NationStates Jolt Archive

A large fleshy sphere slowly rose through the final layers of the planets thick atmosphere. Below it vast deserts and deep blue oceans spread out like a giant tapestry. It had been in the making for thousands of years. A vast aquatic empire and the dry slave wastes. Complete opposites.

The small spline ship finally broke through the final layers of the atmosphere. Its still tender skin recoiling as it re-entered the void. Young, and tender were both very inappropriate terms for this immense creature. It was easily over a thousand years old and had skin thick enough to withstand the extremes of the void. From its dark pot marked flesh numerous metal monstrosities protruded. Yet another stark contrast. On board were thousands of tiny machines designed to keep the massive spline running smoothly, hundreds of Ju-Thagens, numerous Arixians, and a single Qax. Ju-Thagens were not born from evolution, but from the need for a slave race. They had little intelligence, but were full in build and obedient. They also had the wonderful ability to survive in the void for prolonged periods of time, as long as temperatures were kept reasonable. The Arixians were once a proud race, now a hollow remnant of their past selves driven over the edge by the promise of immortality. Finally the Qax. The Qax was a vast being made not from flesh and bone, but of liquid. Its mind was vast and slow to act. Its body was wholly under its control, down to the cellular level. The Qax was the ruling race in this hierarchy, after centuries of power plays.

This Qax had a simple, but incredibly important mission, to make alliances. It would be responsible for first contact with innumerable races, the fate of the race was on its shoulders.

The spline shuddered as enormous biological and mechanical transportation means began to kick in. Massive bio engines began to convulse to life and multiple other large mechanical engines began to shudder. In and instant it was off, the planet of Kul-Ungrad falling far behind them.

OOC: So I am getting into the realm of future tech and I though, what better way then to rp my first ship leaving my system. Anyone can feel free to run into it.

Krioval had long possessed advanced technology, but for inscrutable reasons, had always avoided space travel...until Raijin Dekker's government came to power. And so the transdimensional drive was eventually created, tested, and perfected, using the psionic talents of Kriovalians themselves as the model for the prototype. That was three years ago.

Koro looked at the stars outside the craft's window. No, he corrected himself. The appearances of the stars after our speed is taken into account. As far as he cared, though, the science did nothing to dispel the majesty of his trip.

Our trip. Koro turned to see one of his shipmates. Really, you look at the stars - don't interrupt me with the technical stuff - and it's like your good buddy Tevak just disappears.

Out of my mind, Tevak. Koro concentrated briefly and managed to sever the telepathic link. He had wished for telepathy, but his power was the combination of telekinesis and metabolics - just like Commander Raijin.

He often found himself being compared to the Kriovalian Commander, to his discomfort. For one, Koro didn't exactly see himself in any kind of relationship with Tevak, let alone marriage, and Sakira? Hell would probably freeze before that would happen. For another, I'm not Raijin. I'm Koro.

A third figure gracefully walked onto the bridge of the craft. Her eyes lit up as she took in the scene of the two males engaged in some sort of telepathic "staring contest". She ran through several options in her mind before "the right one" came to the surface.

"Look, I know that we're supposed to 'get to know' each other, but..." she intentionally trailed off. Sakira was not one to show her hand, even when her mischievous moods held sway. She possessed no active psionic talent, though augmented, she made quite the illusionist. Her talents lay in diplomatics and ship morale, and she was quite skilled in both.

The two now-flustered men looked at her in shock. You'd have thought a telepath could see her coming, Tevak offered.

Just then, the Kriovalian spaceship alerted the astronauts to a radar signal.

"Is that a lifesign?!" Koro asked, incredulity on his face evident.

"Check it out," Sakira said, not bothering to look at either the console or the two men any more. Whatever it was, it was better than watching "little Raijin" and his tormentor face off over some other insignificant detail.

Tons of fluid began to shift as the enormous eye of the spline began to focus on a far off object. Splines had amazing eyesite. A pupil that easily dwarfed a Ju-Thagen began to expand letting in more light.

