NationStates Jolt Archive

(OOC: Basically, looking for a FT nation that would like to RP a contact with my agency, the KPA (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=537214). They would take the role of the crashing spacecraft and any crewmembers that survive - the idea being that the (preferably small) group is captured and interrogated by the KPA about their nation, their technology in general and anything of interest found in the spacecraft wreckage. Hope we can have fun with this.)

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Civilian Air Traffic Control at New London International Airport was a flurry of activity, as per usual. Being the largest city in the USSC with a population of ten million, New London was a constant activity of international and national flights, hauling cargo and passengers in every direction to ensure the continuance of the national economy. It was very rare that something unusual happened, as most flights were either owned by the domestic airline, Cynapsian State Airways, or the handful of foreign carriers that currently flew to the country. So when an unidentified object appeared on the radar screens, it surprised them all.

Harriet McDonald was a senior flight controller, with twenty years experience under her belt and the wrinkle lines to prove it. She was working Approach Control with three other controllers at 9:45 in the evening. Traffic was starting to die down as the night approached, and McDonald was looking forward to getting home to her warm bed and mindless television.

She had just handed off an international flight to Ground Control and was checking the remainder of her expected flights when a light on her radar console lit, accompanied by a momentary alarm buzz. Looking up, McDonald frowned when she realised the alarm was part of the UFO Warning System, which sounded whenever an aircraft not broadcasting a transponder code entered Cynapsian airspace. Looking at the monitor, she found it within moments; a craft moving rapidly over-land from the eastern seaboard, passing seventeen miles north of New London. Reaching over, she picked up a red telephone on the desk, linking her to Capital RAFB, an airforce base in the north of New England State. Standard procedure required each UFO to be reported in case of military or terrorist attack.

The line clicked on the other end. “Capital Control,” the male voice replied.

McDonald kept her eyes on the radar screen. The object was losing altitude and accelerating. “Capital, this is New London Approach, we have a UFO at twelve-thousand ASL and descending, moving west in Grid A6 at two hundred knots and increasing.”

“Roger, New London Approach,” the voice replied, as orders were given out in the background. “We have the track on Radar Posts Ellsworth and Simon now, scrambling to investigate.”

At Capital RAFB, an alarm rang out across the base. Technicians scrambled in all directions as the two aircraft on Ready Intercept Alert were towed from their hangers. The two Mig-23 Floggers taxied to the end of the active runway and launched themselves down the concrete like greyhounds from the starting cage, pulling away into the air sharply as they flew to investigate.

As this was occurring, the Commander of Capital RAFB called the Cynapsian Red Army High Command to report the matter, as per standard procedure. Protocol was approved immediately, and the High Command requested to be kept updated on further information. Unbeknownst to both the Commander of Capital RAFB, Harriet McDonald and most of the wider government, a further called was made to a inconspicuous, unmarked, cement grey skyscraper in downtown Newchester, labelled “KPA Solutions”, and a clandestine organisation increased its alert status.

The two Mig-23s soared through the air, arcing gracefully as their radars homed in on the object. Flight Lieutenant Michael Peterson was one of the pilots, and he craned his neck into the darkness as he searched for the UFO.

“Tango One to Tango Two, see anything?” He called into the radio to his wingman, Flight Lieutenant Buck Evans.

“Tango Two, negative.” The other Flogger sat close to his right wing, navigation lights blinking in the darkness. “Coming up on one mile.”

Peterson sighed, looking around the darkened sky. “I sure hope this isn’t some wild goose chase,” he said as he searched. “We don’t get that many of these-”

“Wait!” he was interrupted by Evans. “One o’Clock, coming out of that cloud bank.”

Michael turned to look, peering sharply into the darkness, and caught his breath.

OOC: Bump

This wasn't one of her better days. It might well be described perhaps as one of her worst, though her life had had far to many 'worsts' for this to be anything more than just one one in a large batch of 'worsts'.

But, for the moment at least, Tora't'su~ki T'sai (http://www.atddm.com/tora3.html) was too busy to worry about how bad it was. The aging scoutcraft (http://www.atddm.com/tship.jpg) she flew was in trouble and headed for worse. And while Tora might be an excellent pilot, she was only minimally skilled as an engineer. 'I just fly them damn it!" She growled begtween gritted teeth.

