NationStates Jolt Archive

New Carthae System, Neutral Space

A few days ago the stranger had arrived in a flash of light, professing to be a missionary of the Church of The Evlutionists. An unusual thing in New Carthae. It had once been an outpost of an old, immense empire. They had found a centuries-old recording explaining that the imperial authority of something called 'The Eternal Imperium' was retreating to 'another place' and was releasing hunreds of worlds.

This stranger also professed to have a connection to this 'Eternal Imperium', in a roundabout way. He spent his days in the town centre shouting to passers-by about the power of the 'Ascended Ankhmeti Lords'. People were worried. By this point he'd attracted a crowd of followers. They all wore the same hooded brown robe, they all had the same tattoo depicting an Eye of Horus with three orbs above it. People were getting riled up. News had reached New Carthae that these people had been appearing everywhere without warning. Several worlds had professed their support for this Church after great miracles had been performed. The people of New Carthae wouldn't fall for that.

A crowd had gathered. They had been discussing killing this mad hermit for trying to trick them into no longer worshipping Ra. They bustled around him, shouting and screaming for blood.

"People of New Carthae, glorious are the Ascended Ankhmeti! Great is their strength, boundless our love! Bow before me, worship my divinity!"

The crowd couldn't take much more of it. One of the more rowdy citizens hurled a stone. I hit a follower of the mad hermit, smashing his nose. He fell to the ground. This was the signal for all hell to break loose.

A soldier who had joined the crowd levelled his vintage las-rifle and fired. The chest cavity of the nearest Church member collapsed. The rest were being beaten to death by the rest of the crowd. Throughout this the hermit stood, calmly.

"Stop, mortals. Stop now in the name of the Ascended Ankhmeti."

"SHUT UP!"

The soldier fired again. The shot hit the hermit, blasting off a piece of his face. He stood, not moving. Gradually the skull began to repair itself. Within seconds there was no sign that he had been hurt at all.

A smile spread across his face, the ankh-tattooed face clearly visible for the first time since he had arrived. He stretched his arms out, whispering beneath his breath. Great grey clouds appeared, and soon there was rain. The crowd just stood, still transfixed by his feat of gealing. Then the lightning struck.

It hit the soldier first, killing him instantly. Rather than dissipating, it moved throug another attacker, then another, anda nother. Moments later the hermit stood alone, apart from the Church follower who had been shot, gasping for breath. Mere seconds later, the hermi and the injured cultist disappeared in a flash of light, and the sky was bright again.

[Basically I just want to RP the foundation of my cult :). If you're interested, just reply with your people's reaction to the arrival of one of my missionaries.]

OOC: Ah, what the hell. Try not to wank it too hard though.

The lower orders of the capital city on the world of Mnewer trudged through the square every day, on their way to continue the endless cycle of misery and disappointment of daily life under the cancerous rule of Atum. Many worked building endless devotional structures, still others supporting the armies that opressed them. More worked in maintaining the food stocks of the capital, or repairing the crude stone aquaducts that waterd the city.

The city was, from the sky, quite impressive, given its mean technological level. But the massive starships landed on the peaks of the mountains around its valley - turned into pyramids by the callous expenditure of countless lives - gave it a grim air of opression.

Keb wached with interest, each day, as he passed the preacher. He wasn't too successful, though he'd been there for a week or so. The minions of Atum weren't used to being challenged to openly, and brazenly, by infidels in this city, and he'd slipped under the radar. Even so, few of the downtrodden listened, mostly all too afraid or simply tired to care.

It was a grim day, overshadowed by clouds of coal-smoke and normal clouds of water vapour, almost blotting out the sky entirely. A light but incessant rain drubbed down on the thin corrugated metal or slate rooves of the poor quality housing, and bounced off the marbled edifices of the gods - now one god, officially - that took so much toil to maintain.

Swathed in red, the inhabitant of a litter that came along the street was protected from such things, but the muscular eight slaves - some people were worse off than Keb, after all - shivered in the winter air, chilled further by the rain spashing off their mostly naked bodies, causing their uncut hair to fall into their eyes as their booted feet thudded against cobblestones.

Behind them, a dozen armoured men, led by a pair of horus guards - much the same but with tall enclosed helms in the visages of hawks - swaggered along through the dirty street, holding blast-staves casually, ready and willing to use them on any dirty peasants who stepped out of place.

The litter stopped, halted by the ringing of a small bell inside, and the scarlet curtain was pushed aside. A grossly corpulent man looked out, even as his guards rushed up to stand facing this so-called prophet, "Who do you think you are?" he demanded, loudly.

[Don't worry, no lightning or megaheal for real people.]

