NationStates Jolt Archive

[OOC: This thread will contain various events that happen in various Taraskovyan dependencies ( http://ns.goobergunch.net/wiki/index.php/Tarasovka#Dependencies_and_Protectorates). If something in particular sparks anyone’s interest, then the one interested is free to contact me and we’ll discuss the participation. But I doubt there will be anything really worth detailed RPs anyway, unless I suddenly have an illumination or something.]

***

Planet Lagoon,
System of Dreamreach,
Raumreich Oversector

“Sign up for the Airborne, they said. Experience the heat of combat, be part of the Elite! Well… okay… good… But this is not what I expected!” Nikolay gave another blow to his helmet, frowning as he looked at it while holding it with a free hand. “I do not understand why Taraskovyan Combat Parachutists have been sent for this kind of mission!” He roared and hit the helmet again. “And that bloody helm is going to drive me crazy! The darned interface is off!”

“Relax, Nikolay, you won’t need the combat interface.” Said an other soldier as he reached towards the camp fire to light up a cigarette. “Not as if we are going to do battle on this planet anyway.” He lay back, inhaling his dose of smoke before releasing it into the night sky, admiring the stars up above them.

“That’s the damn point, Aleks!” Nikolay sighed as he lay the helm aside and sat back against a crate of supplies. “We are the Airborne! I can’t understand why we’ve been sent here to guard a bunch of happy engineers as they set up their installation. They could have sent somebody else.” The soldier looked around himself, into the darkness that could be seen on one side of the hill atop which they were. He turned around and looked into the distance, at the glimmering lights of the construction site.

“Well, with all the war going about the Sector and everything, guess the Command wanted to send a positive message to everybody.” Aleksey released another portion of smoke into the sky.

“As if somebody was going to attack this place, for there is nothing to attack. The Grand Duchy acquired this system only… what… a month ago? Two?” Nikolay chuckled and shook his head as suddenly a faint noise of steps could be heard. The soldier immediately reached for his rifle and pointed it in the direction of the noise, only to lower it minutes later as the approaching shadow materialized into Karht.

“You are very noisy for a Taraskath, you know.” Aleks chuckled, yawning.

“Yeah, well, I’m the exception that confirms the rule.” The newcomer sat down by the fire and took his helmet off, his pale, thin face illuminated by the flames.

“Found anything interesting on your patrol?”

“Nope, just a couple local critters. Feels strange for the animals to approach you curiously and not dart away.”

“That’s because they haven’t felt man’s power yet.” Nikolay chucked as he reached for the supplies crate and extracted some conserve cans. “Mmmm… turkey!”

“Well, I just hope the local lifeforms aren’t dangerous for us.” Karht reached out to take a can of turkey that Nikolay handed to him. “Those lab rats are going to have one hell of a time if it comes out they were wrong.”

“Well, it’s been weeks that we have been running various errands on this planet and no epidemic of whatever stuff ever happened.”

“Let’s hope it lasts.” Karht put his can by the fire to warm it up as he gave a glance at his companions. It was going to be as boring a night as always on a planet quite distant from all the upheavals reigning in the Raumreich.

Planet Lagoon,
System of Dreamreach,
Raumreich Oversector

Temporary Administrative Quarters

The Viceroy of Dreamreach, or so he called himself, because the title of ‘Temporary Plenipotentiary Grand Ducal Overseer to the Dominion of Dreamreach’ was a murder for anybody who would try to say it several times over, looked annoyingly as the bar in his office was ransacked by local fauna. The animals were all of the same species and he truly cannot really see much of them, for they were covered in what first looked like fur consisting of fat hair. Yet, when approached, the fur would dart up and form a protective mantle of needles pointing at whoever wanted to approach the critters. Otherwise, they appeared to be quite cute, barely the length of a man’s arm, with big black eyes that stared curiously about.

