NationStates Jolt Archive

Scorcher Aonia Three, this is Base Station Aonia One.

We read you, Station One. Proceed.

We've detected a disturbance to the aquaducts somewhere near Lowell. It might have something to do with the sightings of unidentified ships in the area. Mind checking it out?

Understood. On our way. Scorcher Three out.

The massive waterminer began rolling towards Lake Lowell, following the Global Aquaduct roads. When it came within a few kilometers, the driver stopped.

"Ye holy flippin' Dustpuppies...."


Once more, Martin was at his desk, shuffling around some random papers, when in walked Gansarek.

"Sir, the Aonian outpost has just sent in a report of yet another violationg of our territory. Something big is being built near Lowell."

Martin jerked his head up, and stared. "What!? No, there's no way you can attribute that to misinformation, everybody knows that Aonia is ours!"

"Not the offworlders. Could be someone trying toset up a colony who doesn't know about proper procedures."

"True, but we'd best assume that they're hostile, just in case. Get a mobile driller over there, it'll make the Snel mad, but what the heck. And I want a wing of Skimmers- no, make that Entopters- in the area ASAP."

"Understood."

Back at Lowell, a large green cross between a tank and an RV rolled towards the Ur-Quan colony. At a distance of 2 kliks, it began broadcasting.

Unidentified colony, you are in violation of Kaseian territory and have caused disruption to the Global Aquaduct Network. Please cease construction operations immediately, and reply. We wish to resolve the situation as peacefully as possible, and are ready to accept diplomats. However, a wing of Entopters is standing by in case of non-compliance.

The only Ur-Quan Kohr-Ah in the site hangs idly from the ceiling of his modified Avatar, as the machines are doing their work never tiring. Everything is going well, just as they have gone before. Even the slave shield is working quite well, even if this model is a prototype. All he has to do now is wait for the rest of the shipments to come here.

There is one problem, though: If someone wanted to contact him, it would be practically impossible. The shield interferes with all communications that try to enter the shielded area. A very powerful transmitter would be needed to get through the interference. Only the Ur-Quan know how to crack it open without excessive force.

The Ur-Quan intercepted an incoherent transmission, but dismissed it as some local banter. Who would care about a small Ur-Quan colony that is still under construction? No one has claimed this small bit of land, other than the Ur-Quan Kohr-Ah that is.

"No response."
"Try another channel."
"I did! I tried all the major frequencies."
"Alright. They wanna be annoying, we'll just be annoying right back. Entopter One, standby to buzz. Do not, I repeat do not fire. Just fly around a bit to scare 'em. Station Aonia Two, we'd like permission to send in drones. And, just in case, it might be a good idea to start a diagonal drillshaft underneath 'em."

"Understood, Driller Four. You have permission to launch recon drones. Use of nanophage is authorized if necessary. Use of siesmic weaponry is not authorized at this time, but start the drillshaft, just in case. We're putting an inspector in the pipeline. It should reach Lowell in about a day. If there's been a major obstruction, we'll know what and where, otherwise we'll hopefully have the Aquaduct back online."

"Thank you Aonia Two, launching drones."

A one-man Entopter, which looks rather like a metallic dragonfly with six wings, began flying low circles over the colony. Two meter-wide circular recon drones launched from the Mobile Drilling Platform and began floating towards the colony. Inside the MDP, two crewmen were fitting the drillbit in place, preparing to start a diagonal shaft ending underneath the invaders.

The Ur-Quan was observing the surroundings from the confines of his ship, through the sickly red shield. He sees what is happening outside, but doesn't care nor worry too much. This land had not been claimed, and the Ur-Quan are now the rightful owners of this place. And a ship that small couldn't possibly do much damage, let alone cause any to the shield.

He soon lost interest and continued monitoring the creation of the underground caverns. Everything was going according to plan.

Fastforward...

