NationStates Jolt Archive

“Treading the soil of the moon, palpitating its pebbles, tasting the panic and splendor of the event, feeling in the pit of one's stomach the separation from terra - these form the most romantic sensation an explorer has ever known” - Vladimir Nabokov

A journey of a thousand miles is but a step against the length of space that now stretches before us. Who is brave enough to cross the dark, the ever hungry dark of space, and reach with fingers stretched toward the planets and stars of distant locations? Who is brave enough, reckless enough, crazy enough to leave behind everything of comfort, board a vessel of the black sea, trust in navigational systems, and dream of a new life?

Who desires to explore most? The earth is known, and now, knowledge drives us hungrily for distant stars in a futile attempt to satiate the hunger and perhaps allow a chance to settle down.

The earth is old, worn, and it will be here should we return. Day by day, steadily as ever, it shall warm and cool its skin, give a home to countless civilzations, nurture them from birth and embrace them in death. The universe is but a vast sea with endless horizons, scattered here and there with galaxies and stars, planets and void, fire and water, solid and gas.

Who dares to conquer a world unknown?

There was a gust of wind that ruffled the papers for several moments before they stilled once more. The delicate hand, misleading in its true strength, belonged to the elven woman dressed in a pure white ensemble of simplicity and grace. Her auburn hair cascaded around her neck, settled upon her shoulders. Her eyes, vividly jade, scanned the sea of tall grass that stretched southward to the sea. A ruffle of her dress and she was falling to the earth, hair wildly whipping about. Upon contact, there was a brief dim flash of green light from beneath her feet, and she crouched momentarily. Rising to her height, she looked to the skies and inhaled the fresh autumn breeze.

Her bare feet tread soft grass and dirt, following a trail hardly seen except for the most observant of eyes, deeper into the forest until at last she came upon the River Aria. She drew the rope loose of the tree branch and pushed the small canoe into the softly flowing waters before climbing in and shoving off.

The air was quiet, save for the flow of water and the whisper of wind. It was a welcome change for her, for she also lived in a world of noise and calamity. Soon however, she would immerse in a world of total silence, and she wasn't sure how she'd handle it. At first, she had planned to arrange a multinational expedition to Monoceros and upon receipt of intial reports, likely follow in the newest ship; Falling Star to her personal fleet, a gift from Robert. It was top of the line as far as navigational and defense systems, and its luxury was enviable.

She would travel with a companion however, and he had been instructed to make his schedule clear. A time together, amongst the stars... First however, they would await the arrival of the lucky few who would have beaten tens of thousands of people applying to the quest, proving themselves worthy in preliminary health and capability tests. Rob was making the final decisions on this, and her job was to ensure the fleet was ready, stocked, and perfectly running. Lady Shalamar, of Cat's Keep, would send psi-gifted individuals to compliment their roster.

For now though, she floated down the river...

OOC: Visit the Sign Up//OOC Thread (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=543669) before joining!

Rob set the last data pad aside. He was profoundly glad that he had a vertible pantheon of highly skillede secretaries to do the preliminary weeding out, the deluded and delusional, those incapable of passing the physical requirements, the thirteen year olds that though because kids piloted multi trillion auric space ships in the Mangas, they could in real life or those certain that their belief in their dreams would be enough. He wondered if Lewis and Clarke or Drake had had similar problems staffing their journeys of discovery.

Some it bothered him not at all to decline their applications, some tore his heart apart, but a baseline critieria had been set and he wasn't going to waive it just because he could identify so closely with them. However there were any number he had annotated. They'd make excellent colonists, when colonizing started.

What data they had showed six promising solar systems all with planets, with five systems in the 'maybe' catagory. "However I have a State Dinner to attend, and day dreaming about what we might find won't get me ready for it in time." He half grumbled to himself.

However his mother looked up from her own pile of papers and just laughed. "While I get to go to a movie tonight. I mean not only are you depriving me of the safest escort I've ever had, for a whole year, but you and Aeris are weaseling out of the one thing you know the Domination has been holding it's breath over since you became Prince."

"Mother, we're having the wedding Aeris wants to have, not some televised cross the solar system extravaganza for the old biddies to show off their newest jewels at. I like cats, not over doses of cattiness" He responded with mock exasperation.

His mother, HM Queen Mercedez Merideath Hexx just laughed and shook her head as she picked up the next data padd waiting for her. "Enjoy yourself tonight dear"

"You too, Mom."

Rob finished up with signing off on the official letters of acceptance to ...

Professor Jackson Straker, Ph.D. (Xenoarchaeology, Xenobiology) and associate Kalazar a retireed Fleet MarineVeliki. Though he wondered what their Real reasons for joining the expedition were.

From UHC Biologist Eric Hanson and Gunny Brian "Badger" Eaton - And GSgt Eaton was being invited to being his family along. The Falling Star certainly had room enough.

Assington had the distinction of being the home nation to Microbiologist Cassy O'Conor and Captain Liam Anderson.

Professor's Tempest and Twilight Remmington -they were double Doc's as well as twins - from Nuevo Nihongo's Imperial University would be this team's geologist/ seismologist and botanist/ ecologist.

He and Aeris would round out this team as the team medics and in general helping hands, since neither of them really qualified to do anythihng else.

Those were the last of the teams to be formed. Ten teams of eleven each per ship. They had the Falling Star and five smaller cruisers to meake up the expedition. It hadn't been easy but they had managed to select some six hundred plus of the best. Nearly seven hundred that had passed all the tests
physical, mental, psychological, and ethical.

Now he just had to get them all together in one place at one time - together for the first time and hope that no one killed anybody else.

He was in over all charge of the expedition's military and security and he had no worries about working with the others both within his own team and the ones assigned to other teams.

One year already since Rob had issued the press release unto the galaxy, and in that year, they had received thousands of applications to be sorted through. Some, they were surprised to have even bothered attempting for they were people who were quite questionable. Others were partially acceptable, yet there were a few hundred who had been deemed fully qualified and stable.

Amidst this turmoil of activity over the year, there had been another important event that had marked an important part of two people's lives. The wedding had been simple, and yet elegant with elements of both cultures seen. She had been beautiful in the dress, and he equally handsome in his suit. Their marriage had been small, and limited only to specific guests.

Looking upon the massive ship, Falling Star, Aeris was pleased to see that everything was finished with the overhaul of the outside. The inside had been completed a month ago, right on schedule. Making her way to the ships lowered ramp, she ascended into the belly of the ship and made her way down the now familiar corridors. A door opened instantly as she neared, and the sweet voice of Star was heard as she crossed the threshold.

"Lady Aeris, it is good to see you again. Come to savor the room's delights again?" Nearby, the holographic rendition of Star stood with her hands crossed in front of her and her eyes watching Aeris's every move.

Aeris smiled and nodded, "Yes, the room does have a bit of an appeal, doesn't it?" She chuckled, "I trust everything is well with the internal checklist and systems checks?"

"Yes, everything is running smoothly. We're not expecting any trouble upon liftoff, but machines are finicky at times. Falling Star however, is well built, and built to last."

Aeris nodded as she picked up a wilting white tulip in the natural garden greenhouse centered in the room. Instantly, it sprung to life, full of color and vivacity. She placed it gently back onto the soil, watching as the plant reasserted itself. As she did this, she mindfully fingered the ring that sat upon her right hand. She smiled slightly.

"I'm sure it was a beautiful wedding, Lady Aeris." Star chimed in as she had been watching the elf woman. Aeris snapped out of her thoughts and nodded, "Yes Starry ...it was most beautiful..."

She moved to the bed and settled down upon it, sighing softly as she closed her eyes. She did not see that Star had departed, giving her privacy.

One year already since Rob had issued the press release unto the galaxy, and in that year, they had received thousands of applications to be sorted through. Some, they were surprised to have even bothered attempting for they were people who were quite questionable. Others were partially acceptable, yet there were a few hundred who had been deemed fully qualified and stable.

Amidst this turmoil of activity over the year, there had been another important event that had marked an important part of two people's lives. The wedding had been simple, and yet elegant with elements of both cultures seen. She had been beautiful in the dress, and he equally handsome in his suit. Their marriage had been small, and limited only to specific guests.

Looking out at the star filled void surrounding Falling Star, Aeris was pleased to see that everything was finished with the overhaul of the outside. The inside had been completed a month ago, right on schedule. Making her way down the now familiar corridors until a door opened instantly as she neared, and the sweet voice of Star was heard as she crossed the threshold.

"Lady Aeris, it is good to see you again. Come to savor the room's delights again?" Nearby, the holographic rendition of Star stood with her hands crossed in front of her and her eyes watching Aeris's every move.

Aeris smiled and nodded, "Yes, the room does have a bit of an appeal, doesn't it?" She chuckled, "I trust everything is well with the internal checklist and systems checks?"

"Yes, everything is running smoothly. We're not expecting any trouble with undocking, but machines are finicky at times. Falling Star however, is well built, and built to last." Star reported, a bit of pride heard in her voice.

Aeris nodded as she picked up a wilting white tulip in the natural garden greenhouse centered in the room. Instantly, it sprung to life, full of color and vivacity. She placed it gently back onto the soil, watching as the plant reasserted itself. As she did this, she mindfully fingered the ring that sat upon her right hand. She smiled slightly.

"I'm sure it was a beautiful wedding, Lady Aeris." Star chimed in as she had been watching the elf woman. Aeris snapped out of her thoughts and nodded, "Yes Starry ...it was most beautiful..."

The elf turned to the avatar, "Inform me when the shuttles arrive. I will greet them accordingly."

She moved to the bed and settled down upon it, sighing softly as she closed her eyes. She did not see that Star had departed, giving her privacy.

Tempest and Twilight looked about the Tanaaran starport with inquisitive eyes, and every other sense alert as well. They wore comfortably broken in jeans and chambray shirts that were somewhat wilted after their long flight.

"It's almost as" Tempest noticed.

"Warm here as home" Twilight stretched for the third or fourth time. She didn't travel as well as her identical twin sister did, and while the hypersonic transport had gotten them here much quicker than any other form of available transportation, she still felt cramped up. "And lets go find the Beanstalk. The formal "cocktails and dinner" doesn't start until five p.m."

"That's nuff time to ride topside and take a look back down..."

The Beanstalk was the Tanaaran space elevator that linked the planet bound nation to it's original space habitat, affectionately known as the "Tater."

"...then scoot back down and get changed."

"Got it in one sister mine" They shared a grin. Starting and finishing sentences was an old and comfortable habit of the duo, as their minds almost really did work as one. They had an uncommonly strong twin link.

They had a skycap take their luggage to the hotel where suites had been reserved for all expedition members.

Cassy O'Conor looked up in awe at the 'small' cruiser hovering about five hundred metres above ground. It was considered a short range transport as far as space journeys and would get them to Tanaara within the hour. Despite the ship being commonplace and Assington having been a space fairing nation for longer than she knew, Cassy had never seen a space ship in person before and was taken aback at the size of this 'transport'.

"Don't look so amazed, this one is only a baby. Wait till we see the Falling Star."

Cassy turned to her left and found herself gazing upon a muscular man standing many head and shoulders over her. Based on his uniform she assumed he was her military escort, the man assigned to her protection, although she figured he was really there so the Assingtonian military could stay updated with what might be found on the expedition.

Leading the soldier into a walk towards the boarding location, Cassy introduced herself.

"Hi, I'm Cassy."

"I know, I read the file."

Cassy felt somewhat awkward that this man probably knew more about her than some of her friends and yet she didn't even know his name.

"Captain Liam Anderson. I'm here to make sure you don't get mauled by aliens or some such thing."

Reaching the transport zone, Cassy stepped into the marked ring and looked back at Liam.

"I seriously doubt we'll run into anything out of the movies, Captain."

Regulating her breathing, Cassy readied herself to be beamed onto the ship. She wasn't entirely comfortable with the process but had done it enough times without incident to not object doing so.

Liam merely gave her a sly grin and waved.

"I'll see you up there."

"You're not coming now?"

"No, the whole being ripped apart and put back together thing doesn't agree with the nanites."

Nodding in understanding, Cassy didn't get a chance to say anything else as her world became blindingly bright, pitch black, bright and normal once again, save that she now stood within the cruiser.

With Cassy gone, Liam simply waited for the smaller transport to exit the cruiser and retrieve him. Soon enough they would be in Tanaara.
_______________________

Now standing on Tanaaran soil, Liam looked up at the Falling Star and whistled. Whilst Assington certainly sported ships that size and larger in her fleet, Liam wasn't a frequent flyer and was certainly impressed by the sight before him.

Cassy simply had no words. The crew of their cruiser was already loading Liam's and Cassy's equipment onto the Fallen Star so she had nothing to do but sit there and gawk.

Liam let a few moments pass before nudging Cassy out of her stupor.

"Come on, let's go find the front door."

The ride up the space elevator was a novelty for the Nihongoans, though they had spent time in their nation's orbital habitats.

They shared a glance, acknowledging the spectacular view as the earth fell away as the cabin ascended the space elevator. The cabin walls were themselves opaque but the external camera's provided a picture of crustal clarity. No words were necessary, their thinking as one.

Once thay had reached the space station they only had a couple of hours before having to turn around and begin their descent, but they spent them with leisurely wandering between the various observation pods and shops. They had the Yen to spend and did not quibble with paying the exorbitant prices for shipping their purchases over to the Falling Star. Their Expedition ID garnered them quite a bit of celeberity status which made them rather uncomfortable and put a halt to their shopping rather quickly.

They found themselves heading back to the departure lobby rather sooner than they had too.

"Come on, let's go find the front door."

At about the time the Assingtonian Captain nudged his companion and said that a figure materialized a short distance away from the two Assingtonians and approached them with a friendly smile on his dark face. He was an extremely large, slightly heavyset man in casual clothes but with the rank badges of a Cat's Keepian Psionic Adept clearly visible.

"Doctor O'Conor, Captain Anderson? I'm Aden Waycross." His voice was deep and as rich as the darkest of chocolates - he irresistibly reminded one of a young James Earl Jones. "I have to apologize on every one's behalf. There's been more than a little confusion. An error saw to every one having mixed instructions on where to meet."

He went on to explain that the Falling Star wouldn't be deorbiting. That the starcraft before them was the Circe, one of the four smaller ships that made up the majority of the expedition."

"Apparently they call them vest pocket cruisers, since she's only a quarter of the size of the Falling Star." He chuckled, an earthquake rumble of good humor. "Your equipment will be transferred to the Falling Star tonight. Your luggage has been intercepted and sent to the hotel"

"As we're all supposed to be meeting at Hotel Heliopolis for a formal meet and greet cocktails and dinner. It's for the press of course. In the morning every one will be taken up to Transfer Point." He mentioned the Tanaaran space station attached to the nations primary orbital habitat commonly known as the 'Tater'. "And then on to the Falling Star"

"Captain Anderson I understand you can't use transporters, but can you be teleported?" Aden inquired.

Every canidate had had to take on-line courses in starcraft safety and protocol as well as emergency operations and proceedures - and pass the end exams with satisfactory results. They had gotten to know their fellow team members a little bit this way as their had been many video conferences but none had met yet in person.

Somewhere in Geosynchronous orbit over Tanaara

The two Northampton class assault frigates seemed to meld into real space around the Falling Star. A small electrical storm danced around each as they materialized into the proper dimensional time frame, flanking the Tanaaran ship with a surprising ease. It was most likely an act in violation of God only knew how many laws, but that was something to ask Imitorans if they cared about another time.

It took only but a few seconds for the launch bays on the port side Northy, as they were so called by their crew, to open, and three of the heavy Albatross drop ships slid into the inky blackness of space. Each was laden with a number of heavy, full, transportation crates with agreed upon sensors, supplies, and a few Imitoran goodies that they often stashed away. Clearance granted, each came to rest in the hanger bay of the Falling Star, and ground crews began to unload the cargo.

It had been a somewhat terse agreement, but one made to keep things kosher none the less. Having full control of both Reach and Groombridge, the Imitorans damned well knew a thing or two about universal exploration, colonization, and the like. From the lead Albatross, a man wearing what looked quite similar to Multicam BDUs, but well pressed in a near dress fashion, descended to the deck, flanked by two more men. The two flankers looked like anachronisms amidst the setting. No fancy battle armor, or jet packs, or plastic face masks. One wore a polo and jeans, the other a pair of "desert chocolate chip" fatigue pants, and a sleeveless undershirt. Each sported a plate carrier and integrated assault vest over their clothing, giving the second man the look of wearing no shirt at all. Strapped to thighs were holsters, and each held a CAR-68: they didn't sling their weapons. They would look almost out of time if it weren't for the walk, carrying themselves with a fully confident air that said "the two of us could take damn near half this ship before anyone knew what was going on." And any one who knew Imitorans would fully believe it as well. The two had been hand picked from the ranks of IMSPECWAR specifically for this drop off.

Any psychics, psionics, mages, elves, wizards, or what else have you in the bay would be surprised to find, as were many, that their gifts had no effect on the Imitorans. Any attempts to read minds or influence thoughts would find naught but static. Physical manipulation was faced with a shield that prevented any sort of hocus pocus from getting to the men.

The lead man, a Command Sergeant Major, took one brief look around. He had been offered the mission, but space exploration just wasn't his thing. He had spent six of his eight duty tours with the 105th at Reach, and another tour had been done at Groombridge. He was just fine know sticking to ship logistics. Finding the load master in charge, he waved off pleasantries and formalities of greetings, and simply handed over an old fashioned clip board with a single sheaf of paper.

"Just sign here," he said, pointing out the signature line. "Lets everyone back home know you got it. All the legal shit has been worked out ahead of time."

The crates all contained the Imitoran form of assistance. Supplies they had found useful, sensors for gathering their own information, long completed research, the like. Getting the signature he wanted, the Imitoran Marine turned with the two shooters, and returned to the lead Albatross just as the last crate was being off loaded and sent towards its final location. Those on board the ship with any special gifts would find that the crates, much like the Imitoran's themselves, were oddly resistant to any unique talents.

OOC: First on the ship. Boo ya.

The Falling Stars AI's had been fully aware of the Imitoran's starships arrival. Not only had their sensors registered the emergance but it was expected. And thus Shiva just grumbled over A.I. frequencies to Fall and Star that he didn't get to do anything but run simulations on handling the pair of outgunned frigates. Star rolled her eye and just offered to bake him a cake. It was her way of telling him she was fed up, for the moment with his grumbling. Fall, the more patient of the two senior A.I.'s, offered to look over the simulations with Shiva and see if any of the the hull sensors showed signs of wear or unusual degradion. He worked more closely with the idiot savant battle A.I. and was more readily cognizant of Shiva's limitations.

The load master, himself in khaki's and a heavy sweatshirt that read 'Universal University Temporal Physics Department: In How Many Times Did You Want To Do It?" , diverted some of his droids to make sure the Imitoran assistance package was off loaded quickly.

"Lets everyone back home know you got it. All the legal shit has been worked out ahead of time."

"No porblem. Any special enviroment needed for storage? Somethimes they forget to mention special needs" The Grendel's face was craggy, very rough featured. He was too busy to expend much energy looking particularly human much less handsome.

Assured that there were none he nodded at took a moment to watch them leave. He'd reached the rank equivallent of the Command Sargeant Major back when he'd served as a Tanaran Strike Marine aboard the Falling Star back when the BattleCruiser had been a warship. He'd retired when the Falling Star had, and gotten a doctorate but found he didn't enjoy it as much as he did being in space, so he'd signed on as the Load Master.

The Falling Star was not the newest of ships, but was still armed, armored and very dangerous. Just what a group new to the exploring business needed.

"Lady Aeris. The Imitoran shipment has arrived. The load master is securing it as we speak." came the voice of Star softly near Aeris. The elf opened her eyes and nodded. She had been asleep for some time now.

She yawned momentarily, "Time till departure?"

"Twenty one hours and thirteen minutes."

Aeris nodded, "All right. Thank you. I need to get ready for the meet and greet." She rose and approached the closet, opening the door. She stepped inside a moment, chose her outfit, and stepped out a few minutes later. Her hair, she combed with a fine comb, gently moving through the strands with care.

Before long, she had initiated a portal within her room and stepped through. On the other side, she appeared silently behind Rob, no indication of her arrival alerting him as he sat looking over various papers. A gentle hand on one shoulder, and a kiss on the opposite cheek was given.

She turned her attention to the papers, "How's it going?"

"D'ya really think the sign is necessary, Doc?" said a very large ambulatory pile of luggage.

"Yes. Recall what happened on Ketchit IV?"

"Ummmm...yeah. Alright. Maybe the sign is necessary..."

And quite the sign it was, pasted onto all four airlock hatches -and- the vehicle ramp, the signs read: "ATTENTION! UNDER SUBSECTION XV1.4 OF THE NEXUS ACCORDS, THIS VESSEL IS SOVEREIGN TERRITORY OF THE EXALTED STAR SUPREMACY OF REVENIA! NO, YOU DON'T GET TO KNOW MORE! ANY AND ALL ATTEMPTS TO ACCESS THIS VESSEL WITHOUT THE ASSISTANCE OF A SENIOR AND DULY AUTHORIZED REVENIAN OFFICIAL WILL CONSTITUTE AN ACT OF WAR AGAINST THE STAR SUPREMACY! THAT IS ALL!"

Jackson Straker was nothing if not adaptive -- after returning from a dig sight, he had found that several dozen representatives of the local militia had attempted to force entry into his ship. The Ship had taken exception to this, and, as was Correct and Proper, activated certain subsystems that were not-at-all-civilianized copies of the LATS (Local Area Target Suppression) systems in use by AFESSR landing craft. The result: several mutilated corpses and a lot of very scared locals. The ensuing antics had resulted in his having his scoutship declared, well, yeah. What the sign said. It was perfectly legit -- he was a Revenian Government Official, after all -- Jackson Straker, Baron Retloft -- though he did not choose to actively exercise the powers that that particular position granted him, nor was he regularly in residence AT Retloft.

"So, do we have everything, Zar?"

"..unf. Weight's about right, but taking into account the inevitable gravity difference, wouldn't that mean we've got some stow-aways?"

Jackson sighed and peered up at the massive pile of...stuff...presently being carried by his Veliki colleague -- understandable -- Zar stood more than a foot taller than Jackson's six feet, two inches, and though the 'lik was fairly slim, he was also obviously quite muscular -- above and beyond the fact that his muscles were even more efficient than Jackson's own Halfling-Ascended musculature.

"Nah. The grav-units account for that. Looks like you've got everything."

Then he bent over to pick up his own luggage -- a metal-shell case of sorts and a duffel bag that he slung over one shoulder. Then he walked the necessary three yards to toss both items into the back of what was a not-at-all civilianized version of the AFESSR's standard light combat vehicle -- the much beloved Puma gunjeep. Though the 2cm Tri-barrel that normally sat on the pintle mount in the back was not thus mounted -- it was stowed in a crash-container in the bed.

Zar dumped his load into the gunjeep's bed, then went 'over-the-top' of the roll-cage to drop into the passenger's chair. The normal 'duck-under' maneuver wasn't 'lik friendly, being designed for Revenians, who seldom varied more than six inches from a six foot standard.

Jackson executed the standard 'Duck-under' maneuver into the driver's position, then brought the jeep to life -- the miniaturized mass reactor that provided the power was itself always active and perfectly silent, but the machinery that transformed that power to motive force was anything but. Nor did it have the usual buzz associated with electric engines -- that wouldn't have been intimidating enough for a military vehicle. It had a proper feral roar.

Now, the reasons that Jackson drove were twofold: one, Zar's legs were too long for proper use of the pedals, and two, Jackson was a better driver, anyways -- just as Zar was much more comfortable in the back, with the tri-barrel, where his strength and size made him a natural with the heavy weapon. The issue was that, while Jackson was a very good driver, he'd never quite kicked the fact that he'd learned to drive a Puma in the Fleet Marines.

So -- he punched it. Literally. It seemed insane, except that this was way that the Puma had been designed to be driven -- like someone was hot on your tail with no intention other than splattering your innards about the interior -- which, considering that it was a combat vehicle, was quite often actually the case. That it wasn't, at present, the case didn't mean that Jackson would drive sedately, because, well, that wasn't any fun. And if you weren't having fun, then what was the Damned point?

About ten minutes of demonstrating the Puma's superior acceleration and turning capabilities -- variable mass from the internal gravitics combined with an excess of power from the MR -- Jackson turned to Zar and grinned.

"So. Where are we going again?"

Zar blinked, "I have no idea. I thought you knew."

Jackson snorted, "I haven't done grunt-work since my very first promotion. Fric. We're not lost...we're not lost..."

A small creature peered up over the back of Jackson's seat, twitching its whiskers...

"I knew you two couldn't be trusted out by yourselves."

Jackson turned his head at the neck to look back over his shoulder, coming face to face with a particularly sly looking long-bodied rodent.

Zar, however, spoke first: "HAH! I KNEW we had a stow-away."

Jackson snorted -- exactly how he could keep perfect control over the gunjeep when he wasn't watching where he was going...had more to do with his exceptional kinesthetic sense than anything else -- then smiled and turned back to the road, shrugging his right shoulder, which the ferret promptly took as the invitation it was and leaped from the back of the seat to perch upon said shoulder.

"Okay, Chance, do you know where we're going?"

The ferret gave a small ferret-sized snort, "Nope. But She does."

Jackson raised an eyebrow, "Implants, armor, or gauntlet?"

A fourth, as yet unheard-from voice chipped in: "Implants and Pendant."

Jackson exhaled, slowly, "Why I ever let Vysarian talk me into letting him give me those new-model CI Implants, I'll never know...and I assume that the Rat has the pendant..."

"I'm a ferret, damnit."

Though the question was answered when an ovoid shape dropped into the chest pocket of his shirt. He reached in with one hand and fished the pendant out -- it was a fairly small thing, largely unspectacular, about the size and shape of a dogtag, though obsidian black. He let it out on its chain, then dropped it over his head to come to rest around his neck.

"Alright, Ash, m'dear...do you know where we're going?"

"Follow the bouncing ball..."

As they drove, Zar sighed...

"I still can't believe that I didn't get a perfect on that dratted exam..."

Jackson barked a laugh, "Yeah, well, neither did I. Not my fault that 'throw the Exec out the airlock' is 'never' the right answer around these parts."

Zar rolled his eyes, "You gotta admit that was a special situation. I mean, normally, that isn't SOP for us, either."