One of the little beasts pushed a bottle of whiskey out of its position, which crashed on the floor, the liquid spilling out. The creatures immediately rallied over, sniffed the liquid and, shuddering, moved on.

“That was a twelve years Jameson, you plonkers!” General Vlastimirov said indignantly, not so much at the fact that his lost a bottle of his favourite drink, but more because his favourite drink was huffed upon by some oversized hedgehogs. At this moment, the door to his office opened and let forth a couple men, dressed into a mixture of scientific suit and army combat armour.

“We shall take care of them, Your Excellency.”

The men proceeded to very efficiently lock the ‘hedgehogs’ up in portable cages that looked just like the pet cages used by masters to carry their beloved pets around. The Viceroy watched them do, frowning as an idea crossed his mind.

“How did they manage to get this far in the first place?”

“Oh, we discovered that there were some lairs of theirs underneath this location. So they have been popping up all over the place. But we think that we have caught them all.”

Some annoyed huffing came from the cages as the animals scratched against the doors, before calming down. Vlastimirov shook his head and let the scientists go, which they did, before he returned to reading the reports on the ongoing construction.

***

Research Station Alpha

The Alpha station was adjacent to the installation which housed the Administration of Dreamreach and was thus the one to have been chosen to house all the ‘oversized hedgehogs’ that have been appearing all over the place, most surely lured out of their lairs by their curiousity. After all, so far, the local fauna did not know that man was dangerous. And it offered quite a chance to study them. And Professor Poznavalskiy, the head of the Scientific Department of Dreamreach, knew just the right person who wouldn’t mind using that unique opportunity.

To: Aseus Nanyan
From: Anton Poznavalskiy
Encryption: Standard
Subject: Study of Lagoon

Dear Aseus,

Been quite a time, eh? As you might have already heard, the Grand Duchy recently came in possession of an entire star system, that we have called Dreamreach, in exchange for some diplomatic stuff. Well, I don’t know the details, but I know that since everybody knew my attraction to xenobiology, I am now the one heading the Scientific mission of Lagoon, the only inhabitable planet of Dreamreach, which also hosts quite a number of flora and fauna.

Knowing that you like such things, I figured you might want to pass by. The Viceroy gave his authorization for a Tarran mission already, so it all rests with you.

Looking forward to your reply,
Anton Poznavalskiy

Anton Poznavalskiy
Aseus Nanyan
Encryption: Standard
Subject: RE: Study of Lagoon


I will certainly come along, i have theorem i need to put into practice, and a holiday from the bloody politics on this tree would be very welcome!
You don't mind if i bring along some students? - there a clean well-kept lot, never been off planet before, they could also do with seeing that science is more then just textbooks. Also, im under orders to expose more Tarrans to foreigners, and i cant at the moment think of any better foreigner to expose them too!
Of course its not going to be that simple, ill pull some strings and have a Pathfinder dispatched this afternoon, knowing that we can get there safely will be a lever in getting the council to authorise the trip. Teo is around somewhere, so if we talk clever enough we should be able to get the trip scheduled with ought having to deal with those elderly bigots in the ardseanaad.
Good hunting, I'm off to pack.

Seanaadóir Aseus Nenyan – Ardléachtóir Havamal


Aseus looked out the window of his office for a moment, making a list of the students he would bring along, 2 brilliant ones and 3 rubbish ones, let some of the inspiration rub off.

“lammas?”
the window went opaque, green text stood out
<yes>
“has the 12:30 council session terminated?”
<yes – termination at 13:02 – Teo stormed out again>
“can you catch his attention and patch me through please?”
<of course>
<connection established>
Aseus hesitated for a moment, who was listening, did anyone care? The council would not yet stoop so low as to infringe the academic right, a law almost as old as the council itself, he wondered if he was getting paranoid in his maturity.
“Teo?”
“They wont give, the mag lev station stays shut until we find out what has become of the FTR, they are miffed that the craftworld is led by a bunch of mages.”
“Can i borrow Pathbreaker and take a bunch of students into almost certain peril on an uncharted world in uncharted territory in the name of xenobiology and improving relations with the Taraskovyan peoples?”
“Not until we sit down to lunch and figure out a way of sweet-talking the other Ardléachtóien”
“see you at 14:00 then?”
“yes”
<remote has terminated connection with authorization significantally higher the yours>
“Lammas, whats wrong with saying 'Tio hung up?'. Anyway, patch me through to Turus, I've got a probe to dispatch.”

