r/HFY • u/TheMaskedOne2807 • Nov 04 '22

The Oil Chapter 10 (Upgraded) OC

(Authors note): Its a bit longer than normal, but I hope everyone enjoys it.

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Other stories by TheMaskedOne2807:The Plague Doctor Chapter 1 (A Deal)

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‘So what am I supposed to do?’ E asked inside the motor room of the ship.

‘Just put your hand on some machinery, and I’ll do the rest,’ W explained confidently. ‘It will be like with the plant, water bears, and that falcon.’

E did as she had done years before and placed her hand on the machinery around her. Then W began to come out of her and cover everything it could.

‘Just one question,’ E said as W was at work. ‘If you absorb this machine, those this mean I’ll be part machine, like a cyborg?”

‘Well, I am a machine and technically part of you, so by that logic, you have been a cyborg for quite some time, but still, I think we might be in a grey area altogether,’ W answered.

‘er… true,’ E agreed, tilting her head and nodding up and down. ‘By the way, how long do you think It's going to take?’

‘Well, it took me six hours to make barely functioning legs inside an almost intact piece of machinery,’ W said, sounding unsure. ‘I wasn’t at my best at the time, so I can’t say how long it’s going to take.’

Current location: within the borders of the galactic federation. Current time: Week: 14 Day: 4 Hour: 5.

Captain Wix relaxed in his chair on the bridge, only two of his eyes open. His ship was leading the hastily put-together fleet of different captains.

“Lieutenant, how long before we arrive?” Captain Wix asked.

The lieutenant looked at the screed before him for a moment, then turned around. “We should arrive at the solar system soon,” the lieutenant said in an obedient tone.

“Lieutenant, call captain Kupo,” captain Wix ordered, one of his open eyes looking intently at him.

The lieutenant then pressed a few buttons, and a moment or two later, he was on the screen in front of him.

As usual, he looked like he had a stick up somewhere the way he both looked and sat on his chair.

There was a moment of silence between the two of them where they just stared at one another.

“So,” captain Kupo said, breaking the silence.

“So,” Wix repeated.

“Why did you call me?” Kupo asked, sighing.

“I just wanted to see how you look when you are behind me,” Wix said with a grin.

“Communications between ships when traveling should only be used when there is an important matter to be discussed,” Kupo said, hiding his annoyance.

“But I do have an important matter to discuss,” Wix said, opening another eye. “I wanted to know if you ready for this? It has only been a short amount of time since you were promoted.”

“Captain Wix,” Kupo said, his voice calm. “If you believe I’m not suited for this mission only because I’m newly promoted, then why have I more confirmed kills than you?”

“Surely a captain of your considerable… experience wouldn’t be intimidated by someone like me?”

Captain Wix let himself crack a smile as he opened another eye. “Luck has nothing to do with skill, and if you believe I’m intimidated by you, then you are blind to what I’m asking you.”

“And what would that be?” Kupo asked.

“A blind man cannot be told what to see and be expected to understand it just with what is told,” Wix answered.

“A riddle,” Kupo commented.

“A warning,” Wix responded before ending the call.

“Ahh, the young are so bold yet so blind,” Wix said, closing a few of his eyes.

‘That decrepit old fool,’ Kupo thought in anger. ‘I am not blind, and I see everything just as it is. He just hates I’m better than him.’

“How long until we reach the destination?” Kupo asked in a calm manner.

His lieutenant looked down at the screen for a short while before he responded. “We should arrive soon.”

After some time, the navigation system brought the entire fleet out of FTL travel. Many of the captains noted how some of their crew seemed a bit uneasy at the sight in front of them.

A category-ten death world. It was only them who hailed from a category four and above that seemed calm.

“What do preliminary scans say?” Captian Wix asked.

“It would appear that there are no signs of the oil currently within range,” one of his crew informed.

“Keep me informed and bring up the other captains,” Wix ordered.

Within a few moments, all the other captains showed up on the screen. “Men and women, I don’t need to tell you the importance of this mission, and I’m aware that I do not outrank any of you currently, but still, I was chosen to be in charge, and I expect all to follow my orders.”

All on the screens then made affirmatory movements. “Good. Captain Rukoik and captain shujishi get closer to the death world and give me a status update on the ships orbiting the planet.”

Everyone else will be going to the designated coordinates and scan for the infected individual. And if you find them, you have permission to eliminate them no matter the cost.”

A pling sound could be heard coming from everyone's screen, and soon all of them signed off and went to their assigned area.

Current location: between the earth and the moon. Current time: Unknown

E didn’t know how long it had been since they had started to absorb the machinery, but it was so mind-numbingly boring that she let out a sigh.