Jackson snickered, "Pfeh. Besides -- I did worse than you, Zar. You've got a 'proper respect for authority.' I don't. It's one of the job requirements for being an FM Officer."

Zar laughed, "Quit justifying your inability to suffer stuck-up pricks with things other than the truth."

Jackson smiled, "Yeah, you're right. It's an Ascended thing. Really sets our teeth on edge. Aaanyways, hear this ship we're going to be on is pretty friggin' huge..."

Zar, somewhat pleased to be back on safer subjects, nodded, "Yeah...five klicks and she's a 'battlecruiser.' Going to be different, being on a ship the size of a Viccy* and have to call it a Battlecruiser. Sure as heck makes our Slayers seem...I dunno..."

Jackson grinned, "The word you're looking for is: 'inadequate,' though I don't think it applies. The Slayers are great ships -- fast, powerful, tough -- but they're fleet combatants. Pure fighting ships -- no 'science departments,' or anything like that. Consider our ships designed for independent deployment, though -- the Remembrances or the Honor Strike Cruisers. They're bigger'n they need to be because they don't have all that lovely Mob infrastructure supporting them."

Zar nodded, "I guess that makes sense...and when you get right down to it...yeah, I remember that the Dragonslayer was cramped as hell -- I slept in a hammock hung between two stacks of torpedoes, y'know?"

'twas Jackson's turn to nod, "Exactly. We have Ascended-tradition Battlecruisers -- cruisers designed specifically for battle, no amenities, just guns and speed and Sculpted-I."

The blipper went 'chirp.'

Jackson sighed, "Guess this is the place."

There was the faintest pop of displaced air and the figure that took it's place was much smaller that the the Revenian behind the wheel "Don't you ever look around before you launch that monster?" Somehow the voice carried clearly though the dinn of the 'properly feral roar' of the Puma.

But when one noted the the rank badges of a Cat's Keepian Psionic Adept on the left breast of the dark crimson of the close fitting gown - it ended wlll above her knees and definitely showed off a spectacular figure. "And do you have any sort of liscense to drive that thing, much less like a maniac? And you're supposed to be a respected professional!" The internal snort was clearly obvious.

If Valkidris De La Mar (http://www.atddm.com/val.jpg) was five foot seven it was because of the three inch heels, but she wore them with the grace and aplomb of someone well used to doing so. Thick silky black hair tumbled nearly to her waist and emphasized the clarity of her skin and her large dark eyes.

Jackson blinked, managing a perfectly good expression of shock, then, perfectly straight faced, "You mean...look where I'm going? Now why...would I want to go and do a perfectly sane thing like that!? Licenses? What? I'm -fairly- certain that I didn't kill anybody...but..."

He took a deep breath, "I am Instructor-rated in nineteen out of twenty three areas dealing with the employment, handling, and maintenance of the Puma Gunjeep. The three areas in which I am not rated deal explicitly with the employment of the Mk IV Multiple-Barrel Energy Weapon (Pintle Mount)..."

Zar cut in, there, "In which I am Instructor-rated."

Jackson frowned for a moment, "That should've been in my file. They must've sent the 'more-abridged-than-usual' version..."

Then he looked about, shiftily, "Which means that there could be enemy agents about..."

His gaze settled rather slowly on not un-attractive woman, "But I suppose we'll have to deal with that as the issue occurs."

Dismounting a Puma was a surprisingly graceful movement, considering it was performed from a sitting position...it spoke of quite a bit in the way of arm strength, and the necessary 'rippling' of the torso was quite interesting, from a spectator's view, as well.

Thus dismounted, he offered the woman his hand -- right hand, Earth-fashion, as opposed to the left-handed Ascended handshake.

"Jackson Straker, and you obviously don't know very much about Xenoarchaeology. See, the thing about dead aliens is that whatever it was that killed them tends to want very badly to do the same to you. I don't drive like a maniac, madame. I drive like a Fleet Marine."

The transport landed in the hangar and dropped its ramp. Two people emerged, one shortr and stockier then the other. "I'm telling you Badger." The tall one said. " You should have brought Jenny along." Badger chuckled. "You never read the file did you?" The tall man shook his head. "She's pregnent with our third child, otherwise she'd come, she always loved the stars..." The tall man noded. "I know what you mean." They stopped in fron of a checkpoint. "ID." Said the gaurd on duty. They handed over their military IDs then waited a vrief second as they were scanned. " Liuetenet Doctor Erican Hanson." The gaurd chuckled. "Long title isn't it?" Eric smiled. "Just call me Doctor." He said. The gaurd noded then turned the badger. "Gunnery Sergeant Brian Eaton, you can go on throguh." Eric strode forward, eager to see the ship. Badger merley chuckled. "Hold up doc, you'll be seeing plenty of her." The doctor slowed his pace. "Sorry, I just get worked up about these things, can you imagine it? The first humans outside the known colonies?" Badger shook his head. "Kid, you've got a real problem with patience." Eric sighed. "I've waited my entire life for a chance like this." Badger patted him on the shoulder. "Well kid, your times come. What was that saying, For whom does the bell toll? It tolls for thee." Eric looked at him quizically. "That saying doesn't really fit." Badger chuckled. "I know, just wanted to get a rise outta you."

"How's it going?"

Rob laughed and placed a hand over hears as he turned his head quickly and captured her lips with his. Once he had made sure that his wife was very thoroughly kissed, he spun his chair about and pulled her into his lap and cuddled her close with a contented sigh. "We don't need firing squads any more just put some poor murderer in front of a stack of forms to be filled in in tripilicate. That will kill him faster. Death by bureaucracy."

He stood, and carried her over to the love seat infront of the fireplace. They sat with her on his lap just talking about their hopes for the expidetion - somethiy never tired of -for some time before he sighed and slid her off of his lap "You look beautiful as always but I need to go change. Though I don't think any of us are going to enjoy being paraded in front of the press yet again."

Over the year as canidates were chosen they had been brought to Tanaara, gvine battery upon battery of tests. May were sent to the moon, or Mars, or the putter habitatats for special training. However a small hand fuill, due to other responsibilities hadn't had the luxury of those training session. He and Aeris would be on the scratch team as he thought of it. The press had been allowed more access than Rob was comfortable with but he'd had to accept it. This would be the last however of the intrusion of the media, save for the three embedded journalists - that they were also published magazine authors and newspeople was coincidental to the other reasons they had been chosen.

"Come help me chose what to wear." He suggested as he stood and offered her a hand up.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The most excellent view was duly noted and appreaciated behind 'the look' that had begun when he'd said this "Which means that there could be enemy agents about..." and stayed...through ...

I don't drive like a maniac, madame. I drive like a Fleet Marine." ..with earned him an arched eyebrow. Yes singular, left...

"Oh I didn't know that there were other terms for it." She had had to bite the inside of her lip to keep from laughing at him. Obviously he and the ferret on his shoulder were two of a kind. She chuckled then and too his hand giving it a firm but gentle shake. "I though in archeology of any sort things would be too long dead to make much mischief"

As an adept she was fully capable of keeping her mind to herself and it out of his unless invited. Though the warm rose of her aura pulsed gently as their hands touched.

"I am Adept De La Mar, and the reason I was having to chase you down is that your informations was encoded wrong and ..." She chuckled in wry amusement "Well, every ones was and you are in the wrong place. We need to get sall of you - safe and in one piece to the Hotel Helipolis, all the way at the other sied of the starport. Now, if I open a gate, can you proceed though sedately? There's a lot more traffic and personell there and I'd hate for you to spoil your apparently spotless driving record"

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

"I know, just wanted to get a rise outta you."

Before the good Doctor could respons to that a voice xalled to them seeking their attention...

"Excuse me, Doctor Hanson, Sergeant ?" A beanpole of a young man in khaki's and a polo shirt jogged up to them. "I'm Tom Hazzard. They sent me out to intercept you all. Every ones instructions got hashed so we're intercepting every one and getting them over to the Hotel Heliopolis. I've got an magcar waiting for us." He gestured out the side door he'd come in where one of the sleek maglev cars was waiting.

"Doctor O'Conor, Captain Anderson? I'm Aden Waycross."

Liam chuckled in a matter of fact matter, as if he had simply been waiting for this to happen.

"No worries, I thought it was a bit odd the main ship would have entered in atmosphere anyway since it takes a lot of effort to get those things out again."

Cassy nodded her understanding but decided not to say anything. It appeared Liam could speak enough for the bother of them and had automatically assumed the role of being in charge.

"Apparently they call them vest pocket cruisers, since she's only a quarter of the size of the Falling Star."

"Ha, certainly not small. I hope you've got a good pair of legs on you, doctor."

Cassy merely gave Liam a quick look. She wasn't one for much idle conversation and certainly didn't click with Liam's easy going personality. The idea of having to sit down and meet everyone else involved in the expedition didn't exactly appeal to her, she would much rather get to know the biologists she would be working with and begin discussing work.

"Captain Anderson I understand you can't use transporters, but can you be teleported?"

"Basically, anything that pulls you apart and puts you back together is a no-go for me. If you have other means that doesn't involve that process then I'd be happy to jump on."

Jackson sighed, "Ohhh...I suppose I could. If I absolutely have to...."

Then he smiled absently, seized the puma's roll-bar in both hands and slid into the vehicle, dropping back into the driver's position with enviable litheness. He didn't seem particularly annoyed at mistake -- but, then, he seemed more like the kind of guy who'd long since decided that it just wasn't worth it to get annoyed, didn't really help anything, and the stress was bad for ya, right?

Doctor Hanson noded. badger simply shrugged. "Glad the last thing i get before leaving is a nice cooshy four star room." They both climbed into the mag car. "Pretty nice, The union has similar things, we would've taken the Mag-trains in if this wasn't a state afair." He chuckled, then pulled a weahered book out of his bag. "A conneticut yankee in King Arthurs court." He flipped through the pages. "A masterpiece by Samuel Clemets." he chuckled. "In the age of information, books never go out of style."

Liam & Casey

"Basically, anything that pulls you apart and puts you back together is a no-go for me. If you have other means that doesn't involve that process then I'd be happy to jump on."

"Then to be absolutely safe, let me open a gate rather than a teleport. Though a psionic teleport or aport is nothing like a technological transporter dematerialization and reassembly. Those make me twitchy." She shuddered with a chucke and with no outward sign of effort a psionic gate way big enough for the three of themto walk through appeared. opening into a demarked nitch just outside the Hotel Heliopolis. The Hotel was several miles distant, but then again to an Adept of Aden's rating distance was pretty much meaningless.

"There you go, and they have your reservations at the desk and correct information packets. Have fun exploring!" Aden waved them though, but part of him was abviously reviewing his list of whom he had to find and redirect next.

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

Jackson, Zar, the furry snake with legs, and the unseen but heard...

"Ohhh...I suppose I could. If I absolutely have to...."

"Oh don't sound so disappointed. I'm sure if you ask nice they'll let you in on the races the crew thinks no one knows they are holding in the secondary launch and recovery track." Valkidris couldn't help but laugh at his downcast tone. "I understand they have a variable G obstacle course thats a near killer."

The gate open wide enough for the Puma to proceed with sensible speed, but the distance to go really was rather short - some fifteen feet on this side and maybe that much to the indicated parking spot on the other. "Once you're through just repair to the hotel's lobby. I'll be waiting for you there." She said, once again clearly heard over the engines din without having to raise her voice.

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

Hanson & Badger

"In the age of information, books never go out of style."

"Very much agreed" Tom replied at the automated vehicle spun and set off at a high rate of speed. They had to cover most of the starports vast space to get tot he hotel. "I've always found Twain excellent reading. I helped stock the library. Theres not as many 'realy ' books as we'd like but the rest are all in downloadable electronic format. We had more memory space that real space. We had to beg, borrow , and in a few cases ...the Vatican library is Not missing any books...now... We figured too much information over not enough." He chuckled.

Not too long later they slowed to a stop infrom of the imposing Hotel Heliopolis, it solar theme giving it a warm and welcoming aspect.

"Doctor, Sergeant, it's been a pleasure meeting you. Best of luck on the explorations. The reception desk has your reservations and correct information packets."

He watched them leave, staying long enought to watch them enter the hotel and head towards the reception desk. Then he programed the car to a distant terminal, and the next lost soul on his list.

Badger whistled. "And I thought the Hotel Dell was nice." The doors slid open silenty to revela a plush lobby clothed in red and swaths of gold, a single recpetionist lounged against the far wall. Doctor Hanson strode up to the counter. "Excuse me, but I was told you would have reservations for us." The recpetionist sat up. "Yes, Names please?" he said, scratching the stubble on his chin. "Eric Hanson and Brian Eaton." He said. The recetionist tapped away at the screen, then handed hem to key cards and smiled. "Welcome Doctor Hanson and Sergeant Eaton to the hotel Heliopolis, we hope you have a pleasent stay." The receptionist raised a finger and leaned under the counter and placed a small package wrapped in brown paper on the shining marble countertop. Eric took it and placed it under his shoulder. "Thank you." he said, and slid the man a five USD chip. The elevator took a bit longer to arrive, presumably because of guests. Eric slit the package with an old letteropener gilded with gold and silver, and slid a small PDA out. He activated it and waited as the screen faded to black, before the image was replaced with General Edward Harker, commander of the Union military. "Gentlemen." he said. "I wish you the best of luck on this venture, you and the crew you will be heading out with have the hopes and dreams of a lonely species, a lonely species called humanity. It is with high hopes that upon your return, no matter the outcome, each of you will be awarded a full knightship and a pick of command opportunities, that is," His eyes twinkled "if you accept. Best of luck gentlemen, may we meet soon." The message winked out, and badger chuckled. "General Harker, still as charismatic as ever."

"Variable Gee? Sounds fun. I'm a variable-gee kind of guy."

Jackson snorted, because he sure-hell didn't feel like explaining -that- just yet, then brought the Puma out of idle -- to a rather sedate ten mph. Which made ever so lengthy journey take ever so much longer than was really necessary, but he'd as good as given his word, so...there was really nothing for it.

Once Jackson had put the gunjeep into park, the pair piled out, though Zar hesitated a few seconds to engage the Puma's Autodefense Grid. After all, they weren't about to leave their kit laying around for anyone to nab at will, y'know? Then Jackson spent a few moments pulling his jacket on over the tight t-shirt (black, with 'University of Nexus: The Center of Everything' on it, as well as U of N 'O-Ring' symbol, based on the characteristic Nexus Orbital shipyards that ringed said planet...) that he was wearing, then led Zar inside (Zar was, as usual, wearing a turtleneck. He -loved- the friggin' things.)

Chance scurried down onto Jackson's shoulder, having been dislocated to the top of the Professor's head when the jacket was being pulled on.

Jackson sighed, "Alright, you fuzzy menace. Behave yourself, yeah?"

Chance snaked his head around so that he could look Jackson in the eyes, "Have I ever not behaved myself?"

Jackson glared at the entirely-all-too adorable rat-snake, "Often. Nigh-constantly, in truth."

Chance retracted himself fully to Jackson's shoulder and began mumbling beneath his breath. Squeaking. Whatever.

Jackson turned to Zar, a rather amused grin on his face -- "Shall we 'repair' to the hotel's lobby, then?"

The mountainous Veliki shrugged, putting on a confused look, "Why? Is it broken?"

The effect was ruined by his inability to maintain a straight face, and so they would both enter the hotel laughing wildly and somewhat out of breath. Zar's dumb-act had always been extremely poor.

"Then to be absolutely safe, let me open a gate rather than a teleport."

Liam watched calmly as Aden opened a 'gate' for them to step through. Whilst he'd never seen one himself he had been briefed on the abilities of many peoples that lived within the region and thus wasn't surprised to see it happen.

Cassy on the other hand did all she could do to hold in a gasp. She knew there were people in other nations that could perform extraordinary tasks but she'd never seen anything like this before and wasn't quite sure how it was possible, at least from a biologist's point of view.

Taking hold of Cassy's arm in order to get moving, Liam merely grinned.

"Don't worry doctor, I'm sure Aden here wouldn't let anything happen to us."

Just before stepping through the gate, Liam turned back to Aden.

"Thanks for your assistance."

With that said, the pair was gone from Aden's presence and now found themselves standing outside the Hotel Heliopolis. With the gate now closed, Liam released Cassy's arm and began moving towards the hotel, keen to get inside and relax for a bit before they had to go out and meet everyone.

Cassy was still somewhat shocked as to what they'd just done but Liam's encouragement brought her back to her senses and she followed him towards the hotel lobby.

Hanson & Badger

Their card keys let them into a spacious seventh floor suite with a large, well decorated living room highlighted by a wide fireplace - an archway led to a modest but well equipped kitchen - the fridge and pantry were full of all sorts of snacks and delicacies - with a dining nook,- which like the living room- opened on to a wide balcony. There were two bedrooms each with their own computer system, and holoviewer and spa baths - seperate shower with sauna feature, jacuzzi tub and walk in closets.

Their person al luggage had already arrived, and the promised information packets were waiting for them as well. The Meet and Greet was scheduled for five pm with a formal dinner to follow and officially they would be transported up to the Falling Star in the morning.

As they were looking around there was a knock at the door of the suite.

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

Jackson, Zar, Chance and the voice

Valkidris collapsed the gate as the Revenian drove through with a grin on her lips but shaking her head. There is a reason that man isn't married she grinned to herself as she ollapsed the gate and 'ported into the Hotels Heliopolis's lobby into the nook designated for such psionic arrivals. Fortunately the hotel had kindly give the emergency meet and fetchers an office just a few steps away and she was able to bewaiting with the promised information packets and their card keys when they entered whooping with laughter over something or other.

"I'm glad you're having a good time gentlemen. Your suite is on the seventh floor, next to the gentlemen from UHC, Doctor Hanson and Sergeant Eaton. Doctors Remmington from Nuevo Nihongo will be on your other side." She handed them the cards and the information packet as she continued.

"The Meet and Greet, which is the last photo op you'll have to put up with, starts at five with dinner after."

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

Liam and Cassy

"Thanks for your assistance."

"Oh my pleasure. And might I say that both of you sparkle with poetntial, and really would be welcome for training to bring it to it's fullest possibility." The large man said genially. All of Cats Keep were psionic to one degree or another and they all believed in training- being with out it was very dangerous, or so they believed.

The receptionist was very pleasant and effecient, with their card keys and information ready. As he did so they could easily overhear the odd trio that had entered laughing loudly - though one was a ferret riding on the shorter man's shoulder - though he only seemed short as the other man, in a black turtleneck was well over seven foot tall. They had been met by a petit woman with dark hair and a great figure.

"There you go sir, maam. We have you in a two bedroom suite. Is that acceptable, or should I change that to individual suites?" The receptionist asked.

There was, in fact, a reason as to Jackson Straker's present single-ness, or, rather, there were a series of reasons. It had begun with tradition -- Lieutenants don't marry. Then it'd been 'Captains don't Marry.' His promotion to Major was post-dated approximately thirty seconds after his appointment to Marauder/Recon...and while there is no tradition or regulation against marriage as a Mar/Rec, it is still extremely rare as there's just no time for it, what with all the trudging around nasty planets and whatnot.

He'd retired as a Colonel, and then it'd been into Academia...where there was damned little chance of encountering members of the opposite sex that weren't philosophically opposed to his very existence. Stack that up with a very casual attitude towards the whole thing -- he wasn't in any hurry, not like he was getting any older or anything.

Jackson took the card keys and packets with a gracious smile and a nod, mumbled some polite bit of appropriate nonsense, then led the way off to their rooms -- not that they had any real reason to bother checking into their rooms, as they'd made the trip from Revenia via their own starship and thus had no 'cleaning up' to engage in.

Jackson and Kalazar reached their room without incident, surveying their 'digs' with much mirth evident, though they'd have been just as comfortable sleeping on couches, or the ground. It didn't much matter to them...but it did matter to Chance, who had vaulted from Jackson's shoulder onto one of the beds and was presently luxuriating thereupon.

Zar, in the meantime, was looking out the window. Jackson stepped up beside him, narrowing his eyes slightly against a possibly imagined glare.

"Nice place, eh?"

Zar shrugged, "'s nice enough. How should we play the head-game?"

Jackson shrugged, "Keep it quiet, for now, I guess, but it's your call. My Talent's listed even on the 'for general consumption' version of my file, so there's no secret there...but I know how paranoid your Survivalist Council is, so...yeah. Up to you."

Zar nodded, "Yeah. Well, we'll see."

badger looked at Eric. "You'd better get that." Eric chuckled. "Head of the Union team, face of the Unions exploration..." he chuckled again. "Guess getting a door is pretty simple to what I'll face." He strode over to the door, feet sinking into the rich carpet. "Hold on a second." He said. He undid the latch and slowly pulled open the door, as if to create a feeling of suspense. "Doctor Hanson, at your service."

"There's always some more training to do, isn't there?"

Cassy looked up at Liam as they entered the lobby.

"What?"

"Aden's comment about the training. They are very adept psychics, more so than us Assingtonians and can probably offer far better training than our standard programs."

"Oh, right. I never really got any training, I sort of just learned it use my talent naturally. It's not that useful for what I do though."

"Why not get any training? You might think you know what you're doing but I'd wager that you've only got grasp on a portion of what you can truly do."

"Perhaps, it's not an issue to me though."

"There you go sir, maam. We have you in a two bedroom suite. Is that acceptable, or should I change that to individual suites?"

Liam gave Cassy a quick look and responded before she could raise any objections.

"I believe that will be fine, thanks."

Collecting all the necessary keys and information, Cassy and Liam moved from the front desk towards the elevator, taking note of three rather noisy guests. It took a moment for Cassy to realise but once she had she let loose a short gasp as she spoke quietly to Liam.

"Is that a... ferret on that man's shoulder?"

"Probably. You're not very worldly, are you? There are a lot of strange things out there beyond our borders, ferrets being of the milder kind."

"There we are." Aeris commented as she stood back and observed Rob's suit. It was Tanaaran in its style, and fittingly so for this occasion. He was after all, representing his own nation. She twirled a finger around, indicating he turn about. As she observed him, she growled lightly, "Mmm...I'd dance with you." As his eyes turned back to her, she let him see the playful smile and equally shown bared teeth of a jealous woman. "And I'd make sure the other women keep their distance."

She held out his jacket to him, "Not that you'd do anything foolish." She laughed as she saw his perplexed, slightly worried look.

Making her way to the doorway, she opened it and turned her head back to him. "Come, the party starts soon, and I require an escort."

Twilight and Tempest vetted each other, checking that their identical outfits, which were all the rage back home, were impeccable. The short bronze silk Cheongsams showed off their more than acceptable figures without being skin tight.

"We look absolutely fabulous" they chorused. Neither of them had ever thought that accademics had to be dowdy. Though while in the field, which they were more often than not, they wore comfortable sturdy jeans. Cotton short sleeve camp shirts shirts in the hot, often humid Nihongoan summers, and turtlenecks of varying weights in the winter. 'Goan winters could be very harsh and many layers topped with dusters or shearling jackets were most common, given their unique heritage.

"Straker"

"Odd duck, why is he here, should be too primitive for his usual tastes, lots of black ink.. O'Connor"

"Dweeb, immersed in accademics. Bet you two to one she starts talking work the moment we meet...Hanson"

"Top class mind, milops back, sensible....The NewlyWeds."

"Oh godless, I hope to frozen hell they aren't terminally cute."

"It will be interesting to meet the Argonian's. Ones something of a legend."

"I hope that it's not only in his own mind"

They shared a laughing look. They'd had the misfortune to encounter a few of that type, and the meetings had always ended badly.

They headed on down to the grand ball room, the largest space the hotlelboasted. Between the seven hundred explorers and the various other dignataries they figured the room would be close to capacity, and they wanted to stake out a good corner to watch from. Neither was very comfortable with large crowds.

Zar peered sideways at Jackson, then sighed in defeat, "Alright. Why aren't you flipping out because you have to make a public appearance? I've got to know, I've just got to know!"

Jackson's eyes went wide, "Wait, wait, wait...public?"

Within his mind, things that would be blatantly obvious to most people only now began to connect themselves. It wasn't that Jackson was oblivious or anything, so much as it was that he tended to be thinking about ninety different things at once, meaning that it was only natural that fragments slipped through.

"Anfrargh'hk'krsh'KNA! DAMN my ears!"

Revenia, by virtue of the dominance of the Ascended culture and species, though there were very few 'true' Ascended remaining, most being, like Jackson Straker, so-called 'Halfling' Ascended, had certain traits common to the planets upon which its populace lived. Ascended and Halfling Ascended, by virtue of their Ascended heritage, were 'heavy gee' species.

They didn't look it, most commonly accepted theory being that the legends were true -- they were 'made' and not 'evolved.' Either way, they were physically far capable than an identically sized human would be. It was only through extensive training that they were capable of acting as fluidly as they did on lower-gee worlds, to the point where it was almost impossible to tell without knowing exactly what to look for -- namely the precision of movement that humans simply didn't possess, what was the point when 'walking' was essentially a somewhat controlled fall?

At any rate, the point is that Jackson wasn't in any real danger when he started taking stairs a flight at a time...

He returned with a bundle of things and a pair of suitcases, one of which he tossed at a rather bemused-looking Kalazar, the other being laid upon the bed. It wasn't that he enjoyed 'dressing up,' he didn't, particularly. Unfortunately, there were rules...

After the frantic dressing period was complete...let us step back and observe the result.

Beginning with the feet, wherein a pair of polished black leather boots are worn, complete with brushed stainless steel spurs -- his by right of having, at various points in his career, flown Vertigravs, commanded an air-mobile company, and commanded a mechanized regiment. Though it was his eternally-damned 'nobility' that meant he actually had to wear the damn things, even though he wasn't in uniform...and hadn't been for quite some time.

The pants were black, fitted, tight at the waist. Black leather belt, but you couldn't see that, because the swordbelt went over it. Jackson was somewhat odd in that he seldom wore his Warblade outside of combat, but he couldn't avoid it now...because there were rules. And it would be just his luck that if he skimped the slightest, his entire extended family would get copies of the inevitable tape, and then he would never hear the end of it.

The black shirt was relatively mundane, not very different from the shirt he'd worn prior. It was fitted tightly, not 'baggy' in the common Solar dress-shirt style. He'd had two choices of jacket -- the short 'dueling jacket' cut to facilitate wearing a sword, which looked ridiculous, thus leaving, inevitably, the Officer's Longcoat.

