're interested, please PM me the following: name your message 'Sea of Embers' in the subject line. Tell me a little about yourself, your writing interests, and initial questions you have for me as well as any character ideas that you have. From there I will give you my maps and lore and characters if I think we're gonna click.
Bonus points for including a writing sample in the form of an example response to the starter here.
I look forward to hearing from you!

Chapter 1
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Concept art for Sybil
Of Men and Ghost Ships, Book 1: Chapter 8: Part 2
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As Hayes followed the rest of his group down the hall, he thought he heard something out of place. A moment later, the rest seemed to hear it, too. Eventually, Tom stopped, and the rest stopped with him and listened. Finally, Tom spoke up. "Is that... singing?"
Sure enough, Hayes could make out what sounded for all the world like a freaking pirate dirge. One of the old ones from the movies. As it approached, it slowly got louder, and lights went out, replaced by green flames that started popping into existence along the walls.
"Fifteen men on the dead man's chest—
...Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum!
Drink and the devil had done for the rest—
...Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum!
The mate was fixed by the bosun's pike—
The bosun brained with a marlinspike—
And Cookey's throat was marked belike—
It had been gripped by fingers ten
And there they lay, all good dead men—
Like break o'day in a boozing ken—
...Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum."
The last word was accentuated by all the green flames extinguishing, leaving them all in total darkness. Guns were drawn, and a few men started to switch on their lights when suddenly, an explosion of green flame beside the group heralded the appearance of someone or, perhaps more accurately, something. It was halfway between a corpse and a skeleton dressed as an old earth pirate, wreathed in green flames, and it was laughing. "Yo-ho me maties! Welcome to my humble abode! I guarantee you, you'll all remember this day for the rest of your lives!"
Of course, several men began firing into the apparition, but it was clear their bullets did nothing. The corpse pirate tilted his head as if considering their paltry attempts to harm him before barking out with a laugh in his voice. "It's good that you got some fight in you, lads, but in the interest of fair play, I think it only fair to warn you: You should look out behind yerselves!" He then disappeared, and the room went mostly dark again, only lit slightly by a faint green light that seemed to dance above their heads and the few men who'd managed to get their lights on.
Hayes turned and saw the faint outline of a figure with a gun drawn that was briefly lit up when it started firing. As a couple of his companions fell beside him, Hayes took aim and fired, only for his aim to be interrupted by the flailing limbs of the man who'd been hit by his side. He took aim again and, this time, got off three shots, hitting the figure at least once before getting hit in the right shoulder and falling to the ground.
Everyone was shouting, shooting, and falling around Hayes. The problem was half the men were shooting at the ghost, and the rest seemed to be firing in a blind panic. He even saw one of the men shoot Tom.
Hayes switched his gun to his off-hand and took aim over the body of someone whose face was obscured in shadow and got off another two shots. The figure stopped firing, and Hayes waited, listening for any movement beside the groaning of the dying men beside him.
Eventually, Hayes grabbed one of the lights that had fallen to the floor and turned toward where the figure had been. There was a blood trail leading back around the corner.
Not wanting to let whoever had been get away, Hayes dropped the light and silently stalked forward. As he neared the corner, he envisioned the man ready to take a shot at anyone who chased after him, so Hayes got low and dove around the corner so that he was lying on the ground, aiming up at where the man would be waiting. However, as soon as his head was around the corner, he could see the man also lying on the ground, aiming up.
They both rushed to correct their aim and fired at each other.
-
Carter took a moment to process the fact he wasn't dead before looking up and seeing where the pirate's bullet had ricocheted off the wall right above his head. Just an inch or two lower, and things would have ended very differently.
The pain in his side reminded Carter he'd been shot in the left arm. He cursed as he pulled out some bandages and shouted at the pirate. "Damn it! Did you really have to warn them I was there?"
The pirate appeared and laughed before speaking. For once, Carter wished he was real rather than AI so he could stand up and punch the smug bastard's face! Or better yet, shoot him! "It wouldn't have been sporting to shoot them all in the back without warning! Besides, what are ye complaining about, lad! That's only a flesh wound! A little grog and a sleep, and you'll be fine!"
As Carter tightened the wrapping in place, he cursed the pirate. "Yeah, maybe, but I had to use a whole magazine in that firefight and one more bullet beside to finish the straggler. Now I'm down to two bullets with five more pirates on board!"
The pirate finally seemed at least a little contemplative. "Aye, I can see how that would be a problem..."
Carter looked at the pirate like he was an idiot. "Ya think?"
Too angry to say anything else, Carter started searching the dead pirates. Thankfully, this group hadn't used up every shot like the last. The man he'd killed last still had one bullet remaining, and he found another corpse that had two shots in his gun. At least he had five shots for the last five pirates, but the problem was that they were split between three different calibers.
