NationStates Jolt Archive

The planet of Tnir, located in the outer Kinnick System, is one of only a few intact planets generally known to have been affected by the recent controversial release of the Devrakin viral terraforming agent. Most of the planets discovered to have been infected were bombarded by their respective territorial claimants, all life obliterated in the pursuit of the dangerous pathogen's utter destruction. Even as the Larsima Protectorate makes war on the Devrakin for the loss of over 20,000 Empryian lives to the virus and the Xanthalian government scrambles publicly to deploy an observation fleet to the Devrakin home system, a more clandestine effort of the Republican military is already underway.

The Yäzö Fäbrelăl Yönĕke Deväl, or Xanthalian Special Weapons Development Facility, is known only in name beyond a few insiders and the highest levels of the Xanthalian government. Its recent completion coupled with the dangerous implications of a virus such as that deployed by Devrakin prompt action. It is concluded in a secret conference between the Lanalphini that a sample of the agent must be obtained and brought to YFYD for analysis. For this purpose, a small, nondescript käleka is dispatched to the Kinnick System.

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Kinnick System, six standard hours after the Devrakin announce mistargeted virus pods:

The small Xanthalian ship passes through the Kinnick sord, just a few million kilometers inside Tnir's orbit. It does so with all systems offline save for its protective space-time bubble, which is deactivated as soon as the shuttle clears the sord, and passive scanners. These scanners will detect the signatures of any large or powerful ships in the system. The käleka's pilot monitors its sensors carefully, letting the ship drift like just another fragment of space debris as it waits for any sign of activity in the system, and in particular around Tnir.


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===Käleka===
The Käleka light transport and its many variants are the most mass-produced of all Xanthalian ships. Incredibly functional, most larger ships carry at least one aboard to use both for transportation between vessels and facilities and as an escape vehicle when evacuation orders are issued. Because its facilities total up to be little more than engines and a basic AI for information storage and navigation, the two-compartment Käleka, though small, has a great deal of empty space by volume for transporting people, cargo, or any combination of the two.
http://url.photobucket.com/albums/v88/Zorak950/NS/Space/Calicke.jpg
*Class commission date: 273-4-70.
*Dimensions: 10x8x4 meters.
*Decks: 1.
*Cost: $500,000.
*Powerplant: 1 substance/antisubstance reaction chamber (10 terawatt maximum output).
*Ion engines: maximum speed 60,000 km/s.
*Space-time bubble generator.
*Maneuverability rating: 3.
*Fuel capacity: 1,000 liters.
*Fuel range: about 5 days normal operation.
*Complement: 2 crew, 1 AI, up to 30 passengers OR 150 cubic meters cargo.
*No weapons.
*No shields.
*Armor rating: 1.
*Takeoff/Landing capable with adequate landing pad.

At Lord Navrost's order the pilots brought Voltaug-F into near orbit with Tnir. The rest of the Fleet Control Group formed a defensive arc around the Voltaug Battle Cruiser, to get a closer look at an apparently parisitic lifeform that had infected the planet in the intervening centuries since it was claimed by the Guild of Scouts, For The Commonwealth, and The Autarch.

The Voltaug lowered it's head near Lord Navrost again "My Lord, I have detected something else."

Navrost stood up straight exhaling a plume poison gas, that caused the nearest Thilite pilot to slump out of his chair as he died "What now Voltaug?"

Voltaug bobbed "A ship, I believe my Lord, on the far side of the planet." It paused as it checked the reading again "Or debris of a ship? There is some sort of power reading from it, too weak to tell from here."

Navrost shrugged "Move us closer then, carefully, we do not want to repeat what happened at Talaan Prime. Underestimate nothing, proceed with extreme caution."

The Vrangians are lazy, deceitful and shiftless, but they learn from mistakes, and the destruction of a Voltaug at Talaan had been a huge mistake, that they would try hard not to repeat.

Navrost sat as the ship proceeded very carefully, the Voltaug's powerful sensors sweeping everything in orbit of the planet.

"Let us resolve these anamolies, I don't like suprises." Navrost muttered.