"We had two choices on how to spend that bonus, and the techs assured us the generators were good for..."

"I know Pip, but we're headed for a hard landing on a damned midlevel -'no contact with the indigenous life forms' planet" She fought to level the craft off, and suceeded for a time. "Did you get the soso off?"

"Yes Tora" Pip the A.I. that 'lived' in the thick polished onyx databand that wrapped around and up Tora's left forearm replied.

A brightly smiling voice announced that the back up generator had failed.

I hate that damn annuciator Tora's thoughts veered momentarily to an old familiar refrain, then back to worrying about the four others already in the life pod. This was only the fifth time she'd been in charge of a full team, and there were those who thought that she had been too young for the responsibility. Readouts are green across the board save for engineeering blaring red, Pips delled every thing from the master files and there's a back up in the pod. Now get the bow up girl!

Her mental conversation went away as it became a case of act and react without the luxury of thought. The craft laid a trail of sonic booms across the sky, the ground rising up far too fast for any one's peace of mind.

Then before she was ready came the rush of emergency gel, it's cool green translucency hyperoxygenated and designed to protect her from the worst of the crash. It didn't and it did. What really saved her life was as the dieing ship barely scraped over a mountain ridge the bridge section broke free to tumble in tight cartwheels down a mountain side. The main body of the craft, including the life pod slammed into exposed bedrock at nearly three times the speed of sound, destroying it and the life pod completely. The rear engineering spaces took almost as little dmange as the foresection. But over all there really wasn't much left of any thing.

Tora was unconscious for a long time, even with her accelerated healing ability.

The wreckage sat quietly on the lower climbs of Mount Charlie, the southern-most tip of the Cynapsian mountain ranges. As the dawn's light began to rise, bringing the very first taste of the next morning, the dawn chorus began as birds fluttered about, disturbingly at home in this contrast between artificial and natural.

A low rumbling sound interrupted the scene, and was growing. The birds, somewhat disturbed, flew in all directions as the noise increased, and was accompanied by the crunching of gravel. Then, dazzling lights, one pair after another appeared over a rise, following one of the less beaten paths along the mountain side. Noise and confusion, the sound of half a dozen snorting machines of metal dominated the scene as large, unmarked troop trucks painted entirely in black rolled to a halt a hundred feet from the debris. The slamming of doors and tailbars added to the cacaphony of the scene as engines died with a grumpy stutter in the low light, headlights still illuminating the scene. Crunches of gravel and shouting accompanied each soldier, dressed in black uniforms with white rank markings, as they dropped to the ground and checked their unusual looking rifle weapons before awaiting orders, some lighting cigarettes and many scanning the area.

Major Forrest Winters jumped down from the cab of the lead truck, pulling a cigarette from behind his ear and fishing in the pocket of his jacket for a lighter. His own uniform was black, unmarked save for rank markings and a single patch that accompanied every trooper - three yellow letters that spelled 'ADC'. Winters took a drag from the cigarette, blowing smoke into the cold air before turning to the larger mass of soldiers. "Captain Peters!" he shouted.

"Sir!" Peters walked over from the second vehicle in the line, his own rifle held loosely in both hands.

Winters took another drag. "Captain, deploy your troops to quarantine the wreckage," he said. "I want scans for radiation and other poisonous gasses underway now before we move in."

Peters saluted, and turned to order his own troops. Winters finished half of the cigarette, before dropping it to the floor and crunching it underfoot with the dour guilt of someone attemping to quit. He unslung his weapon, marked 'LR1' along the body, and checked the readout on the side of the Magazine cradle to ensure the Power Pack held a full load. Then he looked across at the wreckage.

Troops were beginning to form up into smaller squads, each checking their weapon. One man from each squad advanced first, sophisticated scanning equipment in each hand, checking for levels of anything that could be deemed hazardous to human life. After a moment they signalled the all-clear. Winters smiled, moving over to one of the squads. "Advance," he ordered.

Gradually, the troops carefully began to close the circle around the wreckage, checking every area for possible survivors before the gutting operation could begin.

