NationStates Jolt Archive

Spark looks up from where he had been tinkering with quight a few hand coms, when he heres all the comotion. "Miss Cade, if you don't mind some minor damage to your inside paint job, I can get over there now with medical suplies and tools to aid in repairs to your friends ship-body."

Spark looks up from where he had been tinkering with quight a few hand coms, when he heres all the comotion. "Miss Cade, if you don't mind some minor damage to your inside paint job, I can get over there now with medical suplies and tools to aid in repairs to your friends ship-body."

"Well thank you Spark, but the problem is with Foster. He's human, like Alex. Moira is fine, she's just out of fuel. We use conventional drives in system and to enter a singularity, and to manuever through them. Our fusion reactors are strictly for onboard power and to form the singularity."

"I can still get medical suplies and an extra set of hands over there to help tide them over till you can dock and send Alex over."

"I can still get medical suplies and an extra set of hands over there to help tide them over till you can dock and send Alex over."

"I do appreciate the offer, but I fear it would do little good. Moira has just as many medical supplies as I have. We, meaning the shell people and brawns of the archeology and the exploratory survices only have minimal medical training. Foster needs a doctor, we've done what we can .... Although .... If you could help Alex look over my inventory and I'll get Moira's, then perhaps you can help him rig a way of transferring some of my fuel to her. Then, at least, she can make the jump home and get him to the Pride of Albion, our best hospital station."

"Alright, I'll work on that. I'll just have to test the guidance network later."

"Alright, I'll work on that. I'll just have to test the guidance network later."

"I really appreciate this Spark." Tia put up to inventories on the wall screens, one her own and one Moira's. Tia's was already familiar to him and Moira's was the same except for some field generators, repulsion field generators, thermo tents, lighting networks, electrical prodding staffs and a few heavy cutting lasers.

Looks over the new list. "How volital is the fuel that you use?"

Looks over the new list. "How volital is the fuel that you use?"

"That depends. If you take it from the tank then it's a soft gel and very stable. If you take it from the mix chamber where it's warmed it's highly volitile. The mix chamber adds oxygen and warms it up for use in the combustion chamber." She put up a diagram of her engines from fuel containment to the variable pulse venturi exhaust tubes.

"How does it react if it is exposed to heat in a vacume?"

"How does it react if it is exposed to heat in a vacume?"

"The gel is relatively safe until oxygen is introduced. It's oxygen that triggers the gels combustability. In vacuum it's fine. Only extreme heat would cause it to burn and then it would be a slow burn, not explosive."

"Well, I can see a few options, the fastest would be to get the two of you docked to each other, then cut a hole into both of you fule tanks, and, useing presser fealds, to form a pipe so it can be pumped over. I think that it's safe to say this is a last ditch plan. Option two, is to use some pipeing, worked into the tanks through the intake ports, at witch point, I get to go out and pump it manualy from one tank to another, as the intank pump has a safty system to prevent it from doing such a thing. And a finl plan is to form a bucket bragade and cart it over a bucket at a time.

As the Hive being approached the ships the power level once again rose, this time back up to level it was at just after the shields deactivated. It did not move, or make any other obvious action although scanning would reveal very slight activity within the living metal.

...new Hive entity...
...theat rating..?
...minimal, subject is easy to destroy...
...probability..?
...probability of damage to Disk negligable...
...Living Metal activated...
...reason..?
...Hive entities known to be hostile...
...confirmed...
...advised method of countering..?
...Harvesting subject...
...confirmed, massive bio-energy output would prove useful...
...Disk lacking Harvesting devices, Living Metal unable to form Harvester Base...
...irrelevant, Harvesters can be called in...
...confirmed...
...other countering systems..?
...advised method, projection of Living Metal into subject, dominate, control and destroy from within...
...most efficient, confirmed...
...subect to further discussion...
...alter topic: captured drone subjects...
...confirmed, interesting subjects...
...very primitive...
...numerous and effective...
...confirmed, release remaining intact drone..?
...negative, dissassemble and rebuild as with others...
...devices installed..?
...confirmed, subjects will inform Disk of information...
...confirmed, efficient manner of maintaining Edict...
...confirmed...
...initiating dissassembly...
...initiating reassembly...
...releasing two drone subjects...
...third held for further investigation...
...Disk is maintaining sufficient Harvesting Base for subject this size...
...confirmed, after examination subject will be Harvested...
...confirmed...


The two drones were ejected without ceremony, sent out from the disk spinning haphazardly until they can right themselves. They lack any memory of the events after the shields activated and there are several small amounts of Living Metal placed within their systems, amounts small enough to be all-but-impossible to trace by conventional means.

"Well, I can see a few options, the fastest would be to get the two of you docked to each other, then cut a hole into both of you fule tanks, and, useing presser fealds, to form a pipe so it can be pumped over. I think that it's safe to say this is a last ditch plan. Option two, is to use some pipeing, worked into the tanks through the intake ports, at witch point, I get to go out and pump it manualy from one tank to another, as the intank pump has a safty system to prevent it from doing such a thing. And a finl plan is to form a bucket bragade and cart it over a bucket at a time.

Alex looked at spark then at the titanium column in the center of the room.

"Ah, well", Tia replied, "I certainly don't like option A, except as a last resort. Ingenious idea though. Option C would be more time consuming I would think. It was also something else I would have never thought of. Option B would be best. Alex can help you, maybe the two of you can take turns."

The two drones were ejected without ceremony, sent out from the disk spinning haphazardly until they can right themselves. They lack any memory of the events after the shields activated and there are several small amounts of Living Metal placed within their systems, amounts small enough to be all-but-impossible to trace by conventional means.

"Well", Tia said to Alex and Spark, "there's two of my drones."

Tia sent out a signal to retake control of the drones as she opened a broad band com channel. "They're my drones, don't fire, I'm bringing them in."

Micaya turned toward Moira, "Open a channel."

Moira opened a channel and turned it over the cabin pickups,
"This is General Quester-Benn
Belay that, Hypatia. Take control if you can but bring them away from the disk and everyone else. They have been contained by an unknown alien artifact, there's no telling what's been done with them. I'll contact central to have them picked up.
General Quester-Benn out."

"I've contacted central, they've not gotten back with a decision. I was told to stand by here."

"General Quester-Benn
We'll see about that.
General Quester-Benn out."

"Moira open a channel to central."

"Tightbeam will take awhile, General."

"Then open a hyperwave link, gold channel, priority one, clearance Micaya 7526418 Delta Omega Alpha, password .. Twintrouble."

"Twintrouble?"

"Now, Moira."

Moira opened the hyperwave and sent the coded frequency and her own ship code. In seconds SSS-900-C responded, "Moira? What the fardles are you doing on this channel?"

"Can it Simeon, this is General Micaya Quester-Benn, confirm voice recognition. One, Two, Three, Ten."

Simeon didn't need too but followed protocol anyway. "Confirmed, General."

"Open a relay hyperlink to The Victorious."

If it were anyone else Simeon would've checked with central first. Instead he opened the link.

"Who is this?" came a womans voice from the other end.

"It's Micaya", the general replied and sent a message burst.

"The first coordinates are the incoming jump point for the exploration vessels. There's a Kolnari presence there that needs to be dealt with. The second set are mine. I need your assistance, yours is the closest ship with isolated bays with shielding for containment. We have a couple of drones that were taken in by an alien artifact and then released, no com with the artifact."

"I'll be there, let me get fleet to the incoming point and then I'll jump."

Then the link was cut. Micaya placed her hands on the pilots console and leaned forward looking out the port. "Then", she said, "let's see if you left us anything that will tell us about you."

"Well", the General replied in a softer though still gruff tone that was probably from years of yelling orders, "in that case I apologize to your friends and will take any assistance possible. I don't suppose we'd be lucky enough to have a doctor out there anywhere?"

A softer, though definitely older voice than Tia's came online. "It's a pleasure to meet both of you and I can't thank you enough for your assistance. As the general indicated we're in need of medical assistance if you have any available. My brawn is injured."

"Tia's wonderful, Moira, what's wrong with Foster?"

"I thought he had a concussion but I think it may be worse. I'm beginning to think about cold sleeping him until I can get help for him."
A softer, though definitely older voice than Tia's came online. "It's a pleasure to meet both of you and I can't thank you enough for your assistance. As the general indicated we're in need of medical assistance if you have any available. My brawn is injured."

"Moira is the one who gave me Teddy when I was seven. She was a friend from the time I was two, always taking time to talk with me and play a game or two when she stopped by. I've known her the better part of my life."

"Tia's wonderful, Moira, what's wrong with Foster?"

"I thought he had a concussion but I think it may be worse. I'm beginning to think about cold sleeping him until I can get help for him."

"If you wish I can take hm back to the ship for medical aid, though, we no nothing of your anatonomy, Jac'gra is a skilled if not extrodinay doctor." "But you will need to send detailed anatonomy files to Jac'gra so he can operate without insedent." "You'll have to allow one of the droes to dock and take him aboard."

At that moment a drone docked with the ship and as the hatch open, a large mechanical eye attached to a long mettalic neck streched in and as it did so it seamlessly droped and flipped on to its hind tendrils while keeping its skiny arms at its sides. Then a wire hoist lowered down into the cabin and waited for it's passanger.

Suddenly Alexial's voice came out of the drone's head.

"This is a combat drone series A1708m, he is here to aid the retreval of the injured person, Foster."

~Electronic Reply~
I didn't sign up to hesitate just because I might die, and neither did my crew. We've got an agreement. If we have to fire our missiles at that thing, we'll wait until no one is close to it. They tend to pack a punch. If you have to when it is near us, target our engine core. We have an antimatter reactor near it and you can cause a large antimatter explosion. That should take it out.
~End~
-Com Open-
"Agreed, but only as a last result, but my fighters are more effective then my turrets. So if your missles don't work I'll launch a sqaudron after it, then if that fails, plan omega I beleive." "So we agree."
-Com Close-

"Enson, ready Alpha squadron for a run at the bug, if our freinds missles fail, lets hope our fighters succed."

"Yes, Sir, lets hope so, Sir."

Moira opened the hyperwave and sent the coded frequency and her own ship code. In seconds SSS-900-C responded
"By any chance General did you bother to tell your freinds, of freindlies that might be at your coordinates?"

At that moment a drone docked with the ship and as the hatch open, a large mechanical eye attached to a long mettalic neck streched in and as it did so it seamlessly droped and flipped on to its hind tendrils while keeping its skiny arms at its sides. Then a wire hoist lowered down into the cabin and waited for it's passanger.

Suddenly Alexial's voice came out of the drone's head.

"This is a combat drone series A1708m, he is here to aid the retreval of the injured person, Foster."

Micaya has brown hair, shot with grey with golden brown eyes. She's tall, about 1.8 meters with an athletic build. "I'll get him. Moira send the necessary information." Micaya ran to medical and gathered Foster. She carried him to the drone and placed him in the hoist. "I really appreciate this. Foster and I are old friends."

Foster was also older though still physically fit. He has black hair shot with grey.

"By any chance General did you bother to tell your freinds, of freindlies that might be at your coordinates?"

"My people don't fire first and ask questions later. Besides, I know the Admiral, don't worry."

At that moment a drone docked with the ship and as the hatch open, a large mechanical eye attached to a long mettalic neck streched in and as it did so it seamlessly droped and flipped on to its hind tendrils while keeping its skiny arms at its sides. Then a wire hoist lowered down into the cabin and waited for it's passanger.

Suddenly Alexial's voice came out of the drone's head.

"This is a combat drone series A1708m, he is here to aid the retreval of the injured person, Foster."

Micaya has brown hair, shot with grey with golden brown eyes. She's tall, about 1.8 meters with an athletic build. "I'll get him. Moira send the necessary information." Micaya ran to medical and gathered Foster. She carried him to the drone and placed him in the hoist. "I really appreciate this. Foster and I are old friends."

Foster was also older though still physically fit. He has black hair shot with grey.

"By any chance General did you bother to tell your freinds, of freindlies that might be at your coordinates?"

"My people don't fire first and ask questions later. Besides, I know the Admiral, don't worry."
Alexial

"He'll be ok once we get him back to the ship, I promise."

The combat drone then shut down as the lift carried Foster to the craft. The drone then undocked with the ship and headed for the Draconis Fleet.
_______________________

Captain Dur'uc Hai'dra
-Com from-
General, I beleive you but, I still beleive it would have been less of a suprise for them to jump into a quadrant with a large contengent of combat and non-combat ships, I just want them to be a little "less suprised", that's all."
-Com End-

Captain Dur'uc Hai'dra
-Com from-
General, I beleive you but, I still beleive it would have been less of a suprise for them to jump into a quadrant with a large contengent of combat and non-combat ships, I just want them to be a little "less suprised", that's all."
-Com End-

"Yeah, but wouldn't be HALF as much fun."

Space seemed to erupt not far from the other vessels. The singularity point was larger than the one Moira came through. The vessel that emerged bristled with weaponry and had a powerful shield. Eighty dual turret plasma cannons ran along it's length both under and over with numerous smaller laser turrets for point defense. The main weaponry were twenty, magnetic rail gun launched, plutonium core nuclear pellet launchers with various misslie bays. She measures a kilometer and half in length. As she comes through she opens up a broadband com frequency.

"This is Admiral Anastice Quester-Benn of the Central Worlds Navy. I have come at the behest of General Micaya Quester-Benn and have no hostile intentions."

Micaya took a seat on the crash couch and opened a visual channel, "Hey, Sis, welcome to the party."

"GHU, Mic, You could have WARNED me."

Micaya grinned, "Yeah, but it would have ruined the surprise."

Anastice shook her head, "Leave it to you. So what brings me out here from Central?"

"See the bots out there? They were in the disk and they were just spit out like one of your damned cat's fur balls. I didn't want to risk taking them in here, the holds seperated only but metal and an airlock."

"They seem normal to our scans."

"Yeah?" Micaya replied, "What have you got on the disk?"

"Not alot..." Anastice sighed, "Okay, okay, I see your point. I'll have Captain Chance take a wing man give them a flyby then have them fly by the disk at one kilometer." She looked to her right, "Full stealth, Captain." Then looked back at the screen. "What in hell are you doing on an exploration ship anyway?"

"I kind of lost my appeal back home."

"Mic, you arrested FIVE high families children and tried them to the full extent of the law. Those five families weren't happy about it."

Micaya shrugged, "They broke the law, sis. I'm covert ops, I did my job."

"There's such a thing as subtlety."

"You can afford subtlety sitting in flying fortress. I never had that luxury knee deep in blood and guts. Or if you mean the subtlety of kissing some lard asses fat behind who does nothing but warm a chair all day long then that's just not to my liking."

"Stubborn", Anastice sighed, "you need to learn to give now and then."

"Tell that to the fourteen hundred families who lost thier sons, husbands and fathers at Milteren four because some high family ranking officer decided that his wet behind the ears son deserved a command."

Anastice sighed again, obviously not wanted to get into this argument again, "I'll let you know when we have something."

Micaya nodded and cut the line.

Two small fighter craft armed with twin plasma pulse cannons and self guiding missiles shot out from the Victorious and almost instantly disappeared as they cloaked.

"Interesting, you're sisters?"
"And yes, we were listening."
"It, seems your people are just as stupid as you are un-advanced, in the Draconis Fleet no one is given command unless they can handle it. I am quite shocked that such a prominent alien species is so foolish as to let bueacracey stand in the way of intelligence, how sad indeed."

Anastice cut the com off without a word. She loved her sister but hated the old argument, the last thing she needed right now was to be insulted by some alien species, especially one that was right. It was foolish to let beuaracracy dictate things but the high families had forged central worlds and many simply wanted to hold onto power. And they had that power. She sighed and stood up from her command chair and looked down over the command deck.

Alex opened a channel to Alexial, "Remember our discussion about the predilection that bigger is better? Prime example right here."

Anastice cut the com off without a word. She loved her sister but hated the old argument, the last thing she needed right now was to be insulted by some alien species, especially one that was right. It was foolish to let beuaracracy dictate things but the high families had forged central worlds and many simply wanted to hold onto power. And they had that power. She sighed and stood up from her command chair and looked down over the command deck.

Alex opened a channel to Alexial, "Remember our discussion about the predilection that bigger is better? Prime example right here."
"Yes, I see, It's design is quite wastful, indeed, with so large a ship the sheilds must be quite thin to cover it all, and the energy consumption while firing it's main guns must not allow alot of error in sheild management and defence." "I could easily bring it down with a squadron without loosing a ship." "No, insult, ment, but who ever designed that ship must have been not too intelligent."

"You can't cut a com from a more developed species, you may not want to speak, but you will listen." "We were like you not long ago, and we overthrew the old regime and brought around a new age, your people must do the same if they expect to be free, and to truly advance beyound the fold, beurocracy only leads to decline. And decline always leads to extinction, you will learn that soon enough."

The Captain then close the com before she could speak.

"Yes, I see, It's design is quite wastful, indeed, with so large a ship the sheilds must be quite thin to cover it all, and the energy consumption while firing it's main guns must not allow alot of error in sheild management and defence." "I could easily bring it down with a squadron without loosing a ship." "No, insult, ment, but who ever designed that ship must have been not too intelligent."

"I won't second guess you, I don't know much about military craft myself. If you can take it down, your powerful, though. The Victorous has never lost. Though naming it the Victorous makes it a target in my book."

"You can't cut a com from a more developed species, you may not want to speak, but you will listen." "We were like you not long ago, and we overthrew the old regime and brought around a new age, your people must do the same if they expect to be free, and to truly advance beyound the fold, beurocracy only leads to decline. And decline always leads to extinction, you will learn that soon enough."

Micaya looked at Moira, "What the hell was that little tirade about?"

"I'm not sure", Moira responded, "perhaps you cut the com off when he was trying to speak before?"

"I was talking to Anastice, he never said one word. Maybe he's mistaking me with her."

"Possibly, she still had her com open when cut yours off, it shut down only a moment ago."

"Sounds like he was talking to her", Micaya said offhandedly, "I certainly don't support beauracracy."

As he starts to put the needed tubeing into the airlock, Spark says "Miss Cade, I was able to put together a small pump to transfer the fuel, so nither Alex or I need spend any more time outside then is needed to hook it all up. Also, would you mind if I taped into you com array? I can hear what it is you are saying, but am unable to hear any responce. Or make a responce to anything tht I do manage to hear. Also, I have a dozen or so guidance transponders that i will need to place at various points inside you hull, they will be set to emit a beep ever half second in an band that is rarly used. The network will be used for a new navigation system for the drones."

As he starts to put the needed tubeing into the airlock, Spark says "Miss Cade, I was able to put together a small pump to transfer the fuel, so nither Alex or I need spend any more time outside then is needed to hook it all up. Also, would you mind if I taped into you com array? I can hear what it is you are saying, but am unable to hear any responce. Or make a responce to anything tht I do manage to hear. Also, I have a dozen or so guidance transponders that i will need to place at various points inside you hull, they will be set to emit a beep ever half second in an band that is rarly used. The network will be used for a new navigation system for the drones."

"Of course Spark", Tia made the necessary adjustments to her com in order for him hear and respond. "All set, be safe you two."

Alex nodded and gave a thumbs up as he entered the airlock and tightened his helm down.

Hearing Tia's respone, Spark nodds in agrement, and attaches a sack with the modified hand coms to his belt.

Tia closes the inner airlock and depressurizes the room then opens the outer airlock, keeping an eye out on the disk and the progress of the worker bots.

Micaya begins pacing, wondering what the hells taking so long, "How long has it been since they left?"

"Three minutes twenty seven seconds", Moria responded.

Micaya never had been very good at waiting.

Anastice put her hands behind her back and stood watching over the command deck. She could moniter the flight of the two wraiths, even cloaked and watched as the flew by the worker bots.

As he exits the airlock, Spark's stops and his left arm changes into a device that resembles a tesla coil. Using the coil as a cutter, he cuts a small grove into the outer hull, at which point he welds one of the hand coms in, and reseals the opened section of hull. "One down, eleven to go."


(OOC) I know its a bit hard on your ship, but trust me, you will like what it will do for your drones.

Alex watches for a moment to make sure the hull integrity won't be compromised then opens the com, "I'm going to start the fuel transfer, I want moira manueverable as soon as possible."

"No problem, once I get two more of these in, I will be able to test the system, at which point, I'll come over and help you with the system. Make that one more.

"Fast worker, welcome to the crew", Alex said grinning then pushed away from the hull and used the suit's thrusters to move up to the fuel intake valve. He opened the valve on Hypatia and made sure the fuel wasn't coming back out, then he moved over to Moira. "Hey sweet thing, I've come to fill you up baby."

"Cheating on Tia? I'm telling on you", Moira told him, sweetly.

"Before or after?" he asked.

"Well after of course, I may as well get some enjoyment."

He chuckled and opened the valve and check the backup flexplates. "Spark and I will have you ready to go in a jif. Spark is mainly to thank for making something of the spare parts."

"Ok, third ones in, it's a bit sparse, but good enough for a test run." So saying, Spark dissapers into a flash of yello light, only to reappear almost instantly (Meaning only an A.I. or a shellperson would notace the lag) on the oppisit side of the ship, drifting a several meters away from Alex. "Crash, I was off by a good three meters, total unaceptable. But, with a few more points to work with? Should work, but I would fell beter with twice as many guidance points."

OOC: Forgive my lack of posting. I'm waiting on a Hive reply.

"Ok, third ones in, it's a bit sparse, but good enough for a test run." So saying, Spark dissapers into a flash of yello light, only to reappear almost instantly (Meaning only an A.I. or a shellperson would notace the lag) on the oppisit side of the ship, drifting a several meters away from Alex. "Crash, I was off by a good three meters, total unaceptable. But, with a few more points to work with? Should work, but I would fell beter with twice as many guidance points."

Alex looked at Spark, "Would you care to explain that in a language that even a primate like me could understand?"

"Alexial?" Hypatia asked, "What is the problem with your commander? I know we're not the most advanced but we're not stupid either and don't see any reason for insulting us."

"Oh, sorry, short range telaportation. I just need to know exactly where I am, and exactly where I am going, and I can telaport at close to 90% light speed. The becions I've been puting togeter let me triangulate my position, and alow me to determan where I am going. The more points of refrance, the more accurat I the jump. Of corse, the system does have drawbacks, namely, that it tends to have nasty efects on organic brains, not usualy faital, but definetly personality altering. Also, if you telaport into an area occupied by something much denser then air, you tend to get an explosion in the megatons, and it is farily short ranged, with a system like the one I'm installing here, the drones should have a port rang of 300K atmospheric, 30,000K in space. In other words you drones will have the ability to telaport around, even into another ship if you know it layout well enough.

"Oh, sorry, short range telaportation. I just need to know exactly where I am, and exactly where I am going, and I can telaport at close to 90% light speed. The becions I've been puting togeter let me triangulate my position, and alow me to determan where I am going. The more points of refrance, the more accurat I the jump. Of corse, the system does have drawbacks, namely, that it tends to have nasty efects on organic brains, not usualy faital, but definetly personality altering. Also, if you telaport into an area occupied by something much denser then air, you tend to get an explosion in the megatons, and it is farily short ranged, with a system like the one I'm installing here, the drones should have a port rang of 300K atmospheric, 30,000K in space. In other words you drones will have the ability to telaport around, even into another ship if you know it layout well enough.

"Interesting", Hypatia said, "Spark, is this something you can show us how to make so we can adapt it to all our ships?"

Hypatia finished running the symbols on the disk through the data banks and sighed. Something in the back of her mind told her that she had seen these symbols before, but where? After several more minutes she set it aside for later consideration, checked Alex and Spark's fuel transfer progress and then started to catch up on her parents latest work.

The Disk continued its gentle spin, energy levels not-quite constant, with a slight peak in the centre of the artifact as if something was pulling energy toward it.

Thus far the only response to the appearance of the new Central Worlds ship had been another of the strange form of message delivered into empty space - a direction out of the galaxy, where no stars shone in the colourful dark of space.

It appeared not to care about the two cloaked ships approaching the drones, as if it either did not know about their existence, or simply did not care.