a while later High above the surface of Lagoon a small explosion snet out waves of ood radiation, a small machine appeared. Not more then six foot long, it shuffled from side to side, like a dog lieing down to sleep, finally it was encased in a golden glow and after a a minute or so it disappeared again, with the same small disturbance and similar emissions

Planet Lagoon,
System of Dreamreach,
Raumreich Oversector

Temporary Administrative Quarters

“What was that?” The officer hit a couple buttons and summoned a screen which began feeding some data.

“A Tarran drone, I take it. The ones they use to establish faster than light routes.” Another officer said, stretching in his chair and yawning as he watched over the screens. “At least the ID signatures were Tarran.”

“Figured as much. I’ll be waiting for their ship to pop up and then I’ll guide it to the landing site.”

“Do that, I’ll go have a coffee.” With that, the officer stood up from his chair and directed himself out of the room, leaving his colleagues to continue monitoring the situation in orbit of Lagoon. Well, they would monitor the situation if there was something to monitor, but since the only ships that came by were Taraskovyan cargos ferrying in supplies from time to time, their job was quite boring. And the Grand Duchy was still weary launching any massive colonization effort on the planet pending the resolution of the ongoing war in the Great March.

***

Autonomous Republic of the Island of Atlantic,
Haven,
Earth

Hill #27

Ever since the Allanean State of Atlantic Island became the Autonomous Republic of the Island of Atlantic under the jurisdiction of the Grand Duchy, the Taraskovyan National Defence Forces had been setting up a network of small military outposts throughout the republic in order to be sure to intervene swiftly and efficiently, should the need to do so arise. Most of these outposts were manned by men from the SBA of Pitzunda, located on the eastern tip of the Atlantic Island. Yet, the contingent of Pitzunda was not important enough to be able to man all of the positions and so, to further beef up the ‘ARIA Corps’, men were dispatched from the Grand Duchy. Position number twenty seven was one of the outposts that was manned by soldiers fresh from the Taraskovyan metropoly who, even if having had quite a thorough briefing on the situation, kept on discovering new things about the environment they worked in every day.

Sergeant Soloviev, fresh from Tarasovka, was keeping guard on the watch tower of Hill #27, when his eyes were caught by an interesting scene. He zoomed in to get a better view of the… army column that was passing in a kilometer away from where he was. The column consisted of armoured personnel carriers and even had a tank along, which he identified as an M1A1 Abrams. The ACPs were nothing else than BTR-80 type. The column was heading south, past their position, without any interference from anyone. The sergeant immediately established connection with his commanding officer who was in one of the structures of the base.

“Sir, I have an army column, one kilometer away, heading midnight. They aren’t ours.”

“Are you sure? Aria does not have an army.” He heard the skeptical voice in his helmet.

“Affirmative. There are BTR eighty type vehicles and an Abrams along.”

“Oh, yes. There is a scheduled important cash transfer for some Freedom Bank or something, passing our position.”

Soloviev couldn’t believe his ears and, for a second, he thought he was either dreaming, either his commander went crazy, or maybe even both.

“Euh… this is a bank convoy, Sir?”

“Indeed it is. You are new here, right?”

“I am… Sir.” The sergeant said, still refusing to believe what he heard.

“Welcome to Aria. Over and out.”

Far away, the column was going on with its business, raising dust as it went.

Planet Lagoon,
Taraskovyan space.