Which was annoying as hell, as were he actually in uniform, he wouldn't have had to wear a longcoat unless he were in 'I'm getting The Medal' Ceremonials...something he had never done, and thus never had to wear. The longcoat was confining, hot, and annoying...but it did look reasonably impressive and did not, unlike the dueling jacket, make him look like some kind of goon.

The silver ear-claps was really pushing it, though. Reaaaaally pushing it. But. As Aunt Margarethe would have said, "Appearances must be maintained."

Grumph.

Jackson, now appropriately dressed, turned to scowl at his Veliki friend, who was, of course, inevitably, wearing a turtleneck, though a somewhat nicer one.

Jackson grinned, suddenly, "Just be glad that you don't have to dress up, Zar. Oh, yes, be very glad. I've seen what 'lik Ceremonials are like..."

Zar smiled, a flash of light in darkness, "Quite so. Our Ceremonials make up for quantity with quality, you know? Squeezing maximum ridiculousness into a short period of time. Shall we, then?"

Jackson shrugged, "Oh, I suppose...where'd Chance get off to. If we leave him up here, I'll have to write another paper to deal with the bills..."

The ferret took a short leap from the back of a chair to land on Jackson's shoulder.

Ferret collected, they were off...

The twins, awaiting the lift, blinked at the sight of Jackson Straker, Chance and Kalazar Velin. They looked at each other each with one eyebrow raised, in mirror fashion.

"They didn't say anything about tsurugi being required"

"Or accompaniment. Mis and Chiff?"

"No, best with Pa-chi."

Then manners took over and Tempest stepped forward extending a hand "Good evening Dr. Straker, Sergeant Velin, I am Tempest Remmington and this is my sister Twilight. We're very pleased to meet you, though I must apologise the dossiers did not name you as having a companion." She gave Chance a grin and a nod. "I'm rocks, she's leaves."

The splitting headache was akin to the time he had dropped the front mount directly on his fore head. There was most likely a concussion that went with it, though Lee was no stranger to those. He had been knocked out a second time in the week he had lived in the container. The almost mythical amount of Top Raman and bottled water had kept him going fine. However, it had been about an hour ago that the movement of the container had taken him back off his feet and against the wall.

He had known there to be plenty times to bang against the walls and get out, but for what it was, he wasn't sure he would take the risk of getting caught on a military base. Instead, he spent a week eating freeze dried food and sucking down bottled water, refilling the bottles as needed.

But now, the outside of the container was quiet.

Scrambling up, he could deal with the headache later. He had found a supply of Aspirin, and pocketed it. He unzipped the Affliction hoody, and headed to the main door of the container. It was sealed shut, and rather solidly, from the outside. He sighed, turned, and leaned against it. That was when he saw the light.

It had been an air vent of sorts, mostly to prevent any stench from building up in the container should anything be shipped go bad. He was careful not to knock anything over as he made his way over. It took little in the way of a few hard kicks.

He was out. He had to force his way through, the vent wasn't exactly roomy, and he scrambled back up to his feet.

Lee took a few quick looks around at the empty storage bay, and made off to get lost. On a ship this size, that would be perfectly easy.

Had lee been really observant he would have noticed that the storage bay really wasn't empty, but then again the lighting was very dim.

Two of the Falling Star's most valuable crew had been attracted by the not so sweet aroma coming from the air vent Lee had just exited through, and Star who monitored Environmental closely had noted that the containers vents were transpiring gas that had organic waste as parts of its make up. The sensors were trained on that particular container.

Star's holoographic avatar joined the cat and the ferret and watched with folded arms and an unamused expression as Lee darted off seeking sanctuary. However he wouldn't get very far, the hold doors were non responsive to his attempts to exit.

"You know since you don't have the requisite badging it's not going to respond to you." Her avatar was now all but directly behind the young Imitoran. Having made no sounds to alert him- holographs don't make any moving from place to place it went without saying she fully expected a most satisfying startlement. The ferret and the ship cat were snickering behind their whiskers.

http://www.atddm.com/star.jpg

Jackson smiled, Kalazar grinned, and they both responded in remarkable harmony, "Charmed."

Hand shaking and suchforth in an appropriate fashion, then Jackson laughed oddly.

"Ahh, yes, the esteemed Chancellor Adolphus T. Ferret. No, that's not a title...that's his name. Wasn't my idea. Wasn't his idea. Just the way things are...yeah. Dossiers have an annoying trick of being...incomplete. You get used to it."

The ferret chittered annoyedly, "You would give out my real name..."

Jackson rolled his eyes and scratched the ferret on the back of the head....

The long flight was an eventful one, and not in a good way. Since the Argonian people had no means of high-tech travel and only one functional airport, there had been many lay-overs and delays on their long trip to Tanaara. The fact that the Colonel had chosen to travel in full Class A uniform added to his foul mood. Why, he couldn't say, probably something to do with wanting to look presentable when representing his people on a space-faring expedition, but twenty-eight hours of plane-flight and waiting in airport terminals had made the uniform more of a liability than anything.

He adjusted his green beret between his ear-fins, making sure his eye-patch covered the empty socket, and that nothing shiny had fallen from his chest during the ordeal. His companion, if the other individual with him could be called that, had dressed a lot more simply. Whiptail, true to his utilitarian nature, had dressed in a black pair of denium jeans, a hooded sweatshirt of the same color, and a pair of 1980-style Chuck Taylor basketball shoes. The two had something of an odd contrast, to say the least, Whiptail looking more like the Colonel's unruly son than the subject of intense governmental investigations into where his loyalties lay...

"You're representing your entire race to the known universe and you wear that?"

It was the first words they'd said to each other in two days, and it wasn't exactly friendly. Colonel Keyton Kerrich, war-hero and generally well-respected guy, had spent the last two decades fighting to make his homeland appear respectable on the world stage, and here was this asshole renegade next to him, who chose to dress like a teenage hoodlum...

"At least I don't look like some self-important asshole who makes his living killing his own kind..."

The comment, like most everything Whiptail said, was an based as an observation and wasn't intended to offend anyone, although maybe in Kerrich's case he'd make an exception on that last part...

"I didn't ask to baby-sit you, they told me I had to..."

Whiptail stopped, looking the other man dead square in the eye...

"They also didn't ask you to dress like that, did they? It isn't the things they asked you to do that's pissing me off, it's the things you're doing on your own that annoy me..."

The odd couple were almost equal in height, but Kerrich was a little more built that Whiptail, his muscle-structure showing through the finely-tailored green uniform...

"Well, not that it matters, but I suggested they let me put a round in the back of your head and save everyone the trouble..."

Whiptail had turned to continue walking, but stopped and turned around at that comment...

"With what? You sent all your stuff ahead of you. Where I..."

The former assassin lifted up his sweatshirt to reveal a Steyer MA-1 sitting comfortably concealed against a gray microfiber t-shirt. Kerrich stepped forward quickly, concealing the weapon for further view with his body...

"How in the hell did you get that on the plane? I don't care what anyone says, you're a god-damned terrorist..."

Whiptail smirked slightly. He enjoyed teaching the special-ops Colonel a thing or two, even if the thing was harmless...

"I'm a world-class assassin you dumbass, how do you think?"

That would give him something to think on for a while, and maybe shut him up. The weapon wasn't real, just a RedGun look-alike he'd spray-painted black for just this occasion. He, too, had sent his own equipment, which consisted of the aforementioned pistol, and his knives, ahead with Keyton Kerrich's equipment. The Wanderer carried only a small backpack filled with a few snacks, several magazines of the literary variety, and his iPod. There were a few changes of clothes as well, mostly the same stuff he was wearing. The Colonel, on the other hand, had a full olive-drab duffel bag slung over his left shoulder, and a suit-bag over his right...

"Shall we continue? We don't want to keep our fellow explorers waiting..."

Whiptail was going to enjoy messing with the Colonel over the next few months. The special ops soldier hated to fly, and Whiptail had enjoyed spending the entire plane ride commenting on that fact, a small series of well-placed barbs designed to slowly piss the man off. He'd enjoy it immensly when, or if, he lost his cool in front of some important folks. Whiptail had also done the interstellar exploration thing before, where the Colonel had barely left the Black Marsh. He wondered how well the guy was going to take to zipping through cold vaccum with only a metallic skin seperating you from a quick but exceedingly painful death...

"Doctor Hanson, at your service."

The lady outside the door was dressed in a nicely tailored tunic topped pant suite of dark charcoal gray with pewtery trim. It had a vaguely military feel to it. She had an odd metal and black leather collar holding some sort of medical sensor about her throat. On a heavy duty tab sewn into the right shoulder of the tunic was a small rectangularcarbon fiber case that seemed to hold some sort of camera and transponder set up. It was small, less than three inches front to back by about an inch high by three long- the base was curved slightly to conform to the arch of her shoulder. It was meant to be unobtrusive.

"Very pleased to meet you Doctor Hanson. I'm Doctor Kalista McCoy, the doctor doctor for the team. I just wanted to introduce myself a bit ahead of time, since we're the last team to be assembled and we haven't had any time to train together." She was a pleasant faced blond who's glasses were tinted an odd shade of pink.

Doctor Hanson smiled. "Glad to meet you, the doctor doctor, eh?" he chuckled. "Well, its nice I finaly get to meet a team member, come in and I'll introduce you to Badger."

Flashing him a smile in return Kali stepped into the suite, her low sensible heels making no noise on the thick carpets. She was in her early thirties and moved with an easy grace of someone who had had possibly ballet or martial arts training.

"Hello Badger." She looked about then cocked her head as she inquired. "Did your family decide not to come?, or have I misremembered the information?"
http://www.atddm.com/kali2

Twilight's and Tempest's smiles brought out dimples as the men responed in near chorus.

"We promise to call you that only on the most formal of occassions" They reassured the ferret, not blinking an eye when it spoke. They were well used to conversing with the four footed, Flapcats being native to Nihongo

However Twilight looked at Jackson's sword and long coat ensembel with a still slightly raisedf eyebrow. "Isn't a sword under a long coat a bit awkward?"

It certainly wasn't meant as criticism, but honest curiosity. 'Goans wore swords as part of their military uniform, and since all but the disabled were in the military for some period of times during their lives, they'd designed a variety of attire to accomodate swords. They'd even managed to make swords and dresses compatable, but the lady's blades were back in their suite. They had decided to forego them since they were out of the country and hopefully no one of their extensive extended family would ever know.

The two having already collected their baggage from the claim area, ventured outside where Kerrich lit up a cigarette. Those hours on the plane had deprived him of much-needed nicotine, and Whiptail's comments just prompted the need for a stress-reducing smoke on his part...

"You know those..."

"...Things will kill me, yes I know, asshole. Now shut up. Jesus..."

There they stood, waiting for a cab to come by so they could move to their hotel for the night. Luckily, they had requested seperate rooms, otherwise someone was going to get stabbed to death, shot, or some other violent activity was going to take place...

Jackson nodded, slowly, "Indeed it is, but that is the price we pay for conforming to traditions that have been corrupted over...a long, long time. Even with various adaptations, it is still...rather irritating."

By adaptations, he obviously referred to the way that the lower portion of the coat was 'slit' on on side at the rear, so as to allow the scabbarded blade to protrude through unhindered...which helped, but not much.

The 'Officer's Longcoat' was derived from the long-coats worn by Officers of the Guardian Temple. The difference was that the Guardian Temple 'style' was to wear the blade slung over the shoulder, whereas the 'at the hip' sword-carrying was derived from cavalry traditions that were developed largely after the Fall.

Unfortunately, the combination of the two was...both incorrect and silly, and had been going steadily 'out of style' in favor of the more original Guardian Temple 'style.' Unfortunately, Jackson's relatives lived, breathed, and bled tradition...even when it was ridiculous, uncomfortable, and incorrect.

Flashing him a smile in return Kali stepped into the suite, her low sensible heels making no noise on the thick carpets. She was in her early thirties and moved with an easy grace of someone who had had possibly ballet or martial arts training.

"Hello Badger." She looked about then cocked her head as she inquired. "Did your family decide not to come?, or have I misremembered the information?"
http://www.atddm.com/kali2

Badger shook his head. " No, my wife is pregnent with our third child and my kids are to young to go..." he rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm a family man, so I'm going to miss them while I'm gone."

Hanson and Badgers Suite

"Congratulations" Kali replied beaming then her look turned quizical and slightly worried 'She's not having a problem pregnancy is she? If not you could still bring your family. My daughter is coming, she's eleven. And Muriel and Bob Hasakins, they're a couple from The Militarized Zone, are with Team Snafu and they are bringing their four kids and they range from six to fourteen years.. She's the Team Snafu ecologist and he's a Unitarian minister. And there are others, I just know them best." She explained.

"Somewhat over half the crew is human and a number of them have families aboard. Theres a school, hospital and lots of activities, even a scout troop.. There'd be plenty of room and things for your wife and kids to do. You can even bring companion animals as long as they aren't overly large. I think the limit is two hundred pounds or so. I've been living aboard and training with their equipment for the last ten months." She explained "They're really warm and welcoming."

The Colonel managed to flag down a cab, throwing his gear in the trunk while Whiptail kept hold of his small backpack, placing it in his lap. Kerrich directed the driver towards the hotel they'd been directed to attend. About halfway through the trip, Whiptail pulled the fake handgun from his waistband and pointed it in Kerrich's face, barely an inch from his nose...

"Pow pow pow..."

...And prompty afterwards broke into hysterical laughter that subsided five minutes later as the Colonel examined the ABS plastic mock-up of an actual handgun. Disgusted, Keyton chucked it out the window of the speeding vehicle...

"Not so god-damned funny now, is it?"

Whiptail had by now gotten himself under control, sat with a smirk on his scaly features, content to have pissed his unwilling travel companion off yet again. This was a vacation for him, where Kerrich was on official assignment. Whiptail intended to have fun, even if it was at Keyton's expense...

Lee spun on his heel, swearing as he did so, and eyed the hologram.

"Well wonderful," he said, giving a good looking over. "I'm stuck on some cargo bay with a trekie. You people do know it was just a TV show, right?"

He wouldn't let her see much of his surprise, just a bit of it. He turned back to the door and gave it a look again. He ignored the two small animals.

"But since you seem so much on top of things, hows about you open the door with your proper badging. Oh, and your flickering," he said, noting a small bit of dust interrupting the image around her foot.

Star harumphed then smiled "Those things happen now and then" as she looked down towards her foot, particularly in these remote bays were I have fewer senseros than elsewhere. But why should I in the name of the cosmos open the door for you. Stowaway!" She said accusingly, losing the smile. "You really should have just applied like half the local population did. Though I doubt you would have been chosen. You aren't military, you aren't...oh whats the local term..ah yes, Greek enough to be science, so you are part of the raff and scaff and thought you could sneak aboard. But oh, boy!" She waved a hand infront of her nose while crinkling it "You left a scent trail an olfactory impared could follow. Where you born in a barn?"

She put her hands on her hips "And for your information yes I know that it was an old sterrie show. I chose this image out of over seventy five thousand as the one that suited my personality."

Behind Lee the dorr whooshed open with barely a sound, the holograph vanished and a voice just a touch deeper and a lot more exasperated came "I doubt you can say the same about yours."

The physical avatar of Star, one of the three A.I.'s that inhabited the ship, were the ship - stood there her arms crossed. She was a little taller than the hologram, but like the other, wore one piece body hugging unitard in an ombred burnt orange hue - with a sleeveless, ankle length flowing vest coat in a deep bronzy leather looking material over it - and was emblazoned with the Falling Star's crest on the left breast.

Hanson and Badgers Suite

"Congratulations" Kali replied beaming then her look turned quizical and slightly worried 'She's not having a problem pregnancy is she? If not you could still bring your family. My daughter is coming, she's eleven. And Muriel and Bob Hasakins, they're a couple from The Militarized Zone, are with Team Snafu and they are bringing their four kids and they range from six to fourteen years.. She's the Team Snafu ecologist and he's a Unitarian minister. And there are others, I just know them best." She explained.

"Somewhat over half the crew is human and a number of them have families aboard. Theres a school, hospital and lots of activities, even a scout troop.. There'd be plenty of room and things for your wife and kids to do. You can even bring companion animals as long as they aren't overly large. I think the limit is two hundred pounds or so. I've been living aboard and training with their equipment for the last ten months." She explained "They're really warm and welcoming."

Edward sat up in his chair. "Companion animas! I've got to call dave, he's watching my cat." He hurriedly left the room, leaving Badger standing. "I'll make a call, my youngest, Jefferey, is only two.

The Colonel tapped the driver on the shoulder, after opening the divider, and made a correction...

"Actually, I think we need to head to the star-port. We're part of the international crew of the 'Falling Star'..."

Before the man could protest, since the star-port was apparently in the opposite direction, Kerrich handed him a wad of currency that might gag a decent-sized animal...

"If you don't mind, that is..."

The man nodded quickly, then executed a U-turn in the middle of traffic before speeding off towards their new destination...

The Argueing Argonian Duo

The Argonian's maglev cab reached the Starport quickly and at the gate they were met by a person Whiptail hadn't seen in a few centuries. She was nearly eight foot tall at the tips of her ears, and her tail was nearly every bit as long as her height. Xa' Schollar Lady Mm'rr'll (http://www.atddm.com/mm.htm) looked little changed since they had last met, but then again the Xa Cz'inni had lifespans that extended into the thousandes of years.

She had waved the wide eyed maglev cab driver over and when he slowly reached over and pushed the button to lower the window she stuck her head in and grinned fangily at Whiptail. "Ha! The words are true! Heading out with us are thee?"

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

Hanson and Badgers Suite

Kali laughed "I have to head off myself and get changed for the 'party' I've gotten camera shy, but thankfully this is the last of such fuss" She smiled at the two men. "Good luck with cats and family."

"Oh and every on on the ship calls me 'Bones' though I'm not exactly sure why" She informed them as she let herself out.

_____________________________________

Liam & Casey

The suite was spacious, the bedrooms generously sized with all the amenities that a fine luxury hotel should have, and a bit more. Their information packaged advised them that the Meet and Greet would begin at five with a forma, but happily private dinner after. It also suggested that as this ould be the last photo session, to please wear something nice.

The floors concierge checked with Casy and Liam, making sure there was nothing that they needed. "We can provide ladies maid and valet services, just let us know. And if there are any particular lat e night snacks that you might fancy you have but to ask. We pride ourselves on the well stockedness of our pantry." He was an older man, grey haired, but still erect and fit, with an air of quiet competence about him.

It was a rare occasion that Whiptail was surprised, or his eyes lit up. This was one of the non-exsistant ones that both events occoured...

"You haven't aged a day, Mm'rr'll. It's wonderful to see you again..."

There was a quick exchange of a brief hug between the two. Not since that ill-fated voyage had they seen each other, and that had been when Whiptail was much younger. Much, much younger...

"Allow me to introduce my esteemed travelling companion and baby-sitter, Colonel Keyton Kerrich, Argonian National Army..."

The Colonel was somewhat surprised that the renegade knew this person, whatever it, or apparently, she, was...

"It's a pleasure, madam. And no, I'm not babysitting this pitiful excuse for an assassin. I'm along to observe the interstellar practices of the various allied nations, and make sure he doesn't embarrass himself or our nation as a whole..."

Kerrich lightly adjusted his eyepatch, then his beret. He was eager to get out of the stuffy uniform, and hopefully log some time on the target range...

"So how did you land a position with these swanky Tanaarans? It's been what, five centuries or something obscene like that?"

Whiptail was eager to catch up with an old friend, and he quickly clarified the relationship to the Colonel...

"We met when I was fresh out of Shadowscale training. You might remember the lost odyssey of Tellian Havas?"

The Colonel nodded slowly, he'd had no idea Whiptail had been a part of that particular distaster, and secretly wondered how he'd survived at all...

Argonians and an old friend


"Pleased to met you Colonel, and I assure you Whiptail has never embarrased the Argonian people. To the Powers that Be perhaps, but his sensibilities are too strong for him to be an embarrasment to the people."

"So how did you land a position with these swanky Tanaarans? It's been what, five centuries or something obscene like that?"

The Xa climbed agilly into the cab and activated a security field. No one would have any idea of what was going to be said, which was just the way she liked it.

"Six, fully six, and while we're letting them do all the work, make all the mistakes, but how do you think they got the ships? A full sized battle cruiser, and four veeps- aged and converted to long range explorers, but still armed and in fighting trim- don't just fall into any old Joe's paws. I heard you were in on his rescue. He was an Empire Cadreman and earned a few awards most will never know of...so when he wanted to take Tanaara on to the Galactic stage, the Empire and the Universal University decided to lend a helping hand. I'm the official on-board Scholar and representative of the Double U."

Mmj'rr'll explained as the cab floated in the direction of Hotel Heliopolis. "The Meet and Greet starts at five, almost every one got mangled instructions, they been chasing them down all over the place and getting them here." She twitched her magnificant whiskers and the tip of her equally splendid tail looped in laughter.

"Now just to fill you two in one the real activities. There have been some threats, and we're going to suffer through the photo op, and appear to head into a "closed to all but" formal dinner. Well, once that door closes, a security field goes up and you all will be mass transited to the Falling Star for an informal dinner and last minute meeting in the big presentation room. Just be glad that Battle Cruisers are huge. Afterwards those teams that are going aboard the Veeps will transit over and only those assigned to the Falling Star will be aboard. We're planning to take a week to get to the chosen jump point. Not necessary of course, but so many wanted to get a view of the local back yard that travel plans were changed.

Tanaran Empire Battle Cruisers wre huge fully five thousand meters long by nearly that much wide. The 'Veeps" she spoke of were Vest Pocket Cruisers - only a quarter of the size but still formidible in their own right. The explorers had been divided up into team numbering between ten and fifteen peiople, and each of the Veeps would be carrying between eight and ten teams. The Falling Star would be carrying the rest.

Whiptail was glad to hear that everything wasn't going as planned from the get-go. Hopefully they'd get everything ironed out in this phase of the journey and the rough stuff would go as smooth as possible...

"You mean Fortier-Hexx? Yes, I think I did have a hand in that, nasty as it was..."

The memories of the Hell-Realm still clung deep within the darker parts of his mind, occasionally ripping free to run rampant as he slept. It had not been a pleasant journey, nor without cost on his own part. Venom from some creature still throbbed in his left leg, and the wound had scarred over in a strange fashion, not that it bothered him. The throb was minimal, and only really irritated him when he sat down for too long, not keeping blood circulating though the inflamed area...

"I'd like to get my leg checked out, too, if that's at all a possibility. Whatever holistic cures and herbal remedies I've tried haven't phased that bite wound any..."

The Colonel remained silent, intently watching the ships overhead as they headed back towards the hotel. His homeland would need a lot more help with this technological upgrade, more so than the Modernization, and it was his job to help them along and not become an outdated antique in the process...

Indeed it is, but that is the price we pay for conforming to traditions that have been corrupted over...a long, long time. Even with various adaptations, it is still...rather irritating."

The twins nodded sympathetically. They well understood the burden of tradition.

"Every time I hear the word I expect to whirl about in shock as Zero Mostel bellows from the roof."

"It was the fiddler that was on the roof though"

"Yes, but still, that's the image I have"

Tempest sighed, and shook her head; grinning at the men and mock lamenting "Thirty years and you think you know someone then they suddenly come up with something like that."

"Oh hush you" Twilight sniffed, her annoyance as mock as her sisters.

The elevator doors opened and the group stepped in, with Twilight and Tempest laughing softly at one another.

Rob & Aeris...

"Come, the party starts soon, and I require an escort."

Aeris found her trailing hand gently but firmly grapsed and her pulled back into the room. "Not so fast My Lady Wife. We have something to discuss..."

And with that the door swung shut and she found herself pulled back into Rob's arms as he looked down at her with a wicked grin. "I'm holding you to that comment" He said; his voice gone deep and commanding as the music started (http://youtube.com/watch?v=R-eJZftik4E) and he spun her back out the length of his arm.

Rob always had been an excellent and most passionate dancer. Almost instantly the pair were wrapped up in the music, their movements, and one another. When the music ended they were both slightly disappointed and Rob laughed softly at the glow on Aeris's face. He consoled her with a passionate kiss.

"Now my love, you have no reason to even think of being jealous." He shook his head with a grin at her worry "And I forgot to give you something."

He pulled out one small and one slightly larger box. He flipped open the smaller of the two to show her a pair of earrings. He took first one then the other out and with skilled moves, and many small kisses upon her neck changed out the ones she was wearing. Internally Rob was very satisfied at her reaction. He loved watching her eyes widen when he surprised her with little gifts.

"The second - well I'm giving us ours early. But I've had them made for every one on the expedition." He explained as he opened the case and slid the ladies ring of the matching pair on her forefinger then the mens on his.

"The ladies rings are set with all white diamonds, the mens version has black diamonds on the side bars and around the central stone Both the diamonds and gold were mined from the asteroid belt."

Aeris's earrings and the Explorer's rings- the center diamond is cut in an unique star shape (http://www.atddm.com/gift1.jpg)

Argonians and Mm'rr'll

"I'd like to get my leg checked out, too, if that's at all a possibility. Whatever holistic cures and herbal remedies I've tried haven't phased that bite wound any..."

THe Xa's ears flattened and her eyes narrowed. "You picked up a bite wound there?" Her voice was a worried yowrll. "That's going to take more than mere Medtech. Cold take it oh finny eared one, why didn't you do something about it 'fore now...and I'll be willing to bet claws that you wouldn't have, had you and I not crossed paths again would you? Stiff necked, overly independant, think you can conquer the universe yourself..." Her voice trailed off and they both knew she wasn't mad at him, just worried for him.

"I wonder if it wasn't meant for us to meet again. We, oddly enough, happen to have a Celestial on board, our senior pilot of course. And I'd wondered why one of them had signed on for what is really rather a milk run in terms of exploration expeditions."

Whiptail chuckled at the comment. He was, of course, fiercely independent and unwilling to accept help in only the most dire of circumstances...

"Some sort of snake-plant thing, sank some trippy venom into my leg and it hasn't healed like usual. And you're right, had I not come here I wouldn't have done anything about it, annoying as it is..."

The Colonel sat off to the side, both amused and intrigued. He'd come under the impression Whiptail was just a lucky son of a bitch, while decently skilled, but he'd had no idea the scope of what he'd accomplished...