Regardless of this, it remained in place, energy levels slowing rising toward the centre of the circular object, Living Metal within its structure stirring gently but without apparent purpose. The disk simply spun slowly, starlight gleaming off its metallic surface.

"I won't second guess you, I don't know much about military craft myself. If you can take it down, your powerful, though. The Victorous has never lost. Though naming it the Victorous makes it a target in my book."
"Yes, arrogance in all it's forms, is weakness, but the ship would stand a chance in force, but not very good one."

"Alexial?" Hypatia asked, "What is the problem with your commander? I know we're not the most advanced but we're not stupid either and don't see any reason for insulting us."
"He has all the right in the universe to insult a burocracy, given that he lost his parents in the opening shots of the revolution against the old regime, even worse they weren't even involved in the fighting, they were simply doctors, and the Empires troops moved into their hospital and killed them and everyone else in there. That is why he has such hatred for buerocracies, I'd also prefer if you didn't tell Dur'uc that I told you, he'd feel betrayd."

Hypatia finished catching up on her parents work. She was happy for them. They had found a world in with a sentient race in it's stone age, yet had uncovered a city that had been in a bronze age period. A volcanic eruption had covered it and the earthquake that had cause the eruption had sunk the city into the sea, quickly cooling the lava and preserving everything beneath the lava. After what happened to Tia they had been unable to continue thier work on the EsKays .... The EsKays ....

Something in the back of her mind had her looking at the EsKay information. What she was looking for she wasn't sure, not until she came across the metal plates that they assumed were star maps. Plate made of a strange metal with strange glyphs .... If Tia could have gasped she would have.

"ALEX! ALEX COME HERE QUICKLY!"

Alex turned around so fast at the shout that his magnetic stick boots came off Moira's hull. "Tia? TIA?!" He fired the suits thruster pack and moved toward the air lock.

Simultaneously Micaya and Anastice slammed the emergency transmit. Both said at the same time, ""Tia are you alright?"".

It wasn't until then that Tia realized that she had opened a broad band com to get Alex. "Oh, I'm fine."

"Are you sure?"Moira asked

"Yes, yes, I just need Alex to verify something for me and then I'll explain."

Everyone relaxed at her assurance and waited to see what was happening.

Alex cycled through the air lock and removed his helmet. He moved over to her and placed his forehead against her column, "You scared me Lady."

"I'm sorry Alex, but you'll see my excitement, Look."

She put up glyphs on two of the wall screens and a metallurgical analysis on two others.

"The disk information you gathered. You found something?"

She moved the right two back to show the disk, "That's the disk information. This", she said moving back the other two screens until the plates they had found in the dig near Warrington were visible, "are the EsKay plates we found."

Alex sat down, stunned, his mouth hanging open.

"He has all the right in the universe to insult a burocracy, given that he lost his parents in the opening shots of the revolution against the old regime, even worse they weren't even involved in the fighting, they were simply doctors, and the Empires troops moved into their hospital and killed them and everyone else in there. That is why he has such hatred for buerocracies, I'd also prefer if you didn't tell Dur'uc that I told you, he'd feel betrayd."

As Tia showed Alex what she had found she responded, "Sorry about that last outburst Alexial, I just found something. Pertaining to the subject at hand, I understand." Hypatia hoped that Alexial would understand what she was saying and why she was saying it the way she did. Dur'uc, after all, could listen to her transmissions.

"I have no problem teaching you how to make the system. When I get back inside i'll transfer the information to you."

As Tia showed Alex what she had found she responded, "Sorry about that last outburst Alexial, I just found something. Pertaining to the subject at hand, I understand." Hypatia hoped that Alexial would understand what she was saying and why she was saying it the way she did. Dur'uc, after all, could listen to her transmissions.
"I induerstand, but it still sadens me to this day."

"I have no problem teaching you how to make the system. When I get back inside i'll transfer the information to you."

"That's very kind of you Spark, I appreciate this greatly. Is it difficult to work?"

"I induerstand, but it still sadens me to this day."

"It is a sad thing, Alexial, very sad. By the way have you noticed how the power in the disk seems to be focusing toward it's center?"

"Alex? It's easier to speak if you move your lips."

"I don't know what to say", he replied.

"Well do you concur that these are on in the same species?" Hypatia asked.

"Like you need to ask. But yes I concur. Tia, we have to find someway of contacting them. Or at least find out what this disk is for then maybe we'll have the rosetta stone we need."

"I agree. I'm going to contact Moira and the Victorious and let them know what we found."

Alex nodded as he moved closer to look over the pictures.

"This is Hypatia", she said, opening the two com channels, "here's what I found." She sent a databurst with the information.

"That's INCREDIBLE, sweetpea!" Moira exclaimed.

Micaya and Anastice looked at the information, niether one understanding what the big deal was about.

"Someone want to explain what this means?" Asked a males voice from the Victorious.

"Pol? Is that you?"

"Yep, how are you Tia?"

"I'm great, wow, how did you get a fleet command ship?"

"Got lucky actually, I scored only three points higher than Tram. So what is all this excitement?"

"Oh come on Pol, the EsKays are the biggest archeological mystery in the past century."

"Ahhh and now we find a dormant machine of thiers, I get it now. Well that's interesting."

"Good Ghu, Pol, your military alright", Moira chimed in, "if it isn't a new weapon or shielding he's not interested."

Hypatia giggled, "OH, by the way, Pol? This is Alexial and Nai'ra", she said opening the channels, "Alexial, Nai'ra, this is Pol, he's also a shell person."

"Yes, Dur'uc beleives it is powering some form of weapon."
_________________________________________________________________

"Hello, Pol, I'm Alexial, and this is my sister unit, Nai'ra."

"Pleased to meet you, if your so millitary I'd like to introduce you to Captain Dur'uc Hai'dra."

"Hmm, I would say I'm glad to meet you but so far now, all I've seen is weakness."

"Forced Chuckle, the Captain isn't feeling well, he has the fre'durn, a common virus on our home world."

"Hmm, you seem interesting for a shell, what do you do in your spare time?"

"I play strategy war games. Whenever I get to the SSS-900-C I play against simeon. He's a station shell but he's good at military strategy. All shellpeople have a hobby, it helps while away the hours. So are you shell people also?"

Chria flew past the drones, not picking up anything unusual. She and her wing man flew to one kilometer out from the disk and proceeded along it's length. Chria scanned the structure while her wing man scanned the surrounding area. The military sensors were stronger and more sensitive than those in the non-military ships.

Tia reviewed both the plates and what she had picked up from the drones. Nothing revealed itself about the language yet. "Alex, I'm going to try something."

"What?" he asked.

"I'm going to tightbeam the writing on these plates and see what the disk does."

"What if these aren't simply star maps? I mean what if they're something military, you might wind up just ticking them off", he said as he faced her column.

"How often do we leave military information lying around, even from completed missions? I doubt a more advanced civilization would be so careless."

"True, I guess we can give it a shot."

Tia opened a tight beam to the disk and transmitted the writing just as it appeared on the disk.

The hive creature had moved closer to the ships "looking" about for the source of food it had detected. Then suddenly 2 ships appeared, well drones, the creature was a little startled and then 2 other ships it could only sence had enterd the area. It was now confused and decided to investigate. Looking at the disc it looked pritty. Perhaps it could be played with? It moved closer and then stopped and took more notice of the spinning drones as they seamed to regain momentum. Like a small child it stared as they moved, it then opend comms again letting out a series of hoots and whistle's on an open comms channel while waiting for a responce it started doing loop the loop's in space for no apparent reason before stopping and simply looking around again. It extended its tenticles towards the drones for a second before looking more thoughtful and pausing its actions while considering its options.

ooc> Its a child.

The disk remained spinning, power still building up slowly in the centre.

...power flux continuing as expected...
...with more power from cells speed could be increased...
...negative, no need to activate generator quickly...
...confirmed, preparation for high power output need not be rushed...
...confirmed, potentiality of hostile ships being able to penetrate shields is low...
...confirmed, activate weapon systems anyway..?
...negative, craft surrounding have no fired upon Disk yet...


The power levels in the centre of the disk continued to rise slowly, with the remainder of the disk remaining at the same level of energy. Until, that is, the Central Worlds sent across the data discovered upon the world once occupied by the species that they named "EsKays".

Even before the sending of data was complete power levels increased rapidly until they were fully five times the levels that had been maintained prior to the information being sent.

The response was immediate, with a series of the glyphs facing the Central Worlds' ship flashing blue for only a second before another, somewhere else in their line of sight, activated before the light died down, and then echoed elsewhere along the section of the disk.

Several of the symbols that glowed so briefly are also noticeable on the artifact held by Central Worlds, and presumably hold some meaning to the Disk or its creators.

It was soon afterward that the energy level toward the central section of the disk peaked, flooding more power into the artifact as a whole, doubling the level that it was at just a few seconds before [[so ten times what it was after the shields deactivated]].

The level of energy currently maintained by the disk was frightening to say the least - if the shields that had proved so potent against debris cast out by the exploding gas giant was anything to go by, the energy levels were high enough to fully maintain a warship many times the size of the disk.

Throughout the energy increase the symbols continue to flash, more becoming obvious as the artifact turned. Perhaps a minute after the data transfer - after sixty glyphs had lit up temporarily, the docking port slid itself open, nothing inside, but an obvious invitation to dock. Whether or not that could be considered a wise thing is another matter entirely.

The response was immediate, with a series of the glyphs facing the Central Worlds' ship flashing blue for only a second before another, somewhere else in their line of sight, activated before the light died down, and then echoed elsewhere along the section of the disk.

Several of the symbols that glowed so briefly are also noticeable on the artifact held by Central Worlds, and presumably hold some meaning to the Disk or its creators.

It was soon afterward that the energy level toward the central section of the disk peaked, flooding more power into the artifact as a whole, doubling the level that it was at just a few seconds before [[so ten times what it was after the shields deactivated]].

The level of energy currently maintained by the disk was frightening to say the least - if the shields that had proved so potent against debris cast out by the exploding gas giant was anything to go by, the energy levels were high enough to fully maintain a warship many times the size of the disk.

Everyone in central worlds looked at their scanners in amazement. The admiral knew she was outclassed and by far would have been an understatement.

"Hypatia, what the hell was that?"

"I sent the symbols we had found on the EsKay dig, Admiral. Spark, spark get us disconnected, Moira has enough fuel for the jump home."

Throughout the energy increase the symbols continue to flash, more becoming obvious as the artifact turned. Perhaps a minute after the data transfer - after sixty glyphs had lit up temporarily, the docking port slid itself open, nothing inside, but an obvious invitation to dock. Whether or not that could be considered a wise thing is another matter entirely.

"SPARK, HURRY."

"Your going in there?" Alex asked.

"Yes, they're opening their door, it's an invitation", Tia replied.

"Hypatia, your to stay put", the Admiral ordered.

"I'm going inside, Admiral."

"Like hell, you don't know what's in there."

"What's in there is the answer I've been seeking since I was seven and the virus destroyed my nervous system."

There was a silence for awhile and then Micaya come on the com, "Hypatia ... Hypatia Cade? daughter of Brandon and Pota Cade?"

"Yes", was Tia's only reply.

"I play strategy war games. Whenever I get to the SSS-900-C I play against simeon. He's a station shell but he's good at military strategy. All shellpeople have a hobby, it helps while away the hours. So are you shell people also?"

"No, we're sencied AI, in avatars, more complex then your average AI, huh?" giggling

"You are millitary, you make me laugh, no offence ment, it's just that you spned your time piloting a millitary craft, and in your free time you play millitary games, chuckling, now that's interesting."

"I'm going inside, Admiral."

"What's in there is the answer I've been seeking since I was seven and the virus destroyed my nervous system."

There was a silence for awhile and then Micaya come on the com, "Hypatia ... Hypatia Cade? daughter of Brandon and Pota Cade?"

"Yes", was Tia's only reply.
As Tia moved a large drone moved into it's flight path, and over the coms, Alexial's voice cold be heard.

"I can't let you endanger yourself like this, not without doing something about it. If your going into that thing so am I, I don't know if it will alow my drone through, so I ask that you allow me to board you, and if you refuse, I have no choice but to force myself on you."

The drone then moved toward the hatch and waited for a reply.

"No, we're sencied AI, in avatars, more complex then your average AI, huh?" giggling

"You are millitary, you make me laugh, no offence ment, it's just that you spned your time piloting a millitary craft, and in your free time you play millitary games, chuckling, now that's interesting."

Pol couldn't help but laugh at that, "I never looked at it that way. Guess it's rather redundent pass time huh? But HEY. Tia studies archeology in her spare time. Now Helva and Carialle, they have real pass times. Helva has learned to control her voice and composes songs. They're beautiful. You should hear her reticulan croon. Softshells can't appreciate it as it uses sound spectrums beyond they're range but you can listen to it a hundred times and hear something new each time. Carialle paints. Simeon finally convinced her to do an exhibition. If we're done here in time, maybe you'd like to go to the station and see them. She does magnificent work."

As Tia moved a large drone moved into it's flight path, and over the coms, Alexial's voice cold be heard.

"I can't let you endanger yourself like this, not without doing something about it. If your going into that thing so am I, I don't know if it will alow my drone through, so I ask that you allow me to board you, and if you refuse, I have no choice but to force myself on you."

The drone then moved toward the hatch and waited for a reply.

Tia was no match for Alexial's power but she HAD to go. She HAD to have her answers.

The general's voice came over the com. "Take her with Tia, I would go but I can't leave Moira alone." No shell person was left alone by thier brawn unless they were on base or at station where they could talk to other shell people. Even shells get lonely.

"I can't allow her to go", came the Admiral's voice, "I won't allow it."

"You will", was the general's reply.

"I can't do that, Mic, she's a civilian and I'm military. I can't allow her to take that risk."

"Alright, since you want to play that card, I have four stars to your one that says she's going."

"Alexial", Tia said, "You'll need to take your avatar form." and she opened the airlock.

Porting from where he had been planting beckion number 12. "Still off. Pump off, disconecting tube now" And with now ferthier comment, he uses the device on his left arm, to blast the connecting tube. The resulting explosion is enough to burn out the closeist optocal sensors. "Ouch, I won't be doing that any time soon, Im going to port into your cargo bay, should be enough open room so that we don't need to worry about overlap." Upon hearing what Tia is trying to do, he says "You are the expert here, I'll go where you lede, And lend my firepower if needed."

As soon as the drone docked with Tia's ship Alexial made her way into her avatar and down into the airlock. When she was through, the drone disengaged and returned to the formation. The airlock doors opened slowly revealing a tall and elegant form. The being stepped through the door revealing a long feathered mane, with soft round scales leading away from her mane and down her neck and back. The hue of her skin was an enchanting pale greenish white while the scales where multicolored pearls of light. On her face stood two bright spheres the color of fire, and her lips where a soft rose-pink. Forming from angled shoulders stretched two long arms topped off with five long elegant fingers each ending with long clear talon. Down her body there seemed no end to her beauty. Her full breasts ended with pale pink nipples, her navel was as small as a robins egg. Her waist stretched into two long and strong legs, and her feet ended in five toes each ending with a short well groomed talon. As she stepped foward Alex's jaw dropped open, as she noticed Alex's reaction to her, she began to blush not in shame, but in courtesy.

"Uh, I suspect that you're Alex ... are those clothes for me?" Alexial asked while pointing to the clothes in Alex's hand.

Ducking to get under the hatchway, Spark enters the airlock to greet there new guest. (For those who haven't met him, he is Nine foot, four inches, Looks like a monkey, is wearing a orange jumpsuit over brown fur, and still has a hole in his chest where his self repair hasen't gotten around to closeing yet). Upon seeing Alexial, he bows and says "It is a plesure to meet you."

Ducking to get under the hatchway, Spark enters the airlock to greet there new guest. (For those who haven't met him, he is Nine foot, four inches, Looks like a monkey, is wearing a orange jumpsuit over brown fur, and still has a hole in his chest where his self repair hasen't gotten around to closeing yet). Upon seeing Alexial, he bows and says "It is a plesure to meet you."
After dressing, Alexial turned around to greet the old ape. "So you're the one that my worker drone was working with, I am pleased to meet you, but doesn't that hurt?" sad Alexial pointing at the wound in his chest.

"Thanks for the clothes Alex, they fit like a glove, don't you thik so" Alexial asked while modeling the skin tight suit.

Alex had forgotten about the clothes that she took out of his hand and had apparently forgotten his name and how to talk until a slot opened up near the floor and a worker bot rammed him the leg. "Hello, I'm Alex, it's a pleasure to meet you" he said, and with a standard greeting touched his hand to heart and then head, hitting his nose and wincing as tears welled in his eyes.

"Smooth Romeo", Tia said into his mastoid implant as he blinked his black and blue eyes rapidly.

The main cabin was a standard soft beige with carpeting, the only things that seemed out of place were the titanium column in the center of the room, the symbol painted on the wall and a blue teddy bear in a glass case opposite from the symbol.

Alex looked at the column, "Sorry", he muttered, then turn back to Alexial. Though he still couldn't stop his eyes from running over her graceful form and face he said, "I'm truly sorry, that was very rude of me."

"Spark", Tia said from the cabin speakers in her sultry voice, "thank you for volunteering to come. You don't have to if you don't want to, you can stay with Moria if you like.

Tia opened the speakers in the cabin to the com, "Alexial?" came the generals harsh voice, and then hesitated and in a softer tone said, "Thank you."

Alex had forgotten about the clothes that she took out of his hand and had apparently forgotten his name and how to talk until a slot opened up near the floor and a worker bot rammed him the leg. "Hello, I'm Alex, it's a pleasure to meet you" he said, and with a standard greeting touched his hand to heart and then head, hitting his nose and wincing as tears welled in his eyes.

"Smooth Romeo", Tia said into his mastoid implant as he blinked his black and blue eyes rapidly.

The main cabin was a standard soft beige with carpeting, the only things that seemed out of place were the titanium column in the center of the room, the symbol painted on the wall and a blue teddy bear in a glass case opposite from the symbol.

Alex looked at the column, "Sorry", he muttered, then turn back to Alexial. Though he still couldn't stop his eyes from running over her graceful form and face he said, "I'm truly sorry, that was very rude of me."

"Spark", Tia said from the cabin speakers in her sultry voice, "thank you for volunteering to come. You don't have to if you don't want to, you can stay with Moria if you like.

Tia opened the speakers in the cabin to the com, "Alexial?" came the generals harsh voice, and then hesitated and in a softer tone said, "Thank you."
Alexial answered the General's voice with, "It is my duty to prevent organics from endangering their lives, but even then, I still would have come."

Alexial answered Alex by waving her hand in a dismissive manner and said, "It's ok, realy, if my creator didn't want people looking at my body, he would have made me male, giggling, but I thank you for the apology all the same."

Suddenly Alexial began modeling again and said, "So, Tia, what do you think, your body could be like mine, giggling, or my creator could make a body similar to an adult form of your old body."

After dressing, Alexial turned around to greet the old ape. "So you're the one that my worker drone was working with, I am pleased to meet you, but doesn't that hurt?" sad Alexial pointing at the wound in his chest.
"Like you woulden't believe, even if I did shut down the pain sensors." Looking over the body she is in. "Not a bad frame. I might question its effectivness in combat, but asteticly pleasing if nothing else. If it isn't an offence, might I ask on how your were built?"

"Spark", Tia said from the cabin speakers in her sultry voice, "thank you for volunteering to come. You don't have to if you don't want to, you can stay with Moria if you like.

You were kind enough to aid me in my time of need, Its the least that I can do. Besidse, it might be fun.

Alexial answered the General's voice with, "It is my duty to prevent organics from endangering their lives, but even then, I still would have come."

Moira's voice came across the com from her speakers on the ship, "I'm reading 3 shuttles coming from the Victorious. One of them is headed this way."

"That'll be sis", the general replied, "Well good look to all of you, General Quester-Benn, out."

Suddenly Alexial began modeling again and said, "So, Tia, what do you think, your body could be like mine, giggling, or my creator could make a body similar to an adult form of your old body."

Alex couldn't help but look at Alexial as she modeled but as soon as she made her statement he stepped closer to her and slipped his hand into his pocket. He came out with slips of something and placed them in Alexial's hand. He looked at her as though trying to tell her not to say anything. What he slipped her were two pictures. One was of a lovely child with dark hair and blue eyes, the other was an extrapolation of the child if she had become an adult. A beautiful woman with long flowing auburn hair and deep blue eyes. He glanced guiltily at Tia's column and then made his way to the pilots seat.

You were kind enough to aid me in my time of need, Its the least that I can do. Besidse, it might be fun.

"I would just like to make one thing clear", Hypatia said, trying to zoom in on what was in Alexial's hand. "I'm going for answers. Though I would like to find the homeworld of what we call the EsKays, what I want more than anything is information on the virus that destroyed my nervous system. I don't want what happened to me to happen to anyone else."

"Like you woulden't believe, even if I did shut down the pain sensors." Looking over the body she is in. "Not a bad frame. I might question its effectivness in combat, but asteticly pleasing if nothing else. If it isn't an offence, might I ask on how your were built?"
"Luaghing, You'd be supprised by how strong I can be, this body isn't built specificaly for close-combat, but it does have it's advantages over organics." Alexial turned around to Alex and the shell in which Tia was held, "No, insult ment, hehe."
"As for how I was created, that is a two part question, first this frame was created in a synthetic's lab, where all synthetic bodies and limbs are created, as for what organics call the soul or personality, that was created by a loving and dedicted programer, the one my sister refers to as father."

Alex couldn't help but look at Alexial as she modeled but as soon as she made her statement he stepped closer to her and slipped his hand into his pocket. He came out with slips of something and placed them in Alexial's hand. He looked at her as though trying to tell her not to say anything. What he slipped her were two pictures. One was of a lovely child with dark hair and blue eyes, the other was an extrapolation of the child if she had become an adult. A beautiful woman with long flowing auburn hair and deep blue eyes. He glanced guiltily at Tia's column and then made his way to the pilots seat.

"I would just like to make one thing clear", Hypatia said, trying to zoom in on what was in Alexial's hand. "I'm going for answers. Though I would like to find the homeworld of what we call the EsKays, what I want more than anything is information on the virus that destroyed my nervous system. I don't want what happened to me to happen to anyone else."
"Perhaps, my people can help with that after we sign a peace accord, I'd hate to think of what my world would be like if we didn't virtually erradicate all viruses, and control all diseases." Alexial then put the pictures in one of the front poskets of the flight suit. "As for these EsKays, do you have an image of what they look like?"

"Perhaps, my people can help with that after we sign a peace accord, I'd hate to think of what my world would be like if we didn't virtually erradicate all viruses, and control all diseases." Alexial then put the pictures in one of the front poskets of the flight suit. "As for these EsKays, do you have an image of what they look like?"

Alex began the flight checks. Not that it was needed, but it was a curtesy both for the brawn to do so and the brain to allow it. Tia knew that it also gave him something to do.

"I'm afraid that we have no idea. The EsKays are on worlds with little to no atmosphere and it wasn't until recently that we even found these plates", she said and two of the walls showed pictures of metal plates and symbols like what was on the disk. They seemed to be star charts of unfamiliar systems. "We have found little else and nothing identifiable. As I said they're the biggest mystery we have."

"Check complete", Alex said and Tia began moving toward the disc.

"Are you sure you don't have an idea of how they looked." "Maybe, my people have encountered them, but without an image to go on, we realy can't help with your mystery unless you have some idea of what they looked or look like."

(OOC: Just make up a description, I have an idea)

"Are you sure you don't have an idea of how they looked." "Maybe, my people have encountered them, but without an image to go on, we realy can't help with your mystery unless you have some idea of what they looked or look like."

"We have no idea at all. That's one of the things I'm hoping to find out here. The symbols match and as you can see there was definitly a response, so hopefully there will be something inside that will tell us about them", Tia replied.

