Nuclear Frost *Chapter 1 up* (Warning Violence Swearing)

[Paladin Sheppard]

Nuclear Frost

Prologue

The large crowd in the auditorium stilled as a figure stepped up to a podium at its center.
"I trust everyone had a good spring break, yes?" The professor asks her students. "Now I'd like everyone to turn your attention to the holofield." With a small twitch of her ears the bookish badger started up the holoprojector illuminating the room.

"For those who have forgotten where we left off we'll recap." Using a small screen built in to the podium the professor selected a file and set it to play.

With a burst of light a world with large oceans and five lush, green continents begins to spin inside the holo. "Ah yes our planet, not that most of you would recognize it now. This is Calypso before the twenty hour war, which for the first time nuclear weapons were used."

In the holofield small flashes lit up areas where the group could see cities had been. Suddenly one of the nuclear missiles leaves the atmosphere and the holo expands to track it. Three moons appear: one red, one lush and green like Calypso, and another, which is a cold rock.

Pausing the image, the professor points to the missile. "Had this missile not been launched our history probably would be much different." The image again began to move with the missile hitting Calypso's largest moon the lush green Athena. "Our only off world colony was nearly wiped out by that one." The view switches back to Calypso this time showing the after effects of the war. "Over eighty five percent of the world's population was wiped out."

The holo speeds up with the effects of a nuclear winter taking hold over the planet then receding. Activity is seen on the surface as the survivors emerge and begin to rebuild.
"This was thirty years after the war, fortunately for the survivors all of the weapons used were the clean type and left little to no residual radiation behind. They were few in number but were able to rebuild fairly quickly. Most of the nations had a political and military structure after two years but no one was interested in resuming the war as there was no struggle for resources or room to grow."

"What could be considered normal life for the survivors and their descendants resumed, but only for another eighteen years when. An apocalyptic cult, which had been in the unaffected areas of the northern continent of Borealis, infiltrated some of the unfired missile silos and launched them." The students watched as a new batch of missiles launched and hit population centers near both northern and southern poles. "What was to happen next was a global disaster more devastating than anyone could think possible."



A digital count appeared next to the image of Calypso.

At one week the polar caps had shrunk to half their original size and much of the coastlines of the five continents flooded. 

At two weeks the caps were down to a quarter.

As week three began the students saw the formation of large storm cells at both poles which moved towards the equator.

Two days after the storm cells finally dissipated, both the northern continent of Borealis, and the two southern continents of Aborae and Adlantia were completely covered in ice and snow. The two central continents of Tanith and Greenland were covered by forty percent on their northern and southern coasts.

The Holofield changed its viewpoint again back to the moon Athena zooming in to the colony. "While the weapon aimed at Colony One did in fact hit, it did very little damage due to a flaw in the warhead. It was what scientists call a fizzle. The warhead did go critical but not to its maximum potential. What it did do was to destroy all of the shuttles and communication equipment that Colony One had that was capable of reaching Calypso."

"It wasn't until one week prior to the nuclear attack by the Judgment of the Goddess cult, that Colony One was able to launch a rebuilt shuttle back to Calypso." A medium sized vehicle can be seen leaving Athena's surface. "Unfortunately for this shuttle which was named the Joybringer it was hit by the EMP pulse from the attack. It drifted until they were able to effect repairs. Now, up until a few weeks ago we only have had witnesses' reports and those filed by the remnant military forces, we now have access to a declassified holo/video log of the group responsible for the salvation of our way of life."

The view in the holofield resolves into that of a helmet camera labeled: Sheppard. Sgt ACAF 06061980. The scene is the interior of a shuttle making re-entry. The camera pans around the passenger bay, looking at the other twenty nine souls aboard, stopping at five winter camouflage suited soldiers. 

"Mr. Banfield. We'll be approaching the old Borealis launch site soon, sorry we couldn't correct for ether Tanith or Greenland." A voice came from the direction of the cockpit.
"No fault of yours Captain, you didn't set off those nukes. It does look cold down there."
This from a human male near the front of the cabin.