Radiation? They wouldn't find much, save for some rare earth samples and such. Poisonous gasses, the same, some samples whose containers survived the fireball that the main body of the scout had become.

The jump technology would not be reverse engineerable, as those that approached wouldn't even recognise it for what it was. Not that the people who lived on this world were of low intellegence- but the facts had to be faced- the Hamalki, the crystaline spiders, who had developed the way to safely send a ship through DeSitter space had produced a jump drive that looked like nothing more than a spikey seed pod of translucent crystal...when it was whole, and safely incased in it's shield. Now it was so many pieces of glittering gemstone, but not of any sort found in this galaxy.

However the non jump power consumption was enormous, this was after all a star faring craft and the environemntal and antigrav systems drew heavy power loads, to say nothing of the sublight drive. It was simple matter -antimatter, and the generator had been in the rear engineering space. It was nearly intact, the contaiment syhstem undamaged.

Tora and her team had been very far afield, to the tune of some six hundred Million light lears. Her soso- slang for the ancient and honoured S.O.S. -had been sent FTL, but far slower than the eyeblink instantaneous of a DeSitter translation. It would be some time before rescue arrived. But rescue was certain. The Guild never left it's people hanging in the interstellar ion storms so to speak.

Inside the near totaly demolished bridge, the foam, having served it's purpose began melting away.Even with the foam's specially engineered features the landing had been rough to the point of jarring loose the contact between Pip and Tora. And if one doesn't think that A.I.'s can't get their 'brains' scrambled, they need to think again. Pip was groggily trying to repair her internal damage. She'd get around to using her stores of nanos to create a link between her and the data port in Tora's wrist soon enough. At the moment her sensors could tell her that Tora was alive, unconcsious and not too badly injured, and that had to be enough for the moment.

Major Winters waited anxiously outside the wreckage area, smoking constantly. Squads had moved inside the damaged areas of the craft by now, and were investigating.

"Sir," the radio crackled. Winter picked it up and tuned in the frequency correctly.

"Go," he said, looking across at the wreckage.

The response this time was clearer. "Sir, we're in the rear-most section of the wreckage, and it looks like we've found something of value. Some kind of...power generator. It seems to be still running."

Winters smiled, and raised the radio again. "Good work. Secure the area." With that, he turned to his truck. "I want a team of engineers in there working out how to disconnect it," he ordered. Another squad of men picked up their tools and moved towards the wreckage.

The other section of the craft was being investigated by Sergeant Malcom Reybrick and his squad. As the team moved into the enclosed space carefully, checking every corner with their lasers, Reybrick moved carefully forward with his weapon at aiming sight.

"I think I've got something," he whispered. His other team-mates froze, turning in his direction. Reybrick signalled them to hold their position and moved forward.

It was a body - a seemingly human girl, and particularly attractive as well. Reybrick lowered his weapon slightly, and dropped one hand to the radio on his hip. "Sir, we've found a body." He watched for a moment, seeing the movement of breathing. "Seems to be alive."

The radio crackled in response. "Secure them and bring them out. KPA is going to have a field day with this."

"Aye sir," Reybrick clicked off his radio and turned to his squad mates. "Pick her up," he ordered. Two of his team moved forward and gingerly lifted the unconcious female. They began to move out of the wreckage towards the trucks, intent on removing the female back to base.

(OOC: Going to jump to the next bit, if you don't mind, unless you want anything else to happen at the moment.)

Two hours later.

The alien lifeform had been placed in a small room, totally enclosed with cement sides and with no windows or furnishings of any kind. A single door led out of the room, which was bolted closed with a Tritanium door. Behind each wall was a metre of Tritanium steel to prevent breakout. A single lightbulb hung from the ceiling. Invisible to the naked eye, it also contained a small camera, which monitored the situation.

The KPA had no idea if the female had been carrying anything that may have assisted in escaping. Consequently, they had sedated her and then stripped her before placing her in the cell. When she came around the investigation would begin.