As Carter tucked the other two guns into his pants, he realized the odds weren't in his favor. Still, at least he had a chance.
-
Carter considered his options as he followed the girl's map toward the last group of pirates. He had five shots, just five, and five pirates left. Should he go for headshots? Even with all his time and experience working as security aboard merchant vessels and all the time in the shooting range that allowed, the odds of him missing two or even three of those shots were a near certainty. But shooting center mass also left the question, what if the shot wasn't immediately lethal? He'd seen plenty of people shrug off getting shot as a minor inconvenience. Hell, he'd been shot just a bit ago and still killed the man who'd shot him.
Admittedly, he wasn't totally alone. He had Sybil, though, as the pirate had recently shown, they weren't the most reliable partners. Their unstable nature could quickly get him killed. The girl seemed like the most put together, but according to her, she was the oldest of the personalities, which meant there was probably something deeply wrong there too that would definitely pop up at just the wrong moment with his luck. On the other hand, he only had five shots. It was time to take a gamble.
Looking at the map, he spoke up. "Hey, Sybil, got a question for you."
Thankfully, it was the girl who appeared. "For which of me?"
Carter nodded toward her. "You, well, all of you, I suppose, but you'll do for laying out the plan. Do you think your other selves can herd the pirates down this hall? The more panicked they are, the better. I don't want them paying too much attention to their surroundings."
The girl looked at where he was indicating and nodded. "I see what you're thinking. Yeah, that should be doable."
Carter grinned. "Good. Give me a chance to get into a position here, then run them my way."
The girl looked amused. "Okay, no problem. You sure you want to be that close, though?"
Carter nodded. "Yeah, I wanna make sure I herd them all into the exact right spot, and I think I can fine-tune that better than your Creepshow."
The girl shrugged. "Alright, it's your call. Just try not to get yourself killed with the rest. It would be a shame to lose you right at the finish line."
Carter rolled his eyes while shaking his head. "A shame, yeah, I suppose that's one way to put it..."
-
Carter waited, tucked just inside the room he would ambush the pirates from. He knew this was a stupid idea, but it was also the only one he had given his limited resources.
As the red dots representing the pirates made their way around another corner, Carter couldn't help but muse that they were making great time, meaning they were going at a full run. That was good. It meant that they'd be even less prepared for what was about to happen.
Carter could hear their yelling as the red dots rounded the last corner. Behind them, he could hear the obnoxious laughter of the vixen chasing them. Thankfully, he was just far enough away for it to only be mildly irritating, rather than the deafening sound he knew they were dealing with.
Waiting just a couple more seconds for them to reach the proper position in the hallway, Carter jumped out and fired two shots into the center mass of the lead pirate. The pirate fell dead before he hit the ground.
Down to three bullets, Carter dropped the now-spent gun, drawing the next. By that time, the pirates were already diving for cover through the door right next to their position. He fired off a couple of rounds in their direction, winging one in the leg and missing entirely with the next, but that was alright. He'd just wanted to make sure they all got into position, and that's just what they'd done.
With a quick tug at the bedsheets he'd wrapped around his waist to ensure they were still in place, Carter shouted, "Hit it, now!" even as he dove to grab onto the doorframe of the room he'd come out of.
It was immediately obvious that the outer door to the airlock the pirates had dove into was open as the air rushed out of the ship with a hurricane's strength. Carter couldn't imagine any of them surviving, but the force of the wind kept coming even as he could feel his grip slipping.
Carter shouted, "Uh, you can close it now!" but had no idea if the AI could even hear him as he couldn't hear himself over the tumultuous sound of the air escaping into the void. He was holding on by his fingertips now but was having trouble breathing in the wind tunnel and was getting more than a little light-headed. He knew that wouldn't last much longer.
Finally, despite his best efforts, Carter lost his grip and started tumbling toward the door. He gripped onto the bedsheet he'd tied to the bed frame, but when he reached the end of its length, it barely slowed him down. His knot on the bedframe must have failed, and he was pulled toward the vacuum.
Finally, the outer door slammed shut, and Carter fell crashing to the ground of the airlock. However, on his way down, he saw why the AI must have kept the door open as long as they had. One of the pirates had somehow managed to wedge themselves into what looked like a storage cabinet of some kind. They had a gun drawn and were taking aim.
As he hit the ground, Carter rolled and heard a shot he hoped missed. Trying to keep moving while reaching for his own final remaining gun, he heard another shot and felt a tug that probably meant he'd been hit in the leg, even if the pain hadn't registered yet.
Coming up into a crouch, still dizzy from the tumble moments before, Carter took aim and returned fire with his final shot. They both froze as the pirate registered what had just happened. In the brief pause, Carter could see the pirate was a woman and not entirely unattractive, though, at the moment, he wished she had a hole through her chest instead of a dent in the wall three inches to her left.
