NationStates Jolt Archive

IC:

There is a system not far from the Galactic Core of the Milky Way: one of the eldest star systems in our galaxy.

The Aryal system.

If one were to first look at this system, one would fail to see anything of importance: a binary star system with 16 planets in its orbit: ten of which are nothing but gas giants, and the five inner systems are nothing but baren rock. However, the sixth planet from the sun is a different story:

It has life.

High above in the orbit of the planet Aryal VI, carbon dated at well over 600 million years old, are the reminents of space stations. Giant, towering constructs that measure miles across on all sides. These behemoths dot various orbits around the planet, casting a shadow on the thick atmosphere below. Onboard these stations was the evidence of an ancient civilization. A few rudementary drawings show that the creatures that forged this civilization, dubed the "Lost Ones" by scientists, had evolved for zero-gravity enivornments: five protruding limbs around a diamond-shaped body allowed them to push off from walls and a variety of other planes. Their technology, while considred lower technology by today's space-faring nations, was still a marvel at their level.

If the carbon dating is correct, these creatures existed well before any documented human species walked the earth.

The planet itself is a mater of intregue. The atmosphere is as dangerous as flying near a star: it's vast currents and shifting colors have damaged any probes sent in by early scientists. The atmosphere itself is strange: all forms of deep-penetration scaning have proven useless to scan the surface of the world. Even subspace, psychic, and a variety of other scanning options rendered nothing. For years, it was assumed that the Lost Ones had existed in orbit around these planets: possibly created by an even older race of beings who simply abandoned them.

But then, that all changed.

Two days ago, a communication was sent on wide-channels to almost all space-faring nations in the galaxy:

There was a breach in the atmosphere: and the land below could be viewed.

It was not a baren wasteland.

The entire planet was one giant city made of stone. It seemed as though the Lost Ones built their entire city around the nature of Aryal VI.

It is not known how long this opportunity will remain, but one thing is certain - perhaps the greatest mystery in the galaxy will be answered:

Who were the Lost Ones? And why did they die?

OOC: I'm going to need three-four FT nations to try out this campaign. Of which, each should supply a contingent of lesser-soldiers they don't mind being killed as well as a few "main" characters who the story will revolve around. Basicly, your nation must send a scientist team down to investigate (of course, with military support) and they must send them quickly.

*Bump

IC: In their never ending search for forgotten knowledge the techpreists of the temple of the machine spirit had heard from a small frigate on patrol that there was a transmission from a planet near the holy terra, perhaps the vast stone city discovered on it's surface could be long lost human technologies and should therefore be investigated, the techpriests decided to send a team consisting of 8 techpriest initiates and 2 techpriests as well as a strike team from the main Army group these men were the 12th army 1st division 1st brigade 2nd battalion 3rd company 2nd platoon 1st section known in short as the lucky hearts. Led by Sergeant McCormick, there are 8 scouts and a sniper. The entire exploration crew were loaded onto the small transport ship and sped towards the forgotten city of the lost ones.

OOC: Good...good...

Only two more to go...

*bump

*Bump-to-the-hizzump

*Bump

Look, if you're worried about me being a n00b, I'm not. I've been here for a while and am not too shabby a RP'er.

This RP sounds really interesting...I don't know if I can RP readily as I'm a bit busy w/ school, but I'll see if I can. I'll write something up. If I don't write something up...perhaps then another time.

OOC: N'kay. If you can't that's okay...but it'd be nice if you could commit (this might last a while...I'm introducing another nation in this story...)

*Bump

The emperor had been supervising the gathering of the other nations in the ancient starsystem and thought that maybe this would be a good time to take part in international incidents.

A word was sent to a small frigate patrolling around the region:
-All right men! The emperor himself has sent new orders to our ship. In 1600 we will move to a nearby starsystem. There is going to be some patrolling on a possibly dangerous planet alongside squads from other nations so remember to take your translator-chips along when you descend on the planet.
Said the captain to his crew. All six of them. All of the crew members held a grudge to the captain because he always stayed on the ship and never descended on a planet if there was a slightest danger to get hurt in some way. Although they always threw dice to decide who stays on the ship in case something goes wrong, the captain was the only one who threw 6 every single time.

The squad that was to be sent on the planet was assembled of 3 marines of the royal fleet, 1 sniper that noone seemed to know anything about except that he had earned the wolverine's skull-medal that can only be permitted by the emperor himself, the ship's doctor who was also an amateur archeologist and the squadleader Thomas Hopkins who had served in the royal guard.

In 1650 the frigate was circling the target planet and a small landing shuttle was descending on a rather big balcony right in the citycore.

The expedition had begun...

OOC: Mind if a non-humanoid species participates???

2 hours had gone after the landing and the squad had put up a camp in what had been someone's home millions of years ago.
The marines had shot a couple of large lizard-like animals, doctor Selzhinski had cooked them and they were all enjoying themselves around a large fire. Although the atmosphere was jolly, squad-leader Hopkins was worried. They hadn't heard anything about the other squads since the landing and the wind was howling in a creepy way between the ruined skyscrapers.