Banter from the other passengers is heard most of it concerning having soil under foot. Alarms suddenly ring out from the cockpit. "Holy shit someone's just fired at us! Jerry can you see it?" "Nothing skipper, bloody hell no warning no nothing...Oh fuck me there it is...Every One Brace!" 

There is a loud bang and the camera is shaken hard with bursts of static as it hits something. "We're going down hold on people." The camera continues to shake with more static, there is another bang and some of the seating is torn from its mounts. At this point it seems the shuttle hits the ground as the camera blacks out. Returning to a scene of destruction it is clear the most of the passengers are dead ether from the impact or from other seats hitting them.

"Fantra, Jenkins, Payne, Johnston, Ryan, call out, people." An icon on the video indicates that the wearer is speaking.

"Sarge, over here!" The camera pans over to a female dark grey furred wolf attempting to move a section of roof off some others. "I sent Johnston to secure the weapons. Who ever is out there is gonna-"The camera blacks out again.

Resolving from static the view clears, to reveal that the shuttle stopped after smashing half way through what appears to be a launch control facility, as a rocket sitting launch pad can be seen through broken windows. An assault rifle is in the wearer's hands firing a burst at a knot of armed troops bringing down two and forcing the rest to seek what little cover there is in the control room.

"Fantra, Johnston!  Cover me I'm going for that launch key." Rifles to the left thunder, picking off another of the opposition and forcing the rest deeper in to cover, as the camera's bearer shifts to a robed body in the center of the room, plucking a card key from its cold dead fingers. "Nothing else we can do now. Fall back."  Static fills the holo.

"I'll hold em as long as I can Sarge, get Xzeliea out of here."  Blood bubbles from the sand colored feline's mouth. The winter camouflaged soldier with 'Johnston' on his name tag fires a burst away from the camera...

"Good luck Scott."  The speech icon blinks again as the camera shifts to the unconscious form of Fantra. As the female soldier's body is lifted up it hits the camera causing it to black out...




Chapter 1

The snow parts to reveal a struggling soldier carrying another, a foot slips and they tumble down a slope. Sliding to a stop Paladin spots the reason for their fall- A humanoid creature as white as the snow around it, it howls and more join it.

"Just great, first getting shot down into a nest of crazies, and now the wildlife wants me as a meal...Right now would be a great time to wake up corporal." Reaching for his rifle the rusty brown wolf finds it missing lost in the fall, swearing he draws the pistol from his thigh holster, grabbing a hand full of Xzeliea's webbing he drags the unconscious soldier backwards.

Spotting a cave he starts that way, behind him a roar fills the air as the yeti pound down the slope. Paladin span round and down to a knee sighting at the nearest yeti, the Guardian 10mm barked as he fired a double tap the brass casings fizzling in the snow when it hit , brining down the first. Taking down another three he saw the first stagger to its feet, grabbing Xze's webbing again Pal half carried, half dragged her towards the cave knowing he'd never make it.

His helmet monocle lit up as something taped into his command link, accesses his codes and targeting data. Scattering snow and ice two sentry cannons burst up in front of him. "Aww shit!" The heavy weapons open fire punishing Paladin with the noise, rounds whip past on either side and into the yetis dropping them to the snow, many in chunks. The cannons slide silently back into their silos.

"My, my not often I get non-hostile sentients here much less ones from Athena of all places!"  Pal turns brining the half empty pistol to bear on a....Floating sphere.

"What the blood hell are you?" He blurted, the handgun all but forgotten.

"Why I am AITOS-7 but most sentients call me Seven or ITOS, I am the monitor for Borealis Military Command and Storage Bunker Seven, although I have been rather lonely for the last week as most of the sentients left due to the storms. You should come inside it IS rather cold out here. And more of those 'Judgment of the Goddess' types might show up again."