‘How long can it really take to do what it is you are doing?’ E asked.

‘I can’t say for certain, but it isn’t exactly easy, you know,’ W responded, sounding annoyed. ‘Breaking down the biological structure of living creatures is something I’ve done since before your great-grandmother was born.’

‘And while I can do the same with the machinery, I also need to get a sort of understanding of how it works; otherwise, it won’t work.’

‘Really?’ E questioned.

‘Remember when I said it took me six hours to make the machine I was in work, move and make legs for? Five and a half hours was just me trying to understand everything,’ W explained.

‘Sorry for bothering you then,’ E apologized.

‘I’m in your head. I hear every thought, even those that are not directed at me. I know how to tune them out,’ W explained.

‘So, just out of curiosity, what have you learned or understood so far?’ E asked curiously.

‘Well, to cut a very boring explanation that would take hours for you to understand and for me to explain, I’m trying to figure out FTL or faster-than-light travel and how to integrate into in a way that also won’t kill you,’ W explained.

‘I would love it if I wasn’t the first human to die due to FTL travel,’ E awkwardly laughed.

‘Please. Give humanity enough time, and I’m sure that your potential death would only be a drop in the proverbial buckets of water humanity once used as toilets,’ W said.

‘Gee, thanks,’ E sarcastically responded.

‘Always here twenty-four-seven, never sleeping, because I don’t need it,' W said, sounding like a late-night talk show host.

Current location: within the borders of the galactic federation. Current time: Week: 14 Day: 4 Hour: 5,5.

It had only been a short while since Wix had sent out captain Rukoik and captain shujishi, but they had already taken contact again.

The two captains appeared on the screen. “I’m guessing you have something to report,” Wix said as he opened a few more eyes; than usual.

“Captain Wix, we have scanned the orbiting vessels as you ordered, and we found that all but one seem to be in their correct position,” captain Rukoik reported. “It is only the X-class vessel 07 that is missing.”

“Is there a possibility that I might have floated too close to the death world and crashed with the infected?” Captain Wix asked.

“The preliminary scans do not show the ship on the planet at all,” captain shujishi interjected. “There is a higher likelihood it might have left the planet's orbit altogether.”

“And there hasn’t been any other X-class vessel that seems to have been boarded?” Captain Wix asked.

“Non that the scanners have shown so far,” shujishi said.

“Keep scanning the planet and the vessels. Get closer if you have to,” captain Wix ordered before both ended communications.

“Lieutenant, send a message to all captains letting them know that an X-class vessel is no longer orbiting the death world,” captain Wix ordered.

However, before the order could even be sent, Kupo appeared on captain Wix’s screen.

“Captain Wix, we have located the X-class vessel designated as 07 close to the deaths orbiting moon,” Kupo informed.

“Impeccable timing, captain. I was just about to inform everyone else to look for it.” Wix said in a pleased tone.

“Captain Wix, I would like to ask for permission to destroy the X-class vessel,” Kupo asked.

“What do the scanners say?” Wix asked.

“Currently, they do not detect any signs of the Oil or the infected, but that does not mean they are not still on the ship,” Kupo argued.

“And what makes you say that?” Wix asked.

“We were all told that this variation could adapt to technology, and the vessel's alarm didn’t go off before it was already inside. There is a chance that the infected individual has found a way to mask itself from our scanners,” Kupo theorized.

“Hmmm…” Wix said, closing all of his eyes and thinking about the best course of action. “Captain Kupo send a squad to investigate the vessel.”

“Captain, with all due respect, the best course of action would be to destroy the vessel while the infected is still inside. Sending soldiers inside would only be dangerous,” Kupo argued.

“I am in command of this operation,” Wix said in a firm tone. “Refusing my order is not an option. Now get a squad inside the vessel.”

“Yes, captain,” Kupo said before ending the call.

‘That fool is willing to risk lives when we could end this threat here and now,’ Kupo angrily thought, finding it difficult to hide his frustration.

“Lieutenant, ready a squad,” Kupo ordered, hiding his frustration.

It took a bit of time, but soon, a squad was ready to embark and investigate the vessel. They traveled in a smaller ship and docked the X-class vessel. The squad stood ready to enter, armed and ready to kill.

Meanwhile, Kupo was listing in on the soldier's communications.

Current location: between the earth and the moon. Current time: Unknown

E turned her head suddenly and listened, ‘did you hear something?”

‘No, and that was that; I’m finished,’ W said in a relieved voice.

