_ . |he Rebels Act! o o 0 Chapter 10 0 o o They're away, and they're successfully getting into Hyperspace this time! o = - = -o = - = -0- = - o . I-really-don't-like. o = - = -0 = 0 = - =o= - = 0 / Me neither! hyperspace-travel!\ = 0 - 0 = - o - =o - = 0 - = o . \ \ . o o - = 0 = - 0 - o = 0 / .\\\\\\ \ 0 = o - o = o = 0 - o . \. .\ ss sSSSSSs ss . 0 o 0 = 0 o - 0 o 0 / :* *: sssSS{* *}SSsss \ 0 o o = - 0 o 0 . _ - { V } /\ /\ sS;( v );Ss _ . . 0 o 0 o = o _/./ _ - [(_)] \ 0 / - _ \.\_ = - = __/.--/' .| __\___\__ _ .'-'. _ |. '\--.\___ . .\ / \ / \ / :~~~: \ /. -\ .\ \ \ \ / \\ \ \ ) ) \ /. . \ /. .| | | | | | | | |\ /| | |. \- . .\ / / / / / / /""\/ / / / / / /. / -\ '/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/____\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/' . /. o o o o o o o o /- . o o o \ / o o o \ This isn't an easy or comfortable process though, as the Princess finds out! _._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._ _______________________________ __________________________________ / ________ \ / . Good job I planted that \ They're getting ( zx ) || . homing bug in their . | away from us! (___ __).|| . _ _ ship then! . . | \ |_.|--|._| || //\ __ /\\ / . | . . . | V | || \ /-\/-\ / . | . + __[ #### ]__' . | a a | . . . | . . . (---\#(__)#/---) . \ / . . | . . . / #### \. /-\../-\ . . . .. . | o . . . .| / . \ | || -- || * . . . | \________________| | . | |__|| oOOo ||_____________________/ /.----. " " " /| | . | | \\ // /.----. "" " " " /' //____/ .::. / \ \ . / / xX| Xx //____/ .....::: / | /_____________/ |\ \ . / / | | | /_________________/ | '_____________' | \___\~~~~~~/___/ | | | '_________________' | |_____________| |--|\\\ |||\ -- ----|.|.|---|_________________| | \ \ | | || | / / \ \ \ \ | The Sinclairomorph sees his captives slip away and seethes. His deputy Ratthos has handily come up with a cunnning plan beforehand! . . . Whew! Glad We should sight . . + . / that's over! the Rebel flagship\ . . / at any moment! . . . . . / \\\\||/ / \ . |. .| sSSSSSs . . . . / :@ @: SS{@ @}SS \ . .* . _ - { V } -- -- -- S;( v );S _ . . . __./ _ - [\_/] sss\< >/sss - _ \.__ ___.---' .\ __\___/__ _ .'-'. _ /. '---.____ . .\ / \ / \ / :~~~: \ /. \\ .\ | | \ / |\ \ | ) ) \ /. . \ \. .\ | | | | \ \ | |\ /\ \ /. // / \ . .\ | | | | / / /""\| | | | / / /. / / \\ '----------------/____\---------------' . \ \. o o o o o o o o o o o o o o // / \ . \ / / / \ \\ . / \ \. :: // / Ham and the Princess breath a profound sigh of relief as that bumpy journey ends. The co-ordinates given by the Princess should put them within spitting distance of the Rebel Alliance! __.----.____ / /_ . . :' \ . . . . | . ': . | /|\ '..: . . + . \____________/ . . _____ / / . . . __.----' '----__.///. . |' = = = = \_ . ' :::. . .::::.. ,,,,::. | . * \. ' ' ' / . . \. . | . . . \ \ " " """ """ " " \.__. Hang on! |/ < \ That looks like : . > || . * . Wevl's ship, . \ .:::... ... < .// . the ImPOnance! '\ .___.___._' / \ ._ . o | . . /\____,,_ . \| \.____ / . . #_/-\_____> '---___---' The rebel flagship hoves into view. To Ham's eyes, it looks strangely familiar! \:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\: | Ahh Ham! Thank you for bringing STAY BEHIND ME!: the lever and the Princess I'll get him! | .together! Ham, don't / | / \ /||||\ be silly! | / . ( . . ) / \||//// ' / | s-Q--Q-s ssSSSs | .| /\ .^^^^. /\ | [ / ] ssSs (@ | @ _/ .\ ( )/ \_ | { <__> } ssS{ > { _\ \ | ( {*}{*} ) / | /''''''_/\/\/\/\/\ ssS: < | o| |( ) | {( )\ ss \__/ ----- | \__/ ---------( \/\/\/ )-//'-(_._._._._._._._._ )\_ .'""\ '__: //(. .) // \__ \ :| | ) // \ \ ________//'''/|\--/|\''//______________________ \/ :| |/ || | | _______||'''''''''''''||______________________ \\ \ || | | ______//'''''''''''''//______________________ / \~\_ || | | _____||'''''''''''''||______________________ ( \\\ \'_'-' ____//'''''''''''''//______________________ \ | /\\\' ___||'''''''''''''||______________________ | | | | //'''''''''''''// The welcoming committee seems to confirm Ham's suspicions! But the Princess has news of a surprising twist to this part of the tale! \:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\: So you see, Wevl is | And with the lever presently in your really a friend and | possession, the Black Slab plans are ally of mine! | now in reach! \ : | /||||\ \ | / | ( . . ) \\\\||/ | / | s-Q--Q-s ssSSSs |. | | / | [ / ] ssSs (@ @ | | / | { <__> } ssS{ > /_ } : / | /''''''_/\/\/\/\/\ ssS: ( |_/ | '/._____________.