Pilot Rae Solaris notes the increased scanner activity without emotion as the Voltaug rounds the planet. Xanthalian programmers never managed to simulate emotion, even in the era before Aellis disappeared and Old Xanthal was lost along with its advanced technologies: the era in which Rae was 'born,' nearly four hundred years ago. She is an android, a chibit, a persocom. Regardless of the term, the meaning is the same: she, or more accurately, it, is a non-sentient artificial intelligence; a computer built into a frame modeled after a biological sentient, in her case an attractive young human female with long black hair and piercing green-blue eyes, cable housings in place of ears being the only immediately obvious physical difference.

The unfortunate fact that she has been detected so early in her mission leaves her with less-than-ideal options. A more primitive machine would require external instructions to deal with the lack of a definite solution, but Rae represents the height of Old Xanthalian engineering and scientific skill. She, whether by fate, fortune, or merit, survived the three hundred years of chaos and warfare that followed the fall of Old Xanthal, one of only a few dozen remaining of the tens of thousands of units like her that once operated. She is a completely self-sufficient computer, different from biological sentients only in her mechanical composition, her lack of emotion, and perhaps most notably, the absence of true free will. She is programmed to recognize her owners, to understand the chain of command, to receive orders, and to follow those orders without question, without satisfaction or remorse. She can make decisions, yes, but can never decide to go against the directives she has been given. She carries with her all the experience of her many years of service, as a high speed long-range private transport pilot during the reign of Zelda Zabertini, as a Ministry of Intelligence spy in the Old Socialist Republic, as a sex slave during the anarchic years of Mirfak, as a Unionist commando in the War of Reunion and more, and has the capacity to use her knowledge at will to achieve what her masters direct.

Rae quickly identifies and processes three basic choices. Retreat carries with it the highest odds for her own safety, but though she is very aware of her immense value to Xanthal withdrawal will preclude any chance of mission success. A headlong run to the planet has the potential to be the most expedient way to complete her objective, but the probability of such a move provoking violent retaliation by the Vrangians is much too high considering the defenseless vessel in which she is traveling. Contacting the foreign vessels could facilitate a diplomatic solution, but the odds of their allowing her to complete her mission freely are low and doing so would compromise the secrecy of her mission. Not satisfied with any of these options, she does something few computers from her era, and even in the modern day, can: she compromises.

The käleka powers up its engines and begins to move at a relatively easy pace of one tenth the speed of light towards Tnir, vectored to avoid the path of the Voltaug and enter the planet’s atmosphere. A moment later it begins broadcasting a message in simple text: “This ship is on a peaceful information gathering mission. It will proceed to the surface of the outer planet, where it will remain for a short time, then depart. It in no way contests territorial jurisdiction, and requests free passage.” The foreigners will certainly have time to consider the situation, as at its current pace it will take the small shuttle over an hour to reach Tnir.

Navrost looks up as the main screen quickly displays the now moving object, the Voltaug using maximum magnification on the image on the screen and displays vector, speed and other relevant data. The Voltaug bob's it's head down and say almost smugly.

"Ah-ha, a ship just as I had surmised." The Voltaug, being a ship, should not display smugness, but Navigator constructs tend to have an alarming capacity to learn just about anything from those it is in close contact with. Smugness would be easy to pick up from the Varangians.

Navrost looks over at the Voltaug with a bit of annoyance "Fantastic. I'll arrange a parade in your honor."

The Voltaug ignores Navrost's tone and continues "The ship is also now transmitting a message. I do not understand it's language."

Navrost looks around "Don't we have a Messenger on board? Find him and get him up here."

Voltaug responds instantly "He is on deck-G and is on his way here now."

As if on cue, The Navigator, Iago of The Guild of Messengers , enters the bridge . Hi completely armoured form, with his mock-human mask speaks in his buzzing monotone voice.

"Voltaug............play for me the transmission..................from the alien vessel." He then stands and listens.

This ship is on a peaceful information gathering mission. It will proceed to the surface of the outer planet, where it will remain for a short time, then depart. It in no way contests territorial jurisdiction, and requests free passage.