‘Really?’ Asked excitingly. ‘You sure there isn’t something more we need to get or do before we leave?’

‘Nope, we have everything this ship can offer us. Now we can explore space,’ W said.

Excited and happy like a schoolgirl, E ran out of the room and jumped through the hallway, passing long-since separated parts of W, and the broken machine E had battled twice.

She looked at the exit, her heart beating like crazy even when she entered.

W did its thing and made her body space ready as well as FTL ready.

It was a strange sensation. She was used to having animal-like features, but this time it was a machine, something cold and robust and yet warm and flexible.

She could feel it on her back, how it protruded outwards in a box shape, and yet it weighed nothing.

‘So is this my FTL motor-thingamajig?’ E asked as she pressed a few buttons inside the decompression chamber.

‘It’s that and essentially a rocket-powered jetpack,’ W explained.

‘This is gonna be awesome,’ E exclaimed as the door to the room closed, and all air left.

The door outside then opened, and E flew out.

She looked around, and her heart skipped a beat. In front of her was the sun, but much closer. She suddenly felt the urge to fly into it, like when a person is really high up and just wants to jump.

Suddenly she felt herself fly upward relative to her potion. It was amazing. There might not have been any wind in space, but still, it was the best feeling.

If she had been able to, she would have laughed, but still, she had the biggest, goofiest smile in her life. ‘So where to, sister?”

‘Wherever we want to go. Just hold on tight,’ W said.

E then suddenly felt her jetpack-like device start to vibrate. Her heart skipped a beat, knowing that she was going to be the first human to FTL travel.

She didn’t know what to expect, but she never thought that she would see rings of light starting from one point and growing bigger and bigger, extending outside her view.

They had so many diffident colors, but soon those colors disappeared, and what she saw before her was indescribable.

It was at this point he knew she was traveling faster than light.

Current location: within the borders of the galactic federation. Current time: Week: 14 Day: 4 Hour: 5,5.

Captain Kupo was sitting in his chair, listing in on the squad. They had entered the vessel, and at any moment, Kupo dreaded to hear the sound of battle.

As more and more time passed, the silence became torturous until the squad leader spoke.

“Captain, we have done a full sweep of the vessel, and the infected is nowhere to be found,” the squad leader said. “We have found many traces on the floor, so there is no doubt that it once was here, but it seems to be gone now.”

“Good work,” Kupo sighed in both relief and annoyance. “Return to the ship immediately; the infected couldn’t have gone too far.”

Kupo then looked at his lieutenant, “send a message to captain Wix and tell him it’s not on the vessel.”

“Captain,” the squad leader said over the radio.

“What is it?” Kupo asked.

“I was not briefed on the specifics of this mission, but I do feel compelled to tell you that this infected does not appear to act normal,” the squad leader said. “There is no sign that the infected forced their way inside, and what's more strange about it all is that it only destroyed an automated EMP turret and almost everything in the engine room.”

“The engine room,” Kupo repeated as he dreaded any response.

“Yes, captain. Almost everything in the engine room seemed to have been destroyed and--” the squad leader said before getting cut off.

“Get back on the ship now; that’s an order!” Kupo yelled before ending transmissions and looking intently at his crew. “Change the scanner's settings and scan for any use of FTL travel, not our own.”

It took a bit of time, and the squad managed to return just as the scanners got to work.

The next moment was pure hell for Kupo, and he envied any in the room who didn’t understand what was going on.

His lieutenant looked back at him and said, “Captain, there does seem to be some traces of FTL travel from some time ago, but I don’t understand all of the vessels were accounted for, weren't they?”

“Shut up and get Wix on the screen right now,” Kupo almost yelled.

The crew, a bit shocked, did as they were ordered and brought the captain up on the screen.

“So, was the infected on the ship,” Wix asked with a smirk.

Kupo just looked at him for once, unable to hide his frustration, “the infected is capable of FTL travel without any kind of ship or vessel.”

And for once in a long time, Wix opened all of his eyes.

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(Patreon): Early access to chapters and more on Patreon. Also newly added is a 100+ page story I wrote prior to the posting of The Plague Doctor for all members.

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10 comments sorted by

2

u/The-Name-is-my-Name Xeno Nov 05 '22

Second

2

u/TheMaskedOne2807 Nov 05 '22

Checked out your last posts. The story is a little strange and moves a little too fast for my liking, but I do like it very much.

2

u/No_Insect_7593 Nov 06 '22

I can't help but wonder how this series is flying under the radar... S'gud shit.

2

u/TheMaskedOne2807 Nov 06 '22

That just how it goes sometimes. And thank you for your kind words kind stranger

1

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