Alex stood up and opened a panel. He took out two small buttons and attached one to Spark's chest. The other he reached out to place on Alexial chest and his hands moved around a bit a few inches from her. "Uhh ... here", he said placing it in her hand, "it goes on the chest, like I did spark."

(OOC: Just make up a description, I have an idea)

(OOC - I originally was going to use this just as a background to get them into threads but The Arcane Order is working with me to have them be the EsKays which is really cool. I was never actually expecting to have anything work out with this past, so this is really great for me. Any descriptions I'll be leaving up to Arcane, so it'll be as much a surprise to me as to anyone else.)

(OOC: Ok Arcane I gotta plan with you then, I'll tg you with my plan)
IC:

Alexial took the button from Alex and put it just above ther left breast, she then asked, "What is this button for, Alex?"

[[Sure thing]]

Alexial took the button from Alex and put it just above ther left breast, she then asked, "What is this button for, Alex?"

"Don't worry", Alex said, grinning, "it doesn't mean we're married or anything."

Tia giggled and then her voice, though without the rich tones of the cabin system or a com system, but rather monotone and a bit tinny, came through the button. "The contatct buttons have a pin head camera, microphone and speaker. This way I can see what's going on, talk to you and hear you. Spark has one as well. I can also moniter life signs, though your's and Spark's case that won't make a difference. It also has a microscanner effective up to five meters."
She switched back to the cabin speakers, "Alex has optical implants so I can see through his eyes, a mastoid implant so I can communicate without others hearing and molar implant for him to talk to me. He can speak out loud or every brawn is taught how to subvocalize so as not to be heard should the situation call for it. It's just a way that I can keep an eye on everyone and see what's going on. Also it's a way of keeping in contact in situations where information from my databanks might be needed."

"Don't worry", Alex said, grinning, "it doesn't mean we're married or anything."

Tia giggled and then her voice, though without the rich tones of the cabin system or a com system, but rather monotone and a bit tinny, came through the button. "The contatct buttons have a pin head camera, microphone and speaker. This way I can see what's going on, talk to you and hear you. Spark has one as well. I can also moniter life signs, though your's and Spark's case that won't make a difference. It also has a microscanner effective up to five meters."
She switched back to the cabin speakers, "Alex has optical implants so I can see through his eyes, a mastoid implant so I can communicate without others hearing and molar implant for him to talk to me. He can speak out loud or every brawn is taught how to subvocalize so as not to be heard should the situation call for it. It's just a way that I can keep an eye on everyone and see what's going on. Also it's a way of keeping in contact in situations where information from my databanks might be needed."
"Oh, I get it, but the organics of my world don't need these, if they wish to talk without being heard they simply use telepathy to communicate, but sadily we sythetics don't have that skill, giggling, but it would be fun to have, thanks."

"Hey Alexial, I may not have telepathy, but I can 'dive', that means that I can communicte directly with you and other mechines using my 'ghost', it's similar to 'hacking in' but without the hard line." "And Tia, when will we reach the disk?"

"Luaghing, You'd be supprised by how strong I can be, this body isn't built specificaly for close-combat, but it does have it's advantages over organics." Alexial turned around to Alex and the shell in which Tia was held, "No, insult ment, hehe."
"As for how I was created, that is a two part question, first this frame was created in a synthetic's lab, where all synthetic bodies and limbs are created, as for what organics call the soul or personality, that was created by a loving and dedicted programer, the one my sister refers to as father."

"Interisting, our systems are hard wired into our frame, so were stuck in them, it must be nice to be able to change like that. But my question wqas directed more towords you personality, I was wondering if it was programed in, or if it developed over time from you interactions?

Alex stood up and opened a panel. He took out two small buttons and attached one to Spark's chest.
(OOC) Woulden't it have been easyer to put it somewere around his stomeic, Spark is a good three feet taller then Alex.

[[That's why you stretch ;) . If you get around to docking, the Living Metal in the docking port will link the ship to disk, allowing easier access (but also means that you cannot pull away). I'll post the interior of the disk first thing in the morning (GMT, that is) if you've got yourself inside. Bear in mind that the interior of the disk -is- a total vacuum (i.e. no atmosphere), and your sensors should be able to pick that up]]

"Interisting, our systems are hard wired into our frame, so were stuck in them, it must be nice to be able to change like that. But my question wqas directed more towords you personality, I was wondering if it was programed in, or if it developed over time from you interactions?
"It is a combination of the two, I was born wth a little of my fathers personality, but I devoloped into what I am today, if thats what you mean, then it would be a cross between the two. You see, you ask me as if I was a computer that knew everything about my origins and programing, but I am like an organic in the sence that my personality is a combination of many factors, so I am sorry I can not answer your question with more detail."

Spark nods as he listens to her response. "Actualy, we are programed simalerly we start with only the most basic of moter skills and lanuage. and then have to spend some time infront of a computer to help develop a basic personality, and much more time interacting with others to fully develop a personality."

"Oh, I get it, but the organics of my world don't need these, if they wish to talk without being heard they simply use telepathy to communicate, but sadily we sythetics don't have that skill, giggling, but it would be fun to have, thanks."

"We have a few telepaths, it's a rare trait among my people", Tia replied, "those who serve in one of the central worlds services are held in high esteem."

"You know", Alex said to Alexial, finally managing to keep his eyes on hers, or mostly at least, "since your doing Tia a favor we could arrange to have you fitted with implants like mine. Any ships com can be adjusted to access them and the subvocalizing would be easily taught. You and your sister could both have them implanted if you wanted, I'm sure it could be easily arranged.

"Oh YES!" Tia cried, "I'm sure Doctor Kenny would be happy to. He's the one that pushed the shell program into taking me even though I was too old by their previous standards.

"Hey Alexial, I may not have telepathy, but I can 'dive', that means that I can communicte directly with you and other mechines using my 'ghost', it's similar to 'hacking in' but without the hard line." "And Tia, when will we reach the disk?"

(OOC - Who was this talking by the way?)

"We're docking now, just as soon as I figure out how."

(OOC) Woulden't it have been easyer to put it somewere around his stomeic, Spark is a good three feet taller then Alex.

(OOC - I'm used to standard human size, but it's okay, Spark could have just leaned down or something. Slip up on my part, sorry about that.)

[[That's why you stretch . If you get around to docking, the Living Metal in the docking port will link the ship to disk, allowing easier access (but also means that you cannot pull away). I'll post the interior of the disk first thing in the morning (GMT, that is) if you've got yourself inside. Bear in mind that the interior of the disk -is- a total vacuum (i.e. no atmosphere), and your sensors should be able to pick that up]]

The ship rocked slightly and Alex dove for his seat, his hands dancing across the panel. "We're docked", Tia said, "but I won't be able to pull away. The living metal has linked to my lock. The disk is still showing a vacuum so you'll need your suit Alex. Alexial, there are spare suits if you require one." Alex went to the lock and open a panel next to it. The exterior was beige though the interior of the panels appeared to be gold. He pulled out his own suit and offered one to Alexial.

(OOC - I'm used to standard human size, but it's okay, Spark could have just leaned down or something. Slip up on my part, sorry about that.)
OOC No problem, it was just the thought of Alex streaching to try to put a button on somone that much taller then him struck me as funny.

In response to the information that they have been captuer docked, Spark's left arm once more shifts into the tesla coil like device, and his armor appers once more in a flas of orange light. (Not shure how much good it will do me, but at least it dosent have a hole going through it like Spark does.) "So, should we be woried by the fact tha if we need to get out in a hurry that I'm the only one that could?" (OOC got to love telaporters, even as inacuret is it would be.)

"I'm worried about Tia" was all Alex said as he put on his suit.

**Amidst all the commotion in the sector, a huge green flash of light erupts. It is a ship dropping out of warp. The ship looks like an enlarged Boeing 737 painted blue with flames covering the nose. The tailfin is red with black and white stripes going every which way, kinda like Eddie Van Halen's guitar. This ship hails from The Eardrum-Shattering Empire of Audio Assault. It's the AASS (Audio Assault Space Ship) Eddie Van Halen.**

Greetings, fellow space explorers! I'm Captain Mike Metalhed of the AASS Eddie Van Halen. We're here exploring space on behalf of Audio Assault and the Axis of Absurdity. We have no hostile intentions. Below are some specs of our ship.

AASS Eddie Van Halen
-Metal Avionics Model 4-B "Modified"
No. 30 of 42 built
Manufactured June 2004

Length: 87.5 Meters
Width: 8 Meters
Engines: (2) Warp-Tech model R-818 Warp engines
Plutonium Powered
Max Speed of Warp 12.2
(2) Liquid Hydrogen rocket motors for non-warp travel

Armament: High-Yield laser weapons and a small stash of Death Torpedoes

We'll now be on our way. We're on our way to Sector Z-7 to explore a planet that's strikingly similar to Earth. Good Day to all!

**The ship's warp engines power up, and the ship disappears in another green flash, with the stereo blaring "Blackened" by Metallica**

"I'm worried about Tia" was all Alex said as he put on his suit.
"So am I, even though I meet her only this day." was all Alexial cared to add

"Well I'm worried about everyone", Tia said, "I'm opening the lock unless you need that suit Alexial."

"Well I'm worried about everyone", Tia said, "I'm opening the lock unless you need that suit Alexial."
"Yes, thank you, although a synthetic can survive for limited times in the vacum space, but it's not preferd." Alexial then suited up in the suit and waited in the airlock. "Well in to the mouth we go, abandon all hope ye' who enter."

"Yes, thank you, although a synthetic can survive for limited times in the vacum space, but it's not preferd." Alexial then suited up in the suit and waited in the airlock. "Well in to the mouth we go, abandon all hope ye' who enter."

Tia closed the lock and depressurized the room as Alex chinned his suit com and looked at Alexial, "Well that doesn't make it sound healthy. Is that something from your people?" he asked Alexial.

"Oh for Ghu's sake, Alex, don't read the ancient texts we had brought when we colonized central worlds? It's from the poetry of Dante Alighieri. It's called The Divine Comedy - Inferno, from Canto III:


"Through me the way is to the city dolent;
Through me the way is to eternal dole;
Through me the way among the people lost.

Justice incited my sublime Creator;
Created me divine Omnipotence,
The highest Wisdom and the primal Love.

Before me there were no created things,
Only eterne, and I eternal last.
All hope abandon, ye who enter in!"

These words in sombre colour I beheld
Written upon the summit of a gate;
Whence I: "Their sense is, Master, hard to me!"

And he to me, as one experienced:
"Here all suspicion needs must be abandoned,
All cowardice must needs be here extinct.

We to the place have come, where I have told thee
Thou shalt behold the people dolorous
Who have foregone the good of intellect."

And after he had laid his hand on mine
With joyful mien, whence I was comforted,
He led me in among the secret things.

There sighs, complaints, and ululations loud
Resounded through the air without a star,
Whence I, at the beginning, wept thereat.

Languages diverse, horrible dialects,
Accents of anger, words of agony,
And voices high and hoarse, with sound of hands,

Made up a tumult that goes whirling on
For ever in that air for ever black,
Even as the sand doth, when the whirlwind breathes.

And I, who had my head with horror bound,
Said: "Master, what is this which now I hear?
What folk is this, which seems by pain so vanquished?"

And he to me: "This miserable mode
Maintain the melancholy souls of those
Who lived withouten infamy or praise.

Commingled are they with that caitiff choir
Of Angels, who have not rebellious been,
Nor faithful were to God, but were for self.

The heavens expelled them, not to be less fair;
Nor them the nethermore abyss receives,
For glory none the damned would have from them."

And I: "O Master, what so grievous is
To these, that maketh them lament so sore?"
He answered: "I will tell thee very briefly.

These have no longer any hope of death;
And this blind life of theirs is so debased,
They envious are of every other fate.

No fame of them the world permits to be;
Misericord and Justice both disdain them.
Let us not speak of them, but look, and pass."

And I, who looked again, beheld a banner,
Which, whirling round, ran on so rapidly,
That of all pause it seemed to me indignant;

And after it there came so long a train
Of people, that I ne'er would have believed
That ever Death so many had undone.

When some among them I had recognised,
I looked, and I beheld the shade of him
Who made through cowardice the great refusal.

Forthwith I comprehended, and was certain,
That this the sect was of the caitiff wretches
Hateful to God and to his enemies.

These miscreants, who never were alive,
Were naked, and were stung exceedingly
By gadflies and by hornets that were there.

These did their faces irrigate with blood,
Which, with their tears commingled, at their feet
By the disgusting worms was gathered up.

And when to gazing farther I betook me.
People I saw on a great river's bank;
Whence said I: "Master, now vouchsafe to me,

That I may know who these are, and what law
Makes them appear so ready to pass over,
As I discern athwart the dusky light."

And he to me: "These things shall all be known
To thee, as soon as we our footsteps stay
Upon the dismal shore of Acheron."

Then with mine eyes ashamed and downward cast,
Fearing my words might irksome be to him,
From speech refrained I till we reached the river.

And lo! towards us coming in a boat
An old man, hoary with the hair of eld,
Crying: "Woe unto you, ye souls depraved!

Hope nevermore to look upon the heavens;
I come to lead you to the other shore,
To the eternal shades in heat and frost.

And thou, that yonder standest, living soul,
Withdraw thee from these people, who are dead!"
But when he saw that I did not withdraw,

He said: "By other ways, by other ports
Thou to the shore shalt come, not here, for passage;
A lighter vessel needs must carry thee."

And unto him the Guide: "Vex thee not, Charon;
It is so willed there where is power to do
That which is willed; and farther question not."

Thereat were quieted the fleecy cheeks
Of him the ferryman of the livid fen,
Who round about his eyes had wheels of flame.

But all those souls who weary were and naked
Their colour changed and gnashed their teeth together,
As soon as they had heard those cruel words.

God they blasphemed and their progenitors,
The human race, the place, the time, the seed
Of their engendering and of their birth!

Thereafter all together they drew back,
Bitterly weeping, to the accursed shore,
Which waiteth every man who fears not God.

Charon the demon, with the eyes of glede,
Beckoning to them, collects them all together,
Beats with his oar whoever lags behind.

As in the autumn-time the leaves fall off,
First one and then another, till the branch
Unto the earth surrenders all its spoils;

In similar wise the evil seed of Adam
Throw themselves from that margin one by one,
At signals, as a bird unto its lure.

So they depart across the dusky wave,
And ere upon the other side they land,
Again on this side a new troop assembles.

"My son," the courteous Master said to me,
"All those who perish in the wrath of God
Here meet together out of every land;

And ready are they to pass o'er the river,
Because celestial Justice spurs them on,
So that their fear is turned into desire.

This way there never passes a good soul;
And hence if Charon doth complain of thee,
Well mayst thou know now what his speech imports."

This being finished, all the dusk champaign
Trembled so violently, that of that terror
The recollection bathes me still with sweat.

The land of tears gave forth a blast of wind,
And fulminated a vermilion light,
Which overmastered in me every sense,

And as a man whom sleep hath seized I fell"

"Ahhhmmm Yeah", Alex replied as the outer door opened.

"Softshells", muttered Hypatia.

Alexial then whispered into the button, well Alex doesn't look the one to read much, no insult ment, but it is still funny." "Shall we proceed, we should go before we change our minds." "And thanks Tia, for the reading of the most depressing poem ever made before we step into unknown territory."

Alexial then whispered into the button, well Alex doesn't look the one to read much, no insult ment, but it is still funny." "Shall we proceed, we should go before we change our minds." "And thanks Tia, for the reading of the most depressing poem ever made before we step into unknown territory."

Tia opened the outer door to allow them access to the disk as she said, "Well at least what I got from Alex was better than Simeon's response. When I recited all one hundred cantos to him all I got was a diddy about the two brothers named Luntz."

Hypatia took a scanner reading of the living metal as they passed into the disk.

"So Tia, are you going to keep us informed or keep us in the dark, given it's quite peaceful in here, I'd realy prefer to hear what's happening." As the Tia eased the ship in Alexial got an eerie feeling she had been here before, or if not in here then in a place very similar.

"So Tia, are you going to keep us informed or keep us in the dark, given it's quite peaceful in here, I'd realy prefer to here what's happening."

(OOC - Who is talking to her right now? You need to let me know who she's talking to.)

"Well", Tia replied "we were having an in depth discussion comparing the virtuous writings of Dante's Inferno and the two brothers named Luntz. Morbid as it may be, especially under the circumstances, it's my opinion that Dante wins hands down.

They are just entering the living metal corrider leading into the disk. I'm taking readings on the metal, so far nothing else."

"Well", Tia replied "we were having an in depth discussion comparing the virtuous writings of Dante's Inferno and the two brothers named Luntz. Morbid as it may be, especially under the circumstances, it's my opinion that Dante wins hands down.

They are just entering the living metal corrider leading into the disk. I'm taking readings on the metal, so far nothing else."
"No, I mean what's happening out side your hull? What's the atmosphere like? Is ther anything you can see?"

"Nothing that I can see. Nothing on my scans other than the energy moving toward the center of the disk. Atmospherics haven't changed so keep the suits on.
By the way, the suits thermal unit is adjustable. If the present standard is to hot or cold just adjust it on the suit control on your left arm. Thrusters are controlled on the chest plate. Your right arm control has medical emergency chem and stim packs. You might want to hit the upper left button for inventory and description. External suit lamp is left cheek switch. The straw to your right is water. Wastes are recycled by the suit, but hopefully we won't need to be in them that long. Center button on the belt is an emergency beacon. Hit that and the cavalry rides over the hill."

The interior of the disk has a strange, eerie and reverant feel about it, dully reflective metal forming walls, floor and ceiling. The archway just within the docking port is formed by a pair of statues, one to either side of the door, with arms outstretched that meet in the centre to form a simple triangular arch.

The figures that form the statues have a strange beauty about them, more in the careful crafting than the shapes themselves. The creatures depicted appear to be similar to humans, although with a difference muscle and bone structure in the arms (hands bearing two opposable thumbs, one of each side of the six fingers), and bone ridges hidden beneath the skin throughout the arms and torso. However, it is the head that is most different to the forms of humanity.

In some ways they are similar - nose, mouth, two eyes. The mouth itself bears a large likeness, although judging from the jawlines the bone structure is fairly different. A close analysis and knowledge of biology would suggest that the upper and lower jaws are each split in two, forming four seperate bone spines that would allow for greater chewing capability and phonetic ability, but reduced strength and durability of the jaw itself. The eyes are slightly larger than those of a human, with (judging from what can be seen in the light) vertical eyelids rather than horizontal (i.e. eyelids are on the sides of the eyes, and close horizontally). The eyeballs themselves have been replaced with perfect sapphires. The skull structure is the most significant difference. A prominant bone ridge starts under the eyebrows and sweeps up and back, following the crownline of the skull, and continues on to form the edges of an elongated skull. The head itself is wedge-shaped, the rear of the skull fanning out in layer upon layer of bone to protect the delicate brain within, although into the long, blunt forehead has been engraved one of the glyphs that are evident upon the outside of the disk. The features of the two statues are identical. The expression, if human facial configuration can be trusted, appears to be one of longing, mixed with determination and mourning.

As the explorers' gaze turns further down the corridor they could notice more statues rising from the walls, with arms held behind them as they hold their position as they have for centuries. These statues, however, all have different features - obviously the same race, but different individuals - one again, each has a symbol engraved into the forehead, a different one for each of the beings. Along the wall glyphs are set into the metal, glowing very faintly. Spaced frequently along the corridor are alcoves filled with the Living Metal, reflective like a mirror but obviously liquid. It gently stirrs and ripples to some unknown rhythm as the liquid metal continues the corridor walls (although slightly recessed into the alcove) and it is this substance that gives of the light, a shimmering silvery-white glow that fills the passage that echoes to the faint music of perfectly running machinery, a sound that somehow manages to sound like mechanised chanting.

Overall the atmosphere is that of a tomb, or a temple. It is hard to determine which, but it hard to shake of the feeling of being carefully watched, every movement recorded, each gesture noted and all words painstakingly pinned to a segment of data storage. The corridor leads straight ahead for perhaps forty metres, with other corridors branching off to follow the circular form of the structure every ten metres, alcoves containing living metal every four metres and and statues every two - each statue held above an alcove, the glow of living metal illuminating from beneath.

[[The corridor itself is three metres high, the alcoves are two, and the statues take up the rest of the height, with faces looking down]]

As he walks down the hall, spark stops to ltake a closer look at one of the statues, whos face is marred by the unmistakable ropey burn scars. Looking the statue eye to eye he says "You didn't get those from playing with matches, you were a solder wern't you? After he finishes saying this, he stand to attention, and suluites the statue, before turning to continue down the hall.

[[Rope burn scars? *Confused*]]

(OOC) ropey burn scars, burns tend to scar in a rather unusuall way, with raisd callises, the rope patern, along the edges.

[[Oh, you mean the ridges? Gotcha]]

"Are you recording these symbols?"

"I'm recording everything, Alex."

"Can you compare the symbols to the ones on the plates?"

"Working on it."

The DLE ship had stopped firing on the Hive creature, choosing to watch the others instead. The creature had proven harmless in its patterns of action, as it appeared to have no comprehension of the weapons fired at it. The crew was still not entirely sure this was wise, as they still remembered the ships they lost attempting such. There were things in this universe best left alone, and derelicts were often on that list.

"Sir, should we hail them?" Marlot asked.

"No. No need to distract them. But if anything goes wrong, target that disk and open fire with antimatter missiles. I've got a hunch our kind and the kind of those symbols have met before and that it wasn't a friendly meeting," Serlo said.

[[Question for DLE...how would the men aboard your ship know about the statues inside the disk?]]

The statue made no response to the comments from the nine-foot reploid, but then you would not expect a piece of decoration to react.

The faint hum of machinery continue in the background, echoing faintly through the corridors. The Living Metal continues to ripple gently, energy gliding through it. The sense of watchfulness continues, as if something was carefully monitoring those who had just entered.

The corridor ends in an alcove filled with Living Metal, much like those lining the corridor, although the statue above it appears to be the same individual depicted upon the two statues that form the entry arch.

Much like the sensation of watchfulness, the impression of a tomb or temple is hard to shake off, a reverant, almost worshipful attitude running throughout the structure, the sourceless emotion focused around the statues that rise from above the alcoves.

Along the corridor the other routes stretch, curving gently to follow the circular structure of the artifact, a similar design streching along them.

It is possible that there is some significance between the statues that rise from halfway up the wall that gaze toward the ceiling to those that rise above the alcoves that look down, but it would seem unlikely. The glyphs almost certainly hold some kind of importance and a large number of those on the foreheads of the statues are mirrored on the outer surface of the disk and upon the object held by Central Worlds.

OOC: They don't. I think it was a translation error on my part. I'll need to get out my English dictionary and make sure I translated the word right.

Edit: Fixed. I really need to think in English instead of my native tongue.

"I'm beginning to wonder", Tia said the group, "if these plates are star maps as were thinking of them."

"what do you mean?" Alex asked.

"Well a large number of the symbols on the statues are also on the outer surface and on the plates. Maybe it's not a star map in the sense we meant but a map to these disks."

"Showing where they're located."

"Precisely", Tia replied.

"Which must mean their important", asked said thinking.

"Yes. They could be tombs, but that would seem unlikely. They could be stasis vessels of some sort, but that wouldn't seem to be right either."

"Why can't they be one of those?"

"Not that they CAN'T, just unlikely. I mean if it's a tomb, then why? It would be far easier and less cost prohibitive just return the body. If it was a stasis chamber then why leave it out here and risk something destroying it?"

"True", Alex agreed, "what about a seed?"

"That's what I was thinking. It would make the most sense, especially if it would be vulnerable to things in an atmosphere. I'm also trying to run the symbols of the statues looking up and those down to see if theres a cooralation there."

Once they realise it, Tia and Alex might be interested to discover that, while many of the symbols upon the disk itself are present, every single symbol that adorns the forehead of a statue is present upon the chart.

The symbol that adorns the head of the statues forming the archway and the one at the end of the corridor appears upon the chart as well.

Each of the symbols borne by a statue appears only once, and is accompanied by several more symbols, much smaller. From the most that could be determined from the chart, it spans several galaxies (judging by differences is symbols and design).