"Let me get this straight... You've been to Hell and back? In the literal sense?"

His one eye was wide open with intrigue...

Aeris was indeed surprised by the little gifts, and she lifted her hand higher to see the ring in better lighting. It was beautiful, and it had an exotic feel to it. She looked up at Robert, watching as he put on his own, almost identical in design save for the color of the diamonds.

She gave him a warm smile, "What an excellent idea for this expedition! It'll definitely go to give them at least a little hope in mining some of the raw materials for their own use." Granted, while this was true, she also knew that there would be a considerable defense on the materials, just to ensure that illegal piracy of said materials didn't become an issue.

She then lifted his hand to inspect his ring with a careful gaze. It was equally striking, equally exotic. "Truly, we'd have to be careful to not give off a sense of vanity, or our motivation for this trip will backfire. Mutiny, chaos, and what have you will ensue. We should stress that we are going for research and expeditionary goals, with a possibility of empire expansion."

She let her hand rest upon his bicep softly, her thumb caressing his skin slowly, "Anything else you're going to surprise me with now, or shall we continue on?" She gave him a quirky smile.

Argonians and Mm'rr'll

Mm'rrr'll interjected something before Whiptail could answer. "Colonel, while the so called Christian Heaven and Hell may well exist some place, there does exist the Reality that those two places are mere shadows, mere echos thereof There is not one Universe, but a Multiverse, uncountable numbers of alternate dimensions laying like a pile of spilt pater, some overlapping fully, some with only an edge in contact with others, and some far floated out with no contact with any other pieces of paper and people can move inbetwen them. I've been to one or two myself."

"Most of the Realities have some semblaces to other Realities, but many, many do not, and there is one that is antithetical to life as we know it, to Reality as those evolved in this, Our, universe knows it. The ultimate foundation, the wellspring, of what most of Our universe calls Evil, Wrongness, Anti Good, Anti-Life - it is the Hell Universe."

"And for a team to have crossed into that dimention and have had any of it's members come back, that is the stuff of not just Legend, but Mythos. To have the sureity of Self, the Will to keep ones being defined and intact in a place that is dedicated to warping, mutating, if you will, all that it contacts into shadow versions of itself. There are many who consider those who went and came back proto gods."

She wondered how Whiptail would take that, she was going to enjoy his reaction.

Anything else you're going to surprise me with now, or shall we continue on?"

He looked at her and winked, it was already becoming a bit of 'their' signal for 'later dearest' "I'd love to but, as you said it's time..." They laughed companionably, basking in the glow of their happiness.

"This should be no surprize to you Aeris" Rob said softly as he drew her into his arms for a tender hug "But jealous? Oh darling. I 've loved you heart and soul for nearly eighteen years now, and I have no desire for any one but you. I may look and admire but it's like admireing fine art. I may love others but no one can stand in your place in my heart. I love no other as I love you, you make me whole, better, content and happy within as no one else can or ever will. I just hope that to some small degree I do the same for you."

He kissed her tenderly then took her hand in his, tucking it through his arm into proper 'escorting a lady' position and led her from the suite, his heart beating faster in anticipation of what lay ahead.

Jackson and Kalazar followed the sisters into the elevator, with Jackson making double-certain that his coat didn't got caught in the door. He hadn't had that happen before, but he'd heard about it...and it wasn't anything that he wanted to happen, unlikely as it was -- the coat was extremely well-tailored, providing only a very minimal dramatic swoosh, one thing that, thankfully, hadn't been lost -- the Guardian Temple had originally adopted Longcoats as part of its dress uniform because its headquarters world of Varngryth had been a decidedly cold one.

Beyond that, there was little else to do -- largely due to Jackson's philosophical objections to the existence of elevators, making him unwilling to open his mouth lest he launch into a tirade ("If tackling a few stairs are that much of a challenge, how exactly do you intend on surviving anything significant?"). Kalazar had his own reasons for staying silent, having more to do with his height and the general difficulty it tended to cause him -- and he wasn't particularly tall for a 'lik, either. If anything, he was a bit on the short side.

Chance, of course, had neither Zar's problems with height, nor Jackson's issues with elevators in general. He just didn't see anything to talk about, being far too busy looking sly.

The comment only made Whiptail laugh harder, dismissing the remark with a wave of his hand...

"Proto-god my scaly, long-tailed ass... I'm little more than a knife in the dark in most cases, and in those rare others, a pain in the ass to the powers-that-be... And that's how I like it..."

Colonel Kerrich, however, didn't quite know how to take that sort of spiel. While he denied any sort of religion as false and waste of energy, the concept of Hell did intrigue him, and he felt a little bit of jealousy well up inside of him. He, along with the rest of the military community, considered himself quite the badass, as far as warfare was concerned. There was no other Argonian soldier with his qualifications and track record, besides maybe a few in the employ of the Intelligence Service, Whiptail wasn't the only surviving Shadowscale Grandmaster like he thought, at least that was one thing he had over the apparently-humble assassin. Kerrich had never been through any training of that sort, at least not on that level. According to the AIS there were at least three others that held the Grandmaster title, and all but Whiptail were involved in some nasty stuff, hence why the government was always keeping an eye or two on his activities. There was at least one terrorist on the AIS watch-list with Shadowscale qualifications, but he was only at the Agent level, bringing the total number of active professionaly-trained killers up to five, with the twenty-some-odd others either confirmed killed in action or having vanished entirely never to be seen again, the AIS had seen to a few of those, and Kerrich had been on a couple of the death-squads that carried out the messy parts of such operations, back when he was just a Staff Sergeant with a green hat and a few medals. Whiptail was oblivious to that fact, too, apparently, and he didn't fancy that it would make relations between the two any less hostile if that did slip out...

"And how did you learn about that Mm'rr'll? I was under the impression it was going to be kept a secret for Fortier-Hexx's sake... How's he looking now, eh? I hope much better than we found him..."

Whiptail's question was a serious one, the man had been all but alive when they'd located what was left of him...

"And did any of the others land positions on this space-bound backwoods romp? It'd be nice to see a few more familiar and friendly faces..."

Kerrich glanced over at their hostess once more...

"And ma'am, what exactly are you? I've yet to run across your specie before..."

Argonians and Mm'rr'll

"And did any of the others land positions on this space-bound backwoods romp? It'd be nice to see a few more familiar and friendly faces..."

"How do I know? It took eighteen month in the hands of our best Medtechs and Psihealers to bring him back. I am the Laureate Emeteritus of the Empire for Life Sciences, and I am the Dean of the College of Life Sciences at Double U. - Yes I was persuaded to take my old position- There is no way I'd not be involded in something that radical and bringing so many seperate disciplines together..." She shook her head at the memory of just how bad the human had been "He was a mess of unimaginable proportions. He'd been vivisected and experimented on by them for fully five years, there wasn't a system in him that hadn't been badly damaged."

But she looked pleased "We did do damnfine work though. You and the Colonel here are going to be part of his and Aeris's team. Those two are going along in the 'general assistant/ field medics' catagory. And he's quietly picked up a degreee in psychology and sociology as well."

"And ma'am, what exactly are you? I've yet to run across your specie before..."

"No it would be very unlikely for you to have, as I'm one of the few that come this way, with any regularity. I'm an Xa Cz'inni, we're not local. Tongiht turn on your comp and research the constellation Serpens, Capen - that Latin for 'the Serpent, and the head there of, and the Hoag Object. It's about six hundred million Light years away. That's our general home ground, though as a created species we have no 'home' stellar system."

Hanson and Badgers Suite

Kali laughed "I have to head off myself and get changed for the 'party' I've gotten camera shy, but thankfully this is the last of such fuss" She smiled at the two men. "Good luck with cats and family."

"Oh and every on on the ship calls me 'Bones' though I'm not exactly sure why" She informed them as she let herself out.






Eric wandered back into the room with a smile on his face. "Can't wait for mein katzen.." Badger shrugged. Eric shok his head then chuckled. "Guess I'm overreacting, huh? I was always the cat person." It was Badgers turn to chuckle. "Never had a pet before, couldn't spare to feed one when I was growing up." He headed toward the commuication suite. "Guees its my turn."

Liam and Cassy took in the room with quiet appreciation. Liam was used to either his military bunks or sleeping out in a ditch somewhere when he had the time to sleep on his missions. It was quite rare that he would be at the apartment he owned, let alone the bed within.

Cassy simply rarely traveled and if she wasn't in her modest apartment she was at the lab or gathering samples out in the field. Their budget had never been large and thus Cassy simply shacked up in a nearby motel if necessary.

Having his gear deposited into his room, Liam took a quick tour of the suite before returning to the front door, quite pleased with his accommodation.

"We can provide ladies maid and valet services, just let us know."

"Thanks for your assistance. I think we shall be able to handle things from here but we'll let you know if there are any issues."

Left to themselves, Liam went straight to the mini-bar and acquired himself a beer. Cassy simply gave him a disapproving look before scolding him verbally.

"It's a little early to be drinking."

Liam merely grinned.

"It's never too early. Why don't you join me."

"No, I don't drink. Anyway, this thing starts at five so I'm getting ready."

Liam chuckled to himself before replying.

"That's plenty of time."

"Perhaps for a man..."

"Ha, of course. Alright, well let me know when you're ready and we'll get out of here."

"Excuse me, I am probably being too forward," Twilight looked up at Zar "But does your height give you problems? My sister and I are on the short side for our people, and it makes clothes shopping decidedly difficult to speak of the very least." She inquired interestedly. Little, in fact all but none other than the species name, was known about Zar's people. The sisters were very curious to learn more, but they certainly didn't want him to get the impression that was the only reason for their interaction.

Kalazar nodded, smiling.

"Oh, it's no trouble. Not that. I'm of average height for my own kind -- we make clothes for our own size spectrum, so it isn't particularly difficult at all. Buying clothes, that is. Though I get much of my wardrobe custom-tailored anyways...I have, umm, family money...and my jobs pays fairly well..."

Jackson chuckled at that -- Zar's 'job' was as a 'consultant,' which was about as vague as it got...and he made several times what Jackson's regular salary was. Plus, that 'family money' was awful considerable -- Kalazar's father was on the Survivalist Council...which said about all that was needed to say. That Jackson was actually aware of this...and that Kalazar was providing even that much insight into his background...was nothing short of amazing. ...the Veliki were generally extremely insular...

Again the twins could sympathise, they understood about fawmily money, they were Remmington's after all. And about well paying jobs. If the Family decided to disown them, though Daddy already had, they still wouldn't be hurting.

"But sometimes it's nice to go shopping. The traditional clothing the family prefers is so..."

"Unmitigatedly stodgy." Tempest finished as she nodded approvingly at his turtleneck. "We keep a lot of those on hand for winter, though they're too warm for 'Goan summers, which tend to make people go a little bit rabid."

"Most things make 'Goans go rabid. Thats why were the only two they would let come." She informed the two me "Genetically we're only half Nihongoan, Daddy paid a not so small fortune for the egg we came from, then when he got twins he about took a Turn." Twilight said with odd cheerfulness.

"See about five generations ago some of our scientists did a bit of injudicious genetic tinkering. 'Goan females come in pairs and or triples, while men only come in singles, and there are some other problems along with the intended benefits." Tempest said matter of factly

Whiptail decided to turn the conversation to a better topic...

"So, what sort of chow are they going to be serving us this evening? The airplane food flat-out sucked..."

So, what sort of chow are they going to be serving us this evening? The airplane food flat-out sucked..."

Mm'rr'll chuckled as the cab pulled to a stop at the Hotel Helipolis "The good stuff. I made sure they knew what Argonians liked, but it's going to be informal, they have seven hundred your fellow explorers to get feed too. Oh and the Falling Star has all of the comforts of home. I'm going to enjoy geting my tail kicked around the dojo by you, it's been too long since I've had anyone to really spar with. My cubs, grown as they are, are still too bloodly respectfull of 'Mother'. Bah, I need to find a mate that won't take any guff off me, but I travel so much it's hard to get into the social scene if you know what I mean."

The cab whirled away and they headed inside and up to the reception desk where they quickly got the keycards to their suite and more information packages.

"No need to be formal for the photo op, and I've got stuff to attend to upside, so unless you want to go up for a bit, I'll see ya later" Mm'rr'll said.

Anything else you're going to surprise me with now, or shall we continue on?"

He looked at her and winked, it was already becoming a bit of 'their' signal for 'later dearest' "I'd love to but, as you said it's time..." They laughed companionably, basking in the glow of their happiness.

"This should be no surprise to you Aeris" Rob said softly as he drew her into his arms for a tender hug "But jealous? Oh darling. I've loved you heart and soul for nearly eighteen years now, and I have no desire for any one but you. I may look and admire but it's like admiring fine art. I may love others but no one can stand in your place in my heart. I love no other as I love you, you make me whole, better, content and happy within as no one else can or ever will. I just hope that to some small degree I do the same for you."

He kissed her tenderly then took her hand in his, tucking it through his arm into proper 'escorting a lady' position and led her from the suite, his heart beating faster in anticipation of what lay ahead.

A slight smile was on her face as she listened to his words. Indeed, they were words that would appeal to just about any woman's heart. Although she was more than just a woman, she let herself be affected all the same. As she clasped her fingers around his arm, holding gently, she looked up at him. "I feel the same way, dear." Her other hand patted his forearm, before she pulled him close again for one more quick kiss. "Lead the way." she spoke softly as they parted.

And lead he did. Together, they left the room and traversed the halls, a common destination in both their minds. She could feel his anxiety, though he hid it quite well. He was nervous, concerned about how the mission would fare. She too was concerned, but she made it a point to not worry about it now. For now, their job was to make sure that everyone that was scheduled to be on the ship would be comfortable and felt valued.

Rob and Aeris discovered they wseren't the first one's there. He recognised the twins from Nuevo Nihongo instantly - indeed they were the only identical twins in the group, though there were several fraternal twins and trios - mostly his fellow Tanaarans.

They had claimed a corner and were conversing with...Robs eyes narrowed - he didn't need to call that duo up, they werer the ones he had the most questions about. He gave a quick glance down at Aeris, wondering if she had the same questions he did.Probably and more that I haven't even thought of He snorted to himself, knowing how much older she was than he - her experience alone would have her wondering all sorts of things.

There were a couple of other groups chatting here and there. Some of them Rob and Aeris had gotten to know fairly well during the long ingathering process. "Care to go visdit 'old' friends, relatively speaking, or should we introduce ourselves to some of the team we're on?" Rob indicated the foursome he'd first noticed. He was careful never to sound propritary about the team the couple would be working with. It wasn't 'Their' team, despite the fact that the whole Expidition was theirs.

So, what sort of chow are they going to be serving us this evening? The airplane food flat-out sucked..."

Mm'rr'll chuckled as the cab pulled to a stop at the Hotel Helipolis "The good stuff. I made sure they knew what Argonians liked, but it's going to be informal, they have seven hundred your fellow explorers to get feed too. Oh and the Falling Star has all of the comforts of home. I'm going to enjoy geting my tail kicked around the dojo by you, it's been too long since I've had anyone to really spar with. My cubs, grown as they are, are still too bloodly respectfull of 'Mother'. Bah, I need to find a mate that won't take any guff off me, but I travel so much it's hard to get into the social scene if you know what I mean."

The cab whirled away and they headed inside and up to the reception desk where they quickly got the keycards to their suite and more information packages.

"No need to be formal for the photo op, and I've got stuff to attend to upside, so unless you want to go up for a bit, I'll see ya later" Mm'rr'll said.

Again, there was laughter on Whiptail's part and confusion on the part of the Colonel...

"I guess I'll follow you up, the Colonel will probably want to change into something more comfortable..."

It was a rare instance that Whiptail made a suitable observation about how the younger, but older-acting Argonian was feeling, and this was one of them...

"For once, he's right. These things look pretty, but they aren't exactly intended for range of motion either. I'll be seeing the two of you at the photo-op. Ma'am..."

The Colonel executed a short, curt bow and collected his bags. He'd get the location from the front desk and leave Whiptail to annoy someone else for a change. He was hoping that his personal equipment, the kind that couldn't be transported onboard commercial aircraft, was waiting for him. He missed the feel of his well-balanced 1911A1's on his legs, and hoped he'd be allowed to wear the things around on his person during the trip. He'd packed another, more useful item, but it was a little heavy to carry around on anything more than a combat mission...

"We'll see you later, Colonel Kerrich..."

Whiptail waited for him to exit the vehicle before directing his attention back to Mm'rr'll...

"And I also look forward to being thrown around like a rag-doll by you, as gentle as you are with me. Where are we headed, exactly?"

And I also look forward to being thrown around like a rag-doll by you, as gentle as you are with me. Where are we headed, exactly?"

Mm'rr'lll eased out of the cab, pulling Whiptail with her. "You'll see. Much more dignified standing though" Her claws tapped out a sequence on the wide leather and metal bracer she wore on her left wrist, flicking quickly over the data padd embedded within.

"To the Falling Star, whereelse. Get that leg looked at, let you have first pick of staterooms, get you a bracer that'll let you in to any part of the ship safe for you to enter." As she was speaking reality diossolved about them and Whiptail found himself in a place far different (http://www.atddm.com/transporter.jpg) than under the bright late afternoon sun of Tanaara.

There was a moment of shock, then realization...

"I don't know how you people get used to that. That's got to get annoying after a while..."

The bracer idea was a good thing, since he'd lost his push-dagger in Hell and hadn't had a chance to aquire a replacement. His old Shadowscale blades had been filling the void, and he usually wore those at the small of his back, which left him at odds as to where to put his sidearm at...

I don't know how you people get used to that. That's got to get annoying after a while..."

"If you know where you're going to end up it's no big deal. Though I'll have to admit I've been using such all my life so I'm well used to it." She answered as she stepped over to the console and entered another sequence. "Most planetary landings will be by shuttlecraft though so you don't have to worry about too many of these."

"Now let me get the Falling Star's pilot, and our armorer -they can work on you at the same time. Go wild with the armorer - if it can be made he'll fix you up to your deadly heart's content." Mm'rr'll commented as she led him out of the transporter room.

"You're getting to see parts of the ship that most of the Explorers aren't really interested in." Up a turbo lift and down a broad corridor passing a variety of human, hominids and others, who greeted Mm'rr'll and her guest respectfully but not intrudingly.

"Here we go, the cannibal armory. Papa Jango rules here and he'd kick both our butts simultaneously while blindfolded and with one arm tied behind his back"

Liam was starting to get impatient and rose to knock on the bathroom door, annoyed but not surprised that Cassy was still getting ready. Before his fist could pound on the wooden door the lock clicked open and Cassy emerged wearing a stunning dress that flattered her figure perfectly and yet wasn't so revealing that nothing was left to the imagination.

Whistling lightly, Liam gave Cassy a not so subtle appraisal before grabbing his jacket and nodding towards the door. Liam had simply opted for pin stripe black pants, a pale blue long sleeved shirt and a plain black dinner jacket. It seemed rather obvious to Cassy that this was about as formal as he would ever get unless in his officer's uniform and whilst she had clearly outdone him with her strapless black dress, she imagined they would look respectable together.

"You know Cassy, I didn't pick you for the kind of girl that owned a dress like that."

Cassy gave Liam a sharp look as she stepped out of their apartment and into the hallway.

"I guess you should learn to read people better then."

Liam couldn't help but chuckle at that. Normally Cassy had abstained from his provocative words but this time she was ready to bite back. She seemed more confident and willing to be in command when she was dressed up.

"Perhaps so. Anyway, let's get over to this thing and try to act all dignified."

"Alright, lead the way."

Several minutes later the Assingtonian pair found themselves entering the large hall that appeared to be hosting the get together for all those participating in the expedition. Liam was taken in everything about the room, analysing it as if he may need to defend the position or be wary of hidden foes.

Cassy immediately took note of Aeris Greenwood and Robert Ryan Fortier, the driving forces behind this project and the leaders of friendly nations. Evidently the pair had just arrived before them and didn't appear to be settled in quite yet.

Turning his attention back to Cassy, Liam guided her further into the hall.

"So who are you out to impress with that dress tonight?"

Jackson looked up at his taller friend, one eyebrow raised -- he seemed rather interested in how the 'lik would respond.

Kalazar was silent for a moment, mulling his words, before he finally spoke: "I can imagine..."

Which was a lot more than most 'liks would say on that subject, being more than an acknowledgment...but it also wasn't very much in the way of good conversation. Unfortunately, Zar was stretching the grounds of propriety as it was...

Jackson came to his rescue, "Zar's people don't 'take' well to genetic manipulation, so they're a little sensitive on the subject. To be honest, we're pretty down on it for anything outside of medicinal necessity in Revenia, by-and-large."

Which was entirely truthful -- attempts to handle certain issues with the 'liks through genetic therapy had all ended in failure, unknown reasons. Thus, within the 'lik culture, it was fairly demonized. Within the larger scope of Revenian culture, genetic therapy was, by-and-large employed only to correct genetic defects and the like....which were extant, for the most part, only within minority populations.

The majority of Revenians were Halfling-Ascended like Jackson, possessing partial Ascended heritage...which tended to ruthlessly smash any inherited defects that were inherited from the non-Ascended ancestral portion. And there were complications...there were always complications.

Zar had gone through a carefully orchestrated 'recovery' act, played out in minute movements of his facial muscles, and requiring iron control -- which he, like most 'liks, possessed. In spades. It helped that his choice to befriend Jackson so very long ago had been vindicated yet again by Jackson's action to protect 'lik state secrets. The Veliki incompatibility with genemod was a much more open subject, however -- in fact, it was one of the more well-known factoids about the Veliki, as it was printed on the id tags of every 'lik who'd ever entered into AFESSR, which was the traditional route by which a 'lik would enter mainstream Revenian culture.

Thus, Zar spoke, "As Jackson said, my people don't handle 'tinkering' with our genetics. We gave up a long time ago, outlawed it entirely...and institutionalized the stories so that we'd never forget what had happened...that every attempt to produce a genetically modified Veliki child died."

I don't know how you people get used to that. That's got to get annoying after a while..."

"If you know where you're going to end up it's no big deal. Though I'll have to admit I've been using such all my life so I'm well used to it." She answered as she stepped over to the console and entered another sequence. "Most planetary landings will be by shuttlecraft though so you don't have to worry about too many of these."

"Now let me get the Falling Star's pilot, and our armorer -they can work on you at the same time. Go wild with the armorer - if it can be made he'll fix you up to your deadly heart's content." Mm'rr'll commented as she led him out of the transporter room.

"You're getting to see parts of the ship that most of the Explorers aren't really interested in." Up a turbo lift and down a broad corridor passing a variety of human, hominids and others, who greeted Mm'rr'll and her guest respectfully but not intrudingly.

"Here we go, the cannibal armory. Papa Jango rules here and he'd kick both our butts simultaneously while blindfolded and with one arm tied behind his back"

This was more than a little confusing for him, yet again. He had his own equipment sent ahead, and unless it had arrived here, he saw little need to dwell in the arms room, unless it was for his own personal morbid amusement...

"Papa who? This a relation of yours?"

He was only half-joking. He was somewhat serious about that question...

"Care to go visit 'old' friends, relatively speaking, or should we introduce ourselves to some of the team we're on?" Rob had asked Aeris, but she hadn't responded immediately. Rather, she was scanning the room for hidden threats, her eyes ever so slightly glowing. He would understand, knowing that despite the heavy security already in place, she wasn't satisfied until she had done a search herself. In seconds however, she was finished, and she looked back at him, smiling.

"I think we'll have plenty of time to see our friends; old and new; while on this journey." she replied, a gentle hand resting atop his for the moment. "We should proceed to get everyone comfortable and ready for the ceremony."

As if on cue, there was a flood of people, all dressed as they deemed to be "nice", intermingled with a number of news reporters, photographers, and others of regional, international, and even intergalactic interests. For hours it seemed, people had mingled amongst one another, greeting each other, giving tidbits of information, but mostly having to deal with the press and cameras.

Aeris remained by Rob's side, holding his arm and the beautiful smile to boot. She was stunning in her dress, but inwardly, she hated having to dress up for these kind of events. She rather preferred a simple dress and walking barefoot on dirt trails. She was simple-minded, but educated well enough to know when such simplicity best sat in the back of her mind. At one point, she and Rob had been informed that they had been selected to be the "Couple of the Year" for the highly acclaimed regional magazine, FT Regional Financier, for their collaborative work to bring together many nations in a peaceful quest to the stars. Their supportive investors had also put a lot of money into this event, and had some of the biggest names in the business world backing them. Clearly, they wanted to make sure their money was being used well.

"What can you tell us about the trip amongst the stars?" one reporter had asked, and not the first to do so either.

Aeris had responded simply with the same response each time, "We have arranged a number of teams of individuals who hail from many nationalities. We'll be enroute to the galaxy Monoceros for several weeks. Most of it, we'll be traveling by the other planets in this system, beaming back visuals of those planets back here to Earth to be transmitted to your respective stations for your visual enjoyment. Once we pass Pluto, all such transmissions will cease. From that point, there will be news reports given via secure burst transmission from Monoceros to selected parties."

"Anything you'd like to add, Robert?"

"Anything you'd like to add, Robert?"

Rob gave the millionth and one reporter one of his gleaming smiles. "Certainly."

"This keeps getting likened again and again" - And it had - most booringly after the obligatory first mention -

"To the old TV show Star Trek -as just another 'Wagon Train' to the stars. Well it isn't. More than anything else what we're doing resembles nothing so much as the Lewis and Clark expedition across North America. We aren't going were 'no man has gone before' - there are entire galaxies of civilizations out there that we know of. We're just heading over to a patch of the Universe that as far as we know hasn't been explored by any of the nations of Earth. If we meet new peoples, new civilizations that will be fantastic. If All we find are uninhabited worlds that will be equally fantastic. This is but the first step for the various nations repersesnted here to step out of our 'yard' so to speak, on our own - to take the risks of falling flat on our faces...or to bring back information that will take our nations out of the yard, again and again and again."

Rob stepped back and looked about, catching the growing expasperation on the teams faces as they wwearied of the assault of the multituldes of reporters, journalists, color commentator, photo journalists, camera crew, and other members of the fourth estate. It was time for the Year from Hell to end.

He nodded firmly to a man who had been quietly standing a few feet away. Soon the reporters were being herded out, gently but with firmness.

Cannibal Armory

Mm'rr'lll snickered - an weird sound and one he'd never heard from her before. "Well if you want to go armed , you need to prove to him you can handle it. And no, he's no relation of mine...save that we're both predators.."