Something... near... ship... see?

The Qax slowly began to pull itself out of deep thought. The language of the spline was a slow one, full of thungering sounds. For the sake of rapidity they spoke in single words. They really didn't speak either. They possessed an incredibly powerful form of telpathy that could cross immense distances in the void. Spline had no vocal coords of any sort, as sound could not make way with out a medium.

Show me.

Suddenly images flooded into the Qax's mind. The Qax was now one with the Spline, it felt and saw everything that the spline did.

A ship of steel and metal... how odd... send a message...

**Message**
Greetings, great travellers of the void. Our kingdom has the name of, The Infinite Crucible. What are you called? With peace we come to your door. I am of the species known as, Qax.
**End Message**

OOC: There's a bit of strong language periodically. These guys are pretty much supposed to be raw recruits - they're somewhere between 17 and 20 years old.

"It's the size of a damn ship!" Tevak exclaimed. "Gods of Krioval! What is it?!"

"Whatever it is," Koro interrupted, "it's alive."

"How the hell do you know?" came the almost expected retort.

"I'm a TK and a metabol, ya know. Skills are worth something or I'd be back in HQ sitting on my..."

"Enough." Sakira's voice cut like a scythe. "Try to contact it."

"You mean use a TP link?" Tevak swung around to ask.

"Yeah. Besides, it's not like the two of you don't enjoy the close physical contact - especially you, Koro." Sakira flashed a quick smirk.

Bitch, Koro thought.

Yeah, pretty much, came the other man's response. But let's get it over with, huh?

Yeah. Koro placed his hands on Tevak's shoulders. It was his combination of talents that let him regulate biological energies. Tevak would be consumed with the task of relaying the telepathic messages. Koro would be doing the actual conversation.

"You two done screwing around yet?"

Koro resisted the impulse to tell her exactly where she could stick those kinds of comments. "Yeah. And I already know what to say, so you don't need to scream out instructions." He focused his thoughts through Tevak's link and into the void. But first, a thought coalesced from the direction of the anomaly.

Greetings, great travellers of the void. Our kingdom has the name of, The Infinite Crucible. What are you called? With peace we come to your door. I am of the species known as, Qax.

Hail, Koro concentrated his thoughts through the link. I am Koro. I am speaking through a telepathic link. The one through whom I speak is Tevak. The other on our ship, he hoped the word "ship" would be translated appropriately, is Sakira. We come from the nation of Krioval, some distance from here. We...uh...welcome the Qax.

Done. With any luck, the onboard computers could match the psionic patterns of the being or establish normal communications from their interchange. Either way, the link was exhausting to maintain; Tevak had lost consciousness and Koro slumped back in a nearby chair. Sakira was up now.

A thousand images and thoughts congealed and flowed about in what seemed to be a most hap-hazard matter. This was the mind of a Qax, totally native to the being. Suddenly something alien writhed its way in pushing through the familiar quagmire.

The message sent by Koro reached the Qax.

How very impressive, a telpathic race...

The spline shifted in towards the utterly alien vessel. Its powerful engines slowly moving it about a killometer off of the starboards side of the new vessel.

The large eye began to focus on the ship beginning to study it deeply. It slowly moved about taking measurements and examining the structure of the ship. Everything was sent to a data processor which cataloged the data.

At the very center of the ship the Qax began to pour over the telepathic organism's mind. It soon devoted its entire mind to working out how this new language worked. It worked methodically moving threw the language bit by bit.

Soon an hour passed and the Qax was still learning the new language. It was almost done though. This rate was incredible, even for a Qax. Often a Qax could learn a new language in a week to a month depending on the complexity of it. This one was very talented, however, and that is one of the many reasons it was chosen as the Qax for the mission.

It did nto cross the mind of anything on board the Spline that an hour may have been a lond time to the other race. This alliance of species took things slowly, and rarely acted rashly. The reply could wait.