"How'd you know about th- Oh right you taped into my TDMC didn't you, and what do you mean by again?" Pal somehow could sense the Sphere grinning at him. "Oh that was easy your Tactical Data Memory Core's security is ancient what have you people been doing up there? Oh never mind I'm sure I'll find out soon enough! As for the cult they tried to get in here just after they set of those nuclear weapons but the sentry cannons saw them off, but they'll be back, more after you I think that launch card you have emits a tracking beacon. I'd be such a shame if they got it back, just think if you all died the only sentient I could talk to is the bases computer and all it wants to do is play tic tac toe..."



Grunting, Paladin picked up Xzeliea and followed the floating AI into the cave. About half way in they came to a large steel door, ITOS transmitted an entry code at it and with a thunk and grind the door slowly hinged open. "I'll take you to the infirmary I'm sure you can help Corporal Fantra there."

The AI lead Paladin down a long entrance hall studded with weapons emplacements and more sentry cannons. They passed through an airlock and more choke points, finally they reached the base proper, humming to itself ITOS open another vault like door.  Inside the floating AI stopped by a door marked infirmary. "Here we are! I need to check on the front door weapons, I will be back later."

Paladin stepped into the infirmary, thanking the goddess that it was set up like the ones back home on Athena. Gently laying Xzeliea down on one of the beds Pal grabbed the pieces of kit he needed: Clothes cutters, bandages, plasma, tape, bullet extractor, razor and some anti-bact spray. Returning to Xze he pulled off her helmet, freeing her red and black hair and checked the dressing there, satisfied it hasn't bleed any more than he had expected he left it alone.

Feeling exhausted, Pal shook his head and reached into a pouch on his webbing and pulled out a hypo. He jabbed it into his thigh shaking a little as the stim hit his bloodstream. It would only give him another two hours before he crashed but he needed those two hours. Unbuckling Xze webbing and armor he set it aside, noting that the bio-monitor built into the bed said that she was out of shock he drew a shot of anesthetic and squirted it into a vein.

Picking up the clothes cutters he cut away Xze's top dumping it to the side, next he cut her pants away. Wincing, he shaved her grey fur away from the wounds, which have thankfully not been opened any more from the fall.  Using the bullet extractor he pulled the squashed round lodged in Xzeliea's shoulder, after stitching it up he used some of the bandages to cover the wound.

Moving to the wound in her groin he sighed. 'Sorry Xze.' Slowly he cut away the silk panties she wore. 'Why the hell were you wearing these, corporal?'  Grinning slightly he carefully extracted the bullet sitting next to her femoral artery. "A centimeter to the left Xze, and you'd not be here, mind you a centimeter to the right and it'd hit the armor."

Covering the wound, he plugged in the plasma unit making sure there were no air bubbles in the line. Finished he covered the wounded young soldier with one of the spare blankets from a cupboard.

"Are you finished Sergeant?" ITOS floated into the room. "I'm sorry I could not assist, I do have a full surgical file in holo." The AI floated over to the bed. "Although I see that would not have been needed, have you done this before?"

"No, since we were short of medical staff back home everyone is given advanced first aid training." Pal said as he pulled a cigar from a pocket. Chewing on the cigar he picked up the clothes he had cut off Xze. "I don't suppose you have any spare changes of uniforms do you? And is there an armory here somewhere? I lost both the Corporal's and my weapons."

"Follow me Sergeant!" Without waiting the AI darted out the room Paladin rushing to catch up. They passed dormitories and a mess hall and another vault like door which ITOS told Pal was the bunker's command room, finally they reached a supply room and armory.

Entering the store room Paladin whistled. The room was large and well stocked with everything a small army would need to survive inside the bunker or out. Picking one of the trolleys from a group near the wall he started what he thought of as shopping. Starting off at the clothing racks he grabbed a new snow camouflage suit for Xze as well as a new pair of underwear he thought should be the right size, next up was body armor. As the armor they had been wearing was only light stuff suited for the escort mission they had been on, Pal pulled two suits down: One a heavy semi-powered set for himself and a medium set for Xzeliea, who as a sniper preferred her mobility. On an impulse he also picked up a pair of sunglasses with burnt orange lenses someone had left behind.