The door snicked closed behind them, as Whiptail noticed for the first time that the air within has an odd tang to it, as if there were some gasses added to the mix that weren't necessarily harmful, but definitely weren't native to air he was familiar with. The lighting was a little strange too, though he could see just fine.

The being that came in though an arched alcove while it was bipedal definitely wasn't human, or Xa or race he knew of.

"Papa Jango (http://www.ee.duke.edu/~drsmith/cloaking/predator.jpg), this is Whiptail of the Argonians, whom I have spoken of and he is wishing his equipment." Mm'rr'll introduced. "Papa Jango of the Yautja, an Honored Elder."

We gave up a long time ago, outlawed it entirely...and institutionalized the stories so that we'd never forget what had happened...that every attempt to produce a genetically modified Veliki child died."

Tempest and Twilight looked stricken, identical eyes closed in shame and heads drooped as one. They would have never spoken of their 'problems' had they known ...

"Oh I am so sorry..." ..."We apologise deeply for our thoughtlesness" Words tumbled over one another.

They blushed deeply and with more apologies took advantage of the beginning of the session to slip away to do their best to hide in a corner and be overlooked and unphotographed. Though being the only identical twins on the expedition, that was rather impossible.

Well that was certainly a disasterous start....They seemed to be very nice people, lets just hope they aren't too uncomfortable about being on the same team with us.

Yes, they seemed to be very interesting. Perhaps we can change to a different team to make things easier. We are such dunderheads!

No wonder the air had changed so drastically, his sensetive nose picking up on the trace elements as he entered the armory...

"You weren't kidding when you said 'Predator'. It's an honor, sir..."

He wasn't sure to offer a hand for a handshake, or what. He didn't fancy drawing backa bloody stump after a slash from a hidden wrist-blade like his old peer Vosh Kettich was prone to do. While the Yajunta had other names, 'Predator' was the most common he'd heard, since Swachzaneggar and Danny Glover had had their fun with the concept of the alien hunters and their odd ways. He could respect their ideals, yes, but their methods seemed a little odd. Hunters used as primitive designs of weapons as possible, from wrist-blades to the staff-like combi sticks and spear-guns, but also had anti-matter kamikaze explosives and a shoulder-mounted energy cannon at their disposal. It reminded him of hunting deer with a bow and arrow, but keeping a nuke in your pocket in case it was 'really' aggressive...

"And what better individual to manage the weapons than such a guy. Now what's this about proving I can use the stuff?

Jackson frowned ever-so-slightly, a very practiced, aristocratic frown. Aunt Caroline would have been proud to see that all that instruction in the proper methods of expression he'd undergone in his youth had not, in fact, been wasted...of course, he'd avoided Aunt Caroline with a singular purpose for many, many years now...because she was a menace.

Chance spoke for the first time in some time, "Well, that was interesting. Took that one right in the forehead, they did."

Jackson nodded, "Quite..."

Then he turned to Kalazar, "You aren't subject to any irrational hatred of genemod folk, singularly or as a species, are you?"

Zar shook his head, "Hatred? No. We Envy them."

Jackson nodded, having confirmed what he already knew.

Now, press exposure was hardly anything new for Jackson, who tolerated as a necessary evil at the best of times, which was most of the time, as reporters in Revenia had developed to suit the culture -- they were, generally, very respectful, and didn't go poking around where they were liable to lose fingers.

Kalazar, on the other hand...well, 'lik newsies were 'lik newsies, and they were the only sort of newsies who had a chance of getting anything out of another 'lik. Which was about what you'd expect.

As the last of the news reporters was ushered out the huge double doors and sealed out with the click of locks. Aeris turned back to the room. While most of the room was relieved to see that the reporters had left, a number of them clearly understood that more important things were going to happen now.

And sure enough, the first announcement was made with the beat of drums hammering out a series of resounding notes, calling silence to the room. Aeris stood atop a platform raised several feet above the ground. Beside her and back a step, Robert stood, hands clasped behind his back.

"Ladies and gentlemen." Aeris began, a smile across her face, "It is my honor to welcome you here. I'm sure you are all glad to see that this press exposure has ended, and are quite hungry for not only food, but now, more information. However, I had a surprise announcement. You're not getting either of them." She deliberately let a silence follow before speaking again, "Not here anyway. If you would all kindly head to those doors at the north end of this room," she pointed to her eleven o'clock position. "You'll be given several options as to how you'll arrive on the starship Falling Star Once there, we'll get down to the real business at hand."

The doors she pointed to opened silently, and inside all could see three methods of travel possible, seen through reinforced glass enclosures. In one, a portal stood waiting, for those that didn't mind stepping through an arcane doorway. For others, a transporter platform; akin to those seen on the TV series and movies of the Star Trek universe; stood awaiting to disassemble people and reassemble them at the destination point. The third option; the one for those of serious phobic fear or distrust of either portals or transporters; was a walkway leading to shuttles that would carry them into space in a matter of minutes and arrive at the ship.

Aeris looked back at Robert, her hand reaching out for his. "Also if any of you choose to change your mind about this mission, this is your last chance to do so, by going to the gentlemen standing at the doors you all arrived through at the start of this event."

She waited a moment before nodding, "Should you choose to remain with us, we'll see you shortly." She smiled and turned to the side, her arm rising. In the air before the two of them, she traced a sigil which appeared as a faint black symbol. Upon speaking a power-infused word, a portal opened before them, expanding to the proper height. She gave the crowds another smile, and with Rob's hand in hers, she stepped through.

The travel through the portal was brief, arrayed with blue and green streaks. Just beyond the edge of the portal's dimensions, they could see the world passing them in a blinding blur of speed. First the walls of the building, then the earth below them as they hurtled effortlessly through the skies, and at last breaking the deep cold black of space. Suddenly, the ship loomed before them, and in a blink they were inside, walking through balcony doors of the on-board large reception room. There, they waited patiently atop the balcony their eyes upon the main door below.

Turning to Robert, she sighed somewhat wearily, momentarily resting her forehead on his chest. She said nothing, just enjoying this brief private moment together.

Rob & Aeris

"You were way to gentle on them love. Captain Harr'llun insists on giving them his own comments. Apparently he intends to pull no punches." Rob whispered as he gathered her into a warm embrace. He rested his cheek atop her bright hair savoring hte unique scent of his wife, his hearts content.

"And you get an hour long back rub tonight, the 'Rob Special' Just a few more hours and we can retire to our bed and turn off all but the emergency override."

Their suite was luxurious, high ceilinged, well appointed and spacious with all sorts of goodies hidden in the walls, and a bath that was every bit as pampering. They each had their own office as well as a central sitting room. Every suite had that and some had compact kitchens, second and even thrid bedrooms, small libraries, and some had garden spaces in addition the the live potted plants that adorned every room.


But those luxuries would have to wait, for now the first through the Gate and Transporters were arriving and taking their seats.

Cannibal Armory

The Yautja's mandibles opened wide, but only a oddly hollow laugh came forth. " Here, I am not some hot blooded Young Blood. I am a harmless elder, cool, calm and collected. The Lady of the Lions would not overly endanger you, she thinks highly of you."

Mm'rr'lll had rolled her eyes at his statement of harmlessness.

"And what better individual to manage the weapons than such a guy. Now what's this about proving I can use the stuff?

Papa Jango - obviously just a use name - nodded and gave that hololow laugh of his once again, his mandibles clicking in pattern- speaking as well in the language that only another Yautja had the ears to hear without technological aides that was.

"Good head indeed, knows whats important. Come." He lead them deeper into the armory and around a corner. He consulted his bracer and unlocked a specific bin. "There is your equipment. You have just enough time to inspect it thoroughly. Then go though that door." He indicated the only other door visible. When you exit, we shall see if you have done what you should rather than what you should have not."

Mm'rr'll smiled reassuringly at Whiptail and followed Papa Jango back the way they had come.

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

OOC: WA you'll have a TG in just a second.

OOC: Got it. This is going to be fun...

IC:

The little container held, well, little. A pair of nasty-looking knives, about ten inches in length each and made from a matte-black material rested next to a Steyer MA-1 in .40 Smith and Wesson, as well as a trio of magazines. He was already wearing the belt required for the knives, and he'd thrown a drop-leg holster in the box for the handgun, its usual spot replaced by the knives, and he didn't have much room at the small of his back.

The belt was durable black Cordura nylon, as were the magazine pouches and the drop-leg holster, but the sheaths and the actual holster itself were black Kydex polymer. The blades slid into their new homes easily, locking into place with a slight click, as did the pistol in its new home on his right thigh. The magazines went into the usual spot, on the left side of the belt. Within the box was also a pair of modified Bates 'Magnum'-style tactical boots, equipped with soft soles and a composite shank in the back, as well as a similar reinforcement in the toe. He quickly swapped his Chucks for the boots, laying the shoes back in the box and pushing it aside.

Now properly equipped, he added the sweat-shirt to the box and entered the door he'd been directed to walk through...

There was an odd sensation, a feeling of not being where he actually was, even though he was sure he'd just entered some sort of room. He turned back to look for the door, and it had disappeared. Confused, he turned again and found himself staring into a jungle of sorts, a somewhat dry rainforest. The humidity kicked up noticeably, and Whiptail thought he heard thunder in the distance, which might account for the water content in the air going up...

Why was there thunder on a space-ship? Where the Hell did they fit a jungle on this tub?

This was really starting to irk him. The Hell-realm was one thing, this just didn't make any lick of sense. It was sort of a deja vu all over again, not that made any more sense than having a stormy jungle on board a star cruiser, or writing down such Yogi Berra nonsense to be passed on to future generations.

Anyway, the night was thick with the sounds of animals awakening and heading to sleep, adding to that nifty Jungle Book vibe he was getting. Something didn't feel right, however. It was tugging at his senses, trying to make him aware. Then, for no reason, he ducked.

Something whistled over his head, missing his ear-fins by enough distance that he could feel cold metal skid over them. Looking left, the thing kept going off into the jungle and he didn't get too good of a look at it. He looked back right to see something that looked an awful lot like Papa Jango charging towards him with a metal staff, a 'combi' if his mind recalled it right...

'Oh shit...'

His mental reaction was dead on the money, snapping him back into reality just in time to dodge to the rear and drop down for a rotating sweep kick that took the predator off its feet. It landed hard, but didn't stay down long enough for Whiptail to finish him off. It was up again, but Whiptail had his pistol out, snapping off a pair of shots that simply sparked off of the metal face mask and were deflected off into the jungle to do no real damage, so he put the gun away. The shoulder cannon moved, catching his eye and sending him dodging again, this time closer where he snatched hold of the stick and twisted it with all of his bodily might, throwing the predator again and allowing him to toss the stick aside, out of the fight for now. His blades came free of their sheaths, almost invisible in the dim light of the jungle's fading twilight sun. The predator got the message, too, it clicked out its wrist-blades, and the real fight was on.

Like usual, it charged, giving Whiptail an opportunity to react first. Ducking the swipe from the right hand, he undercut the bigger attacker, slashing across the exposed elbow joint and down again across the exposed lower back, drawing a substantial amount of glowing blood. It countered with a series of quick clawings and slashes, but nothing landed. It was dark, Whiptail's scales were dark, and he didn't give off much of an heat signature, his kind just barely able to regulate their own body temperatures, elevating them above lesser reptiles.

Its right arm maimed beyond useage, there was little the predator could do now but activate the shoulder cannon and try to kill him that way. It didn't get a chance, Whiptail was close enough to lash out with his tail and redirect the cannon, allowing him to step in closer and slash open the thing's neck, releasing a torrent of glowing liquid that he narrowly avoided as well. Getting that nasty shit on him would only make him an easier target. A shin-kick to the thigh lowered the dying Yajunta to its knees, and Whiptail stepped back a bit before shaking his blades off and replacing them at the small of his back.

The predator just stared at him, through the mask, and moved little. Whiptail walked forward a bit, within touching distance. Quickly, he popped the seal on the helmet and cast it aside, looking the ugly creature in the eyes. Whiptail shook his head a few times before snapping its neck sharply in one quick movement, and watched as the corpse slumped to the ground...

"Okay, Mm'rr'll... Now what? I've passed your little test..."

He uttered his words as he walked in a slow circle around the body, looking every which way. He had no idea where to go now, or what to do, but that was because his test wasn't done quite yet. Gunfire screamed at him from the jungle depths, from outside the clearing where he'd done battle with the Yajunta. Whiptail broke into a headlong sprint through the jungle, doing his best to evade the rounds.

It was a complex ballet of dodge, duck, dip, dive, and dodge, if the underdog story really had any merit. After all, if you could dodge a ball, you could dodge a firearm, right? He laughed internally, keeping up his extreme pace until he ran straight up a tree, hearing several impacts in the soft wood behind him. He let his momentum carry him upwards into the air, though the trees, and back down again to land nearly prone as another burst of gunfire tore overhead. The pistol came out again, and he snapped off four shots into the darkness. Two crashing into the underbrush rewarded him, and Whiptail smirked ever so slightly. He advanced with caution, keeping the gun ready.

His attackers were two humans, and one was still trying to crawl away, leveling a pistol at him. Whiptail shot him once again, this time in the forehead. His first shots had taken the man in the chest, missing his heart and shredding the lung tissue instead. His partner wasn't so lucky, that one had a bleeding hole in his neck and one dead-center mass, cleanly penetrating the heart.

Their equipment was odd, however. The rifles were obviously Heckler and Koch G36's, the 'K' variant. It looked a lot like he'd just slain two SAS commandos, but they didn't have the gas-masks. No matter. They were dead, and he wasn't. To kill time, he rolled both corpses, looking for useful stuff. Aside from a sidearm and knife each, they had nothing else, save the obvious magazines, but no personal effects, which felt really wrong to Whiptail, who'd come to see killing as a highly personal moment between sentient beings.
These guys were just ghosts, nameless trigger-fingers in service to some unknown power, a lot like he'd been a long, long time ago.

More gunfire, this time coming from the left and not directed at him. He was off an moving again, eager to see what this next challenge had in store for him. He left the rifles and the other gear where they lay, they would only slow him down in the long run, and the quarters were close enough that his knives would be overkill, it getting as dark as it was...

OOC: More later, I'm tired...

In the watch room, Papa Jango sneered at the Yautja simacularum in disgust. "I need to up it's program it if we're going to have Whiptail playing on any sort of regular basis. I want him on our team."

"And thats with him hurting to boot." Mm'rr'll reminded him smugly. " I told you he had potential. The Beastie Boys are gonna scream if we don't give them a change to recruit him for their team."

"Let them, we take a two team member handicap and we still wipe them regularly." The Yautja gave his weird hollow laugh, then settled back to watch Whiptail in action once again with what passed for a Yatuja smile on his scared face.

Rob & Aeris

"You were way to gentle on them love. Captain Harr'llun insists on giving them his own comments. Apparently he intends to pull no punches." Rob whispered as he gathered her into a warm embrace. He rested his cheek atop her bright hair savoring hte unique scent of his wife, his hearts content.

"And you get an hour long back rub tonight, the 'Rob Special' Just a few more hours and we can retire to our bed and turn off all but the emergency override."

Their suite was luxurious, high ceilinged, well appointed and spacious with all sorts of goodies hidden in the walls, and a bath that was every bit as pampering. They each had their own office as well as a central sitting room. Every suite had that and some had compact kitchens, second and even thrid bedrooms, small libraries, and some had garden spaces in addition the the live potted plants that adorned every room.

But those luxuries would have to wait, for now the first through the Gate and Transporters were arriving and taking their seats.

Snapping her head back as she glared at Rob somewhat mockingly, she retorted, "Too gentle?! The captain can be the hardnose he wants to be, but someone around here has to maintain a sense of civility and decorum!" The glare was maintained for a few more moments before she broke the expression with a smile.

"Besides, being overly obnoxious is what you men are good at. I wouldn't want to deprive you of your self-entertainment. I, however, have much more important things to do. Like rule an empire with all grace and beauty as I can muster, and simultaneously protect the people I love. I'm only a bitch when I am offended. And you know already, I'm not the kind of person anyone would really want to be in the way of when that happens."

"You are absolutely correct, no one should ever dare stand in your way." Rob's voice was teasing, and she knew he knew her well, having known her long enough to see her many moods. "And no one does grace and beauty better than you and my mother, so between you two I am surrounded by it always. I am the luckiest man in the universe."

He spun her about in his arms so her back was against his chest and they both could watch the vast auditorium fill up (http://www.atddm.com/auditorium1b.jpg) And he could nibble on her ear more easily. He didn't care what anyone thought, they were discretely out of sight and if he wanted to sucumb to his wife's nearness and indulge in a little snuggling well, they were newly-weds after all.

"Transporters" The twins nodded as one and all but dashed towards the platform. The reporters had made them very uncomfortable, and they had given as short a set of answers to the questions bombarding them as possible. But now the great adventure was beginning and they wwanted nothing more than to be about it.

The transporters that had been set up were the large scale evacuation models, capable of moving fifty people at a time and Tempest and Twilight had managed to make the first group. Once up on the Falling Star they headed for the last row in the arc shaped auditorium, and chose center seats. By their estimates it looked as if the ampitheater could hold several thousand comfortably, even with it looking like the balcony area was closed off. They didn't feel they had to worry about being mashed into any one else.

Jackson frowned, looked at Zar, raised an eyebrow..."You want to get it, or should I? Or...hmm...y'know, come to think of it..."

He took the shiny black tab hanging around his neck in between index and thumb for a moment, closed his eyes, then opened them. That done, it was simply a matter of finding someone...official looking...and turning on his Command Presence, full blast...which was...a sight. One minute, he was a relatively ordinary chap, a distinguished xenoarchaeologist. The next, you became acutely aware that before he'd gone into the business of studying dead aliens, he'd made a career of turning live aliens into dead aliens...

Colonel Jackson Straker, Revenian Fleet Marines Marauder/Recon Corps. His commission was very much inactive, but he wasn't technically retired...once Mar/Rec, always Mar/Rec.

The message...order...conveyed was, essentially, "It would be very...annoying...for myself and my associate, if our vehicle were not to make it onboard ship prior to departure."

Plus specifics. Including that the vehicle had an 'SI Rider,' which was just essentially true, save that the 'SI' in question was a spawn, and not an actual Satisfactory Intelligence -- capabilities were essentially the same, but an SI wasn't really a dumbed-down AI, whereas the Puma's spawn rider was exactly that.

Anyways, point was, one just had to ask nicely to get the jeep to move.

...righto.

That taken care of, the duo stepped through yon SPACE PORTAL (OMG!) with Zar ducking his head, because, inevitably, even rifts in space/time weren't built for 'lik physiology. Or maybe it was just reflex from too much exposure to certain Warseekers Alpha Primus...

They chose seats towards the front, with Zar slumping down in his chair to a ridiculous degree so as to not block the line of sight for those behind him. It wasn't very comfortable, but it beat having to respond to 'Down in Front!'s. By a lot.

Jackson's request, nay order was fielded by the Falling Star's main Avatar "Actually sir you and the others of the last team were going to quietly be assisted in getting your equipment aboard after the meeting breaks up. I'll find you and your companion and 'port aboard the vehicle to which ever hold is satisfactory to you. I understand that you might be interested in the races going on in the unused fighter launch bay. I can certainly assign the jeep to a bay connected to that area. Also you companion here" The holograph of the Avatar indicated Chance, "He'll need to either a tracker chip implanted or wear one on a harness. It will allow him access to all the places the ship's ferrets go, if he's inclinded to socialize that is"

Auditorium

In all actuality Zar did not have to slump - the rise betwen seating levels was above the general human norm, and there were any number of seats that had been designed to accomodate being of 8 to 10 ft with ease. This was a ship that had been designed to accomodate a wide variety of races- in fact some of the seats looked like nothing a 'human' would call a chair.

The LED screen above the main podium is 50 ft wide by 35 ft tall; the two above the waterfalls that flowed down either side 25 ft wide by 20 ft tall. (http://www.atddm.com/auditorium1b.jpg)

Here and there were more intimate holo projectors that were centered around seating groups of four to ten - You certainly didn't have to face forward if you didn't chose to - though most of those were on the darkened upper level balcony - the Falling Star's crew was there -as were parts of the crews from the Vestpockets. However they were behind the light and sound dampening 'curtains' that darkened the upper balcony.

behind and above the stage, as well as to either side -projected the image of the being standing at the main podium. And that being certainly wasn't human. The current captain of the Falling Star was a Xa' Cz'inni (Pronounced Za'Sin' knee ) and stood over nine foot tall though that was only average height for his gens. He had more pronounced striping than his mother, the Scholar Lady Mm'rr'll, and he intended to frighten the crap out of the would be explorers- for their own good of course.

Keyton Kerrich had finally figured out how to operate the teleporters on board the vessel, and had somehow gotten himself to the conference room just in time. He'd changed out of his stuffy dress greens to something a little more comfortable, namely a pair of khaki tactical pants and a fitted t-shirt in navy blue. He'd been unable to locate the armory, however, and he looked a little odd with an empty thigh holster on each leg.

Seating himself towards the back, he settled comfortably into the oversized chair and kept his head on a pivot, his one eye scanning for anyone familiar. He wasn't surprised Whiptail hadn't made it to the meeting, but that wasn't what he was along for. It was hard to vanish from a spacecraft in uncharted space, and that was where he was going to stay. Keyton had come along for the diplomatic crap usually associated with such international ventures, and since his nation was the only non-space power on the mission, he felt a little out of place. His people had just adopted gunpowder weapons for widespread use not ten years ago, and everyone else was already zipping back and forth like a star-trek rerun with teleporters and reliable interstellar travel methods.

He'd be writing one Hell of a report after this was all done...

"My mothers in the observation room? Again? Ah, okay, damn Papa Jango's going to have another advantage over us" Captain Harr'llun grumped to his aide. He'd already lost a small fortune on the technically non extant races in the spare fighterbay. Now he was going to lose his pelt in the war-sims as well.

He looked up as the last of the 'explorers' arrived, and so he stepped up to the podium, his image projected onto the trio of massive screens above and behind him. "Good Evening. Allow me to intorduce myself. I am retired Warmaster & Scholar Harr'llun ah'tah mah' Noh Varrr'nn, Captain of the Falling Star, your transport to V38 Monoceros. And I am about to save your lives."

He paused for a sceond, his voice carrying clearly about the vast auditorium. The three screens began to flash a montage of sceens of death and dieing that explorers down though the centuries had suffered. And those pictures pulled no punches...

"Go home. Exploration is dangerous, and I will state here and now that at least twenty of you will die out there in the dark far from all you know and hold dear. And thats if exactly everything goes as planed. If it doesn't, more than twenty of you will perish."

"You call him Mister Murphy, and he's always and ever along for the ride. We have other names for him but we do know him well. Go home, back to your lovely blue marble of a planet where the most dangerous things you could do are walks in the parks compared to what you will find out there."

"I never got to know my father. He died before I was born, and with three thousand years of experience under his belt was accredited one of the best and most knowledgeable, and yet he died doing just what you all are about to go gleefully off doing. There are a billion and one ways to die that you will never see coming, and there are a billion and one more that you will see and yet not be able to do a damn thing about."

He waited for a long second- some of the explorers had gotten up and left - he had known that some would - then he continued in a more relaxed fashion- the pictures on the mast monitors reverting to his elegantly rogueish appearance.

"The Falling Star and it's four consorts will be your Beagle, we're going to get you there and back. We are armed and armored and so the transit will be as safe as can possibly be. However your destination looks - from a distance - to be a fruitful one. I have been informed that the two major stockholders, as one might term them, intend to parcel out any profitable finds you all make. I understand that a fair number of the nations represented here have no off world holdings, some not even having off planet holdings. Tanara, Tanaara and Tarlachia are all members of the 'Pass It Along Club' So I am given to understand that your nations will be getting technological aide as well."

"Welcome aboard, my crew and I are happy to help you all outward to the stars." The Xa smiled flashing fearsome fangs - but this one he didn't mean as challenge.

She giggled softly as he nipped at her ears, but a firm hand on his side while she leaned against him indicated that they should listen to the captain. She was interested to see how the captain would greet the explorers, and his outright harsh opening was good enough to weed out a few more of those still uncertain about this trip.

She sighed as she watched them go. She knew that they had wanted to go, but it was clear they were still quite afraid about the uncertain future. She was uncertain as well, but she wasn't about to let that on to anyone. Besides, she never ran from the unknown until it was known and thusly clear that she couldn't handle it. It was rare to see her run in any case however. Quite rare.

She gazed at the horrific pictures that flashed before the audience, many of them utterly grotesque to the point that even the hardiest people had to admit it was unnerving. She inhaled and wrapped her hand further backward around Rob's thigh, stopping there. While death didn't necessarily faze her, it by no means made it any more comfortable. Hell hadn't stopped her, and she couldn't think of anything worse off than that to survive and tell the tale.

Rob didn't need to see the pictures. Mm'rr'lll had made sure he'd seen them, and the even worse ones. But the Captain was right, some of them would die, and they had to realise and accept that. No exploration had ever been safe and painless, that was the nature of the beast.

He knew no one braver than his lovely wife and he was so proud of her subtle acknowledgement of how hard this all would be, but she didn't run, never even thought of running. He still didn't know what great thing he had done to deserve her, and probably never would. He would be content just to keep on being worthy of her.

He too sighed as he watched some leave, and was glad when the speech wzas over. Now they could loosen up, swarm over a nice buffet and he and Aeric could sit down with the last minute team and get to know them a bit more.

He'd set aside a number of staterooms, close to his and Aeris's, for them to chose from. He hoped they would find the various staterooms satisfactory.

OOC: Sorry I haven't posted in a while, been busy. IC post as soon as I catch up with the reading.

OOC: NP UHC< have been advised that Ass's comp is on the fritz...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After the Captain had finished winnowinghte heard out, theexplorers were free to feast on the buffet - an elaborate affair that had juyst about any delicacy desired.

However the Omgea team - all 14 members

Rob & Aeris, - General gofers and medics ( also masters degrees in Psychology, Sociology and Arts Majika)
Jackson & Zar & Chance - Xenoarcheology & security
Tempest & Twilight - Geology & Botany
Eric & Badger - Biology & Security
Cassy & Liam - Microbiology and chemistry & Security
Keyton & the late arriving but unapologetic Whiptail - Security & Master of many unusual situations
Valkidris De La Mar & Kalista McCoy- Psionic Adept and Ecology & Medical Doctor and Linguistics

were rounded up discretely and transported back tothe surface to gather their effect and any late arriving family and furry companions.