The Inspector crawled out of the pipe in Lowell crater, just north of where the lake used to be. Finding what it did, it relayed the imagery back through the pipeline to the nearest docking station. That done, it began releasing nanites to repair the damaged Aquaduct.

(OOC: Description of an Inspector: Cylindrical, video camera on the front and back, low-powered ranging lasers. Three treads running along its length to allow it to crawl through pipes.)

The MDP had moved to within a kilometer of the colony, and drilled in at just over a 45 degree angle. At 2.3 kilometers, it was just passing the border of the colony at a depth of .9 kliks. At 100 meters passed the border, they started pulling out the drillbit. But instead of pouring molten iron in, a microdriller was sent in carrying the usual cargo. Crawling down the whole length of the drillshaft, it plugged up the last 20 meters behind it, and started going upwards at a slight angle. 200 meters beyond the colony's border, and 500 meters below the surface, a mininuke detonated.

The recon drones continued to circle, but the Entopter had retreated. As soon as the bomb detonated, the MDP began moving away, and transmitted this message on high-powered tightbeam, so that there could be confusion about its intended recipient.

Unknown colony, we gave you plenty of time to respond. Now face the consequences. If you do not account for your presence within another 24 hours, more direct force will be used.

The MDP set out on a wide circular course around the colony, keeping a distance of at least 2 kliks at all times. Along the way, it planted six resonators, oriented to broadcast low-frequency soundwaves through the ground towards Lowell.

The shield suddenly went down, and the Avatar (http://sensori.soldats.net/kuvia/kohrah/avatar3.jpg) emerged from beneath it. The Ur-Quan sent a transmission to the aggressors, which was both visual and audial.

http://sensori.soldats.net/kuvia/kohrah/korah-complex.gif

With a cold but powerful voice, it said: "We are the Ur-Quan Kohr-Ah. We have misjudged you. Your actions are intolerable. We shall now leave." The transmission ended, and the ship climbed higher.

Another transmission was sent with a HyperCaster, in the Ur-Quan Kohr-Ah native tongue, telling the other ships to turn around. There was nothing to be done here. The Ur-Quan would leave Mars.

As the ship went even higher, explosions were heard from beneath and above the surface as all the Ur-Quan equipment on the planet self destructed, so that no one could find and use their secrets. Everything they had there turned into useless piles of junk within seconds. The Hierarchy would not be pleased.

(OOC: Well. That was short. I shall have to think about my next move....)

((OOC: Well, of course it was. The Ur-Quan don't bend like humans do, and they don't take ultimatums well - nor attacks against them. Mars is a bit too far from home (and their claim is too small) for them to care enough to do anything drastic. You just proved some of them right on something, that's all. As a result, yet another heated doctrinal debate ensues. That is never good.))

OOC: Aww, and I wanted more aliens. Well, I guess I'll mark them off.

OOC: Aww, and I wanted more aliens. Well, I guess I'll mark them off.
OOC: Yeah... I was hoping for either a minor war, or some good politiking. But, what happens, happens.

OOC: Yeah... I was hoping for either a minor war, or some good politiking. But, what happens, happens.

((OOC: The Ur-Quan Kohr-Ah just fought a full scale Doctrinal War with one other Ur-Quan Kohr-Ah faction, which was quite enough them for the time being. They don't fight "minor" wars, you see, they can't stop a war until either side is completely annihilated, as based on their own beliefs. Well, unless the other side surrenders unconditionally, that is. They won't.

EDIT: But of course, if you make them incapable of continue the fight, they will stop it. You'll just have to destroy every warship and defensive structure they have, and then kill most of them, so that they realize that their whole species is about to be wiped out. Then they might surrender.

The Ur-Quan Kohr-Ah are not too good at these xenorelations, and will never be, and they will always think that others are a threat to their security. These setbacks only encourage them to be even more xenophobic than they already are. They are not human, not even close. They are of course trying their best to be "friendly", but they will never *really* trust others.))