OOC: Mind if a non-humanoid species participates???

OOC: Sure thing.

IC:

The wind around the planet was indeed unearthly, as were the skyscrapers. Or, perhaps, a better way to put it was they were earthy: for it was obvious that the tops of some of these skyscrapers had been mountains, trees, and even the walls of cliff-faces. To the north of the marine's launch site were shear cliff rocks made of a sandstone. In here was a building, the largest in the entire city. To the south and east were huge mountains that seemed to spring out of the valley. The eastern mountains connected with the base of the cliff-face and also overlapped on top of it. These mountains had many ornate pictures and were written in the language of the Lost Ones. There were no visible entrances discovered, however. Most were believed to have been knocked down or caved in long ago. To the west lay a plain where countless smaller buildings dotted the landscape.

The wind continued to howl...but soon another sound came about.

The sky above began to change, first glowing deep red, then purple, then black, then red again, over and over in a flashing cycle. It seemed as though the heavens themselves were falling appart. Sudden burst of wind came forth, blowing out the fire the marines had set up.

The wind didn't come from the valley: the wind came from the main temple to the North.

The Queen Sliver had sent them. A Small group of Slivers had flown down from the Akroma. Now the where flying around the planet, looking for something intresting. Word had reached the Queens ears about an unexplorible planet that was now able to be explored. So she ordered it explored to see if the Æther flowed there. Hoping to see something intresting, the Slivers settled down by a random door and Slithered in.

As the drop shuttle was entering the atmosphere a second ship for off the port side sped past Sgt. McCormick unbuckled his seat belt and moved to the pilot's seat. "Follow that other ship he's probably friendly and we must always remeber the universal law of D&D, never split up." McCormick laughed nervously and sat back down. The shuttle turned sharply and landed a bit more violently than the pilot expected. And the exploration crew disembarked. "Not leaving the way we came apperently." McCormick thought to himself. He spotted a small fire in a house and led the crew towards. "Best be getting out of this storm." he was barely audiable over the howling winds, they were a few feet from the houses door when the sky changed and the wind started to gust at massive speed, The crew ran the rest of the way braging into the now dark house, the defence team leading the way, "Friendlies we're friendlies!" shouted McCormick as he burst through the door. he pulled out his flashlight and shone it at the other group, "I'm sergeant McCormick we are an exploration crew from the planet of Seneca Falls, we are peaceful in our intentions."

OOC: came awfully close to that damned cliche.

*bump

OOC: do you want any more nations involeved?

OOC: Seneca Falls, just slightly confused here, you talkin to me?

OOC: Ya I guess it was kinda unclear.

The Slivers had just entered the random doorway when a voice shouting "Friendlies were friendlies" The Overlord Sliver turned mid Slither and returned outside and greeted them. He Saw a bunch of humanoids who seemed a bit surprised to see a giant five headed snake hissing at them in fleunt English.

Welcome, is friendlies what your spieces name is or are you called something else? The green head hissed
Are you in need of warmth? If so than huddle around the Reactor Sliver inside, he really is quite warm when he is full of energy. the Red head hissed.
We mean nobody harm as long as nobody harms us. It may be me, but you seem surprised by me. Come inside and we shall explain what we are.
If you have trouble understanding me I apoligize, the Synapse Slivers shall taste your minds and then we shall soon understand eachother perfectly. Hissed the white head.
As for me, I only have one mind shared among five heads. hissed the black head.

Turning, the Overlord Sliver Slithered back inside, beckoning the Humanoids to follow.

OOC: lets say it was me and run with this.

OOC: Alrighty

IC: Quite startled at the sight of what apeared to be a hydra from the myths of old. It spoke which was more shocking and it referred to others of it's "Species?" as Slivers. McCormick was surprised to here himself respond rather calmly "We are humans from seneca falls." that was all he could muster before the last un shocked part of his brain became shocked, He followed the thing into the house and his men followed too shocked to question their leader.

What the Humans saw, besides the interior Decor, was a group of 29 Slivers of various colors, shapes, and sizes. Onle the Overlord had 5 heads. The others where only one color, had only one head, and unlike the overlord whow had Five blade like talons protruding from five arms at what seemed to be ches level, The other Slivers had only two. They all looked like a giant Snake. One Sliver was glowing a bright orange. Heat could be felt eminating from this particular Sliver. A Blue Sliver Slithered over and began Hissing at them.

"I am what is known as a Synapse Sliver, please, feel free to ask me any questions you may have. Being the "Mind" of this group, it is my job to study and learn. I know you are shocked for my special abilities lie in telepath and telekinises. I can taste your mind, your are shocked, I shall promptly help you calm down."

With that, the Synapse Sliver concentrated, and broadcast a wave of peace strong enough to calm most things down. The Synapse Sliver strongly hoped that the Humans would be receptive.

Squad leader Hopkins knew he was in a very bad situation despite his long experience in the military. Only 5 minutes had passed since the guard on duty had rang the alarm bell. A group of soldiers with a banner of seneca falls embedded on their battle armors had rushed in their camp right after the storm started and they had had a little time to pass words before the snakes came.