"I am a Missionary of the Evolutionists. Glorious are the Ascended Ankhmeti, great are the powers bestowed upon the Eternal Imperium by virtue of hallowed evolution. I come to this place offering your people the glories of evolution. You have the look of a leader about you... Who are []you[/i]? I can offer you eternal peace and prosperity."

The preacher bowed, lifting the book he carried towards the man in the litter.

[I'm not particularly bothered by that. I can pull of my own twinkery of that degree if I want. Are these guys, perchance, inspired by Stargate's Priors of the Orii at all?]

He leaned out of the litter, grumbling a little as it involved exposing himself to the elements. He reached out to take the book, his hand covered in a silver ribbon with a large red jewel in the palm of the hand. "Eternal peace and prosperity, you say?" One of the hawk-guards watched the missionary like, well, a hawk, as his master added, "Give me that book..."

The small group of Kielun preachers and troopshad just landed on the planet when they saw the group of people standing a little under a mile away. After the short journey towards the group the head priest stepped foward. His he looked around and asked, "What is going on here?"

[No. How dare you say that? You can't prove anything. How dare you suggest such a thing?]

"The book of Ankhmet. The key to inner peace, and the path to futher evolution."

The Missionary handed the man in the litter his book. It was small, and dcorated on the front with indecipherable symbols of an ancient language.

"This book as provided answers for many. I may well do that same for you."

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

The Missionary turned to the approaching clerics and soldiers.

"I am a Missionary of the glorious Ankhmeti Ascended. Praise their ultimate evolution, their utter perfection."

The priest looked around at his companions. He then looked back at the Missionary. "We praise nothing until we know it's truths," was the only reply he gave.

"It is true, it is the most glorious truth! I can give you the co-ordinates of many worlds, once teeming with life, covered in cities... Now they are all gone. No struggle... No signs of battle. Only signs of Ascension! we who are left beind can only mourn our ill-fortune, and hope we may one day share their fate."

[OOC: This could actually help with the formation of my nations religion]

The priest thought about what the missionary had said. After a few minutes he came to a conclusion. "Very well. I would like to have the coordinates. If what you say is true, then I shall return with more questions. If what you say is false... well then you had better hope we never meet again."

[Glad to be of some help :D]

The Missionary closed his eyes for a second, and held out a small data pa, a set of numbers clearly visible n the screen.

"Take this. At the co-ordinates on this pad is the portal to the blessed homeworld. Go through this holy portal, and you will see the place where the Ascended Ankhmeti people used to live. A place fitting for divine beings."

The priest looked down at the data pad that was just handed to him. He then looked at his companions and then back at the missionary. After several seconds he bowed his head in a sign of respect. "Thank you," he said and with that he turned and walked towards the waiting drop ship.

"Sir," said the captian that was escorting him. "What are we doing now?"

"We are going to take this to the Council of Masters. They will decide the next move."

Private Jacobs of the Quaon Empire watched as a plane landed in Quaon airport from Ankhmet. After several resent terror attacks, it had been his duty to make sure all foreign visitors to make sure they had no illegal weapons.
After an hour of searching, he approached the missionary of the Evolutionists.
"Have you heard the good news, brother?!" asked the missionary.
Jacobs only grunted. It was going to be a long day.

High Admiral Xixum stood in the Council of Masters sacred chamber. Seated infront of him were the twelve Hierarchs including the Supreme Hierarch Juxvah. A priest had told them of a possible area that could hold new truths and possibly show the Great Path.

The Supreme Hierarch had just finished briefing Xixum on the mission ahead.
"After you land on the planet you will bring back all available relics for study. Also you must take several Archival Templars in order to decipher the buildings that may still be there."

"Yes, most noble one."

"Good. Now go and prepare your forces. You should feel honored to undertake this task for Kielun. May truth guide your path and justice protect."

"Thank you, most noble one." With that Xixum left the chamber and walked the Command Center. As he walked down the path from the Council of Masters sacred chamber he saw the Holy Zumina Guard line the path. They stared impassivly forward, but he knew that they were watching him. After he arrived at the Command Center he went streight to his assistant and personal friend, Kul'in.

"What did they tell you, Xixum?"

"Prepare a carrier and three destroyers for immediate action. I want them ready to go in three days."

"Three days? But, that's nearly impossible. May I ask what requires such haste?"

"The Gods, Kul'in. The Gods."

The Missionary felt the great surge of energy from his patrons. They were pleased, and told him of the imminent expedition to Ankh of this fleet of relictors.

He felt the rushing, the toing and froing of the crews of the ships being prepared for travel, and he revelled in it. The possibility of more converts sent a thrill up his spine.

The fleet arrived at the coordinates given to them by the missionary. So far everything he had said was true and as such there was a planet, just as he had said, right infront of the fleet. Xixum was standing at the bridge of his flagship, the Harbinger. He had scanned the area and was pleased to find that there were no other ships here.