First equatorial point of transience

It had been a day or so since the small probe had stirred up the calm space around the planet. Now a similar disturbance, several orders of magnitude larger seemed to hammer the space around it. When the electro magnetic 'dust' had settled a single somewhat large tarran ship hung motionless in the space. On board the ships skeleton crew started work to repair the damage that jumps of such length caused while on the bridge a group of people looked at the first live images of the planet.

http://www.coreline.net/pathbreaker.jpg

“what do you see then?” Aseus asked, hoping to stimulate the 'class' of hastily assembled students. “and use correct terms please”.
One of the class chirped in, “its a Verdant class 4 or better... I think” others entered the conversation trying to make them selves sound smarter then the previous speaker..
“Its green, forest/meadow ecology, almost no equatorial desert belt... Pangean continental structure I think.”
“you think right” Aseus said, “this place is perfect study. Get to the landers, we make planet fall in 10 minutes”
the students filed out of the room excited almost in the manner of children. Aseus began establishing data connections between the ship and the planets administration center.

now to cut through the unfriendly and xenophobic military and governors and catch up with the proper science underneath. just like home.

15 minutes later a trio of smaller shuttles left the underside of the Pathbreaker and broached Lagoons thick atmosphere, descending to the Taraskovyan facility.

Planet Lagoon,
System of Dreamreach,
Raumreich Oversector

Some reaches of the planet

The beast was huge, the size of a fine adult male Siberian tiger, just that it was not a Siberian tiger. In fact, it was something that resembled a stag beetle whilst covered with thick and long fur. It was unclear how that kind of thing could exist, but Nikolay did not really give a damn as he attached the magazine to his rifle to continue firing.

Karht was running for his life as gigantic mandibles, covered with blood, threatened to chop him into halves. Alexei appeared to the right with a grenadier’s rocket launcher and took aim. Nikolay opened another burst of fire at the creature, the bullets hitting off the carapace, the bug stopping for a second, which gave Kahrt the time to jump on some high rocks. It was the moment Alexei awaited as he released the rocket, which flew straight at the creature and, piercing through the carapace, detonated inside, tearing the bug apart and sending pieces of meat all around.

Kahrt took some ‘pudding’ off his visor and sighed with relief into the intercom.

“You all right?”

“Yes. I really thought I would soon feast with Sathala. Thanks, Aleks.”

The trooper in question only nodded as the three men joined up and carefully went over to what not long ago was a scientific expedition, but now was a mixture of giant bugs and human body parts, richly decorated with red blood. The vehicles also suffered, as the mandibles of the creatures cut through them like knife through butter.

Everything started so nicely, the biologists were hunting the local butterflies, the troops were yawning with boredom. The mountains seemed peaceful, but not for long. Alexei kneeled in front of a trooper who was not dead, as they first thought, but injured, the sharp mandible slicing along his side. The troopers took off the wounded soldier’s breastplate and applied some first aid, trying to stop the flow of blood. Karht walked around, trying to see if anybody else survived, yet there were only bits of corpses around. He could distinguish at least two more paratroops dead, which put the total count at six, with two missing. As of the scientists, he made out four sets of body parts, which left one of the butterfly hunters missing.

“What a great day!” Karht said with sarcasm, his companions nodding in agreement. “We have three missing.” He added on a much more serious and grave note.

Nikolay nodded. “We wait for evac and backup and then start the searches. Aleks, will he survive?”

Alexei nodded as he kept bandaging the wounded soldier.

“Great. Kahrt, take the launcher, I’ll take that machine gun and we keep guard. Let's hope back up arrives before we are pudding.”

***

Planet Lagoon,
System of Dreamreach,
Raumreich Oversector

Research Station Alpha

Anton waited for the Tarrans to arrive to the RS ‘Alpha’, with a bunch of other Taraskovyan scientists also on guard. The new world was reserving quite a few surprises it would have seemed, they just learned that one of the expeditions encountered danger and reinforcements were sent out.