Once they realise it, Tia and Alex might be interested to discover that, while many of the symbols upon the disk itself are present, every single symbol that adorns the forehead of a statue is present upon the chart.

The symbol that adorns the head of the statues forming the archway and the one at the end of the corridor appears upon the chart as well.

Each of the symbols borne by a statue appears only once, and is accompanied by several more symbols, much smaller. From the most that could be determined from the chart, it spans several galaxies (judging by differences is symbols and design).

Tia put the symbols into the upper right hand corner of the faceplates on Alex and Alexial's suits. "The symbols you see here are on the plates. EVERY symbol on the statues is on the plates, but not every symbol on the disk. I think these plates are directly related, though how I don't know yet. Hmm..."

compared her scanned map of the interior to the corridor they were in to see if the liquid metal between the statues opened into any rooms or corriders like doorways.

The corridor leads straight ahead for perhaps forty metres, with other corridors branching off to follow the circular form of the structure every ten metres

However, whether or not there are corridors behind the Living Metal cannot be determined. Really the only thing to run on is the height of the corridors, both the main corridor and the ones running off from it. These are all a uniform height of three metres, while the alcoves stand at two.

It is entirely possible that there is something behind the Living Metal, but it shows no signs of retreating to cover what it is hiding.

Tia put up a map of the nearby interior on the upper left of the suits visors with a blinking red indicating where they were and a green arrow indicating where to go. "I'm going to lead you to the center where all the energy is flowing toward, just be careful."

"Nothing that I can see. Nothing on my scans other than the energy moving toward the center of the disk. Atmospherics haven't changed so keep the suits on.
By the way, the suits thermal unit is adjustable. If the present standard is to hot or cold just adjust it on the suit control on your left arm. Thrusters are controlled on the chest plate. Your right arm control has medical emergency chem and stim packs. You might want to hit the upper left button for inventory and description. External suit lamp is left cheek switch. The straw to your right is water. Wastes are recycled by the suit, but hopefully we won't need to be in them that long. Center button on the belt is an emergency beacon. Hit that and the cavalry rides over the hill."
"A comforting thought, but who would be the cavalery, might it be you?"

"What a strange and frightening beauty, it reminds me some what of the cities of the Archratrite, but sadily they no longer ... never mind ... I don't want to go into that subject right now." Alexial slowly walked down the hallway taking great interest in the statues, as if remembering these very images before.

OOC: They don't. I think it was a translation error on my part. I'll need to get out my English dictionary and make sure I translated the word right.

Edit: Fixed. I really need to think in English instead of my native tongue.
(OOC: German, French, Spanish, or Itaian?)

"True", Alex agreed, "what about a seed?"

"That's what I was thinking. It would make the most sense, especially if it would be vulnerable to things in an atmosphere. I'm also trying to run the symbols of the statues looking up and those down to see if theres a cooralation there."
"Sorry for over hearing, but if this is a seed, don't you think it oculd possibley be a threat to other sencied life?" "After all, my kind meet a more advanced species, and they seemed not to want to coexist with anybody."

However, whether or not there are corridors behind the Living Metal cannot be determined. Really the only thing to run on is the height of the corridors, both the main corridor and the ones running off from it. These are all a uniform height of three metres, while the alcoves stand at two.

It is entirely possible that there is something behind the Living Metal, but it shows no signs of retreating to cover what it is hiding.
As Alexial bent towards the pool of living metal, something extrodinary happend she felt as if every nerve inher body was all fireing at once. And as quickly as teh sensation began it ended, overwhelmed by the event Alexial decided to leave it unreported, and moved away from the pool.

"Guy's wait up for me."

But as Alexial moved on she could think of nothing other then the pool, until ...

"A comforting thought, but who would be the cavalery, might it be you?"

Tia's heart clenched. If she could have cried, she would have, especially being held the way she was. "It's a broad band emergency transmitter that would reach the ships outside. THAT'S the cavalry I was referring to."

Alex looked over at Alexial, "That was unnecessarily cruel", his voice for the first time hard.

"Sorry for over hearing, but if this is a seed, don't you think it oculd possibley be a threat to other sencied life?" "After all, my kind meet a more advanced species, and they seemed not to want to coexist with anybody."

"So does that mean we should call in our fleets and attack yours now? By that very definition your a threat to us and since by your own admission you defeated a superior race then it is possible to win in a situation like that", Tia responded, still stinging from Alexial's earlier spiteful comment.

"Guy's wait up for me."

Angry as he was Alexes streak of chivalry made him stop to wait.

Tia's heart clenched. If she could have cried, she would have, especially being held the way she was. "It's a broad band emergency transmitter that would reach the ships outside. THAT'S the cavalry I was referring to."

Alex looked over at Alexial, "That was unnecessarily cruel", his voice for the first time hard.

"So does that mean we should call in our fleets and attack yours now? By that very definition your a threat to us and since by your own admission you defeated a superior race then it is possible to win in a situation like that", Tia responded, still stinging from Alexial's earlier spiteful comment.

Angry as he was Alexes streak of chivalry made him stop to wait.
"Uh, sorry, I ... I, have no excuse for my behavior, I can only ask you that you forgive me some time in the future."

With that said Alexial nearly droped down and cried, she knew what her people had done was wrong, but it was a fight for survival, how could Tia and Alex ever understand that. That, that billions of Dracon died at the hands of the Archratrite, who where cruel and explicit masters at their best and genociders in their worst. But instead she moved on silent, but for one word, "Yes."

When Alexial caught up with Alex she couldn't bring herself to look Alex in the eye instead she kept her eyes to the floor. "Thank you, I ... sorry." She then rushed off and took point.

I can't beleive that I just insulted one of my only freinds, what came over me?

"I'm sorry Alexial, that was uncalled for. I'm just frightened. Being held like this is like a softshell being chained to a wall. If your any example then I'm sure your people had a good reason to fight."

Alex strode forward to catch up to Alexial. He looked calm, almost too calm for someone in his situation. "I'm sorry too, I was harsh with you. I'm just very defensive of Tia."

"I'm sorry Alexial, that was uncalled for. I'm just frightened. Being held like this is like a softshell being chained to a wall. If your any example then I'm sure your people had a good reason to fight."

Alex strode forward to catch up to Alexial. He looked calm, almost too calm for someone in his situation. "I'm sorry too, I was harsh with you. I'm just very defensive of Tia."
"It's ok, I just feel out of myself in here, but as my custom I must make it up to you some way, whatever you want, I'll get it or do it for you, no if ands or buts, understand?" giggling

As Alex caught up with Alexial Alexial looked at Alex with eye's near the bursting point, "It's ok, I understand, and sympathize with you, if someone I only resently meet started insulting my creator or my sister, I too would be upset, and would react in such a way."

As Alexial walked on she cried silent tears of joy that her freinds forgave her so soon for what she unconsciously said.

"It's ok, I just feel out of myself in here, but as my custom I must make it up to you some way, whatever you want, I'll get it or do it for you, no if ands or buts, understand?" giggling

"I should have Alex teach you his zen techniques. He may not be widely read in literature but he's far from stupid and he practices two forms of martial arts. That means unarmed fighting where we come from. Both are defensive. He said he learned them because A&E doesn't allow it's ships to carry weapons but that doesn't mean you can't be defenseless. I've never seen him panic or get frightened."

As Alex caught up with Alexial Alexial looked at Alex with eye's near the bursting point, "It's ok, I understand, and sympathize with you, if someone I only resently meet started insulting my creator or my sister, I too would be upset, and would react in such a way."

"Well having a reason and having an excuse are two different things. That's a reason for me to act that way, but it certainly isn't an excuse", Alex replied. "Hey .... come on, look at me. Let me see those pretty eyes."

"I should have Alex teach you his zen techniques. He may not be widely read in literature but he's far from stupid and he practices two forms of martial arts. That means unarmed fighting where we come from. Both are defensive. He said he learned them because A&E doesn't allow it's ships to carry weapons but that doesn't mean you can't be defenseless. I've never seen him panic or get frightened."

"Well having a reason and having an excuse are two different things. That's a reason for me to act that way, but it certainly isn't an excuse", Alex replied. "Hey .... come on, look at me. Let me see those pretty eyes."
"Your wish is my command Tia, giggling, and after that perhaps I should teach him Drak'qui'cho, what you would consider our martial art."

When Alex asked Alexial to look at him, she wished she could wipe her eyes but looked him in the eyes any way, and aske, "I hope that's not all you've been looking at." Alexial then began to laugh so hard she cried, it helped to cover the tears of sadness.

"Your wish is my command Tia, giggling, and after that perhaps I should teach him Drak'qui'cho, what you would consider our martial art."

"I'm sure he'd like that. It would be a cultural exchange as well. The disciplines and forms tell alot about a culture."

When Alex asked Alexial to look at him, she wished she could wipe her eyes but looked him in the eyes any way, and aske, "I hope that's not all you've been looking at." Alexial then began to laugh so hard she cried, it helped to cover the tears of sadness.

He smiled, "Not hardly. Your figure would catch any eye." He reached out and squeezed her arm lightly, "Thank you."

"Of course", Tia said then, "considering the looks of his teacher I think it would take him a long time learn since his concentration would be shot all the time" and she giggled.

"I'm sure he'd like that. It would be a cultural exchange as well. The disciplines and forms tell alot about a culture."

He smiled, "Not hardly. Your figure would catch any eye." He reached out and squeezed her arm lightly, "Thank you."

"Of course", Tia said then, "considering the looks of his teacher I think it would take him a long time learn since his concentration would be shot all the time" and she giggled.
"Yes, well Drac'qui'cho is less of a disipline and more like a lack of being."
"Yeah, well, my creator did make this form atractive for a reason, it'd be a shame if no one appreciated it, no? When they all stoped laughing and caught their breath they began their exploration again.

"Hey, where's uh, what'his'name, Sparks, where is he?"

"Hey, where's uh, what'his'name, Sparks, where is he?"

"He should be around here somewhere, it's hard to misplace him. At least I hope he's around here, he's a mechanical wunderkind", Alex replied looking around.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Admiral's shuttle docked as the other two retrieved the bots. Anastice cycled through the airlock and then removed her helmet. Micaya stood, looking at her sister, "To what do I owe the pleasure of the Admiral's visit?" she asked.

"You know damn well. What was that stunt? You put the lives of innocent people in danger."

"I did what I had to, besides, Hypatia has alot more information than we do."

"That's bull and you know it."

"Is it? Who's inside?" Micaya asked.

"With no weapons."

"And with the power that thing is putting out you think you have a chance of getting close with that flying fortress?"

"More of a chance than they do."

"Your wrong Ana. Sometimes no force is better than any weapon you could have at your command."

Anastice stood staring at Micaya, "Why do you do these things? What is it in you that needs to go against the grain?"

Micaya walked to the galley and grabbed two cans of coffee, broke the heat seals and handed one to Anastice. "Something you'll never understand."

"Then MAKE me understand. I've gone over everything in my record. You bribed, conjoled and bullied me into going for officer training in fleet. You pulled strings to get me high profile, low risk assignments. Yet you hate me."

"HATE you", Micaya said in amazement, "hate you? I love you sis, that's why I did those things."

"Then why are you so distant?"

"To protect you."

"From what?"

"Don't worry about it", Micaya said and sat down.

"I'm not leaving here till you tell me."

Micaya looked at her sister. She had watched over her, protected her for over four decades. Sometimes she thought she shouldn't have, but she couldn't help it. Was it time to tell her the truth? Micaya sighed and looked over at Moria. "Open ranking officer, eyes only file under my code, please. Display on wall screen." She looked at her sister. "Read this."

"I'm here, just went down one of the side paths. Just more of the same, lots of statues and quick-silver. And Alexial, as my frame was orginally built for heavy combat, I think that I can handle being the cavalery.

"Well that or we can call in the legion. The Victorious has 300 legionaires on board aside from the 300 wraith fighters and it's armament. The only problem is it's an eternity between signal and rescue." Alex looked at Spark, "But I'm glad your here. When we reach the center do you think you can figure out thier computers? I'm assuming that's what's waking up first anyway."

Within the disk the AIs were silently discussing the turn of events, analysing the visitors and the warship waiting outside.

...one mecha entity, designed to appear as orga...
...one species homo, genus sapien...
...one unknown, manufactured orga. Body design sturdy, but intention of design for appearance over functionality...
...mentality containment..?
...high probability, body is not natural design, most orga entities becomes emotionally attached to prime form...
...confirmed, unless body design is built around original form of orga entity in question...
...confirmed, but actions seem to denote Mechanised Intellect...
...confirmed. Primitive design...
...more advanced than many...
...but compared to us..?
...confirmed, but we were created by the Ancient and Venerable Masters, and they built us well...
...confirmed...
...they seem to be considering the possibility that the disk is a seed of some kind...
...peculiar thought...
...indeed, reasonable guess, if very incorrect...
...what of the warship..?
...we could defeat it with only minor difficulty...
...confirmed, this Disk is like the others of its design...
...confirmed, we can stand against a fleet long enough for our Master to arrive, if necessary...
...the subjects speak of waking war upon the disk...
...do you consider that they have some form of weaponry we are unaware of..?
...it is unlikely, but there is a small possibility...
...we shall be wary...
...what of the ship docked with us..?
...it is peculiar...
...certainly an interesting subject for analysis...
...confirmed, combination of orga and mecha, not unlike the Ancient and Venerable Masters in that respect...
...confirmed, but more primitive. Lack of shielding and heavy armour plating, no weaponry detected, no Living Metal detected, the list goes on...
...very ingenious design though...
...confirmed, for a young race they have developed surprisingly well...
...confirmed...
...what to do about the craft..?
...it is locked to the disk, we could investigate..?
...proceed, we will maintain examination of internal subjects...
...confirmed...
...shall we alert them to our presence..?
...negative, if the mecha-orga mind inside the locked craft notices our presence, it is a simpler method...
...have we decoded their language..?
...94.762% probability of total language consideration, as extrapolated from speech and surface thoughts. Still analysing...
...surface thoughts..?
...one of the Master's devices left in our care, cannot delve further nor pick up any considerations, but useful for emotion, language and similar...
...interesting...
...confirmed...

Tia might, if she was paying attention to the disk itself, rather than merely the corridors that her brawn and friends are heading down, feel a faint tendril of thought touching hers, as if looking for a way into the ship. Whatever the mind is, it is incredibly complex - that could be determined even from the faint consideration that brushed against her mind.

To those walking the corridors, the sense of being watched increases as they get closer to the centre. Some of the statues also seem familiar - the entities depicted have already have statues back along the route. Other than this, the corridors have not changed, except that there are no noticeable ends to the curving corridors - it would appear that they go the entire way around the disk.

"All right you two, knock it off. I told you we're not here for fighting, that was part of the deal", Tia told them, "I want answers and from what I'm reading the Victorious wouldn't stand a chance of getting within five klicks."

Tia might, if she was paying attention to the disk itself, rather than merely the corridors that her brawn and friends are heading down, feel a faint tendril of thought touching hers, as if looking for a way into the ship. Whatever the mind is, it is incredibly complex - that could be determined even from the faint consideration that brushed against her mind.

To those walking the corridors, the sense of being watched increases as they get closer to the centre. Some of the statues also seem familiar - the entities depicted have already have statues back along the route. Other than this, the corridors have not changed, except that there are no noticeable ends to the curving corridors - it would appear that they go the entire way around the disk.

(OOC - I need a couple of clarifications before I can respond to these. For Tia are they using telepathy or getting in through her link to the computer systems of the ship (like a worm program)?

For the others it says 'the sense of being watched increases as they get closer to the centre' but it also says 'there are no noticeable ends to the curving corridors - it would appear that they go the entire way around the disk'. Are they getting closer to center or are they going in circles. My impression is they're getting closer to the center but I want to be sure.)

[[Very quick msg, as I'm off in a sec.
With Tia there is only one AI trying to get in atm. It is using electronic methods, so more like a worm program than anything else - I'm running along the idea that the AI is trying to access the ship through her thoughts running through the craft itself, if that's wrong let me know and I'll re-write the post tomorrow.
Bear in mind that it is an advanced form of AI, produced by designing the best form of AI that the Masters could, then using that to produce the next grade up and so on and so forth.

The corridos go around in circles, but if the innermost one is followed around far enough it will lead to a corridor heading toward the centre, then follow another curving corridor around and it will lead to another. The corridors are not designed to be misleading or confusing, it just seems to be a part of Arcanite architecture/design possibly serving some other purpose as well.

There are around fifty different individuals depicted by the statues, if you find that useful. Also the charts that Tia has would most likely not be very complex - Arcanite recordings of that sort tend to be more an idea of an area and its traits rather than a perfect depiction of a region (they would use electronic recording for precision)]]

Anastice watched what footage there was and read the report then stood, lost in her own thoughts. Micaya approached Moira and in low voice asked her to check on Foster.

Moira opened a line to Nai'ra, "Hi, it's Moira. I was wondering how my brawn is doing."

Anastice looked over at Micaya, "Why didn't you tell me?"

Micaya sat down, sipped her coffee and looked up again, "You were in the care of central worlds, essentially. Yeah I sent the money I made in the service but I couldn't be there for you."

"YOU paid for my boarding and school?"

"Well where did you think it came from? But central took care of you otherwise and with mom and dad taken away from us, you needed something to believe in. How could I take that away from you as well?"

Anastice moved over and sat down next to her sister. "Why did they give the withdraw order? There were still civilians in the area of conflict. Mom and Dad were still there."

Micaya nodded, "I know", she said in a low voice.

Anastice looked into her sister's pain filled face. "You were there", she said breathlessly.

Micaya nodded again. "Central ordered the withdraw. I looked for Mom and Dad as long as I dared before the troop shuttles lifted."

"You were losing."

Micaya shook her head this time, "We were fighting a retreat, yes. But reinforcements were 42 hours away. We could have lasted and kept the civilians alive."

Anastice sat just looking at the floor.

"I'm sorry Ana. You needed something to believe in then. I guess I shouldn't have protected you as long as I had. I didn't know what else to do."

"I'm here, just went down one of the side paths. Just more of the same, lots of statues and quick-silver. And Alexial, as my frame was orginally built for heavy combat, I think that I can handle being the cavalery.
"So that makes me and Alex Infantry, I supose?"

Anastice watched what footage there was and read the report then stood, lost in her own thoughts. Micaya approached Moira and in low voice asked her to check on Foster.

Moira opened a line to Nai'ra, "Hi, it's Moira. I was wondering how my brawn is doing."

Anastice looked over at Micaya, "Why didn't you tell me?"

Micaya sat down, sipped her coffee and looked up again, "You were in the care of central worlds, essentially. Yeah I sent the money I made in the service but I couldn't be there for you."

"YOU paid for my boarding and school?"

"Well where did you think it came from? But central took care of you otherwise and with mom and dad taken away from us, you needed something to believe in. How could I take that away from you as well?"

Anastice moved over and sat down next to her sister. "Why did they give the withdraw order? There were still civilians in the area of conflict. Mom and Dad were still there."

Micaya nodded, "I know", she said in a low voice.

Anastice looked into her sister's pain filled face. "You were there", she said breathlessly.

Micaya nodded again. "Central ordered the withdraw. I looked for Mom and Dad as long as I dared before the troop shuttles lifted."

"You were losing."

Micaya shook her head this time, "We were fighting a retreat, yes. But reinforcements were 42 hours away. We could have lasted and kept the civilians alive."

Anastice sat just looking at the floor.

"I'm sorry Ana. You needed something to believe in then. I guess I shouldn't have protected you as long as I had. I didn't know what else to do."
Nai'ra, quietly listened to their talk and when it seemed to be over she answered, "Your, Well your 'brawn' Foster seems to be taking to the treatment, it was actually simpler then we intionally thought, he'll be fine in an hour, and I could help but over hear, I ... send my condulances." Nai'ra then closed coms and began to drift to sleep.

(OOC - sorry for such few posts, busy at work today. Be able to do a better full post in about 2 hours)

The corridos go around in circles, but if the innermost one is followed around far enough it will lead to a corridor heading toward the centre, then follow another curving corridor around and it will lead to another. The corridors are not designed to be misleading or confusing, it just seems to be a part of Arcanite architecture/design possibly serving some other purpose as well.

"So that makes me and Alex Infantry, I supose?"

Alex grinned at Alexial's comment. "Yeah, we're the ground pounders." He checked the map in the upper left hand corner of his visor, "Hey, Tia, are we actually getting anywhere?"

"Yes actually", she replied as she put a larger portion up from her position to them. "The corriders seem to follow a sort of pattern. A curve to a corrider leading inward then a curve then a corrider inward, the curves becomming smaller and smaller."

Alex nodded and continued on as Tia shrunk the map to show thier location and immediate area.

There are around fifty different individuals depicted by the statues, if you find that useful. Also the charts that Tia has would most likely not be very complex - Arcanite recordings of that sort tend to be more an idea of an area and its traits rather than a perfect depiction of a region (they would use electronic recording for precision)

"I wonder if the statues depict religious icons, founding fathers or heros", Hypatia speculated. "There are about fifty different ones in all of the same type of race."

"They could, or they could be the designers", Alex replied.

"I wish I knew more about thier culture, things would be a bit easier then. I've also noticed that the charts don't show depictions of regions but rather traits of the regions."

"How did you come by that?"

"Well it shows this region. The accidental explosion forming the star gives me a contrast for comparison."

With Tia there is only one AI trying to get in atm. It is using electronic methods, so more like a worm program than anything else - I'm running along the idea that the AI is trying to access the ship through her thoughts running through the craft itself, if that's wrong let me know and I'll re-write the post tomorrow.
Bear in mind that it is an advanced form of AI, produced by designing the best form of AI that the Masters could, then using that to produce the next grade up and so on and so forth.

Suddenly alerts went off as the Simeon worm program activated. It made itself into a virual reality in the mainframe in order to expedite commands using an interface designed by simeon himself. As it came online Simeon appeared on an open land with shrubs forming corridors. He looked to be about 15 with blue jeans, a sweatshirt and a baseball cap. In his hand he carried a bat. "Here boy!", he shouted and a huge red dog came bounding from one of the pathways, "Yeah boss. Here I am, here I am."

"Hey pretty lady", he addressed Tia, "you seem to have a bug problem."

Tia began to panic again, knowing that the program Simeon had given her was for worms.

"GO RED!" he ordered and the big red dog took off. Simeon rested the bat against his hip and reached up to turn his cap around backwards then picked up the bat again. "Time for some huntin", he said in a southern drawl and headed off after Red, the landscape shifting and changing.

The virtual program was a masterfully crafted program by the shell person Simeon of space station 900-C and had been used very effectively against the Kolnari pirate worm program. The 'dog' was a search program to locate the worm in the many systems of the complex computers. Simeon was the master program that evaluated all data. The bat was virus program designed to infect and destroy the worm programs. The changing scenery were numerous programs designed to make important main programs look like inconsequencial subroutines while those very subroutines and even ghost programs were made to look like main programs. The virtual reality setup was so that it would be easier for Tia to follow the progress.
(OOC - The worm would look like a worm in the simulation. The apparent size in the virtual reality landscape would depend on the computing power behind the worm in question. What it looked like would depend on its purpose. The Kolnari program grabbed data, stored it in banks and then destroyed in the computer in question so it looked like a huge red worm with rows of razor sharp teeth.)

As soon as the program was activated the com system sent a message to Simeon via hyperwave link. It was a short, simple message. "Bugs eat the dead, not the living." That was Simeons que that his program had gone off and that someone might be in trouble.

Tia cut in over the buttons and suit coms, "ALEX! THEY'RE TRYING TO INFULTRATE WITH A WORM PROGRAM!"

Alex stopped, not sure what to do. Head back to Tia? Continue on and hope I can find the source? He looked at Alexial and Spark, his face, for the first time showing something other than calm confidence. He was close to complete panic.

Alex grinned at Alexial's comment. "Yeah, we're the ground pounders." He checked the map in the upper left hand corner of his visor, "Hey, Tia, are we actually getting anywhere?"