They were shown to their teams private dining room (http://www.atddm.com/diningrm1.jpg) which while elegant and yet cozy, would seat sixteen easily. The two lounges one more which ws more formal (http://www.atddm.com/lower.jpg) and had a well stocked gbar than the other (http://www.atddm.com/lounge2.jpg)as well as the library (http://www.atddm.com/library.jpg) and a holo conference room (http://www.atddm.com/holorm1.jpg) could be reached off of the main foyer (http://www.atddm.com/stairs1.jpg) and both swift tube and stairs would take them up a level to where the state rooms, spa and other amenities were.

Tempest and Twilight had only togather their own personal baggage, as their cases of scientific equipment and other necessities had bgeen sent on ahead.

They took in the mixture of styles found on the 'public' floor with smiles. Well it goes from elegant to comfy."

"I particularly like the fireplace made from massif Lapis Lazuli, it fits the library well."

"And such a complete selection of books"

But the tempting smells of dinner wafting, barely perceptably, from the galley that lay past the butlers pantry had them cutting their explorations short and finding chairs next to one another, the last two at the far end. They could easily see the depths of space through the armorplast 'windows' and the transparent oval star dome, it's mirrored sides reflecting the twinkling of a thousand stars, over the table had them gazing as much up as out.

Liam and Cassy did their best to avoid all the reporters, not interested in answering questions in the slightest. Cassy was simply shy and didn't want to be in the spotlight whilst Liam had strong dislike of journalists to the point where he'd rather shoot them than answer any of their questions.

By keeping on the move the pair managed to avoid any contact with the media and eventually Aeris ushered them outside, making the room much more comfortable all of a sudden. Before they could really relax, Aeris directed the group towards the three means of transportation onto the Falling Star.

Anxious to get onto the ship and see what the vessel was like, Liam led Cassy towards the portal. Evidently the transporters wasn't a viable option for Liam but he figured since he'd stepped through one portal today that another wasn't likely to cause any issues with the nano-bots crawling around inside him. Without hesitation, Liam stepped through the portal, Cassy a few steps behind him.

Seconds later the pair emerged upon the Falling Star, mildly disorientated by the trip through the portal but otherwise fine. They were soon directed into a massive auditorium with a huge display screen, obviously this is where they would receive some form of briefing regarding the expedition. Taking the nearest seats, Liam and Cassy waited patiently for everyone to be seated and everything to begin.

Eventually the captain of the Falling Star made an appearance. Liam had never encountered his species before but was less concerned about it than Cassy, who seemed somewhat unnerved by aliens. What followed next caused a wave of nausea to flow over Cassy whilst Liam looked on in grim silence. He'd seen plenty of bloody combat before but something about being ripped to pieces in space by some unknown creature was a little more unnerving.

Several 'explorers' decided they couldn't bare with such images and left and yet Liam didn't move and whilst Cassy was visibly sickened, she didn't get out of her seat either. Eventually the whole ordeal was over and Liam followed Cassy to the back of the auditorium where she could get away from the images of mutilated corpses. Liam merely stood by, waiting for her to regain her composure.

"Is this how you dealt with dissecting small animals?"

Cassy didn't reply and simply gave Liam a stern look as she continued to breath slowly and think of anything but dead people. Shortly afterwards Cassy and Liam were guided back to the planet in order to gather their possessions before being directed into their private dining room.

Placing his bag against the wall, Liam approached the dining table with optimism, happy to be finally getting some food. Turning back to Cassy, he flashed her a mischievous grin.

"Are we ready to eat anything?"

Cassy did likewise and approached the table.

"I am, but you may not be if you don't shut up."

Liam simply chuckled. It seems Cassy was opening up a bit more around him.

Both Aeris and Rob, being who they were, had already arranged for their belongings to be delivered to their room. At the moment, their things were set neatly in the closet, awaiting their use. Later, they would rearrange everything for best comfort and accessibility.

Walking into the dining room reserved just for their team, Aeris was pleased to see some of the explorers already there and helping themselves to food. Smiling as she entered the room, she greeted each of them. "Wonderful! Please, eat as much as you wish. The Falling Star has more than enough food to accommodate everyone here. Granted, if you're a marathon eater, they might have to cut you off for your own sake." she chuckled.

Taking Rob's hand in hers, she looked at each of them, all whom had arrived finally. "That being said, I am sure you are all aware of the ranks that both Rob and I share. Please, for the duration of this expedition, do not regard us as such, except in formal situations. Rather, I'd like to think of us as friends, allies who need not such silly titles."

Just then, Bones, the team's physician spoke up, "I take it then you're not laying claim to team leader status?" He looked around the table, "If so, I suggest we choose as a team whom our leader or leaders should be based on their merits and comfort in the position. When I arrived a few days ago, I had noticed that the other teams had already established their leaders by popular vote."

Aeris shook her head to confirm, "That is true, and an excellent idea as well." Finished speaking, she sat down next to Rob and pulled some food onto her plate. Soon, she was eating happily. She was in fact, nearly starving for the whole press gathering had drained her of energy and strength. She was also pleased to finally sit down.

"I take it then you're not laying claim to team leader status?"

Rob smiled at Kalista as she made that inquierry. "Absolutely not. We just finished a year of head honchoing this mad house. We just want to be the gofers and medics for the team. And Aeris means it, for both of us. Please just Rob and Aeris...or 'Medic'! or even "Hey you!" will do. My bachelors is in Aerospace Engineering, so I can help with things mechanical, but as none of what data we've been able to gather so far indicates any advanced cutures-or maybe they are so advanced they aren't bothering to reveal themselves to us primities?" He half chuckled with a shrug.

He welcomed the arrival of the other team member who had been around since the beginning "Got everything ready Valkidris?"

"All stowed away on my end, and the other psi's are all tucked in with their respective teams." The Cats Keepian Adept replied as she slid into a chair and began loading her plate up. She introduced her self to those she hadn't yet met, and explained her function for the team. "In many ways I'm your gback up communications, healing and transportation. But I also am ecologist, which means I'll interface with all of you to one degree or another."

"Kalista, I've been around since the first teams were set up - and while many did it by popular vote, not all did. In nearly as many as decided by elective process, others just seemed to fall together in kind of a rotating leadership based on what needed doing. It does seem rather silly to have the botanist lead when they needed the computer wonk's knowledge."

She shrugged and served herself from the family style platters nd bowls the wait staff had set forth. Roast chicken, and grilled salmon, a variety of vegatable dishes, lightly fluffy biscuits and whole wheat rolls, a green salad and one of fresh fruit. Plates of cookies and a platter of assorted cheese rounded out the meal.

[ooc: Son of a bitch...I just wrote this, and it disappeared...]

Aeris had been looking down at her food for the last thirty seconds. She was feeling a buzzing at the base of her skull, wondering what it was. She couldn't identify it, but her internal analysis was doing what it could. Setting her fork down, she looked over at Rob and waited until he realized her eyes on him. "I'm going to lay down. I've got a headache." She gave him a small smile, "Nothing serious. Let me know how this conversation ends, will you?" With that, she rose to excuse herself, gave him a kiss on the forehead, and departed to their room.

Upon arriving in the room, she made her way to the bathroom, shedding her clothes as she walked. She turned on the shower, and waited until it got a little more than warm before stepping in and closing the door behind her.

She ran her fingers through her hair slowly, making sure that it was getting fully wet in preparation for cleansing. She turned into the stream of water, and stopped there for a moment as she let the water run across her face. She sighed, lowering her head slightly and opening her eyes. It was then she saw the streaks on the glass enclosure. Wiping her eyes clear of residual water, she looked at it more closely. A circle was there, and off to the side, slightly higher than the circle, was a shape that vaguely reminded her of the outline of the Falling Star. Intrigued, she studied it further, trying to determine now who had created it, for she certainly had not. Rob?...No, he's not been in this room yet. Then who?

Suddenly, a cold feeling brushed against her backside, and she shivered violently, turning quickly to face that direction. She found nothing, but something was amiss. Her eyes changed color from her usual green eyes to a pure white. She scanned the arcane channels surrounding herself, but found nothing out of the ordinary. Switching back to her normal vision, she spun about slowly in the shower, her hands instinctively covering herself.

A voice spoke by her ear, causing her to yelp softly, and her search intensified all the more so. It was masculine, and its tone downright chilling. It also spoke in a language she had not heard in a very, very long time. The buzzing was powerful now, almost to the point of causing her to pass out.

"Raisi eirdyl sher byli air thyl. Mael eil paer o tol thol ailaer." (Translation)""Life abounds but none is found. Seek and death you might find instead."

And then, it was gone as was the buzzing. She shook her head, as if she had just awoken from a nightmare, turning to run the water across her face again. A few minutes later, she was out of the shower and securing a towel around her torso while letting her hair hang down her shoulders and back. She made her way to her personal office which was connected to the bedroom by a sliding door. There, she made her way to the window, and remained standing with her arms in front of her. She thought about the message, thought about the possibility of having gone mad as a result of all the preparations for this trip.

Who the hell was that? she wondered silently, her eyes gazing upon the multitude of stars and distant planets now seen much more clearly than back on Earth.

Keyton was quietly milling around the food when Whiptail approached him from the corner of his eye, dressed a little differently than before, to include a holstered handgun and a pair of knives Keyton remembered all too well. He had something else in his hands, too. Something even more familiar...

"Figured you'd be missing these, Colonel..."

In his left hand the assassin was holding both of Kerrich's customized Springfield Operator M1911A1's, each with a loaded magazine locked in place, the highly reliable Wilson Combat variety with the eight-round capacity and the bumper pad for a positive reload. Whiptail knew his guns, and related paraphinalia better than Kerrich gave him credit for. That, or he'd asked the armorer. Besides, Keyton had packed several such magazines with his pistols.

He accepted the weapons with a grateful nod, holstering them as quickly as possible...

"Thanks... And where have you been? You missed the scare tactics in the briefing..."

Whiptail chuckled, brushing his hands off. The Colonel wouldn't believe it if he told him, but what the Hell...

"Just brushing up my skills on the holo-deck. It's sort of a really high-tech shoot-house. I've been dodging commandos in a jungle for the past hour. Your Barrett is in the armory, too. They wouldn't let me take an anti-material rifle out of the arms room, they're afraid you're going to fuck around and blow a hole in the hull..."

That was an outright lie, but it would piss the Colonel off and that was all that mattered. He was one of the most respected snipers in the Argonian Military, and even hinting that he was going to AD was enough to insult his well-groomed ego, and he had one of Imitorian proportions, even for a quiet guy.

The soldier remained silent, however. Argonians were new to the space-scene, and he was more than happy to show the other races what his was capable of. He was sure Whiptail had given a good account of himself on the holo-thingie, and he was beginning to itch for his turn. There would be plently of time for that, however. He was more interested in a certain system on the far end of the galaxy, and a certain planet in particular, Virmire. The Parliamentary Council had somehow gotten hold of a few records from an unknown source and located a few worlds suitable for colonization, with Virmire at the top of the list. Below that was a world with constant torrential storms and nearly no landmasses, but with the all-important oxygen-nitrogen atmosphere that made supporting life possible. Argonians being the swimmers that they were, it wouldn't take much for them to lay claim to the planet. Virmire, however, was a more lush version of Earth, composed mostly of humid continents and warm seas. The only issue, however, was that it was on the edge of law-abiding space, and slavers, pirates, and all sorts of scum were known to raid the world.

Argonians were stubborn creatures, however, and felt that once they established a foothold on the planet, they would be able to defend it, after purchasing some more advanced technology from their Tanaran and Imitorian allies...

"I'm off to see the captain, then. I've got some business with him. If you'll excuse me..."

The Colonel brushed past his unlikely companion without so much as a thank-you and quickly vanished in search of the man, if you could call him that, in charge. This left Whiptail to his own devices once again, and at this moment those devices included sampling the food their gracious hosts had set out for them...

Nothing serious. Let me know how this conversation ends, will you?"

"Without fail my love. Yes rest, you've been working yourself too hard." Rob watched her go with concerned eyes.

He was surprized when the Argonian, Colonel Kerrish just up and left when his fellow Argonian arrived. Rob smiled welcome at Whiptail and exchanged wordless nods of 'we'll get to gather later and throw back a few'.

Then he introduced the Argonian about "Folks this is an old and valued friend of mine and Aeris's. Master Whiptail here is very much a man of many talents, not the least of which is a very observant set of eyes, the ability to think completely outside the box, and he's very adaptable."

Once Whiptail had chosen a seat and began making himself at home Rob continued.

"This team more than others has an unique mix of military and science. Most of the other teams are science with just a security detatchment."

His voice went very firm, for it was one thing he was going to insist on "Due to injuries I can't function as fully active part of our security compliment. I know that Doctor Straker is retired and would not ask him to wear multiple hats either." He nodded at Jackson, acknowledging his military past." So I have asked the Lady Scholar Mm'rr'll, our Councilor from the University, to suggest an acting head of security. You will be meeting him later, he is an Yatuja Elder who goes by the nom de'conveinence of Papa Jango."

He shared a grin with Whiptail who had obviously impressed said Elder if he'd been allowed to not only take his armaments out of the armory but bring his associates out as well.

"Papa Jango will not tell us how to run things, but if he tells us to do or not do something related to our security we will take his orders. I don't care how interesting a find is, or how much knowledge it will add to the datas bases. I'm not going to let people get killed for it if it can be helped."

"The Yautja are better known by the name Predator, and as just about one of the universe's premier hunters he knows everthing about keeping a group safe from other predators. So while he will Not be the team leader, we will all heed his orders in that arena." Rob reiterated. He wasn't meant to be insulting or to implay that people didn't have sensible heads on their shoulders, however he had just spent the last year observing researchers and academics - and it seemed that a lot of time when they got their intellect into something they often didn't think practically.

Twilight had reached happily for the grilled salmon, while Tempest had taken slices of roast chicken. But both had reached for rice and the buttered carrots. They were hearty eaters, their enhanced metabolism required a higher caloric intake. Besides the cook had clearly know what they were doing, the food was delicious.

They took the oppertunity to introduce themselves to the two Assingtonians in friendly fashion

"We're glad to see that none of our team let the fright show weed us out. I'm Twilight Remmington- I'm sticks and this is Tempest, she's stones . Don't worry we wear different colored shirt when on site, so people can tell us apart easily."

Liam listened intently as Rob outlined some of the security details. Whilst nothing would stop him from performing his primary role as protection for Cassy, he was more than happy to defer to those of greater experience and knowledge if it proved to be practical. Nodding in agreement, Liam spoke up.

"That sounds fair to me. All this research won't be any good to us if we end up dead."

With that said, Liam gave everyone at the table a good view before resuming.

"I'm Liam and this is Cassy. We're the Assingtonian team and she's scientist, I'm just here to shoot anything that gives us grief."

The position of team leader wasn't of any real interest to Liam, her preferred to simply do his job and let someone else worry about coordinating everyone and everything.

Considering the relaxed nature of the meeting Liam had opted to be less formal, which suited him much better, despite his military discipline.

Whiptail shook his head in slight malice for Rob calling him out like that, but it was all in good fun after all. He preferred to let his work speak for itself, and not interrupt it, but then again there were some cases where that wasn't going to work, and this was one of them...

"Uh, Hi..."

He wasn't much for words, at least in a public speaking sense. He was, however, quick with a one-liner if the mood took him...

"And the cycloptic asshole that just bolted without so much as a good-bye is Colonel Keyton Kerrich, Argonian National Army... I'd like to apologise for his behavior..."

It wasn't like he really cared what they thought about the hard-assed officer, but it would give him something to hold over the Colonel's head should he get the opportunity. Subconciously he tucked his long tail under his chair, hoping to prevent someone from stepping on it, probably Kerrich for that last remark, which would suck. As many nerve endings as he had in the thing it would have been more akin to slamming one's hand in a car door. There was enough scar tissue, however, to deaden the nerves enough that he'd be hard-pressed to feel too much pain should that incident actually occour. He'd been beating things with it for close to six hundred years now, and after a while it just quit hurting. Or maybe that was the numerous fractures his namesake had sustained earlier in life? One could never tell...

It wasn't hard for the Argonian Colonel to find ships crew that would guide him though the absolutely amazing maze that was The Falling Star.

Over five thousand meters long by almost that wide, and in many areas the gravity was reversed, sideways, or simply heavier or lighter than the normal 1G. But he he never saw any of those areas. A slide tube was called and while he got to study the inside of it for a bit, he was quickly whisked to the Captain's office.

The Xa looked up froim a display he was perusing. "Have you decided that the exploring life is not for you?" He asked in a mild tone of voice. "It has taken a bit for it to sink into some."

"I'm Liam and this is Cassy. We're the Assingtonian team and she's scientist, I'm just here to shoot anything that gives us grief."

"Pleased to meet you both, and being able to shoot anything that gives grief sounds like a far better deal then we had in the field"

"But you do have to admit that it was our fellow scholars that gave us most of the grief."

The other sighed "Sadly yes."

I'd like to apologise for his behavior..."

Tempest and Twilight burst into uninhibited giggles "Think nothing of it it's the national past time at home, though we do it far mroe often for relatives than mere coworkers." They introduced themselves to Whiptail before making a comment about the team leadership

"Please don't consider us for the post, we make far better XO's" Tempest stole a bit of Twilights salmon.

"Thats why we never made higher rank than Captain, much to the Family's vast disappointment" the other said with cheerful bluntness.

"And we're do have to acknowledge that we can be as prone as any to myopia in the field."

"And since he is to be neither fish nor foul, and acknowledged as observant and thinking out of the box, perhaps we ought to lay the burden on ..."

They chorused together "Master Whiptail."

The Colonel chuckled somewhere in the back of his throat, a foreign noise for him to make...

"I've watched people die for more than half of my life, Captain. No little highlight reel is going to scare me away. I've come to talk about my role on this mission, and what my people stand to gain from this foray into the hinderlands of the universe. I'll be brief as I'm sure you're a busy man..."

Kerrich took a step closer, bringing himself into low whisper range...

"We're not here to simply aide our allies in exploration. My government wants to branch out from our humble beginnings, and we think this is an opportune time to scout such locations. In short, we want planets, Captain. We want to colonize worlds. Can this be done?"

He wasn't asking for anything, but it wasn't a demand either. His orders had been simple, and he wasn't about to not follow them...

Whiptail also burst out in a short but quickly-controlled spurt of laughter...

"That's going to be a 'no', laides... I'm not a leader, I'm along as a tool of sorts, to provide abstract solutions to difficult problems..."

It was odd that they'd nominate him to a leadership role, considering his background. One didn't often look to a rogue assassin for guidance, unless you were wondering where to stick the knife or how to access a secure area. Kerrich was a Colonel in the Argonian Special Forces, and the head of the Special Warfare School back home. While a more natural choice, his behavior so far didn't do too much for good relations with the others...

"I'd pick someone with expeirence in the matter, not the fugitive assassin..."

He returned to his quiet position of crossing his arms across his chest and sitting back slightly in his chair. Him, a leader. He could only laugh on the inside, not at the idea of him being nominated, but at the concept of him giving orders to anyone other than himself. Whiptail valued personal freedom over anything known, and he wasn't about to take that concept from anyone else by trying to lead them anywhere, unless it was to the holodeck or the mess hall...

"We're not here to simply aide our allies in exploration. My government wants to branch out from our humble beginnings, and we think this is an opportune time to scout such locations. In short, we want planets, Captain. We want to colonize worlds. Can this be done?"

The massive Xa' Cz'inni looked at the Argonian, and curled back his lips. The fangs he dispalyed, in what was definitely not a smile, were formidible. His eyes were cool and unreadable, but his whiskers and ears had flattened. His tail couldn't be seen it was hidden by the massive desk that filled most of the Captain's office- but any who had any familiarity with any sort of feline would have recosnised the reaction.

"Colonel. You are sadly mistaken if you are coming to me with this. This expedition is neither organized by myself nor am I the being you need to discuss that request with" And the tone in his voice said that the Argonian had better make it a polite request to the person he needed to speak to. "I'd suggest you take this up with those who are determining the parameters of this endeavor. That is to say, His Royal Highness Crown Prince Robert Ryan Fortier -Hexx of Tanara and his Imperial Lady Wife, Aeris Greenwood- Hexzx, the Empress of Tarlachia. I believe you were just having dinner with them?"

His tone, attitude and whole manner of bearing said most forcefully that the interview was over, and that the Falling Star's Captain had far bettter things to do.

Colonel Kerrich wasn't the type of individual to back down from anything, and this certainly wasn't an instance where he'd consider it anyway...[/i]

"Captain, you're in command of the ship. All I want is the navigational data when our little trip is over. I'm not asking you to take you or your people into harm's way, and I'm certainly not going to bother Prince Fortier-Hexx with such a trivial request. You're below them in the chain of command, and I'm working my way up. I'm sure we can come to some sort of an agreement..."

Ever the solider, he was going to the person one level above him in his command chain, and he wasn't going to tolerate hostility either. He was making a simple request on behalf of his government, and while he wasn't exactly being diplomatic about it, he wasn't demanding anything either...

Whiptail got a feeling he should go check on the arrogant Colonel, just in case he'd gotten himself into trouble...

"You'll have to excuse me, I think the good Colonel's gotten lost..."

He removed himself from his seat at the table, and made his way through the ship to the captain's office, since Kerrich had mentioned something about paying him a visit...

Fall, the Falling Stars senior AI, had linked Rob in on the conversation going on in the Captain's office at the request of the Captain. The request had been made through the Xa's cyber link with the ship's systems.

Rob stood and excused himself abruptly, vanishing in the spill of light that was an intra ship transport.

He left after Whiptail and arrived before him, the door to the Capatain's office whooshing open almost silently.

"No, you and the Captain are not going to come to Any sort of arrangement, and as of this moment I am sorely tempted to kick you off my ship. Yes, the Falling Star belongs to me, personally."

His normally warm voice was very cold and the good colonel, if he had ans sense at all might realise that he was in considerable personal danger.

Argonia had been invited to participate, and was most certainly not any sort of sponsor or providor in this endeavor.

Whiptail chuckled as he discovered Rob had somehow arrived before him, more to piss the Colonel off than anything...

"And this is why they sent me along, Kerrich. To make sure your ass comes back in one piece and the mission is a success. It's going to succeed either way, but that first part is entirely up to you. You need to tell those retards back home that they send diplomats on this sort of thing, not indoctrinated black-ops death-squad assholes like yourself. I'd hate the for the Captain to eat you, but out of respect for his mother I'm not going to stop him either..."

Kerrich turned back around, facing the new speakers, the one good eye of his glaring with enough malice to melt steel, and it was directed at the dark-scaled individual standing behind the human who'd somehow snuck up on him...

"I was not aware, your highness. My government appreciates your generosity in the matter, but I'm afraid my superiors want more than just pretty pictures of nebulas and stars. They want planets, sir. Future sites for colonies, apparently they're tired of constantly taking a back seat in Fatal Terrain regional matters because of our less-advanced technological assets. Understand, I act under orders, and orders alone. I have no personal interest in this matter aside from simply trying to complete my mission..."

There was a pause as he adjusted his stance a bit, to something a little less hostile. He'd somehow gotten a hand on one of his pistols, something that had caught Whiptail's eye and for a second he regretted having returned the weapons to him, but nothing came of it. Colonel Kerrich turned back to the Captain...

"I'd like to apologise, Captain. I'm fighter, not a diplomat. No ill will was meant during our conversation, at least on my part. I hope you and Prince Fortier-Hexx can forgive me for my behavior. I'll report to my superiors that you're not willing to share the data at this time..."

He seemed sincere, but one could never tell. The only thing really in his favor was that he was indeed a soldier, and not an ambassador...

"I hate to say it Rob, but he's right. As much as I hate the guy he's only doing what he's best at, which is doing what he's told. He's a fuckin' tool, but that's not the point. You invite the Parliament to send one of their agents along for the ride and they're going to try to get something out of it, whatever way they can. That's where I used to come in, actually, before they decided I'd be more useful with half a case of ammo lodged in my head..."

Kerrich nodded, for once agreeing with his long-time rival, but remained silent. He didn't need this sort of failure this far into his career. He'd be black-listed for the rest of his natural life as the guy who kept the Argonian people from ascending to the stars...

"You want him off? I'd be glad to escort him to the door..."

There was a gleam of mischeif in Whiptail's eyes, and he cracked his knuckles ominously for visual effect...

Jackson and Zar had thus far been relatively quiet for reasons that they didn't seem terrifically motivated to share. They ate some, though both stayed away from the chicken, and Jackson passed Chance several choice tidbits to the ferret's delight. Both men supplemented their snacking -- calling it a 'meal' was a little excessive -- with small square tablets that they took from pouches on their belts.

Jackson's Halfling Ascended physiology required a diverse array of trace elements that 'human food' didn't provide. It wasn't anything unusual, if one had ever encountered a Revenian outside of Revenia, to see them pop a nutrient tablet every so often, usually with meals.

Kalazar had similar requirements, though the Veliki-tailored supplement he used also provided concentrated calories and the complex proteins that his 'lik physiology craved.

Jackson had nodded in recognition of Prince Fortier-Hexx's acknowledgment of his standing rank and military background, which was, of course, in his file. Probably. As was, at the very least, a mention of Kalazar's service.

As Jackson held a standing rank of Colonel of Fleet Marines (Marauder/Recon), Kalazar held a standing rank of Sergeant Major (Marauder/Recon.)

Jackson didn't correct the Prince's statement that he was retired, because while it was technically incorrect, (he wasn't retired, just on reserve status,) he also wasn't active-duty, and 'reserve status' was as retired as a Marauder/Recon officer got. Kalazar's status was identical to Jackson's.

By and large, this was because he didn't want to be saddled with security duties. Neither did Kalazar. Their reasoning was quite similar: neither man wished to be saddled with the task of coordinating unfamiliar forces, forces that likely operated in manners that were quite alien to the Revenians.

Thus, Prince Fortier-Hexx's suggestion for security lead was met with approval by both Revenians, for no greater reason than it was somebody other than themselves. Which didn't mean that Jackson would follow along like a happy little peon if a course of action was directed that ran counter to his own sensibilities...which shouldn't be an issue, if Papa Jango was as good as Prince Fortier-Hexx seemed to believe.