Hitting the food isle he decided yes, he was hungry and yes, he should take as much as he could now back to the infirmary. He selected some of the newest MRE packs and scooped a dozen onto the trolley as well as some filled canteens.

"Are you sure its ok for me to take this ITOS? I'm not part of the Borealis military." He asked as he pushed the trolley back to the door.

"Well, seeing as I am effectively the commander of the base I don't see why not, I doubt you'll be using any of this on anyone other than those cultists and hostile wildlife." The AI replied as he unlocked the armory's heavy door.

If the supply room had been good to Paladin the armory was heaven. Sitting in a neat row were four ATV Hummers and two wheeled Storm IFVs while in a cage off to the side were enough personal firearms to equip a battalion, which when he asked ITOS confirmed.

Like a kid in a candy store he entered the gun cage. Picking up a blackened M8A3 assault rifle he placed it on the trolley, as well as twenty clips of the 8mm caseless rounds it fired. Spotting a grenade launcher that fitted under the M8A3's barrel he grabbed that and some of the 40mm explosive rounds.

A black monster of a rifle sat on a bench near the back. "ITOS that's not what I think it is, is it?" Pal asked as he picked up the meter and a half long rifle.

"It is indeed a Thunderstroke Railgun Sniper Weapon System. The designers perfected it while they waited for the effects of the nuclear winter to pass. The ultimate snipers weapon they called it"

'Oh Xze's gonna love this!'  He placed the rifle and the clips of 10mm spikes it fired on the trolley. He slowly made his way back to the infirmary.

Spotting the unit of plasma was empty he disconnected it and put a bag of IV fluids up.

Pulling his dented and scared armor off he dumped it on the pile of Xzeliea's old uniform, pulling another blanket out of the cupboard he turned to the AI. "Would you mind watching over Xzeliea for me ITOS? The stim I took is about to wear off and I'll crash any minute now." 

"Certainly Sergeant, I will wake you if anything is amiss." The sphere bobbed as if nodding. Thankful Paladin patted it and took off his boots. Checking on his last remaining soldier, he gently stoked her cheek. 'Don't you die on me damnit.'

Sighing, he lay down on the bed next to hers and slept almost immediately.

[Paladin Sheppard]

There we go people feel free to pick it apart...I need all the help I can get

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

"This is Calypso before the 20 hour war, which for the first time nuclear weapons were used."
.. erm. That sentence needs some help.

"sorry we couldn't correct for ether Tanith or Greenland"
either?


Other than that - can't wait for the second chunk. :-)

[Paladin Sheppard]

Fixed. Thanks llearch.

[GabrielsThoughts]

cool, its both a post-apocolyptic world, and a science fiction story. 

[Alondro]

That's a very nice detail about leaving one off-world colony virtually intact.  The society would recover much faster with at least one major technological and informational outpost still in operation. 

And the duration of the nuclear winter's effects seems about right from what I recall about simulations of such an event.

Oh, and the type of nuclear weapons that would leave little residual radiation are the hypothesized neutron bombs, which would deliver a massive burst of high-energy neutrons that would penetrate very deeply into even lead shielding and kill any living thing exposed.  I don't know how destructive they are supposed to be to buildings and the climate.  I shall look it up.

[ITOS]

Yay for moon colonies!

Nice story so far.

[Aldoun]

It's shaping up good thus far.

[Nikki]

*hyperventilates*  awesome

[Paladin Sheppard]

Thanks all!

[Alondro]

Ah, according to the sites I've found, neutron bombs have a smaller blast radius than traditional nukes since the neutrons from the first nuclear fusion event that would contribute to a more powerful secondary fusion detonation are released through a chromium-based X-ray mirror (summarized explanation), vs a cobalt-based mirror. 

This means that more must be used to cause total obliteration of life.  And contrary to popular belief, they do completely destroy any buildings in their primary blast radius, unless they are detonated high in the atmosphere (thereby simply showering everything below with the neutrons and EMP pulse, but this weakens the radiation dose greatly).