"Commander. Prepare three dropships for landing. I want to get down to the surface as soon as possible."

"At once, sir."

With that Xixum walked towards the hanger. There he saw soldiers and scholars. Priests and pilots. All were equally excited and were boarding the dorpships as fast as possible. Xixum entered the closest on and as soon as he was seated he felt it lift off and speed towards the planet below.

Waiting on the surface of the planet, at the plce the Ascended Ankhmeti had predicted to be the landing site of the dropships, was a Missionary, accompanied by a wounded member of the Church, who was revelling in the glories of the city.

"We will greet these people, just as I greeted you when I took you here and healed your wounds. We will not stop them from taking whatever they want or need from this place, everything here belongs to everyone. We can only hope they believe the promise of the Ascended Ankhmeti."

The dropships landed about 100 meters apart from each other. Xixum was the first to step on to the planet. He was suprised to see a Missionary and a wounded man. He walked up to the Missionary and bowed his head.
"Where is the holiest site on this planet? And what can you tell me of the ones that lived here before?"

As soon as the outsiders spoke, he felt the familiar presence of an Ascended being speaking to him.

You can tell them. Nothing is secret.

"Greetings. The holiest site on this planet is the former High Command Tower." The Missionary pointed to a tall building, resembling a cathedral more than a military base. "I'll have to let you in. The only other way would be to blast your way in, and I'm afraid my patrons wouldn't allow that to happen."

He took a small book from the folds of his robe, opened it, and read aloud:

"The Ascended Ankhmeti were once mortal, like us, and in that they had their weaknesses, as well as their strengths. The Ankhmeti Imperium was a great power, the only large domain under a single government in the entire sector, and as a result they were proud. Their pride was their downfall on the mortal plane, and the root of their Divine Ascension to the highest point of Hallowed Evolution. They considered it their duty to police this part of the universe, and to an extent they still do, from whatever higher dimension such sublime beings call home. They spotted a ship of the Goa'Uld race, and attacked it, believing it to be a spy, or the beginning of an attack on this backwater sector. Thus they sparked the incredibly short, and unusually bloodless War of Divinity. They found themselves beset by an alliance of enemies, all bitter over the attack by the great Worldship, Hallowed Seth. The oly option the Ankhmeti people had was to find a way out of this universe... They did. None of the details are left. The great Holy Computer Databanks are all erased, their Sacred Knowledge all gone. When the Ankhmeti people became the Ankhmeti Ascended, they left their worlds instantaneously, without a trace. They spoke to the colonists of worlds not inhabited by true Ancestral Ankhmeti humans, and empowered them. We are the Missionaries, we do teir bidding by spreading the Word of Evolution."

The Missionary closed the book, and looked at Xixum.

"When the Ankhmeti Ascended left this plane, they left all their ships and weapons intact, for the use of the Holy Church. The Great Vault under the surface of this planet holds the entire Ankhmeti fleet, transferred here by the power of their former owners. You may have some use for some of the ships. All of the more powerful craft such as the worldships are designed only to accept the Divine Essence of those of the Ancestral Ankhmeti people, and they are all ascended. Perhaps some of the technology will be of use. If you wish to go to the High Command Tower, I will take you there."

With a wave of his hand, a portal appeared. Clearly vsible through the swirling energy was a huge room, easily capable of holding more than a thousand men. Obscure pieces of machinery could be seen everywhere, and blank computer screens, activated but empty.

Xixium nodded his head in approval. "This pleases me. Captain, get a squad along with several priests and Archive Templar and take them to the ships they told us about. I will go to the High Command Tower and found out what I can. Hopefully there will be much information we can use."

He looked at the Missionary. "Thank you. I hope you are coming in order to help decipher what lays in the data banks of the holy site?"

"The databanks mostly contain starmaps, and records of wars past millenia ago. The Ascended deleted all their Ascension research, presumably so that if a race hadn't Evolved enough to research it themselves, thy could not cheat Hallowed Evolution. There is a lot of information on weapons and engine technologies, and the co-ordinates of supply caches across the old imperium. I would gladly help you decipher whatever there is within those terminals."

The Missionary stepped through the portal, chanting an almost inaudibe prayer.

Xixum followed the missionary into the portal. Almost instantly he, along with his squad, found themselves in the room that the had just been shown. The room was filled with computers, all of them shut down.
"How do you turn these on?"

"They should boot up in a second. These machines have been damaged through abuse by previous pilgrims."

Soon the screens filckered to life, showing a hieroglyphic language.

Xixum peered at the screens. He was pleased to see that they still worked after all this time. He turned to the missionary.

"What does it say?"

"It's asking for commands. If you wish, I could change the language settings to a more... Universal system. Perhaps a mathematical language?"

"Do it. Program it to the simplist mathmatical formulas that would be possible without corrupting what it may say."