Iago nods, his vocal actualizer uickly turns the voice message into vibrations that his hune can understand, he nods to Voltaug, who quickly open a line to the Xanthalian ship and Iago responds. His voice buzzing anjd staticy, his vocal actualizer translating the vibrations of his hune into the languages of any particular listeners.

"This is Iago of the Guild of Messengers on behalf of The Navigator Commonwealth and The Autarch.................................please halt your progress and identify...............your...........space of origin.

More information is required before...................if, you are allowed to proceed."

Navrost simply watches "Bring us closer Voltaug."

The shuttle deactivates its engines, but does not fire its reverse thrusters, the end result being partial compliance with Iago's instructions: the ship ceases accellerating, but its momentum continues carrying it towards the planet at just about 0.1 c. Rae considers turning around again. There's still time to leave the system before the other vessel gets within range. However, the aquisition of a viral sample is of greater importance than the secrecy of the mission. She contacts the Voltaug, again using the Galactic Standard language, which while not known to all, is at least common enough to be easy to translate. "Iago of the Guild of Messengers: I am from the Socialist Republic of Xanthal. Once again, I request peaceful passage through your territory."

Iago listened intently to the return message and watches the small ship's progress via the view screen on the Voltaug, he replies immediately.

"The Autarch requires to know the exact nature of your business in his territory...........................and the territory of The....................Commonwealth. All..............travel and business..................must be approved and The Commonwealth must be sufficently compensated."


Of course it was first necessary for Iago to find out how important this craft's mission was , and to see what excatly he could gain from them.

The shuttle continues forward for almost ten minutes before a response is sent. "I apologize for the delay. Transmission renderers have ceased to operate at my location. I will obtain a small common flora sample from Tnir. It will not affect the ecosystem of the planet in any way. This vessel will now accelerate so that the amount of time spent within the Autarch's territory can be minimized." Simultaneous with the message's receipt, the käleka's ion engines fire at full throttle, beginning a rapid increase in the ship's speed.

A single reply is sent back in the buzzing tone of Messenger Iago's voice.

"That is unaccaeptable."

As soon as Navrost hears that he nods to the pilot who increases the speed of the Voltaug to the alien craft, the Dyan-XD Cruisers forming an offensive arc to either side. Navrost turns to Voltaug.

"Voltaug, release the MOBAT's and charge Razer Batteries."

The five MOBAT attack drones attached to the belly of the Voltaug slip free and move to intercept the alien craft.

If it were possible for her to be, Rae would be frustrated. There is no way to reach the planet now, and she and her ship are in danger. She terminates main thrusters and yaws the shuttle about, then brings the engines to full power, rapidly decreasing its acceleration towards Tnir and putting the käleka on course back to the sord and safety. This has been a near-complete failure; not only was she compelled to share her identity, but she could not even succeed in reaching the planet. She checks the vectors of the other craft in the area by using the shuttle's active sensors, discovering that she still has an adequate lead to maintain range despite the superior speed of Voltaug's MOBATs.

Navrost watches from the screen as the small ship turns and runs, he pauses turning back to Voltaug.

"Have them press on until that ship is out if the system, if it tries to return , destroy it."

The Voltaug assents and the MOBAT's receive their orders. The Voltaug and it's cruiser escort turn, to head back for the planet.

Iago turns to Navrost "That alien may...............return with more ships.....................we must accelerate the schedule to...............construct a forward base on Tnir. I will contact..................the Guild of Masons...............and Engineers."

With that he turns and leaves the bridge, Navrost takes his seat again.

Rae's shuttle passes through the system's sord and disappears from her pursuer's sensors. Though she is sure to face a mark against her on the record, she has kept herself and the Xanthalian property at her command intact. She is confident that Xanthal can get a sample of the Devrakin virus by some other means with its massive deployment, and doesn't doubt that she or someone else will ultimately try again with a different tactic.

The Dyan Cruisers follow the ship until it leaves the system , and the Voltaug's sensor follow it until it is finally out of range.

Navrost nods "We better get some marines down on the surface to check things out. We would be wise to have some sort of defensive structure in place before they return."

His orders were relayed and the Thilite Marines suited up and prepared to go down and explore the planet with one of the Voltaug's Huscarls. The Voltaug also launched several probes into the atmosphere.