"Yes actually", she replied as she put a larger portion up from her position to them. "The corriders seem to follow a sort of pattern. A curve to a corrider leading inward then a curve then a corrider inward, the curves becomming smaller and smaller."

Tia cut in over the buttons and suit coms, "ALEX! THEY'RE TRYING TO INFULTRATE WITH A WORM PROGRAM!"

Alex stopped, not sure what to do. Head back to Tia? Continue on and hope I can find the source? He looked at Alexial and Spark, his face, for the first time showing something other than calm confidence. He was close to complete panic.
"Alex you go on I'll head back, being an AI, I'll be more usefull weeding out a worm program." With that said Alexial then leaned against a statue for support and 'dived' into Tia's systmes. It was quite some time until she entered the program that Tia was trapped in at the moment, she then began to furiously decript, decode, and track the little worm program before it did anymore harm. What seemed to be an eternity passed by tracking the program until she finally found it, "Tia it's me Alexial, I found the worm, but it's going to take me a while to delete it, even with your help. So just shut down all none emergency systems and run on reserses, I should have it squashed in just a moment."

"Alex you go on I'll head back, being an AI, I'll be more usefull weeding out a worm program." With that said Alexial then leaned against a statue for support and 'dived' into Tia's systmes. It was quite some time until she entered the program that Tia was trapped in at the moment, she then began to furiously decript, decode, and track the little worm program before it did anymore harm. What seemed to be an eternity passed by tracking the program until she finally found it, "Tia it's me Alexial, I found the worm, but it's going to take me a while to delete it, even with your help. So just shut down all none emergency systems and run on reserses, I should have it squashed in just a moment

Alex continued, now picking up to a steady loping gate that ate up distance while still leaving him relatively unwinded.

Simeon opened the virtual program to Alexial and looked at the newcomer. "Hubba, hubba", he said eyeing her, "I wish all worms looked like you."

"Alexial", came Tia's voice, "Simeon is a program here, one designed to combat worm programs. But the programmer is Simeon, a shell person who runs a space station. Sorry about his reaction but it runs his personality."

Within Tia's systems

Should be able to and would be able to are two very different things, as Alexial is likely to find out. The trail of artificial thought was easily defeated and countered. Unfortunately the AI, now within the system, now revealed itself spread throughout most of the files, copying basic data - it was not after anything vitally important to anything but itself. It was only after one thing, knowledge of the nation who built the ship.

The way it though of itself, however, was certainly not what one would expect. It had no concept of itself either as a living entity or a machine but rather as wisps of thought held together by a single conciousness, drifting through files and data.

A moment later, the AI moved to leave the ship, forming up its thought as it headed toward the closest escape.


Aboard the Disk

The deeper that the explorers go into the disk the more differences would become evident. The differences are not large, but they could easily be noticed. The ceiling becomes more vaulted, forming a curving archway rather than a flat side and the symbols upon the walls become more numerous. Faint designs become noticeable on the floor and the Living Metal stirrs more.

As their scanner-based map would suggest, they are getting closer to the centre, and closer, perhaps, to information.

As the coil that has replaced his left arm starts to glow incandesintly, Spark asks. "Miss Cade, should this worm be considerd an act of agression, to be responded in kind, or mearly being intersted in you?

(OOC The device on his hand is glowing like that due to the several hundred megawhatts of power being pumped into it's capacters, if it was in an atmosphere, it would look far more impressive, due to the St. Elmos fire the would be formed by the energy leakage. At its current level of charge, it will burn through several inches of titanum armor with a mix of high voltage electricity and superheated plasma.)

Within Tia's systems

Should be able to and would be able to are two very different things, as Alexial is likely to find out. The trail of artificial thought was easily defeated and countered. Unfortunately the AI, now within the system, now revealed itself spread throughout most of the files, copying basic data - it was not after anything vitally important to anything but itself. It was only after one thing, knowledge of the nation who built the ship.

The way it though of itself, however, was certainly not what one would expect. It had no concept of itself either as a living entity or a machine but rather as wisps of thought held together by a single conciousness, drifting through files and data.

A moment later, the AI moved to leave the ship, forming up its thought as it headed toward the closest escape.

The virtual Simeon leaned his bat against his hip, removed his cap and scratched his head. "Well that fardling bizarre. It hasn't damaged any of your systems. It didn't remove any files. It didn't go into anything vitally important. It just copied some files and left. Could have at least brought a cake." Simeon then picked up his bat and looked at Red. "Go to bed", he told it and it disappeared. He looked over at the virtual Alexial, turned his cap around, leaned on his and asked, "So what's an AI like you doing in a reality like this?" and waggled his eyebrows.


Aboard the Disk

The deeper that the explorers go into the disk the more differences would become evident. The differences are not large, but they could easily be noticed. The ceiling becomes more vaulted, forming a curving archway rather than a flat side and the symbols upon the walls become more numerous. Faint designs become noticeable on the floor and the Living Metal stirrs more.

As their scanner-based map would suggest, they are getting closer to the centre, and closer, perhaps, to information.

Tia accessed the buttons and suit coms again, "Okay, it's left. It looks as though it was looking for basic information about Central Worlds. My guess is it was just trying to get to know us. Kind of rude if you ask me but it seems the more superior you are the less you have to worry about manners. I wonder if that's a rule that's written somewhere. If it is then Central needs to stop being so curteous."

"Well I'm still considering it a hostile act. It's holding you, now it's probing you."

"It invited us in, Alex. You have to expect it to be curious. Especially when we used it's language."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Something began screaming for Simeons attention on the SSS-900-C. "Jeeeez, okay, okay, hold up your britches." Simeon opened the com and heard the message. He IDed the sender and opened the com to Channa's room, "HEY, I need you, pronto."

Channa pushed Amos off of her and leapt out of bed. She grabbed her robe and stormed into the main room. "WHAT have I TOLD you about BARGING in." She glared at his column accusingly.

"CAN IT CHANNA!"

Simeon's unusual behaviour quieted her and she just looked at the column askance.

"Tia sent a message, or rather my worm program did. Someone's breaking into her system."

Channa almost literaly threw herself into the chair at her desk and activated the computer terminal. "Who's in the area?"

"Moira and the Victorious and a host of other, unknown, races."

Channa glanced back at Simeon, " Well at least the fleet is there."

"No, just the Victorious."

Now Channa turned and faced him again, "Alone? What is that about?"

"Hey", Simeon replied, "don't shoot the messanger."

"Well", Channa said as she turned back to her moniter, "at least help is there."

"Yeah, it might be good, but I don't think so. I mean the Victorious has been there for awhile and she's only sending a message now."

"I'm contacting Central", Channa told him.

"I'm going to link up with her and see if I can't bring the station's computational power to bear."

That said they both began thier tasks.

As the coil that has replaced his left arm starts to glow incandesintly, Spark asks. "Miss Cade, should this worm be considerd an act of agression, to be responded in kind, or mearly being intersted in you?

"No, Spark, not aggression. At least I don't think so." Her contact button read the energy level of the coil. "But that coil you have at least gives me an idea. An option for getting out of here..."

As the coil returns to idle, he asks, "What is your plan miss Cade?"

As the coil returns to idle, he asks, "What is your plan miss Cade?"

"Not on an open channel, Spark. You two are almost to the center, wait for Alexial to catch up."

Tia continued to make comparisons, using the symbols to try to match to the traits of the system even. "Well Ted, I'm about out of ideas", she said to the blue bear in the glass case. He seemed to be looking at her in sympathy. "What do you think?" she asked him. "I mean a map that shows traits in a region and not details? I mean this thing looks like a resource map." Suddenly something clicked...

"I wish I knew more about thier culture, things would be a bit easier then. I've also noticed that the charts don't show depictions of regions but rather traits of the regions."

Traits .... resources .... power .... 'Where would you keep your tools? In a barn. And you would lock the barn.' "I think you have something there Ted."

"Alex, Ted just had an idea." Alex knew what she meant. She sometimes just spoke to him. Idle conversation, and would stumble across ideas when she did. They never mentioned Ted having Ideas to the psych counselers of course because they would take it literaly. "The plates show traits in the system."

"So you said, but what about it?"

"Traits, Alex, resources. What if this disc houses equipement to gather those resources. Harvesting machines."

"Soooo, what? We walked into farmer Browns field and now we're taking a tour of the barn?"

"It would fit. I mean if your going to gather things from a system you would keep the tools there. We do it."

Alex stopped. Tia was right. Everything would fit in that scenario. "Well if that's the case then I'd hate to by around when the scythe starts to swings."

Tia might not know for certain, but she was startlingly close to the real purpose of the disk, and at the same time startlingly incorrect. While it was indeed true that the Ancient and Venerable Masters would strip-mine a system for its resources without a qualm – regardless of whether or not it was inhabited – that was not the purpose of the Disk.

What the disk was was something else. It had a part to play in the Harvesting, but not that of the harvester. The Ancient and Venerable Masters had other devices to do that.

It might prove interesting that on the charts this particular system is only marked by a small symbol, and several smaller ones beneath that. The traits are more like markers, they do indeed list resources using the smaller symbols (the main one representing the system and, presumably, the disk is echoed many times throughout the plates), but the symbols upon the statues are far more prominently displayed, each a long distance (relatively speaking) from each other.

The corridors continue to change in form, becoming more and more like tomb or temple with patterns and designs inscribed into the vaulted ceilings and the shapes and lines upon the floor become more frequent. It is almost as if the outer corridors were functional, with something important at the centre of the disk.

At some point (probably after turning into a corridor) the trio pass some invisible marker, possibly a form of shielding technology that does not appear in the visible light spectrum, and an atmosphere is present within the section. The atmosphere is heavy in nitrogen, but otherwise remarkably similar to that of a Terran world. At this point the temperature increase could be noted – either due to the huge amount of power running through the disk (the reason still unknown) or as it is the natural temperature for whatever species created the artefact.

At this point the three explorers would be only twenty or thirty metres walk from the final turning into the central chamber.

an atmosphere is present within the section. The atmosphere is heavy in nitrogen, but otherwise remarkably similar to that of a Terran world. At this point the temperature increase could be noted

"I'm detecting an atmosphere. It's similar to our own but high in nitrogen. You can switch the suits to external supply and preserve your own. The suit will filter the nitrogen out. I'm also detecting an increase in temperature, but I would leave the suit heaters on for now. Approximitly twenty meters to the final turn."

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Channa turned to Simeon, "Central will have the fleet finish up with the Kolnari then send them to Hypatia's location."

Simeon connected to Hypatia only to find the program no longer running. "What's going on, I got a message that my worm program activated."

"Something tried to get in but it left", she replied and sent a databurst with all that occured up to this point.

Simeon whistled, "Your in for a major bonus on this one, T. Channa has contacted central, reinforcements will be sent as soon..."

"NO. Simeon no, don't let them send them. The disc is extremely powerful, note the readings I got. And I'm currently inside it's dock with Alex and two freinds inside the disc itself."

"Fardling .... okay, I'll try to call off the dogs." Simeon left his link open and turned his attention to Channa. He scrolled the information onto her screen, "Tia says don't send anyone, the disc is to powerful and she, Alex and couple of others are inside the thing."

"DAMN, okay", Channa opened the channel to central again to give them the update and the request.

Once the final turn is passed they find themselves in the central chamber. The circular room is approxomately twenty metres across - fully a fifth of the disk's diameter, approxomately fifty statues - each different, each familliar from the corridors - spaced around the interior but without the alcoves that are so prominant throughout the corridors. The ceiling consists of an intricate, incredibly complex pattern that fills the entire circle. The floor is stranger still.

A walkway extends a metre out from the edge of the chamber, symbols engraved into its surface that doubtless hold some meaning for the artifact's creators. In the exact centre of the room is a small podium, a single metre tall that rises from the floor, a cluster of cables ending in sharp, slender needles standing vertical in the centre of the podium's metre-wide surface. Presumably they are some form of interfacing mechanism to link mind to machine - but not something that a being not of the disk's creator race would want to try. Quite apart from whether or not a person would want to utilise the device is the fact that it is presently unreachable - surrounded by Living Metal and doubtless guarded by ancient systems still as potent as the day they were built.

However, the space between the cold, metallic walkway and podium is filled with shining Living Metal, ripples coming out from around the central podium. The largest single concentration of Living Metal seen thus far, by a considerable amount...and the energy readings are collossal, as if it was something within this room that was generating the disk's power.

Once they step inside the room the sounds of the strange machine-music is noticeably louder, the strange noise that sounds so similar to chanting reaches its peak. It is like the moment when an epigrav is sounded, or like an alter during mass, the sheer power of worship within the chamber is amazing, as if the concentration of statues, the symbols, the Living Metal and particular the curiously alter-like podium are all linked.

"It's one hell of a barn", Alex remarked and then described the feelings he got since Tia was there to experiance them.

"Maybe this is a controller for other units that might enter the system", Tia hypothosized, "It might have been dormant, waiting for the ... workers ... for lack of a better word, to arrive. If that's the case, I may have woken it up. The statues are the same ones in the corrider, by the way. The central podium looks like a control console of sorts. If this is the central command area then that could be why all the power is flowing into here first."

"So why haven't they touched us?"

"Curiousity. We gave some sort of command code is my guess and now they're wondering just who we are that we would have them. Maybe something happened to the expidition they sent out. The plates may have been some sort of instructions or records. I really don't know Alex, I'm just guessing."

When Alexial emerged from the dive, her body was overwhemled by a, unknown insation that nearly caused her to double over and hit the floor. Alexial woke intime to hear that there was a breathable atomosphere. Struggling to ragian her posture and her footing Alexial then again steadied herself on the statue.
"TIA, I ... I think I 'dove' to far, how far ar the boys ahead of me?"
Alexial then began to make good time as she ran with her bionicle legs, in her attempt to catch up to with Spark and Alex.

Once the final turn is passed they find themselves in the central chamber. The circular room is approxomately twenty metres across - fully a fifth of the disk's diameter, approxomately fifty statues - each different, each familliar from the corridors - spaced around the interior but without the alcoves that are so prominant throughout the corridors. The ceiling consists of an intricate, incredibly complex pattern that fills the entire circle. The floor is stranger still.

A walkway extends a metre out from the edge of the chamber, symbols engraved into its surface that doubtless hold some meaning for the artifact's creators. In the exact centre of the room is a small podium, a single metre tall that rises from the floor, a cluster of cables ending in sharp, slender needles standing vertical in the centre of the podium's metre-wide surface. Presumably they are some form of interfacing mechanism to link mind to machine - but not something that a being not of the disk's creator race would want to try. Quite apart from whether or not a person would want to utilise the device is the fact that it is presently unreachable - surrounded by Living Metal and doubtless guarded by ancient systems still as potent as the day they were built.

However, the space between the cold, metallic walkway and podium is filled with shining Living Metal, ripples coming out from around the central podium. The largest single concentration of Living Metal seen thus far, by a considerable amount...and the energy readings are collossal, as if it was something within this room that was generating the disk's power.

Once they step inside the room the sounds of the strange machine-music is noticeably louder, the strange noise that sounds so similar to chanting reaches its peak. It is like the moment when an epigrav is sounded, or like an alter during mass, the sheer power of worship within the chamber is amazing, as if the concentration of statues, the symbols, the Living Metal and particular the curiously alter-like podium are all linked.
Alexial caught up in time to see Alex and spark enter a room ahead, but was too late to stop them. A solid wall of living metal sepperated the two groups, one outside and one inside. They entered before she could tell them the connection between the statues and memories she had. As she reached to door, wall, or whatever it was she began to slam her fist into it in an atempt to reach them. But to no aveil, who ever locked her out didn't want her telling those inside of the connection. She furiously tried to reach them on the com but also to no aveil, it was being jammed. Giving up she sat down against the wall and let her head fall between her legs. "I hope they'll be alright."

"Tia, if you can hear me, Alex, Spark, and I have been sepperated, I can't contact them. If you can hear me please respond." Alexial was not hopeful in her attempt to contact Tia either, if this species wanted to stop them from communicating, there was nothing that they could do, but wait.

The hive ships suddenly stopped looping in space and watched the movements of the other craft with some intrest before picking up a small sent of radiation from of the the vessel docked with the disc. Pausing it began moving towards the disc in a slow methodical manner like a ant eater looking at a termite mound searching for a way into the amber necter. It moved slowly and in strange uneficient zig zag patterns unsure if it was doing the correct thing.

As the living metal fills the doorway, Spark turns and hits the blockade with a powerful punch, with enough forch to make an impressive dent into the metal, only to leave him standing stunned as the living metal flows o fill the cavity. "Self repair? This could be a problem." At this point his weopon arm starts to charge once more.

"Tia, if you can hear me, Alex, Spark, and I have been sepperated, I can't contact them. If you can hear me please respond." Alexial was not hopeful in her attempt to contact Tia either, if this species wanted to stop them from communicating, there was nothing that they could do, but wait.

"I'm right here Alexial, I've still got com. If you can read me then please respond. While your at it maybe you can tell me about the hive, the little one is moving toward the disk or toward me, I'm not quite sure which yet, but it's definitly lost intrest in the fleet."

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"General, Admiral, the hive creature is moving toward the disk. It might be headed toward Tia since it took no interest in the disk before", Moira informed them.

"I'm heading back to my ship", she said as she made her way to the docked shuttle.

Micaya nodded, "Do me a favor, activate the legion and send them over. The disk ignored Tia, maybe it will ignore Moira."

"The quads won't fit in there."

"I know", Micaya replied, neither will the threes. Just send the twos."

Anastice nodded, "I hope you know what your doing."

"Not a fraggin clue, but I have to do something", Micaya said grimly.

Anastice got in the shuttle and headed back, ordering the wraiths to launch and pursue, but not engage, the hive entity. She also ordered the legion activated.

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On board the Victorius the wraiths began to launch, twenty at a time until all 300 were in space. They stayed back from the creature but watched and waited for orders. The Victorious activated its other three reactors. One for the shields, one for the main weapons and one for the point defense. The fourth shifted to life support and systems and the main and secondary engines were brought online.

The 18 command personal, 6 captains, 6 lieutenants and 6 gunnery sergeants began pulling the brain boxes of the legion and waking them up. Only the 264 Trooper 2s would be actived. The 6 quads and 12 Trooper threes were just to big to work inside. Even the 2 and half meter twos were cumborsome for any work inside but they were better than the other two massive constructs. Each squad would normally consist of 1 captain, 1 lieutenant, 1 gunnery sergeant, 1 quad for transport and pillbox or heavy support fire, 2 trooper threes for scouting and heavy backup and 44 trooper twos. But this time out they would have to do with just the twos and command personel.

The trooper twos were mechanical heavily armored bodies with cyborg hookups to hold brain boxes. The left arm of each had a fifty caliber gatlin gun with armor piercing rounds, the right was a heavy laser. Over the left shoulder was a grenade launcher and over the right a mini missile launcher. They were equiped with full spectrum scanning and visual gear and high gain powerful transmitter receivers. The backs of each held a place for a command officer to strap onto since the borgs could move up to 70 KPH. The twos could operate in space or on the ground in extreme temperature ranges. With little modification they could operate underwater to extreme pressure depth.

The command staff got the legion ready, awaiting orders.

As the living metal fills the doorway, Spark turns and hits the blockade with a powerful punch, with enough forch to make an impressive dent into the metal, only to leave him standing stunned as the living metal flows o fill the cavity. "Self repair? This could be a problem." At this point his weopon arm starts to charge once more.

"WAIT! Spark wait", Alex said, "listen, lets see what happens. I mean it could have killed us by now, lets face facts. It hasn't. It infiltrated Tia's systems but only took basic information. Copied in fact, leaving the programs intact. It's curious. Let's see what it does."

Upon hearing Alexs words, Spark tuns to him and says. "Alexial is out there, I heard her in the hall, she was yelling something, but I coulden't tell what." The coil continues to charge, but at a slower pace.

"I'm right here Alexial, I've still got com. If you can read me then please respond. While your at it maybe you can tell me about the hive, the little one is moving toward the disk or toward me, I'm not quite sure which yet, but it's definitly lost intrest in the fleet."
"Thank, Gai'a and Traq'oul, I'm hear, they cut off coms with spark and Alex, and as for the Hive, all we know about them is that they are unintelligent creatures that consume matter to grow, that's all, to use they're nothing but a menace, but knowing the Captain, he won't let it near you, so don't worry."

"Enson, send a couple fighters and strafe that bug."

"Yes, sir, who should I send?"

"Send Tal and his wingmen."

"Understand sir. Tal report to the hanger with you wingmen, copy Tal report to your fighter with your wingmen." "I've reported sir."

"Good work enson, now lets hope we can avert that bugs attenion."

"Agreed Captain."

Upon hearing Alexs words, Spark tuns to him and says. "Alexial is out there, I heard her in the hall, she was yelling something, but I coulden't tell what." The coil continues to charge, but at a slower pace.

"Tia? Are you still in contact with Alexial?"

"Yes, Alex, she's okay but the living metal seems to have seperated her from the two of you."

"Is there anything going on in the hallway? Is she in any danger?"

"Not that I'm aware of, she hasn't said anything and I'm not picking anything up on visual, audio or scan."

Alex nodded, "Tia will let us know", he said to Spark, "now if we lose contact with Tia, then I would suggest trying to cut through."

"Thank, Gai'a and Traq'oul, I'm hear, they cut off coms with spark and Alex, and as for the Hive, all we know about them is that they are unintelligent creatures that consume matter to grow, that's all, to use they're nothing but a menace, but knowing the Captain, he won't let it near you, so don't worry."

Tia shuttered at the dietary information on the hive. "Well if your Captain doesn't launch the Victorious is. Looks like she putting out all six squadrons. Of course we don't know what this thing is capable of so I guess it's a good precaution, though she isn't engaging it yet. I suppose she's waiting to see what it's going to do."

Tia shuttered at the dietary information on the hive. "Well if your Captain doesn't launch the Victorious is. Looks like she putting out all six squadrons. Of course we don't know what this thing is capable of so I guess it's a good precaution, though she isn't engaging it yet. I suppose she's waiting to see what it's going to do."
"We've also learned that they are realy atracted to radioactive matter, given that it causes them to grow quicker and more efficiently." "So as a precaution I suggest dumping any radioactive materials that you don't need, allright, and if you can contact Alex tell him that I made a connection between the..." at that pricise moment Alexial's com was cut off and she no longer had any communications with either Tia, or Alex.
"Dar'l, they don't want me to tell the others, Gai'a Traq'oul, please give my message wings." Alexial then fell silent, listening for any com signals at all. But all she could her was the rythemic chanting of the machines at worship.

"Alexial? Alexial?"

"Alex, I've lost Alexial, the com went down."

Alex looked at Spark, "Well I guess now is the time to try your idea."

Hypatia opened a com to Nai'ra, "Nai'ra? I lost my come to Alexial. She was trying to tell me something. She said she had made some kind of connection about what we saw", then Tia sent a databurst with all the information that she had gathered including the access to her ship systems.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Once the shuttles had transferred the legion to Moira she began moving forward toward the same dock as Tia to dock to her on her other side and move the borgs through.

Micaya donned the powered assault armor that was brough over and checked the automatic micro pellet assault gun. She then loaded the explosive round machine gun and holstered her standard sidearm. She locked the assault gun into place on her hip and put the barrel up into the shoulder bracket until it needed to be swung down and used. Then she watched out the window as they moved toward Tia.

Hypatia opened a com to Nai'ra, "Nai'ra? I lost my come to Alexial. She was trying to tell me something. She said she had made some kind of connection about what we saw", then Tia sent a databurst with all the information that she had gathered including the access to her ship systems.
"Realy? Huh, the data looks some what familiar I'll see if I can't pin it down. It may take some while so I'll call back when I have this figured out, OK?"

"Realy? Huh, the data looks some what familiar I'll see if I can't pin it down. It may take some while so I'll call back when I have this figured out, OK?"

"Okay, thank you."

"Two minets, that will give me a full charge. We'll probably only get one shot, so I want it to count.