And everybody was eager to learn more about the various surprises. It would have appeared the Tarrans were among them. And so, when the latter arrived, they were greeted warmly.

The shuttle landed a little uncomfortably, to the sound of rushing wind and strange physics, the over-large rear hatch opened up to allow the Tarrans to get out, Aseus led the way, blinking in the lights looking for a familiar face, he addressed one of the guards. he felt alone already.

“that ships is our base of operations, think of it as a temporary building, if you want it moved, please ask us first.”
he turned and looked back at the ship, the students still stood in a neat line at the top of the ramp.
“get a move on! You breath the air of a new world! Theres work to be done!”

he continued to scan the nearby Taraskovyan faces, passing over Anton a few times before he finally recognized him, smiling he strode forward.
“Anton Poznavalskiy, its been too long, i see they finally gave you your own planet!.”

Planet Lagoon,
System of Dreamreach,
Raumreich Oversector

Research Station Alpha

Anton chuckled and grinned. "Indeed, Aseus, all mine to play with. As long as I do not break it." He laughed as his eyes rested upon the Tarran students. "And I see you've brought a class over. Excellent, the more we are, the merrier it is."

The Taraskovyan professor led his Tarran colleague through the base, which was a compilation of various temporary structures surrounded, in the distance, by a defensive wall to deter any overly curious representatives of the local fauna.

"We are at the Research Station Alpha, the central node of our research effort here. And we are also close to the Administrative Quarters, which are only five kilometers away or so. There are eleven more stations spread throughout the planet, in various interesting locations."

Two soldiers crossed their path and Anton smiled. "I know you folks don't like armies, but worry not, they don't intervene into our work for now. There are some military researchers in several army bases throughout the planet that are sniffing around for their own stuff, but we do not conflict. The only civilians there are so far are my men, no settlers or corporate outposts yet. Even though we've discovered some interesting ressources here and there."

He grinned broadly. "All in all, this world is ours for some time to come, so I say we make the best out of it."

Autonomous Republic of the Island of Atlantic,
Haven,
Earth

LibertyVille Broadcast Network – Evening News

After the logo and the intro music fade away, the screen reveals the well known news presenter, Katherine Grimsdottir, smiling at the audience.

“Good evening. The Independent Electoral Committee has announced the official results of the referendum on whether Atlantic Islanders should strive for Taraskovyan citizenship or initiate the process of creating a citizenship of Atlantic Island.”

The picture changes to some footage of the voting, with some episodes depicting the Minister-Chancellor and other important politicians casting their ballots. The picture then changes to a press conference by members of the IEC, with a graph.

“The second option received an overwhelming support with over sixty percent of the votes. Minister-Chancellor Kiril McClintock, a partisan of the Grand Ducal citizenship, has accepted the results and promised to start working on the Atlantic Island citizenship immediately.”

The picture changes to the presenter again.

“The general concept, as expressed in the referendum question, would foresee the creation of a separate document for ARIA citizens. We will now join with our political correspondent in Libertyville…”

ARIA,
Haven

Excerpt from The Libertyville Times

Criminal gang slaughtered: TNDF suspected of abuse of authority

NEW THERMOPILAE – Police are investigating the massacre at the villa of a suspected drug lord, which left dozens of people dead. The Attorney General of the Autonomous Republic has indicated that there were clear indications that this was an operation carried out in the best traditions of Special Forces commando assaults, thus hinting at a possible link with the TNDF elements stationed in the Republic. The TNDF command at Pitzunda, also responsible for ARIA, declined to comment.

Ian Kleshewski, a wealthy businessman that was rumoured to have acquired his fortune from hard drugs trafficking, has been found dead today at his villa in the outskirts of New Thermopilae, along with the bodies of his family, house staff, guests, as well as security personnel. All in all, seventy people have been killed. “The operation was well planned and the killing was systematic. None was spared,” the Secretary of the Republic for Police and Justice has commented. “It was a Special Forces operation of extreme quality and not one carried out by us.”