The pirate smiled and took more careful aim this time. Carter was rather proud that he maintained eye contact, though he did jump a little when she pulled the trigger. After all, he'd been expecting a loud bang, not the click of a hammer striking an empty chamber.
As they both registered what happened again, the pirate woman started to try and climb out of the cabinet at the same moment Carter charged forward. It looked like she was trying to draw a knife, but Carter wasn't going to give her the opportunity as he clocked her across the Jaw with the butt of his pistol.
The pirate fell limp to the ground as Carter did the same, the pain in the leg he'd been shot in just about making him pass out after he put all his weight onto it. However, when he looked over, the pirate wasn't moving. She was either out cold or dead. One way or another, he'd survived.
Carter laughed as he realized he was getting yet another chance at life, though that laughter faded quickly enough when he realized he may have gotten out of the frying pan but was just about to land in the fire. Standing in the now very crowded room with him were all three Sybils, with expressions ranging across pride, indifference, and disdain on exactly the faces you'd expect. His nightmare was really just beginning.
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Next>
There we go, the rest of Carter's fight. I hope you enjoyed it! We'll find out what happens with Erik, Alen, and Vanessa next week. See you then!
My Wiki has all my chapters and stories, including the short series and stories that I write for an occasional change of pace or style!
As a reminder, "Of Men and Dragons" Books 1 and 2 are available to purchase in e-book or physical form. (Both softcover and hardcovers are available!) Book 3 is almost done being edited, so I'll just have to get the cover art and formatting done, and it will be available to purchase as well! Hopefully, in no more than a month or two! (Barring more Amazon drama like last time...finger's crossed!)
OMAD Book 1: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09NCPP3PP
OMAD Book 2: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CQ7FQ1ZJ

Afeternen, The Moonskies Diurnals, 30 of The SECOND TURNING
Dear Journal, my alias is: Ebestar, The Skullcarps' Captain.
Our journey on sea has been full of successes and plundering. We managed conquering THREE territories upon two Second turnings. My legion expands 4,000 men. A remarkable standard in the Piracy Pirates society. The territories have established good trading markets, which garnered us much profit, thus the possibility of equipping better upgrades to our Skullcarps Fleet\; such as, formidable steel-plated, fast-firing, rear cannons. They are the best modern cannons on the trades. We've even installed three watchtowers: per vessel (approximately 6 or so). Maximising scouting visibility, new far-range spyglasses were installed.**
It seems that we are not stopping at spreading the word of Vivullur, a majestic and all-seeing religious entity. Formed from the last era, Kfeternen, predecessor before Afeternen, the 6th era historically (now covering the majority of Leslea, Portua and Ioerta). It is a haphazard religion, although our faiths remain unwavering. He watches over everything, people's lives and their deaths, each battle, each event. We are under His protection. May Vivullur bless our expansions.
I've forgotten another life-changing event...where it happened which happened on the SECOND TURNING's 25th. Our cold-blooded adversaries, Tesyuran, quite my legion's size, regarding 3,500 men -- usurped our third territory; between Leslea and Portua's landmass. During 5-turns time, my legion and theirs was nearly collapsing. Howewever, we've completely captured every Tesyuran. They are POWs. I reckon assigning them under my ranks, perhaps unlikely since the war. My and other respectable officers shall talk sense into them. They are still children, after all. I want what's best for them, in these treacherous seas.
Tesyuran's Captain: Ferbargon, he is but reckless and conniving, having a seriously bitter reputation. The Piracy Pirates underworld regard him as the djævel (devil as they say). Hanging dead, rotten past enemies on his territories as a warning to other Pirates, or burning neighbouring territories from being a threat. Even though Ferbargon is a bad lad, he still recruits more men than expected. Bad people attract each other, I reckon again. These rumours are no lie, I've seen these traits displayed upon battling him. Oftentimes sacrificing his OWN men in efforts of winning no matter the cost. How brutal. I've sent five scouting vessels under his tail, Vivullur, let us corner that scum and put him to trial for all of his crimes.
*THE PIRACY PIRATES ARE FICTIONAL WORKS. THEY DO NOT REPRESENT ANY REAL-LIFE FIGURES, EVENTS, PHILOSOPHIES. IT IS ORIGINAL.
This is a my first-time elaborating on the Muggler Piracy Pirates, which I thought was a cool name in the past. This is the first diary, of an esteemed morally-driven Captain, Ebestar. Please tell me your thoughts on this LORE WRITING, any fantasy-writing advice is useful. I adore fantasy lore and it's literature, it's so appealing. Let me know your favourite fantasy works too! :)
-MUGGLER PIRACY PIRATE
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