"Two minets, that will give me a full charge. We'll probably only get one shot, so I want it to count.

Alex nodded and moved to the side, ready to make a dive for the door if it worked.

"Alex, Moira is moving in this direction, directly toward me."

"What? Why?"

"She's not saying", Tia told him. Her voice told him that she suspected why but wasn't about to say.

"Understood, we're going to make an attempt to get to Alexial."

"Alright, be careful."

"Too late for that", replied lightly. 'To late by far', he thought.

As the coil reaches full charge, it fires a bolt of several hundred tera-whatts of electricity, held in a sphere of highly ionised plasma, directly into the door.

(OOC and now we wate to see what happens)

(OOC - yeah a couple of things to wait on now. See what happens with your blast. See if the disk ignores Moira as it did Tia. See if it does anything about the hive creature moving toward it.)

[[OOC: I'm making this post as NB, but treat it as TAO (for some reason the Jolt Forums will not let me login as Arcane), as this is my puppet nation]]

Outside the Disk

There can be no doubt that the AI units within the disk have detected the approaching Hive creature, as energy diverts from the massive buildup in the central chamber to disperse toward the outer edges of the artifact. The Living Metal stirrs and parts behind one of the small holes in the hull material, before something is ejected with amazing speed.

The object is a quantity of radioactive material, bait in a sense, and is sent in a direction leading far away from the system almost at the speed of light.

There can also be little doubt that the AIs are also aware of the approaching shuttle loaded with warriors, as Living Metal slids out further from the docking port, sliding over Tia's ship. Tendrils of the material stretch out across her hull and squeeze slightly, once. There can be no doubt as to the meaning of the gesture. While it is entirely possible that the Living Metal could be removed somehow it is doubtful that it could be achieved fast enough to prevent the disk crushing into the Central World vessel's hull. However, despite the single light squeeze there was no attempt to damage Tia's shell form. A warning, but nothing more.


The Central Chamber

The pool of Living Metal surrounding the podium continues to sitr gently, rippling to some unknown rythm. The "door" of living metal flows around any attempts to harm it, simply resealing itself with a casual disregard for those trying to break through.

After Spark's unsucessful attempt to break out of the chamber the sense of mechanised worship changes slightly, a slight threatening note in the room's atmosphere as if it had not been expecting the attack against the Living Metal, or at least not yet.

The ripples increase in number and speed after the attack, adding to the air of anger within the chamber...not all AIs are designed purely for calculation, and at least a few of those within the disk feel emotion.

Then Spark releases his second attack.

The response is immediate, the Living Metal of the door shudders, rippling away from the attack and blackening around the immediate area. There is an almost palpable surge of anger within the chamber as the door repares itself, noticeably slowly than the previous time.

A holographic image of the disk and docked ship appears above the podium, clearly showing the Living Metal tendrils. Perhaps more significantly than the temporary damage to the door, at least for the two from Central, the tendrils of metal around Tia contract in response, not enough to crack the hull, but considerably stronger than the original warning.

A single cable, similar to the ones standing up from the podium but with a much more slender needle, rises from the Living Metal, reforming itself even as it rises. It stops in front of Alex, waiting.

At the same time, other devices rise from the pool, these ones palpably threatening, and most of them pointed toward the Reploid.


Outside the Central Chamber

Past the door, now repaired but still functioning significantly slower than originally - the rippling sluggish, was the section of corridor in which Alexial was waiting. Very little was happening near her, and the machines did not seem overly concerned with the AI. It would appear that she was free to wander around.

Then, one of the alcoves near Alexial was drained of living metal, leaving a cable identical in design to the ones rising from the podium. This one, like those and unlike the one apparently awaiting Alex, was standing vertical and was obviously not intended for the AI's use.

Also within the alcove were a number of objects of varying designs, each inscribed with symbols. The purpose was unknown, but they seemed to hold some form of meaning to the disk. A meaning that it was not disclosing.

[[Insert TAO signiature instead of NB's]]

[[OOC:
Just to confirm, that was me posting that (log in trouble with TAO).
Just to clear up about Spark's weapon - the plasma did reasonable damage to the door (one of the two strongest on the disk), but the electricity failed to affect it (got redirected and put to use)]]

There can also be little doubt that the AIs are also aware of the approaching shuttle loaded with warriors, as Living Metal slids out further from the docking port, sliding over Tia's ship. Tendrils of the material stretch out across her hull and squeeze slightly, once. There can be no doubt as to the meaning of the gesture. While it is entirely possible that the Living Metal could be removed somehow it is doubtful that it could be achieved fast enough to prevent the disk crushing into the Central World vessel's hull. However, despite the single light squeeze there was no attempt to damage Tia's shell form. A warning, but nothing more

Micaya's fist slammed into the gold wall, leaving a huge imprint from the force of her cyborg replaced arm. She turned to Moira, "Withdraw."

"May I remind the General that this is a threat and should be dealt with", one of the Captains said. The other Captains nodded supporting him as did the rest of the commisioned officers while the gunny's looked on in disgust at the captain. Micaya sat down on the edge of the console and leaned back, one hand hitting the broad band com. "What was that, Captain?" she asked, everything now being broadcasted.

"I said, May I remind the General that this is a threat and should be dealt with", he repeated.

"Captain ... I won't risk the lives of those civilians." 'Not again', she thought.

"Then I'll be forced to releave you of duty, General. The loss of two civilians and one alien are acceptable tactical losses."

"Not as far as I'm concerned", Micaya told him, gambling on the comment by the Draconis Captain about beaurocracy that he would back her up if came down to it.

The Captain drew his sidearm, "Your releaved General."

Micaya still had some tricks for the man though, she activated the cyborg implant in the mass of cybornetic replacement that constituted about one third of her body now from various injuries. The legionaires responded immediatly and those in the room lowered thier machine guns, pointing them at the Captain, "No", Micaya said, "Your releaved Captain."

The Captain didn't argue with so much fire power arrayed against him, "This is the end of your career, General. Central will dishonorably discharge you for this."

"Honor isn't measured by what's on a sheet of paper, Captain. It's measure by personal action and sacrifice. Take away the command officers, leave the sergeants", she told the legionaires and they obeyed. She looked at the gunnery sergeants, "What about the rest of you?" The oldest of them looked around at the others then back to the General, "Wattcher orders genal?"

Micaya nodded and looked at Moira again, "Withdraw, they've figured out our plan", and Moira pulled away from the disk, heading back toward the others.

"Sorry about that", Micaya said out loud, "but if something happened I just wanted everyone to know what really went on."

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On board the Victorious Anastice listened in disbelieve at the sheer disregard for human life. 'I'm beginning to understand you now, Mic", she thought and issued orders for the weapons to be readied that could damage and even destroy the disk, but gave explicit orders not to fire. Her own people were hand picked and followed her orders without question.

Four long cannonlike structures lowered from the bottom of the Victorious. Two were designed with the beings of Beta Corvi. Beings who controled and manipulated energy as easily as humans used air for energy and sustenance. To date the energy manipulator cannons hadn't found a shield it couldn't weaken or disable. The energy flow measuring and altering the shields harmonics using the beta methodology.

The other two cannons were Strong interaction, particle accelerators that attack the nuclear binding of what it hits. Anastice and most likely everyone else knew it wasn't enough, at one square kilometer per strike, to destroy something as massive as the disk but the message was clear, especially when she started the repeating beacon. 'We can harm you, how willing are you to bet that your people can be here before mine.' It was a silent message in response to the silent message from the disk that there would be consequences.

Anastice opened the com to the disk, "This is Admiral Anastice Quester-Benn. The repeating signal is a warning to Central worlds. If it stops without the proper code that only Micaya and I know then our government will send thier full force. Harm our people, and we open fire. We may be less advanced but we had to fight for decades just to survive, and we're alive."

(OOC - The beta corviki disruptor may not be known or understood by others, thats up to each of you, but the fluxuating, expertly controled energy would show a clear purpose.)

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On board Moira the General smiled. Anastice was playing a bluff and they both knew it. Only the fleet command ships had the partical accelerators and the Corviki disruptors and none would be in range to assist since each covered a different sector of space, but the EsKays couldn't know that since military information wouldn't be known to Hypatia and her brawn.

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Tia followed everything that was going on, panicing as the metal tightened around her twice. She had played every move she had but one. That one last move was in Nai'ra's care, the information that Alexial seemed to know and that Tia HOPED that Nai'ra also knew.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alex looked at the needle tendril before him, facing it for lack of anything else to face. "GO AHEAD! BECAUSE KILLING ME IS THE ONLY THING THAT WILL STOP ME FROM GETTING BACK TO TIA! I know you must understand us by now. We came with open arms, no weapons and THIS is how a SO CALLED advance species acts?" He stood, fists clenched, knowing he no way of beathing this thing, but also knowing that he would rather die than let Tia be held.

For a while, the disk made no overt move to those outside the disk, but the central chamber was a whole other matter.

The cable, tipped by a slender needlelike object, waved back and forth in front of Alex's face for a moment before curving around behind him with a terrifying speed.

The needle took a moment identify the primary point, and slid into the base of Alex's skull.


Pain. That would be the first word to occur. The system was designed for a species whose physiology was significantly different to that of a human - despite the similarities in appearance.

Pain, indescribable agony...

...abated slowly, as Living Metal adapted to the human, thoughts...

...disconnected, artificial...

...entities, with words...

...disjointed before finally...

...adapting to the form of the homo sapien. Knowledge undreamed of just a mere thought away from Alex's mind.

At last, he might understand the purpose of the disk. It was not a tool for Harvesting, it was not designed to command the machines that would Harvest and it was not a stockpiling device. It was a scarecrow that fought back.

...system defence platform, designed eight hundred and ninty eight thousand, nine hundred and fifty seven years ago by the Master Sakanthris Literature. Disk SakLan-817339 serving the Master Jeranioch Language. Purpose to maintain examination on living subjects and to defend a claimed system until a Master comes to...

The snippet of thought coming automatically as the disk explained what it was. The sheer volume of records, data, opinions, analysis and just...information was impossible to comprehend, the vast majority apprently held beyond Alex's ability to access - blocked by the AIs. The quantity of information that must be held by all the disks in the Master-controlled space (as the disk's AIs thought of things) must be enormous.

...analysis of entities present: One mecha, appearance design orga. One manufactured orga, primary probability storage device for Mechanical Intellect. One Homo Sapiens, orga. Information in language of Tanreall sent to disk, standard entry pattern granted to control/stasis chamber. Subject #2: Mecha under Orga, engaging in hostile action. Standard response initiated including potential damage to Subject #1: Mecha/Orga compound within spacecraft...

It was then, if at all, that Alex would become aware of the AIs talking, uncaring of whether or not he heard. Perhaps intending that he should hear as otherwise they would surely not think in a way that he could understand.

...hostile entities detected, obvious threatening pattern...
...one same ship-species as that Locked at docking port...
...elimination wisest course...
...confirmed, systems ready to initiate full power systems...
...current levels..?
...currents levels under present degree of generation stand at 38%...
...more than sufficient, more have been destroyed with less...

Thoughts hit Alex again, of pirates and looters come to examine the disk, entire fleets on some occasions that were doubtless not originally intent on war, but deciding to take the disk for research. None had left the system again - either destroyed by the disk, or by the Master.

It was apparent that the AIs were awaiting Alex's thoughts, curious as to how he would respond.

Upon seeing the reaction to his shot, Spark mutters a curse and says. "Well, I made a hole, but not a big enough one, most of the energy had no effect, only the plasma worked, and there are a large number of unfriendly devices pointed at me." After finishing his say, his armor telaports away, leaveing him in his jumpsuit, at which point he pulls a small device from a belt pouch, and presees it to twelve points around his forearm. This causes the coil to fall of onto the ground, leaving only the braces that held it, and a tube extending further into his arm.

It's about this point that he sees the probe being driven into Alex's skull and the tendrals wraped around Miss Cades hull. turning to the core, he opens the front of his jumpsuit wiht his remaining hand, and reaches into a compartment inside, pulling out a small sphere. Holding it up he says, "This is a mid-range fusion reactor, release them, or it gets tossed into your core over there, the explosion when it's containment is broken by this act, or loss of its control circitry, namly me, will most likely distroy your core. And I don't think even you would be able to kill them both before being distroyed by the blast.

"What was that, Captain?" she asked, everything now being broadcasted.

"I said, May I remind the General that this is a threat and should be dealt with", he repeated.

"Captain ... I won't risk the lives of those civilians." 'Not again', she thought.

"Then I'll be forced to releave you of duty, General. The loss of two civilians and one alien are acceptable tactical losses."

"Not as far as I'm concerned", Micaya told him, gambling on the comment by the Draconis Captain about beaurocracy that he would back her up if came down to it.

The Captain drew his sidearm, "Your releaved General."

Micaya still had some tricks for the man though, she activated the cyborg implant in the mass of cybornetic replacement that constituted about one third of her body now from various injuries. The legionaires responded immediatly and those in the room lowered thier machine guns, pointing them at the Captain, "No", Micaya said, "Your releaved Captain."

The Captain didn't argue with so much fire power arrayed against him, "This is the end of your career, General. Central will dishonorably discharge you for this."

"Honor isn't measured by what's on a sheet of paper, Captain. It's measure by personal action and sacrifice. Take away the command officers, leave the sergeants", she told the legionaires and they obeyed. She looked at the gunnery sergeants, "What about the rest of you?" The oldest of them looked around at the others then back to the General, "Wattcher orders genal?"

Micaya nodded and looked at Moira again, "Withdraw, they've figured out our plan", and Moira pulled away from the disk, heading back toward the others.

"Sorry about that", Micaya said out loud, "but if something happened I just wanted everyone to know what really went on."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Four long cannonlike structures lowered from the bottom of the Victorious. Two were designed with the beings of Beta Corvi. Beings who controled and manipulated energy as easily as humans used air for energy and sustenance. To date the energy manipulator cannons hadn't found a shield it couldn't weaken or disable. The energy flow measuring and altering the shields harmonics using the beta methodology.

The other two cannons were Strong interaction, particle accelerators that attack the nuclear binding of what it hits. Anastice and most likely everyone else knew it wasn't enough, at one square kilometer per strike, to destroy something as massive as the disk but the message was clear, especially when she started the repeating beacon. 'We can harm you, how willing are you to bet that your people can be here before mine.' It was a silent message in response to the silent message from the disk that there would be consequences.

Anastice opened the com to the disk, "This is Admiral Anastice Quester-Benn. The repeating signal is a warning to Central worlds. If it stops without the proper code that only Micaya and I know then our government will send thier full force. Harm our people, and we open fire. We may be less advanced but we had to fight for decades just to survive, and we're alive."
"Sir, the Humans are acting strange they're pointing their artillery at the disk, and from what I heard the captain of the other ship has commited an act of rebellion. What do we do sir?"

"Call in the fleets, what else, call in all the ships and have them aims their main artillery at the disk, them congradulate Micaya on her succesful rebellion, also tell her that she and her freinds are not likely to be able to return home. After this rebellious action."

"Yes, sir, as you command, sir."
"TO: Draconis Fleets: All Fleets transmute to coordinates given, then wait for further instructions."
"Captan Micaya, I send congradulations from Captain Dur'uc Hai'dra, but we fear that you may no longer accepted by your home government, for your rebellious actions."

Upon receiveing commands from acting Admiral, the full power of the Draconis were bought to bear on this single ship. As the ship began to transmute into the quadrant their numbers increased from 1 to 100,000,000 in less then a minute.

Open Comm:
"Messge for hostile disk, we know not you creator but we have seen your design before. Used by our enemies in combat. We know what you're going to try, and this is Draconis space, not your's, we will not sleep idely by and allow you to take this or any other region from it's native inhabitants. You may be more advanced then us but not even you can stand against this much fire power, and if we must we will terminate you, and then deal with your master. So this is your chance to act the superior and relenqeuse your claim to this sector. DO you understand?"
Comm End:

"Ensign I hope this works."

"Me too sir, me too."

...hostile entities detected, obvious threatening pattern...
...one same ship-species as that Locked at docking port...
...elimination wisest course...
...confirmed, systems ready to initiate full power systems...
...current levels..?
...currents levels under present degree of generation stand at 38%...
...more than sufficient, more have been destroyed with less...

Thoughts hit Alex again, of pirates and looters come to examine the disk, entire fleets on some occasions that were doubtless not originally intent on war, but deciding to take the disk for research. None had left the system again - either destroyed by the disk, or by the Master.

'Hostile entities, something else has entered the sector?', Alex thought. 'One same ship-species as that locked at docking port'. 'Locked at docking port ... Tia. Same ship-species ... Moira? But Moira can't be hostile, she has no weapons.' Then the thought occurred to him, 'The Victorious, Pol, a brain ship.' 'WAIT, they're only acting hostile because you are holding us. Because you've cut off transmissions. We didn't come to harm you, that MUST be obvious. The Victorious only came because of your actions. I'll tell you what you want. What we came for.' With that he brought forth the memories of Hypatia Cade. The vids he had been shown. The elfin like little girl with blue bear. The beautiful child. The virus from the dig her and her parents had been on that had destroyed her nervous system. The images that Doctor Kennet Uhua-Sorg had taken of her when she was alone in her room. They crying child that had had her life taken away by the EsKays virus. Finally Tia's own mission to find the homeworld of the EsKays. Not to destroy it, but to find a way of preventing what had happened to her from happening to anyone else. He put forth every image of her he could. Her strength in adversity, her loss of person touch and her will to go on.

"Captan Micaya, I send congradulations from Captain Dur'uc Hai'dra, but we fear that you may no longer accepted by your home government, for your rebellious actions."

"That's General Micaya, actually. Though not after this. I know my sister and I won't be taken back", and she sighed. "But I couldn't allow this to happen. Not again. I don't suppose anyone out there would be willing to take an old cyborg and her sister in? No? Yeah well, that's life."

"That's General Micaya, actually. Though not after this. I know my sister and I won't be taken back", and she sighed. "But I couldn't allow this to happen. Not again. I don't suppose anyone out there would be willing to take an old cyborg and her sister in? No? Yeah well, that's life."
"I would not have risen my voice, if I did not plan on making an offer, after all I am just now begining to like you three, you are ... quite interesting." "And I beleive that I can be honest with you my rank isn't Captain it's Fleet Admiral, but we're all freinds here, so call me Dur'uc. And why do you think I called in the fleet? To take out this single ship? Not likely, if I wanted to take that ship I could do it with just three. The Fleet is here to escort you and your sister back to Draco should you two choose to take my generious offer."

"I would not have risen my voice, if I did not plan on making an offer, after all I am just now begining to like you three, you are ... quite interesting." "And I beleive that I can be honest with you my rank isn't Captain it's Fleet Admiral, but we're all freinds here, so call me Dur'uc. And why do you think I called in the fleet? To take out this single ship? Not likely, if I wanted to take that ship I could do it with just three. The Fleet is here to escort you and your sister back to Draco should you two choose to take my generious offer."

Micaya sat down. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Sis?" she asked over the com.

"I hear", Anastice replied, "I'm willing to go if you are. We have nothing left here. I'll turn the ship over to Captain Hollister-Sentris once this situation is completed."

Micaya nodded, "Dur'uc", she said, "my name is Micaya, Mic for short." She smiled, "I'll be more than happy to go with you. Once foster is back with Moira I'll join you, if that's okay."

"Sis?", Micaya said then, "I'll begin tranpsorting the borgs back. The Sergeants can return, they were following orders. I'll leave the command officers for Foster to attend to, he won't be in any trouble."

"Understood", her sister replied, "ready to receive them. Oh and Dur'uc? My name is Anastice. Friends call me Ana."

Outside the Disk

After a while, the disk finally responded to the various messages sent toward it. Possibly it was due to the thought-conversation with Alex, possibly not. Whatever the reason, long unused short-range communication systems re-activated and adapted to convey the common language, a language learnt in seconds from the Alex-Disk link.

To the Central Worlds vessel Victorious:

…responding to hostile actions made by those peacefully invited. Attempts to damage system-defence disk will result in weapon activation and elimination of vessel receiving communication and all others displaying hostility. Continued attempts at aggression with result in your deletion, bringing in fleets will result in the arrival of the Master…

To the Draconis Federation admiral’s ship:

…system not classified as belonging to Nation: Draconis. System claimed seven hundred and eighty-two thousand, four hundred and thirty-one thousand years prior to the present date by the Master Jeranioch Language. No claiming articles discovered at that time, thus allowing system to be claimed under Tanreall-Dyurnai Treaty. Presence of hostile ships of your species detected. Return your fleet, or the Master will be called, He whom none can stand before. Time for your withdrawal from Tanreall territory is limited, so make your decision. Attack us, and be destroyed, or withdraw and remain. Keeping your fleet here will result in a repeat of this event…

The AI sending the message then went on with something that was obviously a quote from some kind of holy text. Something unusual for an AI, but the disk is certainly not a normal object.

…and He came to the galaxy named Tetryn, and the Gods of that place trembled before Him, but came forth to do battle. A fleet built over ten thousand times a thousand years and with a thousand times a thousand warships rose up to make war upon the Master Jeranioch. And lo, their weapons broke upon His armour of knowledge, and He sundered their fleets with weapons of wisdom, the Gods of that place fell before him and the galaxy was His, although He was but one among the Masters. He stretched forth his hand, and tore that place asunder, taking the light of that realm and claiming it as his own…

The communications link went dead, as the AIs waited for a response, preferably for the ships to leave, but they were prepared to resist an attack from the other craft in the area

Meanwhile, the power levels continued to grow, reaching levels far beyond those used by any conventional warship. Systems on-disk activate and Living Metal stirs readily as the AIs prepare their weaponry, scanners carefully analysing the armour and weapons of those arrayed against them. One of the benefits of Living Metal is that you can redesign weapons and shields to counter whatever the enemy uses against you.


Inside the Disk

…the subject appears intent upon destroying us…
…confirmed, simple solution…
…confirmed, Harvest power generation tool during detonation…
…confirmed, Harvest Base already prepared, ready use…

The holographic image changes, showing step-by-step what would happen if Spark allowed the reactor to detonate – the machines would simply absorb the energy released, sucking into its own energy systems, filter it and discard the waste energy out of the disk while using what they could. He would be giving power to the disk.


Alex-Disk Link

…details on subject interesting…
…information on virus..?
…feelings and emotions interesting, but not of use…
…hard data required if you wish assistance…
…this assumes that we decide to give the aid…
…no reason not to assist, subjects are interesting nationality…
…species homo, genus sapiens, yet no thoughts of Sol: Sol-III: Terra…
…alternate species has summoned fleet…
…species coincides with other subject, manufactured bio-entity, mentality containment…
…Master informed, Thought-level issued, Wisdom-level request to Master prepared if ships attempt engagement…
…they will not be able to stand before Him…
…entire galaxies have fallen before His might; they will not be able to resist the Master…

Alex would be aware, now, of the actual power of the disk – it was fully capable of taking out reasonably-sized fleets. While it would not be able to resist the entire Draconis Fleet (which the AIs considered an amazingly foolish tactical move – as any nation could wander into now-undefended Draconis systems and destroy as they willed), their Masters would be able to destroy them with little difficulty.

He would also be aware, now, of just how quickly the Master Jeranioch could arrive. He was entire galaxies away, but the disk’s creators knew how to travel across the universe in seconds. Similarly, he would now know just how powerful the Masters are. A race millions of years old, obsessed with knowledge and power. A race that was fully capable of stripping a galaxy of its resources. They were the race that the machines of the disk considered their Gods.

He would also now know that he the communication shields had been lowered, that he could now speak to Tia, or the others if he so desired. The disk was being fatalistic; the signal had already gone out, and the Master was ready to come, if Alex could pacify those outside that was all to the good, if not, nothing had been lost.

Spark, unaware of what is happening outside of the disk, and some of whats happaning inside, sighs upon seeing that his tactic wouldn't work, and places the ractor back in his chest. "I'm sorry Miss Cade, I don't think that eather of us will come out of this alive." Calling up ETS... Do you want to acces the emergancy telaport system... Warning, ETS will only transport personality center, reactor #1, and the telaport matrix, is this what you want... Confiermed, chose destonation location... Warning, that location is already occupied by a object of suficcent mass to cause an overlap explosion, do you wish to continue... this action will result in termanation of self, do you wish to continue.. yes.