The translator chips in their brains worked fine enough and the humans were able to communicate with the giant snakes but after the shock of seeing a new species had worn off from his mind, Hopkins saw McCormick look around uneasily and the reason was clear. When the soldiers of seneca falls had entered the house, the size of the QQ squad had been 6. Now it was only 5 and it seemed that McCormick knew also that the shady figure in the corner had disappeared. Hopkins noticed also that a long, black metal cylinder had disappeared from it's place by the other boxes.

The Mnemonic Sliver felt there were too many minds in the room. He didn't know how the Synapse Sliver did it all. The Large black Sliver Slithered away and noticed a second group, five total, of soldiers. They were diffrent than the ones from Seneca Falls.

"Greetings, and apoligies, for we did not notice you standing there. More than likely because of all the minds in the area. oh well, come on over and join us if you like, the Reactor Sliver is quite warm because he is full of energy."

"Sir! My suit-computer is reading intense radiation from those snake look-alike things." said the doctor. "If I was you, I wouldn't go too near them." The marines raised their weapons and stepped forward to protect their leader.

"Don't do anything hasty!", shouted squad leader Hopkins. "We don't want to start a war against a species we haven't encountered before."
He concentrated and formed a question in his mind: What are you? What do you want?
He also asked McCormick if he had seen this kind of creatures before.

OOC: Hell.I was almost going to say the "Take me to your leader"-crap.

Yes I can see into your mind, my capablites run along side those of a Synapse Sliver. I too can read minds and use Telekinesies, but my powers are weaker. Allow me to explain. We are a species known as Slivers. Once, we were like normal snakes, except for our talons, and were only about 3 feet long. We had no real intelligence and were on the same level as most snakes. We enjoyed frolicing in the sun and general being peaceful. Then the BORG came. Machine-men with a hive mind. we have a hive mind, but only around Mnemonic Slivers, such as myself, or a Synapse Sliver like the one over by the other humans. The BORG were able to keep from being harmed by the Æther that flows naturaly on our planet. Æther is naturally Radioactive, but as a byproduct of what happened to use, we can controll it. You see, the BORG took all of use and began Genetic testing on use and changed us into what we were, Living weapons. That was there plan, but they also changed our Queen, She developed an ability called Call. we feel the call even now, so far away from Riptide and Mirroden, our planets. The call keeps us all from attacking each other, and any living thing in sight. The only thing keeping us calm like this, is the continued good health of a giant Sliver we call our Queen.
We all have diffrent abilities, except for those Slivers that are grey. Those are colorless Slivers and have no ability. They can share ours though.
We would be happy to answer any question you might have while we have what seems to be a moment of peace.

One last thing, That Sliver over there that is Glowing orange and giving off all those energy Signals, that is a Reactor Sliver. Do not shoot the Reactor Sliver. That is like playing kick the can with a 70 Gigaton atomic bomb. Not a good Idea. He is full of Æther energy. The Æther is what makes us seem Radioactive. our home planets produce this naturaly. We control the Æther, and we choose for it to be harmless to those that we see here. It will not harm you. I promise. You can however Snuggle up to the Reactor Sliver and warm-up, he isn't some fire that can be blown out.

Hopkins felt rather uneasy about this new way of communicating but he tried it again: What are your intentions on this planet? Are you here as archeologists or as common thieves? If you are the latter, I would like to warn you because its only 2 hours way to the border of the UN region and they really hate all kinds of raiders.
By the way. How are you able to build your ships? Isn't it hard to your kind to manipulate any kinds of tools or have you bred some kind of drones to do your dirty work?

Hopkins sat down near the glowy thing and gathered his team leaders around him. "Basically we're trapped until this storm wears off, then we head towards the big temple thingy." "Uhh sarge how do we get there? Not like we have a road map and we couldn't get any aerial pictures 'cause of the sand and stuff." "True but the Temple dominates the skyline so aslong as its situated infront of us we're gong the right way. Now on to more important matters like food we have provisions for a week, who knows how long these sandstorms will last. Go brief your men and get some rest." The two squad leaders got up and made they're way back to their men. Sgt.McCormick took out his food ration and ate his dinner of hardtack ands salted pork. Then went over to talk with the other human leader. "Hey, I'm John." McCromick put his reached out his hand.

"Well, for our intentions, we were sent by the Queen to investigate this planet and see what we could learn. We have an undying thirst for more knowledge and thus we leap at every oppurtunity we get. Drones, A colorless Sliver is as close as you could get to a drone, except, they aren't drones. They are basically just bigger versions of ours old selves. We build our ships by getting Large groups of Synapse Slivers, and Mnemonic Slivers together, and combine out Telekinesis. It is very powerful, allow me to demonstrate."

the Mnemonic Sliver promptly gamged up with the Synapse Sliver, picked up all the humans, and randomly replaced them on the floor at different locations, some of them on other Slivers.

"See?"

The Slivers then proceeded to put everybody back in their origanle posistions.

"You may speak English, we do understand it you know."