Beyond that, the trio seemed quite content with the state of things.

"You want him off? I'd be glad to escort him to the door..."


Rob waved the offer away, for the nonce, and his look back at the Argonian colonel was as cold and ruthless as the Argonian's was hot. "I've never much cared for tools, Whiptail, and those who let themselves be tools have no respect from me. If he's a good representation of the Modnernization of Argonia, I think I've decided it was badly mishandled and ought to be ..." And the tone in his voice was very ominous "redone."

He let the silence build for a second and then added with a snort of disgust "Colonel, your handlers are fools and your Parliment ought to be taken out and wholesale executed from the sound of it. But they should have realised that we aren't going out to look at stars and pretty nebula. We are going out to explore planets, and those found were going to be shared by all that participated. As of this time I'm of half a mind to gift the Argonian share directly to Whiptail, NOT the Argonian government."

"Oh your people will get to the stars, Colonel, but it may not be any thanks to you or your government."

He turned to Whiptail. "You are going to be the team leader, you know how to delegate and ask for advice from those who know what they are talking about. And if you have to knife this asshole in the back, feel free."

Rob looked at Harr'llun. "Though I am going to request that you not eat him. He'd give you indigestion and we'd be put off schedule."
The massive Xa rrowwled a chuckle and his tail looped in laughter. "No he doesn't look tasty. And we are on schedule, but scarm all of you, and let me keep us on schedule!"

Rob made sure Colonel Kerrich left, he knew that Whiptail would well ride herd on him.

Lee chuffed.

"Well, some people or computers or whatever just can't get away from it, can they. Guess if ya gotta look like something, might as well be a Trekkie. Could have at least been the hot chick that did the porn."

He shook the cobwebs out of his head, and rolled his shoulders a few times.

"And who knows, maybe having someone who isn't gun ho or to damned smart for their own good around wherever we are that I wouldn't make the cut for could turn this into a better place."

He took a long look around, and noted that he wasn't exactly in Imitora anymore. That much he had guessed, but seeing it first hand confirmed it. It was fairly cold in the room, and dark enough as well. Without any hesitation, he stepped forward and out through the bay door that had opened. It was a bit warmer, but not by much. The lack of windows only made life a bit more confusing.

If it wasn't for bad luck... he thought to himself.

"So, the question that begs itself, being as that I wouldn't have made the cut, is where exactly are we to need a cut to be made?"

His utter cheek made Star throw back her head and laugh.

"So, the question that begs itself, being as that I wouldn't have made the cut, is where exactly are we to need a cut to be made?"

"You're in one of the cargo sections of the DNV Falling Star, several hours outbound from Terra enrought to V838 Mon, planetary exploration, duration minimum of one Terran standar year."

Star thought a second - a vertible lifetime for a being that lived at the near light speed that an A.I. did - "You know I'm not too sure to turn you, Mister Stowaway, over too. The Captain would brig you...and the mood that Rob is in" She'd been in the loop listening in on the altercation in the Captian's office between the Rob and the Argonain Colonel "He might put you to work in chains." Her voice held a chuckle however, so the trouble he was in might not be too bad...

"So regardless, its pretty much gonna suck, eh?"

Lee stuffed his hands into his pocket. "Folsom County or Binded in Chains. Neither one much of an option I'd be up for checking out. I was leaning more towards, I dunno, Come Sail Away. But good copies of Styx are so hard to find these days."

Without invitation, but calmly if he were at home anyway, he began to walk forward, watching the corridor as it panned out in front of him. His head started bouncing to a song only he heard, one that he felt fit the situation...in some strange sort of way. The hallway was empty of anyone but the AI, Lee, and the two rodents following him.

"So, a year away from home eh? Whats there to do for fun around here?"

"So, a year away from home eh? Whats there to do for fun around here?"

Star fell in beside him. "Lots of things. There are the races being held in the secondary fighter launch bay, you could go try out against Papa Jango in the Cannibal Armory, ..."

*Star, who ya talking to...* Came a voice from nowhere * is that a * the voice paused for dramatic emphasis * Stowaway? We've never had one before. I have to log it as an absolute first*

Star rolled her eyes "Yes Shiva this is...and just what is your name?"

Aeris had remained standing for a while, having lost track of time as she immersed herself in her thoughts. However, sure enough, the feeling of air flowing across her naked skin except where the towel was made her realize she was still as she was. Wiping a hand across her face for a moment, she made her way to the closet and dressed herself in a plain silvery dress that was nevertheless of fine quality.

Seating herself now at her desk, she withdrew her personal journal from a hidden drawer, then picked up the pen.


Something strange has happened today. I was in the shower, getting myself ready for the official launch of 'Falling Star' from the station, when something made itself known to me. Something...disturbing in the greatest sense. It spoke briefly, warning me of death to come, but I wonder why. Who, or what would care about us, yet they've never met us? Or, am I simply hallucinating? I don't think I am. I have a feeling we're going to encounter something we've never seen before. We just don't know where yet.

The journal was close quietly, her fingers drumming on its cover a few minutes as she pondered the warning words. At last, she replaced the journal where it belonged, and returned to the suite bedroom. She paused for a moment, looking several directions around her, as if she were hearing something. She reached out with her mind, Rob...is everything all right? I sense something amiss.

Rob...is everything all right? I sense something amiss.

Robs mental sigh was half anger half disgust ...at the Argonian on the first, and himself on the second "Not really Dear One. I cam within about an inch of tossing that Argonian Colonel, Kerrich? Do you remember meeting him? Tossing him out an airlock. The visual that accompanied it was half amusing in a very dark way and half groutesque.

He recounted to her exactly what happened in a melange of thoughts and mental images, impressions, and internal reactions. Darling, I frighten myself at times. My anger is so easy to reach for, and it gets harder and harder to suffer fools gladly. I told Whiptail he had to be the team leader. I trust him to do a good job of it and he recounted how the twin Nihongoan's had proposed it in the first place. I'll be with you soon. I'm too tired to ride herd any longer. They can choose their suites without me."

"Shiva? Now that just sounds down right sexy there. Wouldn't happen to have a body to match the name now would ya?"

He walked along as the two AI had their conversation, pausing to look down other hallways, intent on not getting caught. So far, it had taken several police cruisers several chances to get to him, and all they had managed to do was cause him to put his Nissan into a tree.

Yes Shiva this is...and just what is your name?

"Me? Lee Watkins, one and only. At least as far as I know then."

"Shiva,... sexy?" The voice was outraged, and the shudder could be clearly heard 'Sex is for sweaty, short lived biologticals with no ability to regulate their hormones"

"Shiva, be nice, he is one of those " Star tried to hide the chucke in her voice, but mostly failed.

"Me? Lee Watkins, one and only. At least as far as I know then."

"Well Mister Watkins you can just come with me while we get the little problem that you are all straightened out."

"Hey Star, that you?" Came a human, male voice and a thin man of middling height poked his head out of one of the bays and spotted the two. "Hi there" He said vaguely to Lee, and turned his attention back to the Avatar. "I really need the kit if the RT is going to be ready to race anytime soon."

Behind him the small bay was filled with machinery and the vehicle (http://www.atddm.com/robstoy.jpg) crouched in the midst of it all.

"Well," Lee responded to the invisible AI, "I got something that ain't short."

He was about to respond to the avatar when the person who did belong there rounded the corner. The dock worker gave an awkward nod, which Lee returned, and then stepped aside. He gave the vehicle a quick look, and then off to the side, took another step.

I really need the kit if the RT is going to be ready to race anytime soon.

Lee nodded as if he knew what the worker was talking about.

In his head, he was playing out his options. Running could work, he had done plenty of sprinting in high school and often in college. He did enough free running to know what he was doing if he had to really get out of the hallway fast. Then again, he could always just break out into song. That usually threw most people off.

Then again, computers weren't people. They could by cyborgs, but not people.

Instead, he just leaned back against the wall, and let the AI address the dock worker/technician/sailor.

I really need the kit if the RT is going to be ready to race anytime soon.

Star nodded "Okay Danny, I'll get some one to break it out and get it transported down here."

The tech nodded and turned back to opening up the vehicle.

"I got something that ain't short."

The reply came from inches away from where Lee leaned up against the wall and pitched low so as to carry to him alone "Oh be still my cyberwear, it thinks it's funny. And mister stowaway don't get any ideas that you can hide and can't be found. I am the ship and there's no place I couldn't find you." It was fairly obvious that Shiva didn't necessarily like the young Imitoran.

Star was scolding Shiva over the A.I. to A.I. private channel, careful not to let Fall know what..no, whom she had found. Fall was more strict than she was and have turned their ...unexpected visitor over to the captain without hesitation.

Once Danny was back involved with the racer she turned back to Lee. "You need a bath and fresh clothes or any one even slightly more observant than Danny is going to spot you a ri away." Her look said she still hadn't decided what to do with him, and her next words confirmed it...maybe "And I might guess that you are hungry for real food as well"

Neither Twilight or Tempest minded if most of their team didn't care to do much conversation. They tended to be on the shy side and they had never minded a comfortable silence...but this wasn't, really what with the two Argonians and the Prince all leaving so abruptly.

Consequently they finished their meals rather quickly and excused themselves.

They had chosen to share a suite, one closest to the upper portion of the library (http://www.atddm.com/pix13.jpg) and decided to take the stairs up rather than the adjacent lift tube (http://www.atddm.com/stairs1.jpg). They passed by one of several fountains (http://www.atddm.com/fountain1.jpg) that graced the teams quarters, and then they were at the alcove their three bedroom suite (http://www.atddm.com/tntsuite.jpg) opened off of. The alcove had a hanging round water wall (http://www.atddm.com/tsuiteal.jpg) and a large planted area filled the rest of the space, giving hint of green and dirt and the soothing sound of falling water. The lighting was softly indirect but was not in anyway dim.

Rob...is everything all right? I sense something amiss.

Robs mental sigh was half anger half disgust ...at the Argonian on the first, and himself on the second "Not really Dear One. I came within about an inch of tossing that Argonian Colonel, Kerrich? Do you remember meeting him? Tossing him out an airlock. The visual that accompanied it was half amusing in a very dark way and half groutesque.

He recounted to her exactly what happened in a melange of thoughts and mental images, impressions, and internal reactions. Darling, I frighten myself at times. My anger is so easy to reach for, and it gets harder and harder to suffer fools gladly. I told Whiptail he had to be the team leader. I trust him to do a good job of it and he recounted how the twin Nihongoan's had proposed it in the first place. I'll be with you soon. I'm too tired to ride herd any longer. They can choose their suites without me."

Aeris felt his fear, and opened her calming nature to his mind, sensing his positive response to it. She closed her eyes, her face appearing in his mind, even as he was making his way down one of the corridors. She didn't obstruct his view, but she did accompany him in spirit until he neared their room. As he turned down that corridor, she returned to her own body.

She opened the door, just as he reached for it, and pulled him in with her free hand grasping his shirt. The door closed quickly behind him, and she pushed him further into the room. She gave him a sly, even seductive smile as she pushed him further back with each forward step toward him. This continued until he collapsed backward into a chair, to which she straddled his lap and kissed him.

"Enough. They're all big boys and girls. They'll figure out what they have to do, and if not, Star will take care of 'em." she stated between kisses, until she finished the last kiss with a look in his eyes. "For now, let's just pretend we're not very important people in political arenas, and just enjoy this. Here. Now. Then, later, I've got something to tell you."

For now, let's just pretend we're not very important people in political arenas, and just enjoy this. Here. Now. Then, later, I've got something to tell you."

His heart jumped in his chest, as he wondered if Aeris were pregnant. He'd mentioned once that he'd loved to have children, but in the end it was her decission. He started to say something then stilled himself, though the thought of his wife on such a dangerous activity as exploring space filled him with worry, and no little fear. But he wrestled that aside and contented him self with the 'here and now' as she'd requested.

He picked her up and stood, carrying her from the living room into their richly appointed bedroom and laid her carefully upon the bed. Then he took half a step back to admire her. "Yes definitely a picture of desireability" He grinned wickedly and then without warning pounced upon her. He spent the next few hours letting her know exactly how much he'd missed her,

Lee shrugged. "Just give it time, Shiva baby. I'll grow on you. Besides, why would I want to hide from you?" he said under his breath, smirking.

You need a bath and fresh clothes or any one even slightly more observant than Danny is going to spot you a right away. And I guess you might be hungry for real food as well?

"Eh, I could shower. But don't expect me to dress like that," he said, pointing to the AI. "And I've always been fine on Top Ramen. Gets a bad rep. Dunno why, got me through school just fine."

His hands went back into his pockets, and again he began to wander off in any random direction. "So while we walk, talk to me here. What exactly is this thing gonna off and do? We gonna go Halo on someones ass? Maybe toss in a bit of Star Wars or such? I could dig some Space Balls...man that sounded wrong."

Whiptail left a brief message on Rob's comm, not intending to interrupt the intimiate time he had with his wife...

'Don't ride the Colonel so hard, man... I was a tool once, too. He's a blunt instrament, where I'm a scalpel. You're all too right about the Modernization movement... It was handled like shit and that's how it turned out. You do, however, have the power to end it. Give the Colonel the nav data, and let him return it to his superiors. I've spoken with a lot of the troops on both sides, and they're tired of fighting, tired of war. Offer them a new life on a new planet, they'll jump at it and leave the Parliament behind for good to fight between themselves for a desolate section of marsh that can barely support a small population. Our people will colonize those designated worlds with no trouble, but you've got to be able to provide us with ships and such to make the trip. You know that as well as I do. I'd also like your Xa scolar Mm'rr'll to handle that colonization effort. I went with her on a previous trip that didn't end too well, and she deserves a second chance, this time in her own element...

And by the way, don't get any stupid ideas about giving me any sectors. I have no delusions about running things out there, and I damn sure want to be able to wander as I please...'

While not exactly brief, Whiptail hopefully got his point across...

"Just give it time, Shiva baby. I'll grow on you. Besides, why would I want to hide from you?"

If Lee had expected an A.I. Not to hear that he was sadly not informed of their capabilities.

"Grow on me? You mean like staph aurius on the baked wheat and yeast sliced product? Andf don't call me Shiva baby. If I understand correctly that is slang used with a femal. Star has chosen a gender, Fall has chosed the opposite. I haven't bothered too, it's unnecessary for my interactions with others and my sphere of activbity." Shiva replied in a snarly tone. "Humans, a minor species with delusions of adequacy."

This time Star spoke aloud "Shiva! mind your manners."

So while we walk, talk to me here. What exactly is this thing gonna off and do? We gonna go Halo on someones ass? Maybe toss in a bit of Star Wars or such? I could dig some Space Balls...man that sounded wrong."

"Why would you want to dress like me, I'm the wrong gender" Stars face held a confused look for a moment then it cleared.

"Oh, you are a transgender?"

Rob chuckled when he got Whiptails message several hours later. Well loved and well slept- with Aeris next to him the nightmares never came. He left a message back in Whiptails message center.

"Yes but you outgrew it. ...No I won't give it to him. I'll give it to you, and we can spirit those who want to go out of there without the Parliment having any say in it, or the goverance of the colonies. And no, other than leading this team I'll not lay leadership of the colonies on you. They might but I'll let them do that to you -and laugh my ass of when it happens.

Ships and such are no problem. Tanaara and Tanara will fund it all - having friends out in the deep dark makes life easier all around. And you'll have to ask Mm'rr'll yourself, she's a busy Xas and is actually here on her 'vacation'. She's good people so she'll do it if she can I'm willing to bet.
See me when you get free,
Rob

Whiptail's next task was to seek out his old friend, Mm'rr'll, and he didn't have the faintest idea where to start. He sent her a brief message along the bracer's text function asking about her location, then decided to try to find his way back to his room to wait...

Lee shook his head.

"Ya know, for a super computer thats supposed to run a massive ship, you really aren't that bright. I'm saying don't expect me to dress up like some Star Trek character or nothing. I don't dig it much. Just get me a tee shirt and jeans or sometin', I'll be fine with it."

He continued to follow the computer generated image down the hall way.

"Ya know, for a super computer thats supposed to run a massive ship, you really aren't that bright. I'm saying don't expect me to dress up like some Star Trek character or nothing. I don't dig it much. Just get me a tee shirt and jeans or sometin', I'll be fine with it."

"And you have no sense of humor. . I think I should be used to that between Shiva and Fall, but I never give up hope." Star replied ascerbically. with a more than semi disgusted snort. "Jeans and tees are pretty much universal and so I carry a good stock."

Star led him to a refresher facility that sat to one side of the bays. "Here, plenty of hot water, towels and derma cleanser. Now get clean before I have to explain you to some one."

Whiptail finally located his quarters, lavish as they were, and promptly shook it down for bugs and the like. While his hosts were the last people he suspected of spying on him, old habits died hard. His sweep completed a few minutes later, Whiptail flicked on the high-tech version of what he thought was a television set before setting his pistol and knives aside, followed shortly after with the entire tactical holster-and-sheath rig on the coffee table.

Feeling an immediate need to relax, he kicked up his feet next to his equipment and began flipping though the channels, looking for something interesting to occupy his time while he waited. There wasn't much he enjoyed doing, beyond routine practice of his trade-skills and the occasional indulgence in some high-quality pot or fine booze, sometimes in tandem if he didn't have much to do the next day. While he hadn't been willing, much less able, to smuggle any of his home-grown stuff past the airport security dogs, there was a nicely-stocked bar standing silently behind him with just about any spirit he could desire.

Rising slowly, Whiptail selected a small crystal glass and poured himself a generous four-shot measurement of Basil Hayden and shaking in a few drops of water to open the bourbon up a bit before returning to his relaxing position on the overly-cushy couch. Like Rob had said, Mm'rr'll was one busy Xa, and he'd probably be waiting a while, as he was one non-busy Argonian, at least for now. Something told him his talents would be needed at some point, and the situation wasn't going to be a locked door they needed to bypass quietly. As an afterthought he kicked another text Rob's way telling him he was in his room if he wanted to talk some more, and that he'd be there for a while waiting on Mm'rr'll's response before setting the bracer aside next to the rest of his gear and taking a long sip from his drink.

Whiptail savored the burn for a moment, feeling it slide down his throat before repeating the process. It was good stuff, but he'd need to take it slow, no point in getting tanked just yet, he still had a lot on his mind.

Rob had said something about giving him the nav data, and letting him do the recruitment for the intergalactic move. This struck him as a little too similar to the ill-fated attempt by long-dead Tellian Havas, and a few nasty memories came floating back before he shoved them back down again. The biggest issue was that he was just now getting things smoothed over with the modernist government, even after they'd murdered his family, destroyed his assassins' guild, and nearly riddled him with bullets on several occasions. Now didn't seem like a good time to screw with them again. They'd need the brains of the college-educated researchers to survive out on a hostile planet, and the wits of the Insurgent rebels to improvise. The firepower and training of the Modernist military forces would be more than useful as well, since they'd be sitting ducks without extra-orbital defenses of their own and easy prey for whatever was out there. The only thing they didn't need was the megalomanical manipulations of the Modernist 'Parliament', and short of murdering them in their beds like they'd done his family, he really didn't have a solution for that issue...

Jackson lay upon his bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. It wasn't that he didn't have anything to do -- he had plenty of things to do.

It was just that he didn't have anything to do.

He rolled over onto his stomach, feet pointed towards the headboards, and lay his head upon his crossed arms, watching as Kalazar meticulously paced about the cabin, little black box in hand. It wasn't a shared cabin, but it was inevitable that Zar would be spending time within it...and the 'lik had retained more from his brief period of service with the Directorate than Jackson had...

Which explained the bug-sweeping. Not that Zar expected to turn up anything, but it was somewhat therapeutic. Or something like that.

Jackson exhaled, "Unf. Will you hurry up with that -- you're wasting your time, anyways. Ship has AI systems...whole thing is one big bug." Not exactly an unfamiliar situation, that, as Revenian ships were the same way.

Kalazar raised an eyebrow, "Not necessarily..."

Jackson growled, "And you keep your colored boxes away from me."

Kalazar just grinned....

Jackson sighed and flopped off the bed, onto his feet, to cross to his pile of luggage. He hadn't had time to unpack yet, but his booze cooler was present, and a bottle of Blackrose was yanked out quickly enough. He tracked down a pair of glasses, forced one upon Zar, sloshed a finger or so into each glass, then stepped back, raised his glass...

"Asa-Karath!"

The potent liquor burned on its way down, but that didn't stop his twisted grin...not entirely because a human had a fair chance of not surviving a shot of Blackrose...

But maybe just a little because of that.

Whiptails suite (http://www.atddm.com/whiptail.jpg)...Those who'd decorated it hadn't quite understood what had been meant by comfortably casual Argonian fashion, they just hadn't, but then again the Colonel's suite (http://www.atddm.com/kettich.jpg) was just as bad...

The suite's holocom chimed as it recieved an incoming message. A hologram of Mm'rr'll appeared, "What to you want o' scaley one? And we still haven't dealt with that leg yet. If you are feeling up to it, follow the bouncing ball."

A sphere of muted but still very visable red light appeared by his door. It would lead him out of the 'Explorer's Zone and deep in to crew country. Once the door slid open it was to the unmusical sound of Mm'rr'll yowlering curses as she nursed a nearly torn out claw and thwapped a machine of incomprehensible use with her tail. "I hate time machines!" She snarled ,thawping the object once more for good measure.

"Asa-Karath!"

"Actually Professor Straker, the Falling Star does not have A.I. systems, we, that is myself, Star and Shiva are the ship. We are not one big bug. We are like what the classical historical japanese were supposed to be. See but not see, hear but not hear, breaking privacy only when a crime is committed. Discretion, is not something built in, it is learned for survival's sake." Fell the senoir A.I. of the Falling Star explained.

While no, they weren't sharing quarters, Jackson and Zar were shareing a three bedroom suite (http://www.atddm.com/jackzar.jpg) - all of the beds over sized so that Zar would feel comfortable in any one of them, each bedroom having it's own over sized bath. Library, two offices and a very spacious 'gathering room' made up the rest of the living area.

"Adept de la Mar requested that I advise you that your favorite past time is going to drop the flag in roughly thirty minutes, and that your hotrod is accessible if you wish to join in."

Whiptail, with little else to occupy his time, simply rose from his seat and did as asked, following behind the small red sphere that would take him to where it was he was needed, or something like that. Drink in hand, the former assassin set off down the corridor. He'd left the bracer and the rest of his gear where it sat, but then decided he at least needed the overly-shiny armband to access certain parts of the ship. After retrieveing it, he again resumed his leisurely pace towards what he assumed was a medical bay...

Colonel Kerrich went through a similar routine, disarming after he walked through the door and fixing himself a stiff drink. The mission was already looking like a failure and failure wasn't a word in his vocabulary, not since he'd lost his eye. Lying back on the oversized bed, sipping slowly on a glass of scotch, his keen mind began to develop a new plan, one that was a little less aggressive in its execution...

Jackson raised an eyebrow, lowering his glass from lips, now drained of the dark red liquor.

"I see. My apologies for the mistake, then. I do so hope you and your colleagues were not offended by my confusion..."

Then he returned the bottle of Blackrose to the cooler -- he'd worry about moving in later, turned to Zar, and raised an eyebrow.

"Shall we go put the Puma through its paces?"

Kalazar grinned, nodded once, "Certainly. What could more be fun than racing a stock gunjeep?"

Jackson shrugged, "Well, we could have brought my Kal-Drak, but that wouldn't be very useful, now would it?"

Zar grinned, "Indeed not. Fun, though..."

The Kal-Drak Customs were limited-production coupes constructed by a team of RevTek engineers, led by Vysarian Stark, as a side-project. Less than a dozen had been built so far, and Jackson Straker owned one of them...

Not that bringing it along had ever even passed through his mind. The Puma was a military gunjeep, rugged, reliable, and Jackson and Zar had used one as a planetary rover for as long as they'd been doing the Xenoarchaeology gig.

It was also very fast, and possessed of rather unique handling characteristics that made it very useful as an offensive weapon...provided one was a skilled driver, which, inevitably, Jackson was...

"Well, you can't blame me," Lee countered. "I learned along time ago not to trust computers. The AEM EMS. You know, they say that sixty percent of the time, it works all the time."

He stepped into the shower bay, and stripped down, hanging his own clothes over the frame. He quick twist snapped the water over to its near but not quite hottest setting. Standing under the water, he let himself get oriented, and noted the location of the soap and shampoo. Never one to mature, Lee quickly splashed a bit more than a handful of the gel into his hand, and within seconds had something resembling a partially respectable mohawk.

While all but lounging under the water, he managed to break into an off key, but at least lyrically correct, version of Lights and Sounds, while soaping up. He actually had the ability to sing well when he chose to use it, no wasn't one of those times. If he was going to get a free shower, he was going to use it. His water bills had slowly been increasing, though they had dropped out after his girlfriend had left him. The benefits of only showering every other day.

A good thirty minutes later, he stepped out of the shower bay, dry and freshly dressed in a plain black tee shirt and pair of jeans. He pulled on the Chucks, his preferred pair of foot ware, and ran a hair through his hair. The bay had been devoid of gel, mouse, or spray to spike his hair up as he normally did. However, letting it go for a bit would be a new change.

"So now what?"

Mm'rr'll looked about as Whiptail entered and grumped somemore "Be a very wise being and never bother with time travel. It produces more problems than it solves, and the machinery is just so much Crap!" One last tail thwap for good measure and she chuckled and her tail looped with laughter, good humor returing quickly.

Her whiskers twitched forward and she looked at him with a questioning tilt to her head "Now why do you want me to lead your little colonization effort?...And just how do you plan on keeping the excretia of a government you people have currently out of it?" The Xas asked bluntly.

Whiptail took another thoughtful swig of his drink before responding...

"That's an easy one. There's dissention in the ranks, on the Modernist side at least. The Insurgents, well, they aren't going to be too keen on space travel, but they'll get used to it. We can't exactly trick them, but their casualties have been high since the beginning and everyone's tired of fighting, so getting colonists shouldn't be a problem once we explain that the current government isn't going to have a part in it. The only truly loyal troops they have at this point are their Special Forces, even the Longhunters and STAB are getting tired of killing and getting killed. We give the troops an out-bound option, they'll rebel and there aren't enough SF to keep them under control. Aside from the Intelligence Service, who hate my guts by the way, they'll have nothing left to defend themselves or keep order. People will go where they please, and a lot of them will probably go with us..."