He would also now know that he the communication shields had been lowered, that he could now speak to Tia, or the others if he so desired. The disk was being fatalistic; the signal had already gone out, and the Master was ready to come, if Alex could pacify those outside that was all to the good, if not, nothing had been lost.

"Tia, Alex, they want the information on what happened to you. Contact Simeon, have him reroute your hyperlink to The Pride of Albion and get the information for Dr. Kenny. Also, I don't know what's happeneing out there but tell them to stand down. They're not giving any gaurantee that they can help but they want the info."

"Alexial?" Alex asked, "do you read me?"

Tia opened her com, "Everyone please stand down. They want the information from my virus. But they want everyone to stand down. Please, I'm so close." Tia then opened a hyperlink to Simeon, "Sim, I need The Pride of Albion, Dr. Kenny, and fast."

Simeon relayed her link and contacted Lars, the shellperson of The Pride of Albion. "Dr. Kenny is in surgery, he'll be a few hours", Lars replied, "what did you need?"

Tia broke through, "Hi Lars."

"Tia, how are you dear?"

"Lars, I need Kenny's files on my illness. I know the protocols and procedures but Lars ... I FOUND the EsKays."

Lars whistled and accessed the Doctors files. "He would say yes anyway", he surmised. "Best of luck Hypatia."

Tia relayed the information to the disk:

Subject - Hypatia Cade
Age - 7
Sex - Female

Symptoms - tingling, then numbness, then nerve death causing paralysis of affected areas.

virology - Unknown

Hypothosis - Proto-virus.

Effect - Death of the nervous system to the affected area. Seems to only affect developing system. Both parents unaffected. Threat to young teen, pre teen, adolescent, child, infant .... Fetus? May or may not penatrate placental barrier.

Course - Unknown. Finally ceased after multiple applications of all known bacterial and viral medications.

(OOC) Sorry if I confused anyone, I was in a hurry, but the stuff in italics was what Spark was thinking.

As a bolt of energy streeks out of Sparks body in the direction of the core, the expression on his face slackens, and he seems to slump in on himself. The bolt of energy streeks through the core, faster even then the A. I.'s could react, only to continue on beond the core that reforms into a small oblect, just befor it falls to the ground.

Micaya sat down. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Sis?" she asked over the com.

"I hear", Anastice replied, "I'm willing to go if you are. We have nothing left here. I'll turn the ship over to Captain Hollister-Sentris once this situation is completed."

Micaya nodded, "Dur'uc", she said, "my name is Micaya, Mic for short." She smiled, "I'll be more than happy to go with you. Once foster is back with Moira I'll join you, if that's okay."

"Sis?", Micaya said then, "I'll begin tranpsorting the borgs back. The Sergeants can return, they were following orders. I'll leave the command officers for Foster to attend to, he won't be in any trouble."

"Understood", her sister replied, "ready to receive them. Oh and Dur'uc? My name is Anastice. Friends call me Ana."
"Well, Mic, Ana, I can tell you that you will be quite popular once we return to Draco, after all it's not every day Draco gets new inhabitants, but of course this insident with the disk must be solved before we can return, and as for Foster, I'd be more than glad to return him to his ship, he has been quite a ... nuisence."

To the Draconis Federation admiral’s ship:

…system not classified as belonging to Nation: Draconis. System claimed seven hundred and eighty-two thousand, four hundred and thirty-one thousand years prior to the present date by the Master Jeranioch Language. No claiming articles discovered at that time, thus allowing system to be claimed under Tanreall-Dyurnai Treaty. Presence of hostile ships of your species detected. Return your fleet, or the Master will be called, He whom none can stand before. Time for your withdrawal from Tanreall territory is limited, so make your decision. Attack us, and be destroyed, or withdraw and remain. Keeping your fleet here will result in a repeat of this event…

The AI sending the message then went on with something that was obviously a quote from some kind of holy text. Something unusual for an AI, but the disk is certainly not a normal object.

…and He came to the galaxy named Tetryn, and the Gods of that place trembled before Him, but came forth to do battle. A fleet built over ten thousand times a thousand years and with a thousand times a thousand warships rose up to make war upon the Master Jeranioch. And lo, their weapons broke upon His armour of knowledge, and He sundered their fleets with weapons of wisdom, the Gods of that place fell before him and the galaxy was His, although He was but one among the Masters. He stretched forth his hand, and tore that place asunder, taking the light of that realm and claiming it as his own…

The communications link went dead, as the AIs waited for a response, preferably for the ships to leave, but they were prepared to resist an attack from the other craft in the area
As the AI finished it's qoute, Dur'uc and all of the crews of the Fleet, stood wide eyed at what the AI had just reported. Dur'uc was sitting in his seat as his crew went to the floor and listened top the message replayed, over and over and over agian, it was then that Dur'uc opened comms and asked,

"Where ... where did you learn that? Tell us, has your kind visited this region before. Have your people ever been to Draco? Please we must know?" Dur'uc began to sound frantic in his plees, but he regained his composier after a few seconds to ask, "Tell me, have your masters ever experimented with a species known as, Drac'ilus Trac'rathus? Answer, please."

The comms fell dead once again, as the Fleet Admiral, waited for a reply.

"Alexial?" Alex asked, "do you read me?"
As Alexial heard Alex's voice she raised her heaf reavealing tears streaming down her face. She had never cried like this, not even when her oldest sister stoped functioning, not ever. But now she cired.

Alexial could not help the sound of sobing leaking through the comm. "Yes, I'm here, sniffling."

"Well, Mic, Ana, I can tell you that you will be quite popular once we return to Draco, after all it's not every day Draco gets new inhabitants, but of course this insident with the disk must be solved before we can return, and as for Foster, I'd be more than glad to return him to his ship, he has been quite a ... nuisence."

"Yep", Micaya replied, "he's doing better. Better send him back or he'll become impossible. Trust me, i've known him long enough to know."

Alexial could not help the sound of sobing leaking through the comm. "Yes, I'm here, sniffling."

"Hey", Alex said as looked at spark, trying to figure out what happened. "Hey, Alexial, no crying, you'll ruin your makeup."

As the core systems fall to the deck, Spark is thinking "Cripe, I missed." System auto-shutdown in 3 2 1 ...

"Yep", Micaya replied, "he's doing better. Better send him back or he'll become impossible. Trust me, i've known him long enough to know."

"Hey", Alex said as looked at spark, trying to figure out what happened. "Hey, Alexial, no crying, you'll ruin your makeup."

As the Admiral sat dazed and confused about what he had rationalized, he could not answer the comm and let it go unanswered.


After what seemed to be an eternity, Alexial, brought herself to say, "I don't wear makeup." Then her crying became more estatic, as if she had heard the most awful news ever.

As the Admiral sat dazed and confused about what he had rationalized, he could not answer the comm and let it go unanswered.

Micaya knew something was wrong, she just didn't know what. She rubbed her eyes and left the pilots cabin. Moira followed her this time, even into her room which was against protocol. The general took out her med kit and opened it. She removed a stim pad and slapped it onto her left arm. It had been over 130 hours since she had last slept and Moira was beginning to worry. There were limits to what a human could endure, even one with as my cybernetic replacements as she had.

After what seemed to be an eternity, Alexial, brought herself to say, "I don't wear makeup." Then her crying became more estatic, as if she had heard the most awful news ever.

"Ahh, Alex replied, "a natural beauty then", he said as he moved over to spark to examine him, "in that case how about some lingerie. Tantalizing, still leaves something to the imagination. Always a personal favorite of mine. To see a woman in that is, not to wear." He looked over Spark, not sure what, if anything he could do, or if he should.

Tia waited silently while the information was processed by the disk.

Anastice made her decisions. "All hands, this is the Admiral. Continue at ready conditions. Armament and shields ... stand down. I repeat, stand down. Reactor rooms, keep all reactors at full power." She reached down and inputed the code for the beacon before turning it off. The weapons systems went offline, the heavy projectors returning into the bottom of the ship and her shields disappearing.

"Ahh, Alex replied, "a natural beauty then", he said as he moved over to spark to examine him, "in that case how about some lingerie. Tantalizing, still leaves something to the imagination. Always a personal favorite of mine. To see a woman in that is, not to wear." He looked over Spark, not sure what, if anything he could do, or if he should
This time as the tears raced down Alexial's face, she could not bring herself to say anything, instead all that could be heard over the comm was the soft whimpering of Alexial.

This time as the tears raced down Alexial's face, she could not bring herself to say anything, instead all that could be heard over the comm was the soft whimpering of Alexial.

"Alright", Alex said, "I tried humor. So now hear this .... the last thing I need is you blubbering. I need you to stay sharp Alexial, I've got enough problems in here without a hysterical woman to deal with. You got me?"

"Alright", Alex said, "I tried humor. So now hear this .... the last thing I need is you blubbering. I need you to stay sharp Alexial, I've got enough problems in here without a hysterical woman to deal with. You got me?"
As Alexial heard Alex's word she became enraged to the point of no return, she had to speak like it or not, "Shut the hell up you filthy fucking primitive ape, how would you like it if you learned that your mother's husband wanted to kill you, if only because you weren't his child!?" Alexial then fell silent, But the crying had been replaced by a soft muttering of curses.

As Alexial heard Alex's word she became enraged to the point of no return, she had to speak like it or not, "Shut the hell up you filthy primitive ape, how would you like it if you learned that your mother's husband wanted to kill you, if only because you weren't his child!?" Alexial then fell silent, But the crying had been replaced by a soft muttering of curses.

"That's better. Now you said you studied martial arts, so use it. Focus your rage. Use it for the moment. Here's my situation. Spark looks like he's blown a gasket or something. I've got one of those living metal spikes stuck in the base of my skull. Suggestions? Focus on the here and now Alexial. We need you."

"That's better. Now you said you studied martial arts, so use it. Focus your rage. Use it for the moment. Here's my situation. Spark looks like he's blown a gasket or something. I've got one of those living metal spikes stuck in the base of my skull. Suggestions? Focus on the here and now Alexial. We need you."
"When I was talking about that, I forgot to tell you the first and only descipline, it teaches, let your emotions carry you, or in other words a total lack of descipline." And then out of no where an inhuman howl came through the comm, as Alexial began to slash uncontrolablely at the living metal. But unlike Spark it appeared as if she was breaking through, slowly but surely.

Micaya left the cabin once the stim pad took affect. "Moira? What's happening out there."

"The Victorious is standing down. The Draconis Admiral is still waiting for his answer as is Hypatia and Alex seems to be intentionaly antagonizing Alexial."

"Get me a channel." Moira opened a com to Alex. "Alex", the general said, "what the hell are you doing? Things are bit busy to be kinky on us."

"But it would be fun General."

"She'd break you, fly boy."

"But I'd die happy."

"Now there's the trick, report."

"Spark has blown a gasket or something and the disk has shoved a metal needle in the base of my skull. I was trying to get Alexial on track and functioning. It seem's that it's worked, she may be able to deal with the central chamber and free Tia."

Micaya sat back, "Understood. Keep me informed, out." She cut the com off just sat. "General?" Moira asked.

"One down, Alex incapacitated and Alexial cut off, but now acting. Things are bad."

"Other than Spark they don't see to be, maybe he can self repair or be repaired."

"Maybe", Micaya replied, "but that doesn't solve Alexes problem."

"What problem?"

"How did they get a metal needle into him?"

"Punched through the flesh at the base of the skull I would suppose."

"And what's he wearing?"

Moira made a mental gasp, "They punctured his suit."

Micaya nodded, "and most of that ship is a vacuum. Are all the borgs off loaded?"

"Yes", Moira replied.

"Try taking us in again, lets see if they'll let is in the door this time."

As Alexial continued tearing through the door her hands began to bleed. And as the blood continued to pump she lost more and more of it. But it was not in loss, because when Alexial finally did break through, she quickly cut the link between the disk and Alex. It took a moment to regain her composure which in that time, she had lowered herself onto Alex's groin and was about to begin mating with him, but as she looked into his eyes she knew he loved Tia. As she glanced around she found Spark nearby, but inexposed. As she stood up Alex noticed her bleeding hands and was worried, but Alexial didn't have time to worry she had to get her freinds out.

"What are you waiting, for lets go." As Alexial heaved Spark onto her back she felt how heavy he realy was, but her synthetic muscles allowed her to bear his weight and more. As she made her way to the door she spoke a second time, "If you ever want to see Tia in a body, MOVE!" she then started running down the hallway.

"What are you waiting, for lets go." As Alexial heaved Spark onto her back she felt how heavy he realy was, but her synthetic muscles allowed her to bear his weight and more. As she made her way to the door she spoke a second time, "If you ever want to see Tia in a body, MOVE!" she then started running down the hallway.

He moved to just outside the doorway and watched as she ran. 'Lethal beauty', he thought, but not Tia. Not that it mattered and he knew it.

"Alex, you have to move", came Tia's voice.

He cut the com to Alexial and subvocalized into the molar implant so only she could pick him up, "I can't Tia. My suit is punctured. I'll die seconds after I hit vacuum. Don't say anything. You can save them, we both know I'm done for. I have a confession to make. I love you."

If Tia could have wept she would have.

As soon as Alexial didn't hear Alex's steps behind her, she put Spark down and ran back, she then saw Alex laying there, "Come on what's the hold up, lets go!" Alexial then waited there for Alex to get up.

"Take spark and get Tia out of here. I can't go any further. My suit's punctured. The second I hit vacuum I'm dead."

(OOC At 12 hundred pounds, your right, he is heavy, also, hes not offline, you can still here the intake fans sucking in the air to run the remaining reactors for example, he'll even follow your orders if you tell him to, what has happend is that his higher brain functions are gone. In other words, what you have is a very literal minded enginer.

(IC) Upon hearing that the suit has a breach "Spark" walks over to Alex and pulls a role of duct tape out of his tool pouch (Yes, this would work for a short time) and starts to wrap it around Alex's neck. Most likely a bit tighter then Alex would enjoy, or would retain the ability to breath.

Alex did his best to keep Spark from accidently strangling him and then nodded. "Okay, follow me."

In a dead sounding voice "Following"

Alex subvocalized through his molar implant again, "Something is definitly wrong with Spark, but we're on our way back."

"I'll scan him when you return", Tia replied, putting the map back up on the visors again.

(OOC note, just to make shure that everyone is caught up, Sparks body, at the moment little beter then a robot drone, is being taken back to Tia by Alex and posably Alexial, His central prosseser, reactor #1, and the telaport matrix are sitting out of sight on the far side of the disks central core.

(OOC - Oh in that case, if Alex saw where it went, he would have grabbed it first, figuring it was something important.)

(OOC As i said, its on the far side of the room, and he was somewhat buisy chatting with the neddle in his head at the time, not to mention, that to get it, he would have to get very close to the core, Spark was trying to distroy the core by telaporting into it, which would cause a fission detonation, but you might want to grab his left forearm, as it is still laying on the floor.)

[[Once again, log in troubles]]

The disk's response to Tia's transmission takes a short while, there is a lot of data to process.

...if virus contracted upon Arcane world, probability of Master maintenance. High probability virus "Eternal Wisdom", alternate probabilities "Glory of Knowledge" or "Internal Intellect"...
...require more detailed information of universal location, galaxy, star cluster, system and world to identify whether world is Arcane...
...viral subjects utilitsed by Ancient and Venerable Masters to assist bodily functions, no ill effects upon Tanreall form, unknown results upon homo sapiens, theorised paral-...

The AI cuts off as Spark attempts to destroy the central podium. Although the artificial intelligence units realise that he has missed, the transmission does not continue, as if it was either near enough to completing the comment that it would not matter (fairly unlikely), or that it did not want to continue, and Spark's attempt provided a convenient excuse (also unlikely), or for some other reason.

The communications link to Dur'uc reopened on a general beam toward the fleet as before.

...extract taken from the Tomes of the Arcane, data section 1,847,218: subsection 28,690. There can be no doubt the Masters have visited this location prior to the present date, primary scanning methodology, examination of resources, probability of interesting developments, identification of importance, disk placement...
...name "Draco" unknown, identification of universal location, galaxy, star cluster and system required for identification of region. Biological information of specieis "Drac'ilus Trac'rathus", home system, mentality patterns and DNA profile required...
...remove your fleet from Arcane territory, remained military presence of a number of craft greater than two will result in termination of hostile entities...

It is at this point that Anastice stood down her weapons and shields.

...wise decision, reason for presence..?

It is almost immediately after this message that an unfortunate event occurs. Namely, Alexial somehow manages to break through the Living Metal door and cuts off the interface between the disk and Alex. This is particularly unfortunate as the disk does not have any kind of ouput speaker system (but can receive sounds et cetera) within its corridors - the Arcanites did not need them, so did not use them.

Living Metal floods through the alcoves into the corridors before Alexial, Alex and Spark, forming door upon door. This time, the Living Metal carries high levels of electrical energy running through them - it would not be a good idea for Alexial to try tearing through again. It would appear that the disk has determined that Alexial, at least, is a hostile entity, a hostile entity that is a curiousity to be examined rather than destroyed.

It is at this point that Anastice stood down her weapons and shields.

...wise decision, reason for presence..?

"I came at the behest of my sister. Hypatia seeks only knowledge. I armed myself because your actions were hostile, while I originally came with weapons powered down and shields off."

Alex sighs as they get sealed in again.

Tia sends the location of the planet on which they found the disks.

...actions of disk were reactionary rather than inflammatory. Actions of disk were taken due to hostile entities approaching Arcanite claimed territory. Further actions have been taken by those entities within the disk that have been termed hostile. Entities will not be permitted to leave until hostile status removed...

Meanwhile the disk translated the data sent to them by Hypatia, decoded and altered it to fit in with their own information, before sending a response back to Tia.

...research world, classified: abandoned, reason: research completed. Claimed by Master Sakanthris Literature for research purposes, combined with construction of systems. Conformation of Arcanite activity, possible release of maintenance bio-entites during research period. High probability virus definition: Eternal Wisdom. Purpose of virus is sustaining life signs, heightened mentality capability, vast increase in biological functions resulting in far longer time period between mentality switches...

"Spark", still following his last order to reach the ship, starts to pound on the nearist door, simpaly ignoring the massive amounts of energy lashing at his systems.

"Take spark and get Tia out of here. I can't go any further. My suit's punctured. The second I hit vacuum I'm dead."
"Then I have no choice, I'll have to give you mine, if I have to, that's the end of that." Alexial then began moving again, and helped Spark to his feet.

The communications link to Dur'uc reopened on a general beam toward the fleet as before.

...extract taken from the Tomes of the Arcane, data section 1,847,218: subsection 28,690. There can be no doubt the Masters have visited this location prior to the present date, primary scanning methodology, examination of resources, probability of interesting developments, identification of importance, disk placement...
...name "Draco" unknown, identification of universal location, galaxy, star cluster and system required for identification of region. Biological information of specieis "Drac'ilus Trac'rathus", home system, mentality patterns and DNA profile required...
...remove your fleet from Arcane territory, remained military presence of a number of craft greater than two will result in termination of hostile entities...

"Tell me, did one of your species, a female operate a research facility there?"

...research world, classified: abandoned, reason: research completed. Claimed by Master Sakanthris Literature for research purposes, combined with construction of systems. Conformation of Arcanite activity, possible release of maintenance bio-entites during research period. High probability virus definition: Eternal Wisdom. Purpose of virus is sustaining life signs, heightened mentality capability, vast increase in biological functions resulting in far longer time period between mentality switches...

"But what is the medical solution? If someone else gets infected what medications do we use to stop the nerve death?", Tia asked.

"Spark", still following his last order to reach the ship, starts to pound on the nearist door, simpaly ignoring the massive amounts of energy lashing at his systems.

"Spark", Alex said, "stop." He looked at Alexial as Tia came over thier coms, "Stop taking any actions. It's considering something hostile, I'm not sure what. It says it'll release you if you stop what your doing."

"US hostile", Alex exclaimed, "THEY cut our coms and cut us off from each other."

"And they have the upper hand Alex, please, just take no actions."

Alex sighed and sat down.

The message sent back to Admiral Dur'uc came almost immediately, and was certainly not what the admiral would have wanted.

...files classified due to presence of warships in proximity. Access to files requires removal of fleet...

The next message sent to Tia, also unlikely to be what was wanted.

...no counter to viral entity on record. Antivirus unneccessary as virus beneficial. Production of counter estimated time if research was initiated: 1.2 Terran days...
...nerve reconstruction simple procedure, halting viral entity would not be necessary, reproduction of nervous systems simpler procedure...

The message sent back to Admiral Dur'uc came almost immediately, and was certainly not what the admiral would have wanted.

...files classified due to presence of warships in proximity. Access to files requires removal of fleet...
Admiral Dur'uc Hai'dra, knew he would have to return the fleet before long but decided todeal, "Release those inside the disk and allow them to dock with my ship then I will remove the fleet, then you will answer my questions, agreed?" Dur'uc then waited for a responce.

...negative, certain entities classified as hostile within disk and cannot be released under edicts given to disk by the Masters. Fleet must be removed before information can be released...

Otherwise the disk remains at its alert state, analysing everything about the fleet, weapons, shields, armour, systems, engines...everything.

...no counter to viral entity on record. Antivirus unneccessary as virus beneficial. Production of counter estimated time if research was initiated: 1.2 Terran days...
...nerve reconstruction simple procedure, halting viral entity would not be necessary, reproduction of nervous systems simpler procedure...

'For you maybe', Tia thought. "Alex?"

"Yeah."

"I'm sorry. Just don't take any actions and they'll release you. I can't leave for a little over a day anyway."

"Why is that?"

"Because the virus that got me is a beneficial virus to thier people. It augments them in some way. They don't have an antivirus but they're working on one. It'll take 1.2 days."

Alex smiled and sat back. "Then this is all worth it."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Moira moved closer to Tia and Micaya hoped that they would be allowed to dock to her now. There were no more weapons on board other than the paralysis needler that she carried for self defense. It wouldn't have any affect on any of the creatures.

Interestingly, Tia does not seem to have noticed that the disk has not actually said that it would begin working on a cure. However, it is fairly typical among Arcanite AI systems to interpret what is wanted of them, with the result that they start work anyway.

...nerve reconstruction would still be simpler. Genetic differences can be overcome easily as the genecode for your species was decoded several thousand years ago, updates already complete from other disk memory banks. Pain would be significant until full integration is achieved, which would take an estimated seven Terran-standard seconds. Homo Sapiens nerve reconstruction is a simple matter, biological forms are simpler than those of the Masters...
...identify ship of your species approaching. Identification and analysis required, or ship will be deemed hostile and destroyed...

That last referring to Moira's approach - it would seem that Spark and Alexial's attempts at an escape have heightened the disk's protective instincts and paranoia. What those inside the disk could not know, of course, was that Alex's brief interface with the disk could have been used to open the doors - but then, the amount of information available through the interface would have meant that looking for the systems would be like looking for a needle is a haystack of iron straw.

Aperently forgoten by the disks core, Sparks core reactivates. Systems online, sensory interfaces offline, serching for external interfaces. At this point, a small tendrel extends out of the bottom of the core and starts to wave around the area.

...identify ship of your species approaching. Identification and analysis required, or ship will be deemed hostile and destroyed...

Tia did a quick scan. "That's Moira. She's like me. Micaya is aboard her, she's the mostly flesh cyborg you would detect. Moira isn't hostile, she has no weapons, like me. They're probably just following protocols. You downloaded information from my data banks it's in there. No brainship will be left for too long alone. This is because we are essentially human even as sophisticated as we were made. We can't leave our shells or our ships and therefore won't be left alone for any length of time unless we request it."

Tia had no idea, actually, why they were coming toward her, but the regs did call for a brainship not to be left alone to long. She was telling the truth about the regs, she just didn't know if that was why they were approaching her.