The only other official force in the Republic that is capable of carrying out such an operation is the Taraskovyan National Defence Force, yet they have not yet made any comments pertaining to the event. The TNDF has the authority to carry out police and other actions if there is a threat to the Taraskovyan military personnel or if they are authorized by the Overseer to eliminate a threat to the Grand Duchy. So far, it would seem that none of the two conditions were met, which could suggest that the TNDF abused its authority.

The Attorney General has vowed to investigate the matter fully and not jump to conclusions. A demonstration of junkies has been held outside a TNDF base in the vicinity of the New Thermopilae, protesting against the Grand Ducal intervention into the interior policies of the Republic.

***

The next day,
Kleshewski’s Mansion,
Outskirts of New Thermopilae

The forensics expert passed the black light lamp over several surfaces in Ian’s bedroom. The corpse had already been moved the previous day, yet the blood was still visible on the bed where the owner of the house slept before a bullet to his head made him sleep fobefore he decided to switch it off. However, all of a sudden, something caught his attention on the wall.

He frowned, took several steps back and directed it at the wall, moving the lighted area from top to down. In front of his eyes, under the black light, the drawing of an orthodox cross took shape. The expert put the lamp down and took his cell phone, dialing a number. “Sir? Petersen here. I think I have something new over in Kleshewski’s bedroom…”

After getting the students settled in Aseus went for a brief walk outside, he walked with a wooden quarterstaff though it didn't look like he needed it. There was no moon but plenty of stars, enough to cast a silver light on the surrounding landscape when he turned away from the town long enough to notice it. There was no sound of birdsong like earth, but he could just hear the a sound like the movement of a small foraging animal in the moonlight.
Strange... most of the animals are scared into silence by our arrival, i wonder what differs about that one
He listened for a few minutes, crouching down with the staff as support, after a while the sound faded as the animal moved further into the undergrowth away from the settlement. Aseus contemplated following, but stood up. Even though he could not see them he figured that the Taraskovyan guards would be keeping some manner of eye on him. He spoke quietly,
“Stone said 'when first you come to a new place, do no work until you have slept there, if you still draw breath in the morning it is a good place to work'” let them Analise that
Aseus turned towards the main body of the settlement Anton. Was not easy to track down at the best of times so Aseus left a note in his offices.

Anton, this planet is packed with wonder. we should get started, come visit me after dawn

Planet Lagoon,
System of Dreamreach,
Raumreich Oversector

Research Station Alpha

Professor Poznavalskiy did not have the time to see Aseus after dawn, simply because early in the morning a military aircraft landed in the scientific village. Anton and a number of Taraskovyan researchers gathered to learn more about the unexpected arrival when, from the cargo hold of the craft, soldiers unloaded a gigantic case.

“What is that?” Anton inquired a sergeant.

“Come and see.” The serviceman slid one side of the case off, revealing a glass cryogenic container with, inside of it, something that resembled a giant stag beetle, yet covered with fur. “A pack of those attacked an expedition yesterday. This one is the least damaged, even if dead, so the Viceroy decided you could have a look at it.”

The Taraskovyan professor needed nothing else as he gestured for the troops to take the specimen to the main laboratory. He also called for a young aspirant to go and find Aseus. After all, the Tarran could be interested in having a look at the critter.

Planet Lagoon,
System of Dreamreach,
Raumreich Oversector

Research Station Alpha

The biology laboratory was prepared for the coming event. The specimen was lying on a table in an isolated room shielded from the outside world with special glass, within which the scientists moved in special suits, wore special gloves and special masks. Standard security procedures dictated that all the special stuff had to be used accordingly, and so it was.

Professor Poznavalskiy stood aside, not taking part in the dissection, as he watched his team at work. A myriad of display screens in the room was showing a live feed of the process, as well as various other data collected previously, such as X-ray scans, chemical analysis, DNA structure and other very useful information.