Pip knew that things had gone from bad to far worse than merely worse. The elderly scoutcrafts dumber-than-a-post A.I. had kept insisting that the stealth field was engaged during the course of their departure and unceremonious return. And Tora had believed him - not that she was to be faulted much however, as the read outs agreed with that conclusion. But Pip was an old A.I. and one that eavesdropped on conversations whenever she could and had heard of at least three occurances of similar faulty readings- if on a different model of scoutcraft. But she hadn't had much of a chance to convince Tora and now she had proof that they'd been sighted and tracked.

This world's inhabitants had come, and far sooner than even than she could have predicted. In fact they'd come before Tora had come conscious. And that was not to the good in the least. Now Pip was seprated from her person and that was a Very Bad Thing as far as Pip was concerned. She had to content herself with waiting and 'playing dumb'. Just another piece of jewelry, yep...

Until someone left her close enough to a piece of computer system and for long enough so that she could 'grow' a nano fiber to link up with the computer- be it printer, scanner, modem, or even better a tower. Once she was in the planets cybersystem, it, and it's populace would be hers. She wasn't the latest model out, or the 'brightest', or specifically designed for cyber hijacking - not like some she knew, those 'born' of the Nietzschean A.I. Sha'Do - but she had enough computing power to take over a world of this ones tech level.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The engineers sent to try and disengage the generator would recognise somkething almost immediately- even if it was just theoretical at their tech level - Magnetic anomolies. And at their tech level only one thing was contained in magnetic anomolies. Antimatter. And that would alert them immediately that there, very, very close to them was somehting that could vaporize, in the blink of an eye, an extremely large chunk of the surrounding countryside. Rather more thouroughly than a mere thermonuclear device of a much larger size could. That should make them move very slowly and with much forethought.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Much of what they'd stripped off of Tora would be of great interest to them as well. Her clothes were of natural fibers, but not of plants native to their world. The leather of her boots, belts and holsters was obviously of animal origin, but again certainly not native to their world.

The odd 'n ends that every one collects in pockets and pouches could certainly interest them. A small cube that they might trigger accidently would unfold into a four dimentional chess set - it was just a common travelers gameset - but the cube- which opened into a fifteen inch by fifteen inch playing grid - was only an inch cubic, it being hypercube, better known as a tesseract - the fact that it was bigger on the inside than the outside would have the physicists in happy spasms.

Or the old fashioned video library. It looked like a pair of polished onyx rods some six inches long, currrently tied together with satin cord. However when untied and pulled apart, the rods would expand to twice their length and the screen that was housed in the left hand rod would unroll to stretch taunt betweeen the two rods. Once activated one could then select from over ten thousand old sterries for ones viewing pleasure.

But the pair of weapons that Tora had worn day in and day out as habitually as most wore underclothes wehre a whole nother matter. One was a heavily scared but well maintained Orge Mark VII blaster and the other was even more powerful- but completely unoperable by any one other than a living, conscious, willing Tora - was a Multi 'D pulse packet weapon.

And the medical data they got on Tora was most interesting, for they would have had to done a thorough examination and taken specimins of blood and other bodily fluids if for nothing more than to try and determine if the sedatives that worked on their branch of humanity would work on hers. And not kill their find.

The sedative worked for just long enough for the nanos in Tora's system to scavenge them out. Then Tora woke up, though not without a viscious headache, sore muscles and a strong sense of guilt. Pip? She inquired through the link and found it empty.

Oh Void, Don't tell me...She thought hazily.

"Don't say a thing aloud. We're no where near home, not unless home has suddenly become cold, hard, and badly lit. This reminds me far too much of...now don't go getting your knickers in a twist Said the voice in her head.

Tora took a deep breath and willed her first pancik stricken reaction away. Nope, the smell was way wrong for her to suddenly be back in a past that she didn't want to even think about much less deal with in real life. "So if this isn't jail, or a bad rememberance of things better not remembered where are we?"

You're the professional First in Scout, You tell me -where does every bad holovid ever made make this out to be?" The voice replied tartly in Toras mind as Tora slowly, painfully sat up and looked around. She took in every thing with a face that revealed nothing.