TAG For possible involvement... if thats ok that is.

Aboard the “Bloody Gaping Jaws” a Sskiss “Slicing Claw” Class Heavy Destroyer

Raak’ Hisss, a lowly “sight/hearing of the void” [sensor operator] squawked for attention and assumed the posture of “Attention to orders/dictates”. “Dominant one/ruler above all! A spoor has been detected/scented!”

“A prey’s spoor?” Rasped Hruuk’ Sslaak

“Unknown/lacking of data….range is great”….

“Visual!” he hissed/snarled. Toxic saliva dripped slowly from his cavernous jaws lined with rows of serrated teeth. He signaled “Anticipation of Hunting/Slaughter” His jaws had gaped further. The hologram visual of the strange vessel had appeared within the holopit. Hrruk’ Sslaak gazed at it only briefly and in a moment he had decided.

“Intercept/Hunt…Plot vector!” He instinctive assumed the “Dominance Posture” for added affect and so that his orders/dictates would be obeyed without question, without thought.....

Perhaps, he thought there would be some hunting after all…..

Ehh, I guess you have this one this time Sskiss, but I get the next introduction. =P

On the Kriovalian ship, Koro and Sakira waited patiently. Several minutes went by without any trace of activity by the Qax.

"What the hell is it doing?!" Sakira demanded.

"It relayed fairly slowly earlier. I think it's trying to learn how to talk directly to us." Koro shrugged his shoulders.

"Gods. Stuck all the way out here and..."

"Ship on long-range sensors," Koro interrupted. "Identity unknown."

Sakira stopped abruptly mid-sentence and glanced at the sensor data herself, though she mentally chided herself for doubting him. Tevak might make that up to avoid a lecture, but Koro's not like that. Sure enough, there was a ship approaching.

"Damn," she uttered, not looking up. "It looks like it might be a warship. We're designed for speed, not combat. We might have to go."

"We're not leaving the Qax here alone! What if they decide to kill it?! We've got a telepath, a TK/metabol, and an illusionist on this ship. Has to count for something, ya know?!"

Despite the very real threat of an armed exchange, Sakira started to chuckle. "Could you have sounded or acted any more like Commander Raijin, Koro?"

"Are we staying?"

"Might as well. We could probably escape anything heavily armed, we've got pretty strong shielding, and you're right, we've got our talents too."

Sakira stepped to the communications console. She had no idea if the Qax would be able to understand the message, but she had to try.

To the Qax: another vessel approaches. Intent unknown. Looks like it has weapons. What to do?

She hit the transmission button. As the message flew off into the ether, she watched as Koro manipulated Tevak's biological energy to bring him back to consciousness. Despite herself, she felt a twinge of jealousy. And so, the time ticked by on the KRX* Keldar.
---------------------
OOC: I'm hoping that by the word "peaceful" in the thread title that this will remain peaceful, or will any warlike acts will at least be done by the consent of all posters, including the thread initiator.

*KRX = Kriovalian spaceship (KR = Kriovalian, X = Sefikar = void)

Ehh, I guess you have this one this time Sskiss, but I get the next introduction. =P

OOC: You can still join, I'm sure.

Ehh, im going to grab this other newbie intro. Hey, I can use a Stargate, so its all good. I paid 4 billion for it, and never got around to using it...

OOC: Anyone can feel free to join in. Oh and I really dont want to have any military actions. You can send a proposition to me via TG, but dont attack otherwise. I wrote peaceful as a bit of a rule, but I wont ignore anbody right off the bat. I really haven't even got around to designing a Qax's military abilities.

The Qax was deep in thought. Multiple strings of syntax and grammer were flying through its brain, it was almost fluent in the language of the other species.

The message room suddenly recieved a message from the other ship. Odd shapes and letters flashed out in a short message. The Arixians knew not what they looked at, but they immediatly forwarded it to the Qax.