“This thing most definitely has an exoskeleton, a segmented body… a gigantic arthropod!” Anton was talking into a little microphone within his mask, which allowed Aseus, who stood nearby in the same outfit, to hear him loud and clear through the miniature speakers mounted within the hood of the suit. “This planet has Earth-like gravity, so I fail to see how such things managed not only to… uhm… appear, but also survive! It would possibly make some sense if it was an ocean creature, but it is a surface one. Any thoughts on the matter?”

Planet Lagoon,
System of Dreamreach,
Raumreich Oversector

Research Station Alpha


Aseus regarded the strange thing, a student gingerally peered over his shoulder, on the other side of the glass, eyes filled with something resembling fear, stack contrast to Aseus who beamed with a look of excitement or maybe awe. He listened to the sound of the lab for a moment, reeding the information off the screens, and looking at the bug as if expecting it to sit up and address its observers.

“well.... I think, we should see what it eats. Then run a full food chain analysis... Strange things can fill ood shaped niches in any food web...”

It seemed like he was going to say more, but he trailed off... there was another pause while he looked at the bug, Aseus wasn't a man easily scared, but the thought of being ripped to pieces by a swarm of small bitey things sent a cold shiver up his spine.

“with your leave, ill have my students run a full DNA anylisis, Tarran style, we will do the same on other local exoskeletons fauna. Its probably just a wild hypothesis, but this 'bug' may be extra terrestrial... It would certanally account for some of the mystery.”

Planet Lagoon,
System of Dreamreach,
Raumreich Oversector

Research Station Alpha

“Of course, do any DNA scans you wish.” Anton replied to Aseus. “And if we follow the theory of extraterrestrial origin, then it means that this species managed to survive in the planetary gravitational conditions. So this must have been either a complete success… or a total failure of the ones who introduced this species into the planetary fauna.”

He paused as he watched his scientists working on the creature. “This bug may potentially hold some very interesting information…” The Taraskovyan professor sighed and shook his head. “Although, we should be careful. Already four researchers whom I knew have perished.”

Meanwhile, the display screens kept being updated with the latest information. It would have appeared that the creature did not have wings under its carapace, but instead had several openings in the sturdy material which allowed for a skin-like tissue to cover its back, on which the thick fur grew.

“Well, it would seem there are no traces of wings… so this is a born runner. I do wonder why it came to have… skin on its carapace. And fur. Strange…” Anton pondered and then looked at the researchers under his command. “Run a scan on the fur. Check for nerve cells or anything that would strike a difference with standard pelage.”

Planet Lagoon,
System of Dreamreach,
Raumreich Oversector

Research Station Alpha


Later on in the Tarren Shuttle

”don't go getting all nervous..'
Aseus intoned to some of the other students. They had opted to work into the night on the DNA anaylisis..
you have all had more then adequate training in dealing with violent predatory animals..
He was hunched over a clunker looking machine about the size of a large freezer. It was ebony black, linked by wires and tendrils to other bits of machinery and slightly less organic computers. On its surface a sequence of small lights glowed slowly brightening and dimming in some order, Isthus nodded, struggling to understand the raw data the lights represented.
Another student addressed the room with a grin on his face, in a formal tone of voice he announced;
'I have concluded that in accordance with the Lendran-Tchim bio-chemical analysis methodology, that these lifeforms are... probably edible... they wont kill on ingestion, unless theres an allergic reaction.
Aseus claped his hands together.
Good news! You should inform the onórac léachtóir Poznavalskiy immidiatally. Ill help you send a message, if i know him he is probably still awake. A finding like this may raise his spirits.


Honorable Lecturer Poznavalskiy sir.
Myself and the other research associates have deduced that the as-yet unnamed life form is entirely edible, excusing any unforeseen allergic reaction (0.001% chance at tarran standard). Aseus thought it best to let me inform you myself.
Nendran Aesel-treeborn
countersigned and transmitted by Aseus Nanyan.