...negative, certain entities classified as hostile within disk and cannot be released under edicts given to disk by the Masters. Fleet must be removed before information can be released...

Otherwise the disk remains at its alert state, analysing everything about the fleet, weapons, shields, armour, systems, engines...everything.
"Release them, and we will do as you ask, then we may exchange information." "If you release them they will no longer be hostile, I assure you, in the name of Gai'a and Trag'oul, release them." As Dur'uc pleaded for the safe return of those inside. "You opened your doors to them, you then became hostile towards them, they inturn became hostile toward you, if you release them, and end your hostilities I assure you that they will no longer commit any hostile actions against you, so please, let them leave." Dur'uc then waited for a reply.

then Jibea destroyed eveyone and lived happily ever after until 3 years later when the world blew up when i accidentally pressed the big green dont press button. Luckily i lived with my region. The end.

moral of the story don't try to go in space while i m in power.
Maybe its don't be on earthe while im in power.
The true moral is lying is bad.

Klashonite uses Restoration & Kill! Restores people that jibea killed and kills jibea!

since i m impervious to magic i redestroy the world except my regioin and laugh at all of my subjects that died for eating too little salt.

New moral magic doesnt defeat faith and a lot of salt in the die.

Uses time machine. Then uses kill on jibea. he dies.

since a time machine creates a paradox it doesnt work because if he killed i which is impossible then when he goes back there is no need to go back in time and kill me so im alive and do the whole thing over in a never ending cycle but then jibea uses the antiMatter bomb that holds the particles with magnets to annihilate everysingle being not in my region

New moral don't try to outsmart the man who knows how to
A:Destroy
B:Lead
C:Use Paradoxes
D:Indestructable

Activates Ignore godwanker Jibea, everyone is happy.

Shall we resume play from before, that, showed up?

[[Sorry about the crappy shortness of the post]]
[[DF: It is a standard response of all Arcanite vessels to analyse their potential enemies - the disk would have started as soon you entered the region, long enough ago to have found out most things. Besides, I did not say that they had found out everything, just that they were trying to analyse it.
Furthermore I think it rather rich that you accuse me of godmodding, with a number of ships very similar to your population as a whole, and you decided that the central chamber door sealed shut behind Alex and Spark, not to mention an organic form managing to break through a Living Metal door.[/rant] ]]

RR:
The disk had not forgotten, it had simply ignored the core as deactivated. Once the object reactivated a long tendril of Living Metal rose to before it, staying just out of range of the tendril from Spark's core while the AIs pondered what to do with it.


CW:
The AIs considered this for a moment, analysing the information copied over from Tia, before replying.

...subject will allowed to approach and to dock with you. Entities within will not be permitted entry to the disk unless authorisation is granted...


DF:

The response was delivered in the same fluid voice - mechanical, but so perfectly generated that the reason the voice was artificial at all was because because the disk desired it to be.

...they can not be released at the present time. We are under Edict...
...we operated standard procedure, central chamber sealing system activated once entities were present, as there were no access codes transmissed the door did not re-open. An interface was achieved with the homo sapiens subject who did not access the sealing controls. Following that, entity: Mecha under orga: "Spark" released energy weapons into the Living Metal. Following reconstruction of door entity: Manufactured orga: "Alexial" attacked Living Metal chamber seal, results classifying both as hostile...
...therefore entities classified as hostile. According to Edict they may not be allowed to leave at the present time. This is not something negotiable...


Jibea:
Deep within galaxies upon the other side of the universe machines worked, creating a certain object.

The Masters of the Arcane Order had begun the work, supervising their machines, a short while ago and now it was complete.

It was loaded, aimed and fired...

I.G.N.O.R.E.

The response was delivered in the same fluid voice - mechanical, but so perfectly generated that the reason the voice was artificial at all was because because the disk desired it to be.

...they can not be released at the present time. We are under Edict...
...we operated standard procedure, central chamber sealing system activated once entities were present, as there were no access codes transmissed the door did not re-open. An interface was achieved with the homo sapiens subject who did not access the sealing controls. Following that, entity: Mecha under orga: "Spark" released energy weapons into the Living Metal. Following reconstruction of door entity: Manufactured orga: "Alexial" attacked Living Metal chamber seal, results classifying both as hostile...
...therefore entities classified as hostile. According to Edict they may not be allowed to leave at the present time. This is not something negotiable...
(OOC: Your fun, I said that to hear your response, and it's funny, hehe.)

"You, will release those people, it was your fault you did not reveal your intentions, if you had, no hostilities would have occured. That is your fault, not there's, now get what ever authorization you need, but for now, if they feel as if they are threatend, they will most defenitly attack in defense. So allow them to enter Tia's ship, and contact me. After that, we ... will come to an agreement, without you offending or threatening those people. That is what I want you to do. After that I will remove the core of my fleet, but I will have a single Battleship class ship. I am glad you understand, he is here to ensure that Central does not interfere, with the defection of both General Micya, and her sister. Thank you." Dur'uc then as always waited for a reply.

(OOC: PS: Did you get that TG I sent you?)

...statement repeat. Disk is under Edict, those within disk may not be released at this time. This is not negotiable without authorisation...
...you have nothing that we desire, you have nothing to bargain with save threat of force, which will result in your annihilation...
...remove your fleet...

An artificial note of impatience is inserted into the mechanised voice, not accidentally. It is easily apparent that the disk is losing interest in the admiral's continued perceived stupidity and is not far from cutting off communication.

Moira picked up Foster on the way into Tia.

"Good to see you kicking, Fost."

"I see you still haven't slept, Mic", he replied.

"I'm not dead yet", she told him.

He shook his head, "your still stubborn."

"And what do you think would have changed in the short time you were napping?"

He grinned. "Somethings up, what is it?"

"Later", she as Moira docked with Tia. "Alex, Alexial and Spark are locked inside this thing. I'm heading over to Tia."

Foster nodded and watched her walk out. "Alright Moira, fill me in", he said, and she did.

Micaya got to Tia's open lock, "Permission to come aboard."

"Granted, of course."

Micaya made her way to the main cabin and saluted Tia's column, "How are you holding up?"

"I'm scared", Hypatia replied, losing control of her vocal circuits for a moment.

Micaya nodded, "Don't you worry, we'll get through this", she told her as she walked into the galley and grabbed a container of coffee. When she returned to the main cabin she held it up, "You mind?"

"Not at all", Tia replied.

Micaya sat down, breaking the heat seal. "Alright, tell me everything from your arrival in the system, don't leave out one detail."

Tia already felt better, General Quester-Benn was reknown for getting out of seemingly impossible situations. "You look tired General", she remarked but started from the beginning, even accessing the shipboard recordings.

Micaya sat and listened. She really didn't have any plan in mind, she didn't even think she could do anything, but she knew that if that Tia talked about the situation and thought someone was taking charge of it then she would feel better at least.

...statement repeat. Disk is under Edict, those within disk may not be released at this time. This is not negotiable without authorisation...
...you have nothing that we desire, you have nothing to bargain with save threat of force, which will result in your annihilation...
...remove your fleet...

An artificial note of impatience is inserted into the mechanised voice, not accidentally. It is easily apparent that the disk is losing interest in the admiral's continued perceived stupidity and is not far from cutting off communication.(OOC: You got another TG)

"Allow them into the relitive saftey of Tia's ship, after that they will feel no need for hostility, thus accomplishing both our missions, Tia is within your ship, so they will not be leaving your ship, then I will remove all the fleet but one Battleship class ship for the purposes indecated before. And if you require authority for those actions, then get them from you Venerable Master. And then I and your Venerable Master, can come to peaceful terms." But before Dur'uc cut the comm, he sent a transmissin that held a virtural program on Dracon DNA. "Here, if he wants to know which race is so arrogant as to up set him, then he will know." Dur'uc then cut the comms for what he hoped was the last time.

As a final act of goodwill Dur'uc slowly began to return his fleet to Draco, one ship at a time translocated from the scene, "Now please, comply with my request, you cannot deny the logc within this request." Dur'uc and his crew silently waited for a repy over the intercomm.

As a final act of goodwill Dur'uc slowly began to return his fleet to Draco, one ship at a time translocated from the scene, "Now please, comply with my request, you cannot deny the logc within this request." Dur'uc and his crew silently waited for a repy over the intercomm.

Almost at the same time Moira and Hypatia let thier respective on board partners know what was happening outside. Foster raised an eyebrow but nodded while Micaya nodded and said, "According to plan, Tia, don't worry."

'So the general did have a plan', Tia thought, feeling better. She contacts Alex, Alexial and Spark. "The situation is beginning to resolve itself. The General is on board with me."

That made Alex feel better, at least she wasn't alone. "Thank the General for me. How's Moira?"

"Moira is fine, Foster is back with her."

"That's wonderful news", replied smiling.

"General, Alex thanks you."

"Tell him if he doesn't get his butt back here where it belongs then I'm partnering you."

Tia actually giggled, both through the cabin speakers and through the com. That little sound made Alex feel worlds better. Tia gave Alex the Generals message and he laughed, all of them showing great resilience under the difficult circumstances, "Understood", he said, "I'll hurry then."

...negative. We are under Edict, the orders of our Gods. Regardless of Locking mechanism through dock according to Edict the entities may not be permitted to leave the disk...
...a single warship may remain. Remainder must leave...
...at current rate of exit it will take years for fleet to disperse. We are happy to wait, but the entities waiting within the disk are probably not. Are you..?

The disk remains, slowly spinning at the edge of the system, power levels constant.

...the Master will not be disturbed over such a trivial matter as your threats. Your species is irrelevant, arrogance is unsuitable for an entity seeking audience with the Master...

...negative. We are under Edict, the orders of our Gods. Regardless of Locking mechanism through dock according to Edict the entities may not be permitted to leave the disk...
...a single warship may remain. Remainder must leave...
...at current rate of exit it will take years for fleet to disperse. We are happy to wait, but the entities waiting within the disk are probably not. Are you..?

The disk remains, slowly spinning at the edge of the system, power levels constant.

...the Master will not be disturbed over such a trivial matter as your threats. Your species is irrelevant, arrogance is unsuitable for an entity seeking audience with the Master...
"Will removing the fleet allow you to come to a comprimise that furfills both our edicts?" Dur'uc in a sign of frustration began to rub against his feathers.

...it would allow answers to multiple questions. Time until entities within disk is based upon presence of hostile entities save that the length of time increases if hostile entities are present (both within and without disk)...

...it would allow answers to multiple questions. Time until entities within disk is based upon presence of hostile entities save that the length of time increases if hostile entities are present (both within and without disk)...(OOC: You got TG)

"Good." In a few seconds there was a blindening flash, when the quadrant returned to normal, the entire fleet had translocated in a single jump. Leaving only Dur'uc's carrier and his escort Battleship. "Now, can we speak like resonably sencied beings?" Dur'uc then returned to his calm self and asked, "Will you stop threatening those inside the disk, and if you say that you are not being hostile, you lie, organics only react hostilily, when they feel they have been threatened. Now will you stop 'your' hostilities, so that I can end 'their' hostilities?"

The disk continues its spinning, outwardly unperturbed about whatever those outside are doing.

Inside, where Spark, Alex and Alexial are trapped, there is not a great deal happening, although one of the alcoves is now clear of Living Metal. This alcove holds a single object in a stasis field - the product of some form of Arcanite research. The object itself is a sphere, about ten inches across.

Standing vertically in the alcove is another of the needle-ended cables that form the disk's interface points.


To the Draconis Federation Admiral:

...sencied? Word unknown, but yet, we can discuss matters reasonably. Those inside the disk are not being threatened. They are presently being detained under temporary Edict...
...you have an interesting view of Organics, if you truly believe that. The Masters learnt otherwise during the War of Ignorance. Organics are panicked, foolish entities that use emotion rather than intellect and revel in destruction...

With it's inablity to find anything to interface, the tendrell slows to a stop.
No interface detected, actvieating repair program Omega. A moment after the tendral stops, it strikes down at the decking, prying of an atom or two from it, only to transfer them to the exterionr of the core.

(OOC, the damage done to he decking is less then would be done by just walking on it, so it might be some time before it is noticeable, even by an A.I.)

[[Where exactly is the core? Is it on the podium, the walkway or the Living Metal? (As mentioned, the chamber is basically a large pool of LM except for the walkway and podium)]]

To the Draconis Federation Admiral:

...sencied? Word unknown, but yet, we can discuss matters reasonably. Those inside the disk are not being threatened. They are presently being detained under temporary Edict...
...you have an interesting view of Organics, if you truly believe that. The Masters learnt otherwise during the War of Ignorance. Organics are panicked, foolish entities that use emotion rather than intellect and revel in destruction...
"Well then, obviously those organics you encountered had no conncept of self control. Or respect for the planet that gave them life." "I am not going to waste any more time on our different pilosophisies, may we get back to buisness, now that you are refraining from any action that might be considered hostile, they inturn will become less hostile. Upon reaching a spot they deem safe, they may not feel any hostilities toward you or your master." Dur'uc felt pretty good now, he was finally getting some where with this machine.

The disk continues its spinning, outwardly unperturbed about whatever those outside are doing.

Inside, where Spark, Alex and Alexial are trapped, there is not a great deal happening, although one of the alcoves is now clear of Living Metal. This alcove holds a single object in a stasis field - the product of some form of Arcanite research. The object itself is a sphere, about ten inches across.

Standing vertically in the alcove is another of the needle-ended cables that form the disk's interface points.
As Alexial stared at the tendril, she noticed that it was not taking any other action, other then the repairing of the ships interior. "Lets go, I think our freinds made a deal of non-aggression, so we best get a move on, while we have the time."

To Admiral Dur'uc:

...to date the Masters have encountered several thousand organic races, of which fewer than five percent have been classified as "non-volatile". Your species is among the ninety-five percent...
...those entities within the disk are required to remain in position for a period of time until their hostile status is removed, as according to Edict. We have no power to countermand one of the Edicts...
...at present the entities within the disk are being held in a section of corridor blocked by the Living Metal, they are not being harmed but further hostile actions will result in the termination of those entities. Only one entity is classified as hostile-by-association and will not be terminated, this being the organic entity classified as "Alex", although his period of detention is the same as those classified as hostile...
...what information do you desire..?

[[OOC Note: As I mentioned, there are walls of Living Metal blocking progress through the corridor. Alexial, Spark and Alex are being held in a twenty-metre section blocked at both ends by the Living Metal. There is not a great deal to do, although there are various objects in the (now clear) alcoves, as well as interface points.]]

To Admiral Dur'uc:

...to date the Masters have encountered several thousand organic races, of which fewer than five percent have been classified as "non-volatile". Your species is among the ninety-five percent...
...those entities within the disk are required to remain in position for a period of time until their hostile status is removed, as according to Edict. We have no power to countermand one of the Edicts...
...at present the entities within the disk are being held in a section of corridor blocked by the Living Metal, they are not being harmed but further hostile actions will result in the termination of those entities. Only one entity is classified as hostile-by-association and will not be terminated, this being the organic entity classified as "Alex", although his period of detention is the same as those classified as hostile...
...what information do you desire..?

"The information I desire, is how long will they be classified as hostile? You may not see withholding people against their will as hostile, but they most certainly do, if you would please kindly allow them to keep motile they might become less volitile, as you so arragantly put it. Though you do not consider our claim valid, we don't consider your claim valid either, after all Draco is the home world of my species not yours. And if you reacted more tactfully you might discover that the 95% are not volitile after all, but prefer their freedom over complying to your idiotic demands." Dur'uc could not help the feeling of being insulted by this machine. "Secondly, what do you know of Draco? Was there a facility there? And if so who ran it?" Dur'uc held his toungue for fear of retribution agaimst those inside.

And if you reacted more tactfully you might discover that the 95% are not volitile after all, but prefer their freedom over complying to your idiotic demands." Dur'uc could not help the feeling of being insulted by this machine. "Secondly, what do you know of Draco? Was there a facility there? And if so who ran it?" Dur'uc held his toungue for fear of retribution agaimst those inside.

...their classification of "hostile" is determined by their actions, therefore giving any concrete time is impossible. Mobility would allow them unreasonable access to artifacts and anull the purpose of the detention during hostile period. What you term as arrogance is based upon the span of our existence and the knowledge attainted through it - and the youngest of us is likely older than your civilisation...
...claims of territory, as dictated through the Tanreall-Dyurnai treaties as well as conventional law, are dictated by the time than a region is claimed. This marker-disk has been present for many hundreds of thousands of years and therefore any claim that you have to this region is invalid...
...our information concerning the volatility of organic races is based upon passive observation, in your case, you were classified as volatile due to the manner of your appearance, threats, reactionary activities, willing desire to muster an entire fleet over a single instance, arrogance, attacks upon disk, probability analysis, ship design, and the list goes on for several hundred more reasons...
...Our "demands" are only issued when deemed appropriate. If the entities on-disk had not decided to attempt to damage the disk interior they would not have been classified hostile. Patience is an example of non-volatility, and your species as enountered by entity on-disk: Alexial and yourself, entity: Dur'uc, as well as numerous members of your crews have demonstrated that your species lacks patience...
...you presume to judge us and the Masters based upon your short span of life, based upon the tiny experiences that you have encountered, based upon the teachings of your young civilisation. We, the Mechanical Entities aboard this disk, have been concious for hundreds of thousands of your years. The Masters have lived for several million of your years. Our civilisation has been in existence for longer than many galaxies and you, son of a infant race, presume to judge us based upon philosophies that you have evolved over a few thousand years? Our Edicts, our programs, our mentalities have been designed over a thousand times a thousand years...

There is a pause as the AIs run a brief search on "Draco".

...name "Draco" not found in records. Closest match "Dryeko". Require universal location, galactic co-ordinates, star cluster and solar system data to retrieve complex data...

...their classification of "hostile" is determined by their actions, therefore giving any concrete time is impossible. Mobility would allow them unreasonable access to artifacts and anull the purpose of the detention during hostile period. What you term as arrogance is based upon the span of our existence and the knowledge attainted through it - and the youngest of us is likely older than your civilisation...

...claims of territory, as dictated through the Tanreall-Dyurnai treaties as well as conventional law, are dictated by the time than a region is claimed. This marker-disk has been present for many hundreds of thousands of years and therefore any claim that you have to this region is invalid...

...our information concerning the volatility of organic races is based upon passive observation, in your case, you were classified as volatile due to the manner of your appearance, threats, reactionary activities, willing desire to muster an entire fleet over a single instance, arrogance, attacks upon disk, probability analysis, ship design, and the list goes on for several hundred more reasons...

...Our "demands" are only issued when deemed appropriate. If the entities on-disk had not decided to attempt to damage the disk interior they would not have been classified hostile. Patience is an example of non-volatility, and your species as enountered by entity on-disk: Alexial and yourself, entity: Dur'uc, as well as numerous members of your crews have demonstrated that your species lacks patience...

...you presume to judge us and the Masters based upon your short span of life, based upon the tiny experiences that you have encountered, based upon the teachings of your young civilisation. We, the Mechanical Entities aboard this disk, have been concious for hundreds of thousands of your years. The Masters have lived for several million of your years. Our civilisation has been in existence for longer than many galaxies and you, son of a infant race, presume to judge us based upon philosophies that you have evolved over a few thousand years? Our Edicts, our programs, our mentalities have been designed over a thousand times a thousand years...

There is a pause as the AIs run a brief search on "Draco".

...name "Draco" not found in records. Closest match "Dryeko". Require universal location, galactic co-ordinates, star cluster and solar system data to retrieve complex data...
"Very well at current level of agression what is the rate of time that they will be released?" "That is the definition of arrogance, you beleive yourself supperior based on the assumption that age indicates wisdom."

"Current records present an arrgument to your validity, you see aproximatly 12 million years ago, life first began to generate on Draco, do to fossil record we have found that approaimilty a thousand years before your 'maker disk' was present, our ancestors were first developing sencied thought, thus by artical four of planetary claims, any sign of sencied being nullifies any claim to previously claimed planet, or planetoid. Thus by our law, the Planet Draco and all other planets and planetoids of the system Draconis is Dracon territory as well as the Arachnarite home world Arachnia. So any claim to any planet/planetoid in designated Dracon territory is null and void. You may have scouted this region, but my ancestors claimed it first by law."

"All because you refused to idintify yourself and solve the problem then and there, because of your refusial we had no other way of knowing your intentions, and now you tell us that you own this sector of space by your law, even though fossil records prove that our ancestors were sencied and active, on Draco long before you ever discovered this system."

"And your species lacks tack, but that does not mean your hostile, the fact you threaten to invade Dracon space and remove all resourses in an unenviromentally safe way, you endanger my people, thus you are hostile by our law."

"And you assume that since the individual Dracon lives only a few hundred years, that we do not live? My species has advanced so fast because of a rare genetic trait, known as '100% Genetic Memory'. This means that I can remeber all that my ancestors experienced, I remember the begining of my family from the ancestoral species. You on the other hand rely on 'mechanized memory'. You can not go around assuming that a race is below you only because you existed before theirs, that is the definition of hostile."

Dur'uc infuriated by the machines lack of common sence, or humanity caused Dur'uc to nearly miss the question on Draco.

"Draco, Draconis System, Rur'tag Mon'rja, 824934DR 523987DS 931736RM, those are the exact coordinates, as we have them."

[[OOC: Do you have any idea how long a time 12 million years is? I mean, really? And what the hell is "sencied" anyway?]]

...at current rate an insignificant number of hours required...
...what you name our "arrogance" is based not on age, but on observation attained during length of life...
...activity within another system does not authorise a species to claim territory beyond that system. If it did the Masters could claim every uninhabited galaxy/star cluster/solar system in the universe. Claims do not make something true. Records clearly show that at time of claiming this system did not contain any form of marker indicating its allegiance. As this disk has been present since the Masters made their claim this territory belongs to the Masters, under articles three through nine of the Tanreall-Dyurnai treaty, which predates the initiation of life upon your planet...
...you have no authority to compel us to identify ourselves. You lack any authorisation, any access codes and any informational clearance. We answer your questions because we wish to, bear that in mind before you spout angry claims about our not identifying ourselves. We would have been content to simply eliminate you, rather than giving you the gift of knowledge, allowing an entity of your species to view the forms of the Masters...
...we did not threaten to invade. We simply stated what the effects of your hostility against us would result in. Environmental situations are irrelevant when measured against the greater concern...
..congratulations, you can remember what your direct ancestors knew. We can access untold numbers of data entries, from millions of disks and data gathering craft across the universe. The Masters know more than you could possibly comprehend, and you act superior...

...your co-ordinate definitions are peculiar, but translation is relatively easy. Dryeko. Claimed by the Ancient and Venerable Master Gaeya approxomately fourteen years before the present date, research facility established approxomately twelve million years before the present date to perform experiments based around the creation of a sentient species used combined biological coding and splicing as well as examination of differing genetic forms to determine of true combinations can exist despite variation of base pairs and several major genetic differences. Experiment classified as success. Do you wish further information..?

(OOC It's on the living metal on the far side of the core from the entrince to the room. but you have to rember, its only takeing an atom or two at a time, that puts it under the thresshold of almost any system of detection.

[[OOC: Do you have any idea how long a time 12 million years is? I mean, really? And what the hell is "sencied" anyway?]]

...your co-ordinate definitions are peculiar, but translation is relatively easy. Dryeko. Claimed by the Ancient and Venerable Master Gaeya approxomately fourteen years before the present date, research facility established approxomately twelve million years before the present date to perform experiments based around the creation of a sentient species used combined biological coding and splicing as well as examination of differing genetic forms to determine of true combinations can exist despite variation of base pairs and several major genetic differences. Experiment classified as success. Do you wish further information..?[/I](OOC: Senteint means conscious thought, the abiliy to plan, form paterns, basicly human thought)

Dur'uc with all his patience decided to ignore all previous statements, but when he heard the information about Draco he was left silent, until he spoke up. "Yes, ... please continue." Dur'uc then took great interest in this news.

[[OOC: Will reply when I've thought up some more stuff to say.
And I think you mean sentient ]]