Hogsweatia
22-01-2006, 05:09
Hurkhov Hive, Launch Pad A
A glorious sight fills the eyes of awakening citizens as the sun rises over the horizon and begins its relentless, hammering fury. The first space-worthy vessel created by Hogsweat was sitting dormant on the Launch Pad of Hurkhov Hive. Its red coated underside shined in the now heavily beating pacific sun as its newly refurbished hull let off a shimmer of light. Almost three hundred metres long and significantly tall and wide, with what appears to be a great tunnel caved into its rear, the ship is magnificent. Its pennant is enscribed to its port bow alongside the words Fearless and a symbol, which looks like a red flag with a large yellow anchor and two stripes.
Admiral Hoodarakov looked out from the window of the helicopter as it noisily came to land next to the battleship. He was eager to see the ship finished; he had surveyed it while it was being built many a time, but this was the maiden visit, so to speak, of the Motherland. He jumped out of the helicopter with much enthusiasm, his bright brown eyes purveying the warship. Today was to be the day - the day that Hogsweatia re-established itself. Iosef Hoodarakov simply could not wait.
Six hours later
The sun was now at its fullest, brightly illuminating the floating hive city of Hurkhov. But such a timeworn spectacle was ignored completely by the Hogsweatian public - who by now were avidly glued to television sets or were waving flags in the streets. On the landing pad, Admiral Hoodarakov stood on the entrance rig, and waved a salute to the Chancellor, Maria Tenishkova. And with the eyes of the whole of Hogsweatia on him, departed onto the bridge of the Fearless. The rig folded backwards, and at that momen t public radios blared out their messages.
"The Space Battleship Fearless has taken on its last sailor and is about to depart! From this day we shall spread the glory of Communism across the stars!"
A huge cheer from the crowds, who then broke out into a chorus of the Hogsweatian national anthem as the Fearless was about to take off.
HS Fearless, Command Bridge
Hoodarakov sat quietly atop his command chair, watching the bridge crew below him ready their stations. This was it, he thought. The moment he had anticipated since the day he had first glanced up at the stars.
"Ensign Tarakov, engine status?" He asked.
"Engines 100% and gaining, Comrade. Vertical thrust is positive, sub thrusters are positives, orbital thrusters are positive. Green light for takeoff. It's on your order, Comrade Admiral."
Hoodarakov clasped his hands together and took a deep breath. "Engage vertical thrust, Ensign. Full power to underside engines."
The Ensign nodded, and a hum filled the room as the ship began to liftoff. Four giant engine pods faced downwards and began to push, with all the power they could muster, the Fearless began to soar up and up and up. From two other hives in the network, another two ships lifted into the skies, the Valiant and the Unflinching. Of a similar class to the Fearless, they were slightly smaller, but nonetheless majestic.
"Gentlemen, this is a day that shall go down in the books. Today, you are all making history. Congratulations."
A round of applause followed the Admirals speech, the battleship still continuing its ascent, its two comrade-ship not so far away. Very soon the Hive was just a glimmer in the eye and that was when the Fearless turned into a spaceship.
"Ensign, power for vertical thrusters to 33%, full power to orbital thrusters."
The vertical thrusters powered down, and the momentum of the craft kept it in the sky for the few precious seconds needed as the engines flared into life. Slowly but surely, the Fearless began to move. Hoodarakov could hardly keep his joy inside him. How proud he was! What a privelege to be commanding this craft. The ship gunned its engines further and, moving at a steady pace, she began to push upwards and out of the atmosphere. A button bleeped and a metallic robotlike voice opened up.
"Leaving Earth's atmosphere in T minus six..."
With a great vigour the spaceship propelled itself out of the atmosphere and began an orbit of the planet. Its WW2-era magnetic accelerator turrets swung from side to side, the gunners getting a feel for what might have to come. All in all though, it was peaceful onboard the Fearless. Each and every sailor felt as though they had accomplished something brilliant. They flocked to portholes to see the stars, and the very blackness of space. The ship was drifting now, the two other vessels in a holding pattern behind it, forming a triangular formation. Hoodarakov clasped his hands together and said.
”Communications, open a wide patch. Every possible frequency.”
”Aye Sir.”
The Ensign did so, and the first interstellar message of the Hogsweatian nation was broadcast.
*** “Hello all inhabitants of the universe. We hope that you are receiving this message in good health and that you and your people are well. Only seconds ago, the recently-created Soviet Hogsweatian Space Navy launched its first three ships into space – and we are one of them. We are looking to communicate with anyone out there that can hear us.