The Qax poured over the message. The meaning was very clear. This ship had also been picked up by the Spline's sensors. The Spline could feel a great bristling coming from the ship and passed this feeling on to the Qax. Time was of the essence.

The Qax's mind immediatly began to work through multiple senarios tracing them to all possible outcomes. Soon it was evident what one of the better decisions was.

Message: This ship has an aura of danger with it. Retreat may be necessary... Your closest military vessels are where?

The message was then shot off threw the void.

Well, considering the fact that they can control their bodies down to the molecular level, they could probobly use their natural cellular abilities to digest both people, and other objects, and use them for energy. Now, if it was an energy weapon, its another story, but they could probobly 'eat a bullet' as the expresion goes.

OOC: Hmm good point, but the Qax is only located in a small part of the spline. The spline is flesh and blood and has very little control over its body directly.

"Military ship?" Koro asked, thoroughly bewildered. "Does Krioval really even have military ships?"

Sakira thought for a second. That information was classified - strongly sealed. For her few years, at twenty-three, Sakira had security access that would make some Kriovalian generals envious. But then, being Melena Kriov's sister had its advantages too. "Yeah. We're one of 'em."

"Huh?!"

"Do you think that they'd just send us into deep space on random dimension shifts without some level of defensive capability?"

"Well..."

"One of their ships shouldn't be a major problem. And if it's huge, we dimension shift out of here. If necessary, we snare the alien life form too." She grinned, but in a way that terrified the younger man. "That is, if it's willing - and you're able."

"Me?!"

"Don't tell me mister telekinetic and metabolic is suddenly not up to the challenge." Sakira turned to the communications console and sent a message.

We are armed, if necessary. Can rapidly retreat. Do you require evacuation?

Tevak regained consciousness, and the other two hurried to fill him in on the developing situation.

OOC Well couldn't the Spline have any natural defensives? It is crafted for the void after all... Maybe it could rapidly produce a spiky crystal shell (ie. Space Godzilla) perhapsed evolved to protect against harmful cosmic rays, or stellar drift parasites. I doubt Sskiss would come in hostile.




Undetected distant eyes watched the strangers crosspaths.

"Dispatch "Probe of Seeking of Knowledge"!" the aged female "Seeker of knowledge of the other" [Xenologist?] roared. She had assumed the posture of "Surety/Strength of Purpose" and added visual modifers of "unyielding resolve". "There is no hunting/killing here!"

Raak' Hisss hissed visiously and assumed the "dominance posture" but the aged female Xenologist was unimpressed.... She merely tossed her head upward slightly and snorted.....

A clear disrepect of his authority/dominance! Raak' Hisss smoldered in quite rage, his body showing no outward emotions, rigid and still.....

But the aged, bold Xenologist continued..... pushing her advantage....."Death/Cessation of arming of weapons!" She screached/roared.

"You will not bare teeth and talons today, Raak' Hisss...."Seeking of Knowledge of other" takes greater imperative" You will obey MY DICATES/ORDERS!!!

Raak' Hisss seethed in rage, but had to admit defeat, he could not use his jaws and ripping talons here..... This was a battle of words....of purpose, and he lost and she knew it.....

.........................................................

A small slender ovoid seeker/hunter of knowledge probe left the Sskiss ship which had long slowed to a complete stop. It moved toward the alien vessels.....

"A small object has left the approaching vessel," Sakira intoned. "Moving toward us and the Qax."

"Shields are active," Koro followed.

"Weapons systems online but not armed," came the response of Tevak. For all their infighting, the three were ruthlessly efficient when it came to the defense of their ship, and by extension, Krioval. But nothing less was expected from them - they had been specifically selected to sample deep space and report to the High Council on what they found. For a country that had been planetbound only ten years ago, and had formulated dimensional shifting theory before developing a space program, Krioval was eager to throw back its borders and to expand into the uncharted regions of the Universe.