I'd say taking the fiction route of a super-neutron bomb, something that could make use of transuranic elements or quantum principles would be a perfect fit.  Heck, actually now that I think of it, an antimatter bomb would be horrifically destructive, but leave only short-lived radioactive isotopes afterward from normal atoms altered by the tremendous energy release.

So many bombs, so little time... 

[Azlan]

You may wish to do a little bit of research for yourself in regards to the various scientific concepts behind much of what is behind the scenes in your world, as well as a bit of research into the various technologies you may be utilizing in order to give the right feel for what you are trying to describe.  Limit your hard scientific information dumps to very few or none.  You must strike a balance between the science and characterization necessary for a successful story.  It is best to write what you want to write because eventually you may not have that option.

[Alondro]

*Charles nods*  The main reason to have the scientific knowledge is so you can remain consistent for one thing, and also to be able to provide realistic cause-effect relationships of the technology and the aftermath of its use.  You don't need to go in depth to much or any of it, but having the ability to know pretty much what the real-world action or effect would be from the existence and/or use of a device allows you to make a more impressive scene with very little extra writing.

Or you could just go the "Star Wars" route and use the "Cuz Lucas said so!"  approach.  *shrugs*  I can't really argue with that approach business-wise, since it has certainly seemed profitable.   

[Paladin Sheppard]

Thanks for the advice guys but as I left school with only year 10 level science under my belt I'll be keeping it rather simple...That or bending it to my will...

[Hilary]

Very cool setup so far, I always enjoy post-apocalyptic stuff. I know absolutly nada about all the technical jargon, so I'll let others deal with that. Do you want the whole grammar corrections speil? 'Cause I'll do it, but it'll be pretty long and very possibly anal and annoying. ^^

[Paladin Sheppard]

Bring it on Hilary!

[Hilary]

Okey-doke. ^^

Throughout the whole thing, the tense keeps jumping back and forth from past to present, which is a little confusing. You'll probably want to pick one or the other and stick with it.

"Now I'd like everyone to turn your attention to the holofield."

With a burst of light a world with large oceans and five lush, green continents begins to spin inside the holo.

Suddenly one of the nuclear missiles leaves the atmosphere and the holo expands to track it. Three moons appear: one red, one lush and green like Calypso, and another, which is a cold rock.

"Our only off world colony was nearly wiped out by that one."

The holo speeds up with the effects of a nuclear winter taking hold over the planet then receding. Activity is seen on the surface as the survivors emerge and begin to rebuild.

"What could be considered normal life for the survivors and their descendants resumed, but only for another eighteen years. An apocalyptic cult, which had been in the unaffected areas of the northern continent of Borealis, infiltrated some unfired missile silos and launched them."

It was what scientists call a fizzle. The warhead did go critical, but not to its maximum potential. What it did do was (remove the 'to')...

Now, up until a few weeks ago we only have had witnesses' reports and those filed by the remnant military forces. We now have access to a declassified holo/video diary of the group responsible for the salvation of our way of life."

"Mr. Banfield. We'll be approaching the old Borealis launch site soon, sorry we couldn't correct for either Tanith or Greenland." The voice came from the direction of the cockpit.
"No fault of yours Captain, you didn't set off those nukes. It does look cold down there."
This from a human male near the front of the cabin.   

"Fantra, Jenkins, Payne, Johnston, Ryan, call out, people!"

"Nothing else we can do now. Fall back."  Static fills the holo.

[Paladin Sheppard]

Thanks Hilary I'll post those fixes when I put chapter 1 up...Which should be soonish...

[ITOS]

Which should be soonish...

Yay!

[Paladin Sheppard]

Well folks the first chapter is up and ready for you grammar nazis. 

[Nikki]

*thwaps*

it's VERY good...and teh gun ish LOOOOVE!!!

*is a damn fast reader*

[ITOS]

If there is one thing I like it's superior firepower.

[Paladin Sheppard]

Thanks Xze!

Heh I take it you like it ITOS?

[Nikki]

hmmmm...i'm suddenly reminded of this ----> http://www.vgcats.com/comics/?strip_id=125