After easing into a full lotus - her muscles were cold stiff and sore -she looked up towards the light and calmly said "You know your precautions are a bit much. If that door is sealed as tight as it seems to be, I'll just suffocate to death sooner rather than later"

Central Command of the KPA was a large, underground structure set within six metres of Tritanium Steel on all sides, and comprised a large cavern about three miles in diameter. A small city in itself, the cavern contained varing buildings, checkpoints, tramways, and involved all the activity undertaken by the KPA. Hundreds of power, communication and other cables and pipelines snaked up from the ground, whereby they entered the roof of the cavern and joined the regular electronic, communicative and utilities systems of the rest of the USSC. A huge, underground military and research base.

All this directly beneath a single skyscraper in downtown Newchester.

The Prison block of Central Command was located towards the northern-most point of the cavern, and surrounded by laser defence turrets, barbed wire and several tritanium walls to prevent the escape of prisoners. To ensure this, rabid Alsations were released to roam between the walls, occasionally fed to ensure they stayed hungry enough to kill. Soldiers with LR1 Rifles stood at half-mile checkpoints along the main entrance road.

The Prison complex itself was built in a typically Bentham manner, with several cells connected to a circular central dome, arcing out like spokes in each direction. The central dome comprised observation equipment for each cell, which is where the observers of Tora stood.

Major-General Gareth Warston leant over the back of an operator's chair, looking into the camera as Tora regained consciousness and began to look around. "What did we find out from the clothing taken?" he asked, not taking his eyes from the screen.

The operator, Lieutenant Jenn Bigley, shrugged her shoulders. "Some interesting stuff," she said, "and some stuff we quite frankly don't understand just yet." She leant over and handed Warston an inventory list of what had been taken, and the information gained. "The lab guys are looking at it all now."

Warston nodded, glancing through the list. "What about the crash-site?" he asked.

Bigley licked her lips. "Wreckage is being brought in," she responded. "Last time I talked to the Engineering Corps, they were spasming over something about Antimatter."

Warston smiled, looking back at the alien on the screen. She was incredibly attractive for a xeno, he decided.

Then Tora looked directly at them.

At him.

"You know, your precautions are a bit much," she said calmly, not taking her eyes from the centre of the screen. "If that door is sealed as tight as it seems to be, I'll just suffocate to death sooner rather than later"

Warston blinked, leaning forward. "How the hell did she know where the camera was?" he asked with a mixture of curiosity and unease.

Bigley shrugged again, looking equally as concerned. "I don't know," she said helplessly. "Seems this girl has some secrets we don't know yet."

Warston smiled. "Indeed." He turned, moving to the door. "Get our best man on finding out."

---

The door hissed and banged, several interior locks spinning and dislocating before allowing the door to swing open with a melodramatic creak. The first people to enter the room were a pair of ADC Infantrymen, their LR1 Rifles held tightly in front of them, trained on Tora.

The first thing Tora would notice is that these humans were touting Laser weaponry, not something that would be found on Earth at this time. The next thing she would notice is that these humans seemed very at ease with the concept of having a Xeno standing directly in front of them.

After these two soldiers came a pair of orderlies. Without taking a glance at Tora, they each brought a folded metal contraption into the room and set them down in the middle, working on them for a moment. As they were unfolded, they formed a small metal table and chair. The orderlies then stood and left.

After these two came a single man, wearing an all-black suit, a pair of rimmed spectacles and a dark briefcase. As he entered, the two guards instinctively straightened their postures. The door slammed shut and sealed itself after him.

"Forgive the nature of your quarters," he said with a friendly smile, taking a seat at the table. "However, there are many things we do not know about you, and would prefer to find out in a secure environment." He placed the briefcase on the table and unlocked the latches, opening the case slightly towards him so Tora could not see its interior. "However, should you co-operate, things will get much more pleasent."

"Oh, and your analysis was right," the man smiled. "This room has about thirty minutes of air before any occupants suffocate. Strangely enough, it's designed that way, Y'see," the man leant forward. "We sometimes like to experiment as to how Xenos such as yourself react to being deprived of Oxygen. And may I just say, we've had some fascinating results." He smiled in a polite manner.

"So," the man leant back, steepling his fingers. "First thing's are first. My name is Emery. What shall I call you?"