| {( )\ ss \__/ ----\__/ | ---------//'''''''''''''//'-(_._._._._._._._._ )\_ .'""\ :__' //'''''''''''''// \__ \ :| | ) / / \\.________//'''''''''''''//_______________________. \/ :| |/ | | || _______||'''''''''''''||________________________ \\ \ | | ||.______//'''''''''''''//________________________ / \~\_ | | || _____||'''''''''''''||________________________ ( \\\ '-'_''.____//'''''''''''''//________________________ \ | | ///\ ___||'''''''''''''||________________________ | |\ | | //'''''''''''''// Wevl is actually one of the Rebel good guys after all! The Princess quickly explains, and at last, the connection is made between the mysterious bejewelled lever in Ham's possession, and the quickest means of getting to those intimately hidden Sinclairomorph state secrets! \:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\: Now boys, there's something I need \\\\||/ to do - Alone! \ / Let's see those |. .| \ sSSSSSs | | plans then! :@ @: SS{@ @}SS \ / \ { V } S;( v );S /\/ \/\ [\_/] sss\< >/sss / \ / \ /||||\ __\___/__ _ .'-'. _ \ @/ \@ / ( ) / \ / \ / :~~~: \ \/ \/ s-Q--Q-s | | \ / | | | ) ) \ \\ // [ / ] | | | | | The | |\ /\ \ /\ /\ { <__> } | | | | | Lever! | | |,,,,| / / || V || /''''''_/\/\/\/\/\ |_|-----'_| \ |~|/....../~/ || |\ {( \ /\\ |\\'------ \/\\\ v |||\----|\___/ \------(_._._._._._._. ) | | | Gleam!\ : | : / / \ /\ \ / | | | \ : | : | | '\/ | | | / | | | | | |__|__|_ :_' '_: / \ | \ \ / || || \ The Princess is reunited with the cause of all the bother, the royal safety pants quick-release lever! _____________. \:\:\:\:\:\:\:\: ( _ ) :\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\: o o ( | \ ) o o o ( |_/ a m n ! ) o o (_____________) . . o \\\\||/ _____________ o | | o |. .| | | o \ / o :@ @: | Little | o \ / o { V } | Girls | /\/ \/\ [._.] | Room! | / \ / \ /||||\ __\___/__ : | \ @/ \@ / ( ) / \ / \ |o | \/ \/ s-Q--Q-s | | \ / | | | | \\ // [ / ] | | | | | | | \/ /\ /\ { .__. } | | | |\ \ : | \ || V || /''''''_/\/\/\/\/\ |_|-----' \_\. | | \|| |\ {( \ /\\ |--\\\---:.___________.|------\___/ \------(_._._._._._._.. ) | | | /|\ / \ /\ \ / | | | S L A M ! | | Frustrated Whine! '\/ | | | | | ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' |__|__|_ / \ | \ \ But she refuses the many offers of help, quickly forthcoming, to help her operate it! CLUNK! SQUEEZE! CLATTER!! SLURP! POP!! Hunh? Ahhhhhhhhh! Wish I was a spy on the \ wall camera! \ \ :: / / / \\\\||/ _____________ _ _ / |. .| | | | | :@ @: | Little | \ / ? ? ? { V } | Girls | /\/ \/\ [ o ] | Room! | / \ / \ /||||\ __\___/__ : | \ !/ \! / ( ) / \ / \ |o | \/ \/ s-Q--Q-s | | \ / | | | | \\ // [ / ] | | | | | | | _./ /\ /\ \_ { o } \ \ | |\ \ : | \ || V || / /''''''_/\/\/\/\/\ \_\----' \_\. | | \|| ||/ {( \ /\\\ |--\\\---:.___________.|------\___/ -------(_._._._._._._.. ) | | | / \ \ / | | | | | '\/ | | | | | |__|__|_ / \ | \ \ Our heroes are confused by the huge array of strange noises coming from the Princesses chamber, as she fights clear of her constrictive underthings! .----------------------------------. |_____| '.'-------------------------------'. ' /_ _\ :: |) : : Now folks.. |O| |O| :| |)LACK SLAB BLUEPRINTS. | : Pay close | V | :| ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ | : Attention! \|<_>|/ :| Property of the Sinclairomorph | : \ | | :| Empire! | : _[]---[]_ :| | : |==|\\\|==| :| Unauthorised users will be | : || W W || :| shot! | : || || :| ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ | : || ooo || :| -Page 1 of 3420- | : ||"""""|| :: ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ : : \||//// ':: ::' .'