"Looks like a probe," Koro offered. "Guess we'll have to wait and see what it does."

"More waiting," Sakira sniffled. "I hate all the waiting. When does something exciting happen?" Her voice, usually strong and unwavering, was almost plaintive.

"Well," Koro jumped in, "it's not every day we meet a sentient being who can learn our language in an hour and then find ourselves in pre-combat conditions, ya know."

"'Ya know,'" Tevak sarcastically spit back. "Maybe I'll just start calling you 'Commander', little Raijin."

And just like that, task completed, they fell into their now-typical routine of conversational one-upmanship. But then, what else was there to do but await the outcome of this encounter?

Carridian Defence Ship (CDS) Aquila

Commander Daren Nider, commanding officer of CDS Aquila sat in the captain's chair and looked on the bridge's main screen. He felt proud of his ship and it's crew as he looked around at the bridge. The crewmembers, all sharply dressed in black CDF uniforms, were either walking to or from their posts or working on their workstations, and the bridge was like straight from the CDF instruction manual:clean, polished and working. No wonder , Nider thought. Aquila was Carridia's finest ship, prototype for a new deep-space warship. It's crew were Carridia's best and finest. Suddenly Nider was thrown back to real life from his thoughts by tactical officer's shout:"Sir, i have new contacts on our sensors!".

"What?" Nider said curiously. The ship's mission was to seek out new life. "On screen!. Three ships appeared on the screen:A spline ship, Sskissian destroyer and a Kriovalian ship.
"Enlarge." Nider said and leaned towards the screen. He looked at the spline, and thought:"What the hell is that...".

His thought was interrupted by his tactical officer:"Sir, i'm detecting a launch. Small, possibly a probe. Unknown intent"

"This seems like bad....we'd better monitor the situation from here. But let's not take any chances. Go to yellow alert!"

As Nider ordered the yellow alert, the alarm lights in ship's corridors lit up and alarm klaxons sounded. Yellow alert meant that shields would be powered up and weapons and flight personnel would assume their positions. Nider sat in his chair and looked at the screen, thinking a strategy.




OOC:How big are these ships exactly?

In what seemed to be a battle of wills the anger and hatred from within the Sskiss battleship began to subside. An emotion that could be closely compared to relief began to push its way through the Spline. Its wonderful tendrils sliding throughout the massive being. It passed this feeling on to the Qax, and things were good.

This new object launched from the Sskiss vessal seemed to be non threatening. It seemed as if a being of some logic had gained control on the ship.

The Qax relaxed, it began to split its mind up into multiple sections. One began to formulate messages for the two alien ships, another continued to learn the language of the Kriovals, and a final section remained on guard running through multiple senarios.

The spline began to command multiple robots to begin to change multiple systems. With a great gurgling multiple large towers began to slowly sink back into the Spline. They were being broken down into their basic parts, and those parts would be put to new systems. The spline lowered its detection systems, trusting the Krioval's ship would provide a warning should anything else happen, and began to up-armor the flesh of the Spline. The flesh stretched and contorted as amrored plates shot throught the muscles and flesh.

Soon two messages were prepared.

To the Krioval Ship
The movement of retreat may not be needed. Reason seems to be with the ship that is new. A message will be recieved by them soon.

To SSkiss Ship, Telepathic
Welcome great travellers of the void. I know not whether you can respond, with the voice of minds. Many thanks for your peace. I am a Qax of the Infinite Crucible. A standard message can be learned quickly, so do not hesitate.

OOC: Hmm... how big is the Spline ship. Well Spline can get pretty big, but this one is young. Maybe a 650 meter diameter...

"What is it doing?!" Sakira exclaimed, watching the Qax transform.

"Oh, wow!" Koro followed. "It's like the ultimate metabolic!"

They continued to wait to see what the alien probe would do. Would it attempt to attack or was it simply looking for information?