Planet Lagoon,
System of Dreamreach,
Raumreich Oversector

Research Station Alpha

“Edible?” The scientist looked at Poznavalskiy as her eyes grew wide at the letter. “Do not tell me they actually tried to eat it, Professor!”

Anton erupted into laughter, shaking his head and sighing. “No, Valentina, I think they just ran some chemical analysis. Although, they are Tarrans, so we can expect anything.”

Valentina chuckled and sighed. “Well, Professor, the analysis of the mass found in the Great Stag Beetle…”

“Great Stag Beetle?” The Professor inquired, arching a brow.

The scientist nodded and shrugged. “Working name for now, even if in the reports we write some set of fancy numbers to identify the creature for the time being. Anyway, the analysis of nutriments remnants found in its stomach would suggest that it is omnivorous.”

“Quite interesting… can your team forward this information to the Tarrans, if you please?”

“Surely, Professor.” Valentina smiled and stood up, proceeding to leave the Professor’s cabinet.

Planet Venus,
Solar System

Lorelei

The city of Lorelei, which was to be the capital of Zoria, resembled in many ways the first Taraskath settlements, from the times when they did not build tall spires to reach to the sky, but preferred to carve their houses in the ground. Old Taraskath cities were gigantic holes in the ground (or quite often the side cliffs of a narrow ravine), on the sides of which houses were carved and arranged.

Lorelei, however, was far more elaborate. It consisted of three quite wide cylindrical holes in the ground, with apartments and offices arranged in seven floors. At all floors small parks were arranged, even if at different points as to allow the light to reach the lowest of layers. The soil between the cylinders was also taken out, so that the cylinders were fully connected with each other. However, after insistence by the military, the engineers covered the gaps above the “passage ways” with immobile plates of armour, and also created armoured gates above each cylinder.

The idea of a single dome above the entire structure was also abandoned. Instead, domes were created over each cylinder, consisting of highly resistant transparent materials, yet also comprising armour plates that slid out of the skeleton supporting the dome (the TNDF was not paranoid, but it was still better to be overly secure than not at all). The same skeletons also contained purification equipment for the air pumped in and out of the settlement (with back up systems built in other secret locations should somebody decide to blow the domes up.

All in all, Lorelei was not huge. However, the initial layout suggested that the settlement could well expand through other, deeper or larger cylinders, a sort of an underground modulable structure. And it was in that city that Vethara, Archduchess of Taraskovya and Duchess of Zoria, made her seat.

“Omnivorous?”
“yes, we assumed the vegetable matter we found was just a result of being a stage zero carnivore”
“Goddess endure the Omnivore, it never starts out as one or t'other”
the assistant nodded, despite being a childhood rhyme the meaning was clear, complex omnivorous lifeforms evolved from monovorous ones. And no one had seen an omnivorous insect before.
Tired as he was Aseus drafted a transmission before going to bed.


>encrypt: Tarran Standard Science Priority
>recipient:Teo Holtzmann-Wisewood
>subject: [none]
>body start:
Teo, looks like im in over my head, i figured i could decode
an entire planet, but im getting led in circles about one
Omniverous insect...
Oh and before you start the lecture, dont..
the damn things start at two foot long, they swarm
and they seem to not be at-all bothered by human flesh.
In conclusion, im attaching the research data,
or at least as much of as i can fit in an mp.
I could use some of your sage wisdom.
Aseus
>encode
>attach [research streem access]::
>> parse(while 5f_55_64df [SOF] != size(message_buffer)) | stio(attach && print size(current))
>attaching .. . done
current message size is 100% message bufferer
>execute,
error 1, out of broadcast range,
transmitter error returned “cannot send a file of this see through a planet or past a sun, stored in cache until dark cycle.
>exit


Aseus wondered over to the doreway just in time to see the sun rise.
“a whole night on one problem is a fools doom”
he spoke to himself, another old addage, and then its response:
“stay awake all night and you add a day to your life”