Post by EmperorMyric on Dec 16, 2017 19:15:45 GMT
Planet JK-2243324G, Tenebraean Space, present period
The designers of the Havos Chemical plant had, as any sane designer would, taken every safety measure: the materials contained within could, in their entirety, bring about total planetary extinction of native species, and make the planet uninhabitable for centuries, should they be scattered by fire or explosion. The buildings contained triple-redundancies for every system, bypasses, safety valves, containment bulkheads, and everything was fireproof. The buildings were short and squat and their clockwork exterior hid the business-like interior. The only defining feature of the plant were the four tall burn-off towers, where non-lethal vapors could be evacuated into the atmosphere. Containment tanks, pipes, and Rail tracks criss-crossed the facility, pressure valves ticking and tank cars full of raw chemicals waiting processing. Worker Calvaras manned the control centers, their eyes constantly on the pressure gauges and temperature readouts. So far, it seemed like this day was going to be like any other.
The apparent calm was abruptly lost, as a series of massive explosions ripped the sky asunder.
Before the supervisors could react, the pressure valves suddenly snapped into the red, before bursting with the force of hand grenades. Safety valves blew off, before the valves themselves exploded.
Waves of caustic chemicals flowed from ruptured tanks: these reached the sparks given off by the torn wires of broken monitors.
Within seconds, the central buildings were in flames: caustic green and purple flames, their beauty belying their lethality. Fire suppression drones immediately raced in, chemical suppressants ready.
None came: the tanks on their backs drained, the drones hovered, impotent as the fire raged. And during this whole event, not a single alarm had sounded. In desperation, the workers rushed to the manual fire suppression systems, large old fashioned valve wheels and hoses, only to discover they were disconnected.
One worker jumped into a 4x4 utility truck and raced out onto the road: it was 20 miles to the nearest settlement: they had to be warned, and help needed to be sought.
Behind him, another explosion ripped through the facility, and the workers could only watch in horrified wonder as one, then two, the three of the four blow-off towers collapsed, one by one, down into the central building. The already weakened walls collapsed, sending the wave of fire and poison out into the compound proper. It swept around the lines of tank cars, around the pipes, the tanks.
The pressure rose…..
[=]
Several hours later, as freighters hastily converted to evacuation ships lifted off from the major settlements, and the sky glowed a sick green from the chemicals that now filled the atmosphere, no one noticed a small figure hidden among the masses of people, fear and worry written on their faces.
No one noticed the small feature on the young man’s face, on that, while not unusual, was interesting to the eye…
The small blue swirl that crossed around his left eye….and gave off a subtle glow….
As the ship lifted off, safely away, the man tapped three letters into a small communicator on his arm, hidden under a cloak.
The Time of Fear had descended on Tenebrae…and his sponsors would want to know…..
The designers of the Havos Chemical plant had, as any sane designer would, taken every safety measure: the materials contained within could, in their entirety, bring about total planetary extinction of native species, and make the planet uninhabitable for centuries, should they be scattered by fire or explosion. The buildings contained triple-redundancies for every system, bypasses, safety valves, containment bulkheads, and everything was fireproof. The buildings were short and squat and their clockwork exterior hid the business-like interior. The only defining feature of the plant were the four tall burn-off towers, where non-lethal vapors could be evacuated into the atmosphere. Containment tanks, pipes, and Rail tracks criss-crossed the facility, pressure valves ticking and tank cars full of raw chemicals waiting processing. Worker Calvaras manned the control centers, their eyes constantly on the pressure gauges and temperature readouts. So far, it seemed like this day was going to be like any other.
The apparent calm was abruptly lost, as a series of massive explosions ripped the sky asunder.
Before the supervisors could react, the pressure valves suddenly snapped into the red, before bursting with the force of hand grenades. Safety valves blew off, before the valves themselves exploded.
Waves of caustic chemicals flowed from ruptured tanks: these reached the sparks given off by the torn wires of broken monitors.
Within seconds, the central buildings were in flames: caustic green and purple flames, their beauty belying their lethality. Fire suppression drones immediately raced in, chemical suppressants ready.
None came: the tanks on their backs drained, the drones hovered, impotent as the fire raged. And during this whole event, not a single alarm had sounded. In desperation, the workers rushed to the manual fire suppression systems, large old fashioned valve wheels and hoses, only to discover they were disconnected.
One worker jumped into a 4x4 utility truck and raced out onto the road: it was 20 miles to the nearest settlement: they had to be warned, and help needed to be sought.
Behind him, another explosion ripped through the facility, and the workers could only watch in horrified wonder as one, then two, the three of the four blow-off towers collapsed, one by one, down into the central building. The already weakened walls collapsed, sending the wave of fire and poison out into the compound proper. It swept around the lines of tank cars, around the pipes, the tanks.
The pressure rose…..
[=]
Several hours later, as freighters hastily converted to evacuation ships lifted off from the major settlements, and the sky glowed a sick green from the chemicals that now filled the atmosphere, no one noticed a small figure hidden among the masses of people, fear and worry written on their faces.
No one noticed the small feature on the young man’s face, on that, while not unusual, was interesting to the eye…
The small blue swirl that crossed around his left eye….and gave off a subtle glow….
As the ship lifted off, safely away, the man tapped three letters into a small communicator on his arm, hidden under a cloak.
The Time of Fear had descended on Tenebrae…and his sponsors would want to know…..