Bump

With little else to do, the Kriovalians quickly devolved into their routine quarrels. But this time, Koro was tired of it. Telling his shipmates exactly where they could shove it, but not describing what "it" was, he walked toward his quarters. Once there, he accessed the communications array.

"Ummm...sorry to disturb you in the middle of your transformation, but could you tell me how you do that? And I'd really like to know what I should call you, to be polite, ya know?"

He sat and awaited a response. From his last experience, he knew it could potentially take an hour. But an hour without Sakira and Tevak giving him trouble was an hour of peace and relaxation, so Koro sat back and closed his eyes, his thoughts wandering to the weird armor plates on the Qax.

The transformation had been quite successful. A few tendons had been torn in the process, but they would be repaired soon by the teeming masses of tiny droids.

The Qax continued its processes, unworried by the lack of reply from the newest ship. Perhaps they had the patience of the Qax, it would be a welcome break from the rash life-forms from the Krioval ship. They were kind in heart and mind and showed compassion, but they acted quite quickly. Much like the Arixians…

Suddenly a new message was received from the Krioval ship, it seemed less formal, and from an individual. The Qax pondered this, devoting a portion of its mind as to wondering why Koro would do this. Twenty minutes passed and the Qax decided to ask Koro, and to respond to his questions.

**Transmission**
This question of yours shows both wisdom and ignorance. I can understand why you may be confused though. What you see when you look out into the void is not a Qax, but a Spline. The Spline and Qax have worked together for thousands of years. I am a Qax, and I am located deep within the Spline. The Spline and I share… minds… and emotions. We are one with each other… lacking a better way to describe it. The short aggression of the new ship made our vulnerability evident, so we inserted armored plating into the Qax’s skin. This plating came from our detection systems. This technology is made possible by having common components in almost all our systems. The actual process is accomplished by multiple droids and Ju-Thagens. As for a name… My true name is too long to be economical in conversation, but you can call me… Johnathon.
**End Transmission**

The message flew off towards the Krioval ship. The Qax then returned to its machinations.

They do like to take their time, I guess, Koro thought. Well, it's not like I've got anything better to be doing.

Twenty minutes passed without a response. Then the communications console illuminated and a computerized voice indicated a transmission received. The Kriovalian read it carefully.

This question of yours shows both wisdom and ignorance. I can understand why you may be confused though. What you see when you look out into the void is not a Qax, but a Spline. The Spline and Qax have worked together for thousands of years. I am a Qax, and I am located deep within the Spline. The Spline and I share… minds… and emotions. We are one with each other… lacking a better way to describe it. The short aggression of the new ship made our vulnerability evident, so we inserted armored plating into the Qax’s skin. This plating came from our detection systems. This technology is made possible by having common components in almost all our systems. The actual process is accomplished by multiple droids and Ju-Thagens. As for a name… My true name is too long to be economical in conversation, but you can call me… Johnathon.

Johnathon? Does that mean the Qax is male? Or the Spline is male? Koro decided to wait approximately twenty minutes himself before replying. The Qax seemed to appreciate patience. He also manually slowed the rate at which the information would be transmitted. Kriovalian must be an extremely foreign language to...Johnathon?

I'm sorry to keep bothering you, but you see, some people of Krioval can do similar things, on a far smaller scale. I, for instance, am capable of regenerating damage far more quickly than most of my species. Also, I can use biological energy to remotely manipulate objects. Some are telepathic, as you by now know. But we have not yet formed a collective consciousness. I'll try to slow down a bit more too. Our people are considered excitable even among those of the same species as ourselves.

Koro pressed the transmit button and this time, walked over to pick up a book. Paper books were rare things to have on a spaceship, but Koro was insistent that he be allowed at least two or three. With a look of extreme anticipation on his face, the young man opened up the heavy volume called "Kriovalian Genetics and Psionics". He could lose himself for hours in the technical details while Johnathon (he giggled despite himself) absorbed his latest message - and while Tevak and Sakira finished up their latest round of argument.