._______________________________.' ' | .| \ / /=________________=\ ' | @ | | :''''':''''''''''''| { _\ | | '-----'____________' | \_| \ / sSSSss - | \__/ -------- O --------/||||\------------------- @) sSSs ------ .__: ( . . ) < }Sss /| |\ s-Q--Q-s ) :Sss || | | [ / ] \__/ Sss || | | { ---- } /""' s Soon, Rebel analysts and hackers set to work, trying to suss out the weak points in the generally invunerable Sinclairomorph ultimate destruction machine, the Black Slab. Jonnyboy presents the end result on the big screen normally used for the demo competitions! _ _ _) |_) (_ nd | age - Overall View.. """""""""""""""""""""""""""""" ____:: Invunerable! /__ __/ _______________________/ \_ /ZX81_______________________/\ \---------------------------\ \_ / 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 - + \_/ Invunerable! / Q W E R T Y U I O P [ ] // / A S D F G H J K L ; @ ENTER // / Z X C V B N M < > / SPACE // Invunerable! / // /_____________________________// v-----------------------------v -~- Invunerable! -~- "Now this is the Black Slab, the ultimate Sinclairomorph terror machine. It has the firepower to destroy entire worlds. It also has overlapping deflector shields, based on a Sinclairomorph secret design, which render it practically invunerable..." _ _ _) |_) _)rd | age - Battle Bridge, rear, side-facing aspect.. """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" | _|__ __|_|\.\__. |:.\___/ | Invunerable! \ _______/ Wait a minute! |..:: | What's this! .____.____.____.____.____.____/ \___ \ --- ---- ---- ------ -- - \_____/ \ / /-/-/ ' ' ' .|# \ .. .. .. :|# _\ ___ __ /\__/\__/\___ --- ____ --- '|# /_________________________________________/ "But we have discovered one crucial weak spot. Where the battle-bridge joins on to the main body of the ship, are located the server connections for the entire ship's systems. The reactor controls are located in a 16K RAM-Pack on the battle-bridge itself. A direct hit in the right place will wobble the RAM-Pack, causing the connections to sever, and the reactor to go critical!" _ (_| |_) |th | age - Predicted trajectory of successful Rebel attack. """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" <------------ | .' _|__ .' __|_|\.\__. .' |:.\___/ | .' \ ___ .\:/. ' |..: '- = -' .___.____.____.____.____._____/ '/:\' BANG! \ --- ---- ---- ------ -- - \_____. \ / /-/-/ ' ' ' .|# \ .. .. .. :|# _\ ___ __ /\__/\__/\___ --- ____ --- '|# /_________________________________________/ "It will need a very determined pilot, and a hell of a ship to carry out such a strike. But that single hit could stop the Black Slab in its tracks!" (Editor note:- Don't you think that sounds like a job for Ham already (grin!)) \:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\:\: /\ \||//// /__\ . __ __ _ _ | \_____/ ssSSSs | .| / \ | |__| | | \ / | | /_____\ ssSs (@ | @ / \ |__ | | | | | | o o_| | ssS{ > { _\ /_ ...| ssS: ( | (_ A L A R M ! ||___/ ss \__/ | \__/ (etc) _| |_. .'""\ '__: :|[ ] / /:/ / ) // \ \ /||||\ \|| | / / / / || | | ( ) Uh-oh! .:__|| | \ \ \| |\ \ | s-Q--Q-s There goes ""---' \ \/\~\_ | \_\' [ / ] the neighbourhood! '"""""' ( \\\ '- \\\ { (__) } / \ / \ | \ | /''''''_/\/\/\/\/\ | | But suddenly, events force the pace once again, as an urgent alarm call indicates the presence of the Sinclairomorph threat close by! Is this the final conflict, can they stop the irresistable force of the Sinclairomorph Empire? Well see the next episode! \\\\||/ So, how did \ / |. .| you smuggle sSSSSSs // :@ @: the plans SS{@ @}SS || Do go on! { V } exactly? S;( v );S /\|| / [\_/] / sss\<_>/sss /@/\ __\___/__ That's easy!/ _ .'-'. _ /_/ / / \ / \ I rolled them / :~~~: \ / _/ | | \ / |\ \ up in a water | ) ) \ // /|| | | | | \ \ proof plastic \ \\ /\ \ /__/ || \ \ | | / / tube, taking \ \| | / / / \ \_\----'/\/ care to select \~\,,,,'/~/ \\ /| |\ /||\ |\\' one with rounded /\\\...|||\ \/ | | \ | | | ends, then I ( v ) \__/ \ | | | slowly inserted : | : | | /\ | | | it up.... : | : | | () () () C h a p t e r E n d () () () ª