Tora had stood when the noise of the various locks being opened commenced. It was a slow process as she was still stiff and the many large bruises - the crash foam wasn't one hundred percent imobilising - just made it even more unconfortable to move. But her nanos were at work and she'd be without the bruises and aches within twentyfour hours.

Yep, just like the screen plays scrolls Tora though with a mental sigh ...and she was still cold! The psychological ploys behind their actions and drama did not amuse her one bit, but she knew she was cranky.

"First thing's are first. My name is Emery. What shall I call you?"

"No real first things first. Number one. Your psycho drama is the stuff bad holovids. You can kill me if you want, but in all bluntness, that wouldn't be profitable for your people. How about my clothes, or some clothes - or are the nasty old perverts watching getting too big a kick out of seeing a naked female? Not that I have an objection to being unclothed, but it's cold and it shows you that I am willing to bargain, cooperate, however you want to percieve it."

She eased herself back down in to the lotus position she'd been in before. Though Tora had definietly made note that these obviously not only didn't mind killing, but even worse, they were rude without reason. That was annoying.

"My names Tora, and I am a genetically modified human. Just like you...except that you aren't modified, I am. Minor variances due to evolutionary drift, but we're interbreedable. And just to make sure all your bad holovid notions are dispelled, no not a single of your people have been abducted and" She chuffed in unamusement " probed. Our teams don't work like that." Her voice went meditative 'Though there are star faring polities that do not ascribe to the RHL. Those I can't vouch for."

"No real first things first. Number one. Your psycho drama is the stuff bad holovids. You can kill me if you want, but in all bluntness, that wouldn't be profitable for your people. How about my clothes, or some clothes - or are the nasty old perverts watching getting too big a kick out of seeing a naked female? Not that I have an objection to being unclothed, but it's cold and it shows you that I am willing to bargain, cooperate, however you want to percieve it."


As the alien sat back down into a Lotus position, Emery blinked in surprise, and suppressed a smile. This creature certainly had guts - it remained to be seen whether they were in the same place or not - and would prove interesting to interrogate.

The creature looked at Emery. "My names Tora, and I am a genetically modified human. Just like you...except that you aren't modified, I am. Minor variances due to evolutionary drift, but we're interbreedable. And just to make sure all your bad holovid notions are dispelled, no not a single of your people have been abducted and" She chuffed in unamusement " probed. Our teams don't work like that." Her voice went meditative 'Though there are star faring polities that do not ascribe to the RHL. Those I can't vouch for."

Emery laughed aloud, leaning back in the chair. He rubbed his chin and looked at Tora with an amused glint in his eye. "Well, thankyou for your assurances regarding abductions, Tora," he said with a slight smile. "We have had some contact with Xenos beforehand, so we've dispelled some of the bad sci-fi rumours from our mind. Although I must confess, you're only the second Xeno I've had the pleasure of meeting."

He reached into the briefcase and pulled out two peices of folded clothing, a light brown shirt and pair of trousers, and placed them on the edge of the desk. "Of course," Emery said looking back. "We wouldn't want you to catch cold, beyond our own psychological tricks."

Whilst he waited for Tora to dress, Emery looked into a file he had in the briefcase. "Well, let's get down to business, shall we?" He turned over a page as he spoke. "According to the information we gained from the last Xenos we encountered, a pair of..." he squinted at the paper, "...Caltarians, I believe is how its pronounced, the galaxy is pretty full out there." He looked up. "So let's start with your own alliegiances. For what organisation and in what capacity do you work for?"

---

The Science blocks of the KPA base were located on the other side of the complex from the prison. Currently, the main lab had been filled with the wreckage of the spacecraft, including several elements of interest. The Antimatter reactor, gingerly disconnected and transported to the base, sat inside a containment area being examined carefully by dozens of ecstatic scientists and technicians.

Lieutenant Gemma Walters had a slightly less exciting job. On the table in front of her, she was cataloguing the general paraphenalia that had been taken from the craft. An Infantry Soldier, Private Jack Li, stood nearby with a curious expression.

"What d'you reckon that is?" he asked, indicating the item Walters was holding.