Thank you”***
A glorious sight fills the eyes of awakening citizens as the sun rises over the horizon and begins its relentless, hammering fury. The first space-worthy vessel created by Hogsweat was sitting dormant on the Launch Pad of Hurkhov Hive. Its red coated underside shined in the now heavily beating pacific sun as its newly refurbished hull let off a shimmer of light. Almost three hundred metres long and significantly tall and wide, with what appears to be a great tunnel caved into its rear, the ship is magnificent. Its pennant is enscribed to its port bow alongside the words Fearless and a symbol, which looks like a red flag with a large yellow anchor and two stripes.
Admiral Hoodarakov looked out from the window of the helicopter as it noisily came to land next to the battleship. He was eager to see the ship finished; he had surveyed it while it was being built many a time, but this was the maiden visit, so to speak, of the Motherland. He jumped out of the helicopter with much enthusiasm, his bright brown eyes purveying the warship. Today was to be the day - the day that Hogsweatia re-established itself. Iosef Hoodarakov simply could not wait.
Six hours later
The sun was now at its fullest, brightly illuminating the floating hive city of Hurkhov. But such a timeworn spectacle was ignored completely by the Hogsweatian public - who by now were avidly glued to television sets or were waving flags in the streets. On the landing pad, Admiral Hoodarakov stood on the entrance rig, and waved a salute to the Chancellor, Maria Tenishkova. And with the eyes of the whole of Hogsweatia on him, departed onto the bridge of the Fearless. The rig folded backwards, and at that momen t public radios blared out their messages.
"The Space Battleship Fearless has taken on its last sailor and is about to depart! From this day we shall spread the glory of Communism across the stars!"
A huge cheer from the crowds, who then broke out into a chorus of the Hogsweatian national anthem as the Fearless was about to take off.
HS Fearless, Command Bridge
Hoodarakov sat quietly atop his command chair, watching the bridge crew below him ready their stations. This was it, he thought. The moment he had anticipated since the day he had first glanced up at the stars.
"Ensign Tarakov, engine status?" He asked.
"Engines 100% and gaining, Comrade. Vertical thrust is positive, sub thrusters are positives, orbital thrusters are positive. Green light for takeoff. It's on your order, Comrade Admiral."
Hoodarakov clasped his hands together and took a deep breath. "Engage vertical thrust, Ensign. Full power to underside engines."
The Ensign nodded, and a hum filled the room as the ship began to liftoff. Four giant engine pods faced downwards and began to push, with all the power they could muster, the Fearless began to soar up and up and up. From two other hives in the network, another two ships lifted into the skies, the Valiant and the Unflinching. Of a similar class to the Fearless, they were slightly smaller, but nonetheless majestic.
"Gentlemen, this is a day that shall go down in the books. Today, you are all making history. Congratulations."
A round of applause followed the Admirals speech, the battleship still continuing its ascent, its two comrade-ship not so far away. Very soon the Hive was just a glimmer in the eye and that was when the Fearless turned into a spaceship.
"Ensign, power for vertical thrusters to 33%, full power to orbital thrusters."
The vertical thrusters powered down, and the momentum of the craft kept it in the sky for the few precious seconds needed as the engines flared into life. Slowly but surely, the Fearless began to move. Hoodarakov could hardly keep his joy inside him. How proud he was! What a privelege to be commanding this craft. The ship gunned its engines further and, moving at a steady pace, she began to push upwards and out of the atmosphere. A button bleeped and a metallic robotlike voice opened up.
"Leaving Earth's atmosphere in T minus six..."
With a great vigour the spaceship propelled itself out of the atmosphere and began an orbit of the planet. Its WW2-era magnetic accelerator turrets swung from side to side, the gunners getting a feel for what might have to come. All in all though, it was peaceful onboard the Fearless. Each and every sailor felt as though they had accomplished something brilliant. They flocked to portholes to see the stars, and the very blackness of space. The ship was drifting now, the two other vessels in a holding pattern behind it, forming a triangular formation. Hoodarakov clasped his hands together and said.
”Communications, open a wide patch. Every possible frequency.”
”Aye Sir.”
The Ensign did so, and the first interstellar message of the Hogsweatian nation was broadcast.
*** “Hello all inhabitants of the universe. We hope that you are receiving this message in good health and that you and your people are well. Only seconds ago, the recently-created Soviet Hogsweatian Space Navy launched its first three ships into space – and we are one of them. We are looking to communicate with anyone out there that can hear us.
Thank you”***