Gemma shrugged, turning over the small cube in her hand. "For all I know," she said in a concentrated manner, "It could be anything from a child's toy to a Plasma Grenade."

Li licked his lips gingerly. "Be careful with that," he said.

Walters looked at the Private in a scornful way. "Thanks," she said mockingly. "I think I know how to-"

She stopped as the little cube began to hum, having accidently held one of the sides under her thumb with slightly more pressure than before. Dropping the cube with a yelp, she stepped back quickly against the wall behind her. Li swore, bringing his rifle from his shoulder and priming the weapon, which emitted a whine as it powered up.

The cube hummed for a few seconds, and then began to open slowly, gracefully, impossibly, like a cocoon defying the laws of physics. Walter blinked, stepping forward as the Chess Set settled onto the table, peices and all.

"Bloody hell," Walters said, looking carefully at the cube, pushing some items away with her hand.

One item of which was Pip, and one push of which was closer to a computer terminal.

Emery's laugh brought a smile to Tora's lips, and a soft chuckle from her. His laugh was genuine enough that she relaxed ever so slightly.

Caltarians, I believe is how its pronounced, the galaxy is pretty full out there." He looked up. "So let's start with your own alliegiances. For what organisation and in what capacity do you work for?"

"Never heard of Caltarians, so I can't vouch for what they said" Tora commented as she stood and moved carefully to take the folded clothes; she didn't want to reveal all of her capabilities just yet, or worse scare the heck out of them. Not with them armed and doubtless well fed on alien monster horror stories, despite what her interrogator had just mentioned; though she had to admit there was enough alien monsters out there to justify such.

She stretched luxuriously, then dressed. She hadn't done it to show off, but for the simple fact that she needed to, but she could conduct her own brand of psychological warfare. The clothes helped cut the chill, being rather more substancial than she expected them to be. That gave therm points in the mental scoreboard she was keeping.

"But yes there are rather a lot of beings of various sorts out there." She decided to give them a warning as a freebie "And some of them make your worst nightmares look tame, but the vast majority of those wouldn't be giving any warning." She shuddered slightly, having some very bad memories to ruthlessly suppress. Tora paced a elipse in the room, never coming too close to the desk, but stretching the kinks out as best as she could in the confined space.

"I am a citizen of the Tanaran Empire, I am a full member in good standing of the Explorers Guild, under dual contract as Senior First Contact Scout to the Universal University and Omega Two Security Consultants. However I think that my proirly stellar rating is going to suffer as I lost my team" Her eyes were bleak as she thought about her dead teammates who had also been good friends. Tora knew they had to be dead, she had been conscious when the command pod had torn free, and had been aware of the massive explosion that had destroyed the mid section and the life pod. That boom, wasn't big enough to be the AMM reactor, and too big to be anything else but the midships... She knuckled away a errant tear and gritted her teeth, grieving would have to wait.

"However all of that means that I do have, barely just barely, suffecient authority to tell you people anything. Technically you all are on the 'No Contact List' but I don't have the equivallent of multiple PHD's and diplomatic accrediatation for nothing."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The 4D chess set - played in a frame work cube with holographically projected pieces sat quietly, waiting for the parameters of the game to be set. For you see the fourth dimention incorporated into this version of the venerable game was time. You could 'time a piece out' to return at either a set or randomly elected time- and if the square it had left from was occupied by a lesser piece...

Pip didn't mind them finding out how toopen the game cube, not in the least, not when it's happening brought her so very close to one of the planets crude cybernetic systems. It would take hours for the fillament to form, but despite the fact that she lived at the speed of light she had all the time in the universe. Her internal power plant was small, but she didn't need more than a trickle to create the nanobots that in turn would create the fillament

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Memory of the explosion caused Tora to stop short and look at Emery sharply. "THe AMM reactor didn't lose containment, or I wouldn't be here, I'd be component atoms scattered randomly. Please, warn your scientists - and don't say that you aren't studying everything that was recoverable - that our containment fields are rugged, but they can fail. The explosion of one would touch off the others and given that this is an M class planet within the general size range..." She thougtht furiously for a moment "No it won't crack the planet, but it would destroy a good chunk of the surrounding countryside."