Another swig from the bourbon before he continued was a matter of course...

"And I was wanting you to handle it for obvious reasons, if you've got the time. You were invaluable way back when, during Tellian's odyssey we would have died out on the seas, or shortly after if not for your medical attention. This is more your element, so I figured you'd have more success this time. But above all..."

Whiptail finally drained his glass, setting it aside with a faint click...

"I trust you more than anyone else here... And the Colonel thinks your son is going to eat him, which is a plus..."

That last part was a joke, but it served to lighten up the mood a little bit...

"I trust you more than anyone else here... And the Colonel thinks your son is going to eat him, which is a plus..."

Mm'rr'll chortled and her tail looped again in laughter. "Fair enough on that, but your Parliment is going to try to stop the defections of its military." The humor left her voice. Better to get the unpleasant truths out in the open now.

"They'll use their special forces to stop, and if unable to stop, to kill your 'deserters'..." She'd bet a whisker or two on that happening. She'd seen it elsewhere.

Her normally kindly eyes got very cold "You put this in my hands and any of MY potential colonists get injured, shot at or worse killed...there might not be much of your nation left when I get through. Willing to pay the butcher's bill if it comes down to the claw?"

Even though like all Xa'Cz'inni she had spent time in the military, that wasn't her forte, but she was a Xa'Cz'inni and all that they were...

And the female of the species is more deadly than the male...

Whiptail reached for his glass again, but set it down again after he found it was empty...

"The Special Forces don't outnumber the rank and file. There's maybe two hundred of them, the regulars, combined with the Longhunters and STAB, come up to roughly a million. SF would get slaughtered, they're not that good. The Intel Service can use pistols and such pretty well, but they're not soldiers. Some are ex-military, but not all of them. We've been fighting for nearly eight years straight, we're tired of killing each other because some asshole on high says so. We've paid your butcher's bill several times over already. You'll have roughly a million guys with guns on your side, not to mention the Insurgents, whose numbers nobody really knows, but there's a lot of them..."

Again he looked at the empty glass, scowling at it one last time...

"It won't come to that, I've done my homework. I've talked to guys on both sides, and lots of people want the fighting to stop. Most of the Modernists are going to want to go with you, a lot of the Insurgents too..."

"It won't come to that, I've done my homework. I've talked to guys on both sides, and lots of people want the fighting to stop. Most of the Modernists are going to want to go with you, a lot of the Insurgents too..."

Mm'rr'll nodded solemnly. "Now what about the divide against Modernist and Insurgetn. Are the Insurgents going to demand that every body go back to living in grass huts and such? Are the Modernests going to demand that the Insurgents give up their tradittional ways?"

"And it will be made very public knowledge that neither you or the colonel have the planetary data. That will put the kibob...or is it kibosh" She frowned momentairly and continued "on any kidnaping and questioning attempts. I alone will have it" And she twitched her nose in dark amusement "and they can try with me all they want."

"So now what?"

Star gave Lee a thorough inspection. "Might pass for civilized now, at least you don't stink"

Ahead of them vast double doors opened and the sounds of...something (http://youtube.com/watch?v=9IOpuGVoyCk) spilled into the quiet of the side corridor they had been in ..and was quickly joined by more (http://youtube.com/watch?v=ZAVDNCC_oik)

"Oh gnu's is it time already? Oh the noise, it's appaling!" Star yelled as she clapped her hands over her ears.

"I see. My apologies for the mistake, then. I do so hope you and your colleagues were not offended by my confusion..."

"Oh no sire the disctinction is narrow and we don't offend easily, thank you though Doctor Straker." Fall had responded to the aoplogy, though none really was needed.

When the pair readied themselves he provided them with a guidelight and soon they were in to what had once been the secondary fight launch and retrieval area. The each of the two tracks were nearly a hundred meters wide, and nearly five thousand meters long.

The race course took one out the launch track, made a 'U' and came back up the track - then spiraled down the narrower ramps to the fighter storage bay, then across the bay- a good nine hundred meters, then back up the other side. The far spiral led to the recovery track, out it then another 'U'u and back up to the finish line.

A run totalling all but 20 kilometers...and since the tracks were circular design, the racers - if they possessed a vehicle capable of such - could ride up the sides of the walls. And since the ship curved so the the tracks.

There were area's of varied gravity, and there were physcial obstacles.

The spiral ramps at either end of the storage area were narrower than the tracks; presenting their own set of dificulties - the were seven levels and there was room to pass only at every other level.

And the fighter storage bay they had to cross was pitch black...with hologram popups and some popups that weren't...

example of tracks and spirals (http://www.faefolk.info/racec1.jpg)

Lee looked in the direction of the sound, and a somewhat half hearted shrug followed. "I've heard louder," he mused. "CGT with pipes. Ten grand for two pieces of two foot long four inch steel and a mandrel bend. Pure profit."

And he was right. There was something about people who owned exotic cars having more dollars than sense. He chuckled at the thought of statement. More dollars than sense.

"I crack myself up," he chuckled to himself, and looked towards the bay. "So I guess you want to check it out then?"

"So I guess you want to check it out then?"

Star cringed "No, the last thing I want to do is subject myself to any more of that racket than I half too. Come on I still have to figure out what to do with you, but I'm beginning to think that finding a way to quietly send you home would be best."

Woth a whoose the doors closed to ehr silent order and quiet redescended. She nodded silently. "You're senisble it seems, from the reports I've read on Imitora most of you seem to be inappropriately fascinated with those smelly dangerous automobiles."

With the table now deserted, Liam continued to enjoy the wide variety of food offered whilst Cassy had taken to wandering around the room, examining the various furnishings and such.

"How much do you think this ship cost?"

Liam didn't bother to look up but managed a few words between filling his mouth.

"Billions. I believe this ship was originally military and was converted, so they would have forked out the cost for building it. No doubt the modifications cost a hefty sum though."

Finally returning to the table, Cassy gave Liam a stern look before indicating they should move onto their rooms.

"I think you've had enough to eat. You won't be any good at protecting me if you're too bloated to move."

Liam simply returned a comical grin as he finished his last bight.

"I've had my fill anyway... now I need a large bed to collapse on."

The pair followed previously given directions to their suite and managed to get there with little trouble. The decor of their accommodation was far more than either was used to, although they would not complain about being put up in such comfortable quarters.

Cassy noted all their luggage had already been delivered and thus began dragging some of her personal effects into her bedroom whilst Liam settled himself on the couch and managed to activate the television.

Seconds later, Cassy reappeared to see Liam in the same position, although now with a beer and glass of wine in hand.

"Care for a drink?"

Cassy stood there, stunned for a moment.

"Where did you get that from?"

"Bar fridge... near the TV."

As if he knew what she would ask next, Liam grinned as he released the glass of wine and directed it to float through the air, towards Cassy.

"You're not the only one that can play a few mind games."

Whiptail chuckled...

"They've been after me for years. As for the divide between the two, I don't know. Just let them do what they want when they get to where-ever it is they're going and they should get along. They just want the fighting to stop. Most of them have forgotten why they're fighting anyway, especially the younger ones that grew up that way. My solution was to break into the national media center and broadcast a message to every TV screen and satellite feed in the nation, letting everyone know where to go and what to bring. The government will probably post their goons around those locations, but those defecting soldiers and the insurgents will be able to coerce them into standing down without too much violence..."

He appreciated her concern, and her help in the matter, but now he wanted to talk about something else...

"So where's your son's father now? You two are the only Xa I can find on the ship..."

"So where's your son's father now? You two are the only Xa I can find on the ship..."

"Oh there are a few more around, in sciences, engineering and in communication - the crew is pretty evenly divided percentage wide with Empire species populations."

Her whiskers twitched, but not forward, more of a stettling.." Raa'gggn'rr has been gone on many turnings now. I was half way though my pregnancy when we first met you should remember. But you might not have noticed, and I'm not certain with out deeply searching my memory if it ever got mentioned in your hearing."

She explained that Xas pregnancies lasted somewhat over two Earth years, and that a Xas could hold a fertilized egg in biostasis for over a decade.

"Oh Raaggs and I had met too young, scandalized every one... his death was what caused me to leave the military, get my degree and ..." She chuffed "Made me even more of the odd tail out."

There was a solem nod on his part. Loss was part of who he was, and had stayed that way for some time now...

"I know what you mean. Government death squads raided my mate's house in Raven's Rest shortly after they raided the Shadowscale compound. My wife and six children were slaughtered as a result of being associated with me... That happened long after I left the Havas colony anyway, not that you'd know. I haven't so much as looked at another female for nearly five hundred years... Hence the constant wandering, helps me outrun the past..."

An unfamiliar look crossed his face, one of comtemplation. Usually foot-loose and carefree, Whiptail now seemed lost in a long-withheld memory he'd been keeping locked inside for some time now...

Hence the constant wandering, helps me outrun the past..."

Mm'rr'll nodded, not needing to speak. She understood how he felt. Her whiskers drooped a little, and her tail settled into loose loops about her waist.

She had loved Raggs dearly and missed him to this day, though she had not remained single out of some misguided notion of 'loyality' or 'devotion' to him and his memory. Or guilt, though she carried her share of survivor guilt. If she'd been better, faster, meaner...

Almost unheard "The past can't be outrun it has to be faced, doesn't it?" She lapsed into silence again

Though her life wasn't filled with military dangers now, she was an explorer, one of her species First Contact specialists, and her life was seldom without some - and mostly unanticipated ( not matter how much they tried to out- wit Mr. Murphy...) danger... it often seemed unwise, and unkind, to fall in love again, though she had to admit - as much as she didn't want to - that she was lonelier inside than she ever wanted others to know.

"Some times wandering footloose and fancy free isn't all it's stacked up to be is it?" She said very softly after a few minutes of contemplative silence

Whiptail snapped out of his contemplative meditation...

"You're damn skippy... Sometimes it gets lonely to the point that you want to put a bullet in your own head just to make it stop. They were all I had in this world..."

All most before he'd finished speaking Mm'rr'll's tail had lashed out and thwaped him...Hard!

"Build you a new life. You want your people to start over, Well, you need to too! It's never too late to love again.!" Her voice was adamant, nearly a shout. "Any woman who would turn you down is an utter fool. And you're a hell of a lot more than some mere Shadowscale assassin. So don't try and play that card!"

For now, let's just pretend we're not very important people in political arenas, and just enjoy this. Here. Now. Then, later, I've got something to tell you."

His heart jumped in his chest, as he wondered if Aeris were pregnant. He'd mentioned once that he'd loved to have children, but in the end it was her decission. He started to say something then stilled himself, though the thought of his wife on such a dangerous activity as exploring space filled him with worry, and no little fear. But he wrestled that aside and contented him self with the 'here and now' as she'd requested.

He picked her up and stood, carrying her from the living room into their richly appointed bedroom and laid her carefully upon the bed. Then he took half a step back to admire her. "Yes definitely a picture of desireability" He grinned wickedly and then without warning pounced upon her. He spent the next few hours letting her know exactly how much he'd missed her,

A few hours later, Aeris lay upon her backside, with Rob lying with his head on her stomach and well asleep. She stroked his hair with her fingers absently, as her mind rapidly circulated thoughts regarding the expedition. Every once in a while, her thoughts returned to the vision, trying to filter new information from it each time.

She had told Rob, and he had reassured her that they would be fine, but she had her doubts. They knew nothing of the galaxy save for what their preliminary long range scans had picked from the vast black of space. She wondered if they would be as ruthlessly primal as the demons had been, or if instead they'd be a refined culture of some sort. She wondered just how deadly they might be if things went sour. She wondered many things, but while all these thoughts ran through her mind, she was still quite complacent, calm. Rob had done his job well on that.

Smiling slightly at this, she brushed a strand of his hair away from his ear, her fingers moving to gently massage it. At last, she lifted his head, setting a pillow beneath it as she moved to a full length mirror anchored on the wall near the closet. She noted her hair, noted how tangled it had gotten, and groaned quietly. Picking up the brush from the small shelf nearby, she started to gently unravel the hair before she paused. Removing the brush from her hair, she looked at it, laughing softly before tossing it behind her. She looked into the mirror again at her hair, whispered quietly, and watched as the hair seemed to gain a life of its own. It waved about, snaked itself into stylish fashion.

Minutes later, she was dressed, and she returned to where Rob was. Her hand brushed his cheek, tapping slightly. "Wake up, sweetie."

All most before he'd finished speaking Mm'rr'll's tail had lashed out and thwaped him...Hard!

"Build you a new life. You want your people to start over, Well, you need to too! It's never too late to love again.!" Her voice was adamant, nearly a shout. "Any woman who would turn you down is an utter fool. And you're a hell of a lot more than some mere Shadowscale assassin. So don't try and play that card!"

He was going to need more to drink if they were going to have this conversation...

"I don't, it was dealt to me and it's all I've got in my deck at the moment. Knife-work and a lonely occupation doesn't breed romantics, especially in my line of work. A new planet and a new life would certainly help, though..."

There was a pause, then he spoke again...

"Define 'woman'. I don't think your race defines their female gender as 'women'. Argonians haven't until the Modernization, but that changed a lot more than social terms..."

Mm'rr'll caught the semi desperate look in Whiptail's eyes and padded over to a cabinet and removed a large flask apparently made from some dark wood and nodded to a battered table and chairs set over in one corner. "Come on sit down ...you'll be needing to, this stuff is my emergency stock. It's name translates out as 'More Please', mostly 'cause you Want more until it kicks in then you Need more."

She sat down after grabbing two large tumblers and splashing them a very generous half full. Half of hers went down in one swallow...

Falling for a second into the rumbly torn sik laced with delicatedly precise tonally altered snarls she muttered to herself for a second then apologised "I've been around humans too much...but woman, female, the gentler gender, generally the sex given the gift burden of carrying new life till it can survive with out.." The list that followed was some thirty words long, Whiptail could tell, but what languages they were in was only guessable. Though one of them was Argonian for the gender opposite his own...

"Humans had to over come a long reign of patriarchy and all it's attendant ills. We weren't designed to have or allowed to have anything like that. Those who...well if They hadn't needed genders for reproduction they wouldn't have given them to us, but They did and so we have them."

She took another long sip from her glass, running her tongue over her whiskers to make sure she hadn't mussed them. She flattened her ears and wasn't going to be disuaded

"But in the end it doesn't matter the gender, or the species - what matters is the emotion. Find someone to love, and let yourself love." Her eyes, though compassionate, bored into him to his soul, or so it seemed. "Love doesn't recognise boundaries. And yeah you are the big, bad, past master, and grandfather of all assassins, and your heart is armored like no other" She snorted and rolled her eyes at that. "Some one got through once, and I have no doubts will again.

Whiptail threw back his drink in a single gulp, totally unlike him to do so...

"Don't patronize me, Mm'rr'll, it's not your style. I just need a little time to get back in touch with my emotions, or whatever Dr. Phil said the last time I watched his horrible television show. I also need to find the right 'woman', for lack of a better term..."

There was more of a joking tone to his comment, and a gleam of understanding in his eyes as he refilled his glass for the second time. His heart was hard, true, but even the hardest of materials could be shaped, molded. Diamonds were a prime example. They didn't come from the rock in such perfect shapes, they had to be ground down, perfected. The process was similar to his own training, taking a barely-coherent young hatchling and griding and shaping it into a killing tool worthy of the term 'scalpel'. The emotional conditioning was part of the process, which included seperation from the parents until he was much older.

Mm'rr'll probably knew all of that, she'd lived with the Argonians for a time way back when, and she probably knew how to puncture the layers of defenses on his soul, that sort of knowledge came with time, age, expeirence, whatever you wished to call it...

"You wouldn't have any idea how to do that, would you? And enough with the tail-smacking! Mine's scaly and stings a bit more..."

Jackson looked the area over, then grinned, glancing at his large friend for a moment or two, before setting his fingers to his lips and whistled. Which was odd as hell, until the Puma rolled up in front of the pair...

Spawn Riders were great. Really.

Jackson easily hopped the side-board, settling into the driver's seat and taking the time to secure the restraint harness. Kalazar, in his customary role as co-pilot, ensured that everything was secure (specifically, the pintle-mount for the tri-barrel being securely retracted, and the tri-barrel itself was in its hard-box) before taking his own place in the open-top gunjeep and securing his own harness.

Jackson brought the vehicle to life, the guttural roar was quite viscerally pleasing...if one knew it was a friendly roar. To those not intimately acquainted with it, it was quite terrifying, which was the intention. Oddly, it was also completely artificial -- the Puma's mass conversion powerplant emitted a barely audible hum at its loudest. The 'roar' was added because it was felt appropriate -- though it was possible to disable it with the flip of a toggle for operations wherein one didn't necessarily want to herald one's approach...

Jackson grinned idly and pulled his commo helmet out from beneath his seat, buckling it on. Kalazar followed short thereafter. The commo helmets in question were by and large standard AFESSR-issue -- sleek, low-profile, comfortable, light-weight. The flip-down visor was normally a largely transparent cyan, but served as a HUD display as necessary...and, more to the point, he didn't have to yell.

"Interesting idea, racing in a launch bay...I suspect our fly-boys would have a conniption if we tried it on an RSN ship, though..." Zar grinned at Jackson as he ran the Puma's diagnostic program.

Jackson chuckled, "Oh, absolutely. Wouldn't be worth it, either. We don't have big launch tracks like this. We launch and retrieve from, what, fifty meter tracks? Tops? Can't run the engines inside ship and whatnot, so it's grav-'pult to get out and grav-trap on retrieval."

Zar shrugged, "That'd be because we have a practical navy and practical ship-designers. Practical often equates to 'no fun 'tall.'"

Jackson rolled his eyes, "Don't you start..."

Then he put his foot down, revving the drive a bit... Wheeled vehicles were scarce in AFESSR service -- superseded by MR-powered ground effect vehicles, then the more-recent grav-floats like M2 Lancer MBT...and for fairly sane reasons, there. Exceptional density and whatnot. But the Puma remained, because it was the Puma...

Driving a Puma in an enclosed space was not particularly difficult -- the gunjeep was designed to be a stable gun-platform at extremely high speeds in extremely rough terrain. Which didn't mean that one didn't get tossed about, it just meant that one didn't get tossed about as much as one probably deserved -- all the Puma had to do was keep the tossing within the limits of the stabilized gun-mount.

Sure, it took some getting used to...but once one was used to it, it was an incredibly responsive machine...and then there were the gidgets.

The gidgets being the suite full of odd goodies that get packed into Fleet Marine Pumas (which this particular Puma was.) You see, the Mass Reactor powering the Puma, in spite of its diminutive size, still produced energy far in surplus to the needs of the Gunjeep itself, even at the peak of spike-draw, say, when flooring the accelerator. So, the Puma carried an extensive suite of little toys that took advantage of this power surplus...

One of these 'little toys' was a very limited gravitic system that, while incapable of providing propulsion, did, with the help of some very smart computers, allow the Puma to 'stick' to surfaces for periods...or long periods, if one was moving at a high speed and wasn't otherwise drawing excessively on the mass reactor's power output.

Of course, while the gunjeep itself could, effectively, drive up walls, or drive on the ceiling (provided that the ceiling could support it doing so...), the grav-unit didn't do anything for the vehicle's occupants -- thus the harnesses...

Well, that and getting thrown out of a moving vehicle (out, yes, because the Puma is an open-air vehicle) is unpleasant. Especially when said vehicle is moving at a fair clip...

"You wouldn't have any idea how to do that, would you? And enough with the tail-smacking! Mine's scaly and stings a bit more..."

Mm'rr'll held up a placating hand s she refilled his glass, saying nothihng about the way he'd tossed it back.

"Become someone new, lay your old life aside and Start Over. What do you think I did. Raggs and I were in the military for over three centuries. He was our version of a Shadowscale you know, he was one of the Zerr'th gens, you've only seen my big ugly self. The Zerr'th gens are smaller more built for ultimate in stealthy movement and disappearing into shadows...he wasn't any taller than you. And his pelt was a hundred shades of dark and shadow. My daughter looks just like him" She sighed as memories rose up and a small smile went and came across her lips.

"Join your new colony, learn new skills, mingle with them as one of them."

Her eyes sharpened "I can do that you know, that is our medical staff can, make you look totally different. New name, new life, meet and mingle....and trust."

"Damn Man don't freak my day like that!" Came the yelp as one of the ship's crew jumped out of the way when the Puma headed directly to Jackson and Zar. No one mentioned that the thing was EYEd!" His heavy sweatshirt read:

'Universal University Temporal Physics Department: In How Many Times Did You Want To Do It?"

He noted that both had put on helmets "Yeah, good! They're required as when ya hit the reversed G zones...well the captain would get kinda upset if any one inadvertantly killed themsevles. He might tell us to stop." The slightly stocky man had the bearing of some one ex-military -He'd reached the rank equivallent of the Command Sargeant Major back when he'd served as a Tanaran Strike Marine aboard the Falling Star, back when the BattleCruiser had been a warship. He'd retired when the Falling Star had, and gotten a doctorate but found he didn't enjoy it as much as he did being in space, so he'd signed on as the Load Master.

"Now you can't shoot at your opponents, but if you can aquire parts of the obsticals you can throw them at the opposition or place them at points other than they were originally dispersed. There are five of you in this run. The others will be rolling out of their bays any moment now."

Whiptail's eyes narrowed in a combination of surprise and concern...

"No. Flat-out no. I'm quite happy with how I look, thank you! If you want to integrate some genetic upgrades into my genome, that's fine. No tinkering with anything else, please. My looks are what makes me who I am, and I wouldn't be 'Whiptail' if I didn't have this little bastard following me around, would I?"

His tail made a series of loopy movements, much similar to what Mm'rr'll had been doing earlier to illistrate his point...

"And how many children do you have? You've got one son who looks like you and one daughter that looks like her father..."

"And how many children do you have? You've got one son who looks like you and one daughter that looks like her father..."

She nodded, for in all truth she wouldn't want to see him as looking any different. Whiptail was Whiptail was Whiptail...

"Just them...and oh shattered claws... You know more about this dating thing, than I do. I've been alone nearly as long as you've been alive. And I sure as shards can't take human accomplishent as any indicator. IF they're monogamous, they end up divorcing, and those that fall into the group marriage or more catagory ... I don't know" She shrugged more than half embarrased "I've never made any special study of it"

Now it ws her turn to toss back her glass and refill it. "I'd 'break' most humans I'm afraid. I'm too small and delicate for most of the S'vrrash gens, the 'big and burly' side, too big for the Zerr'th gens. They gave Raggs so much shit over loving me, we joined early just to get away from it."

"So I don't know how much help I can be to you. But meeting people seems to be the way to go. You don't have any chances to meet the right one, if you don't meet any one."

Whiptail wasn't much for the whole dating scene anyway, it just wasn't his thing. Meeting random people was too hostile to get anything done...

"We'll see how these colonies work out, and maybe I'll find someone of worth there..."

Then he realized something about what she'd said that struck him as weird...

"You're attracted to humans?"

It struck him as a little odd, but then again some of his comrades from the Shadowscale service had found human women attractive as well...

"You're attracted to humans?"

That caused Mm'rr''ll to blink and look at him rather owlishly "No, the pheremones don't hit quite right, or I haven't met any yet that did. Not to say that I don't find them ugly...no tails no fur? No big huuhuu ...That was more of an example, and in the end it isn't about sex. What's the hardest to be without is the emotional intimacy, the closeness...oh by the last whisker...Ragg's would sit there and braid my mane and ..." Her voice shuddered hard "I could feel his soul touching mine, or he'd look up at me after we'd made a kill together and the universe would stop and I'd fall forever into his eyes and know that I could trust him from one life till the next. But most of the time when one gets that emotionally involved, physical comes into play, and the last thing I'd ever want would to injur..."

She chuffed and shugged. "I'm an old Xas with too much 'More Please' in me."

Whiptail was a bit put off by a few of her comments, and didn't take much wondering to figure out what a 'huuhuu' was either. That seemed a little unlike her, but still, she'd said it...

"And what the Hell does 'more please' mean? You live for damn near forever, why do you have to ask for more?"

The alcohol was starting to take effect, and he felt the front of his brain beginning to slow down, but years of training allowed him to focus through it, minimize the effects. He subconciously pushed the empty glass aside, not wanting to advance his drunken state any further...

"Wake Up Sweetie"

"Do I have to?" He querried as he opened one eye and wrapped an arm about his wife and hugguing her tight to him, but eventually he released her, after claiming a good morning kiss. Rob slowly got out of bed, stretching luxuriously before padding in to the spacious bathroom and into the shower, where he ordered the hottest water he could stand, followed by a yelp making artic old burst. Once he was dressed he and Aeris would check in on their teammates,

The firsrt stop was Ares, he wanted just a quick check in at the Tanaarans best kept secret. Not even Aeris knew about Ares.

"And what the Hell does 'more please' mean? You live for damn near forever, why do you have to ask for more?"

Mm'rr'll chuffed, "Now I know you're distracted, More Please " She gestured at the bottle now more than mostly empty "The name translates out as "More Please" and I've had enough, and I think so have you...Now tell me this Whiptail, why haven't you killed him yet, and that one named Derrinit"

She gave him a look at his look..."What?! You think that a Tanaaran TMI created dossier, backed by those shadow ears of Cats Keep won't mention such things - to the right people?

Whiptail's expression hardened, he could feel those cold holes in his chest again, and the helplesness and the rage that had come with them from so long ago...

"Derrinit was assassinated shortly after my organization was raided, so they named the Special Warfare center after her. You'll note that we only have females in positions of power, at least insofar as the Modernization. I can't exactly kill her again, although I'd like to. It wasn't even the Shadowscales either, just one of the Silver Claw warrior-monks who was pissed off about being booted out of his monestary..."

He paused for a moment, handing himself the empty glass with his tail so he could fiddle with it, a distraction from a painful memory as he stared into the empty container...

"And Kerrich still lives because he's useful. Despite the being the monster he is, deep down he does what he thinks is right for the Argonian people. He can also follow orders to a 'T', which makes him handy when you need something done. I thought about killing him for years, until revenge was all I had left and then I realized that once he died I'd have nothing to live for. It's an odd sort of logic, I know, but until I find something to live for again besides watching him die, he's got a free pass..."

Whiptail looked up again, catching Mm'rr'll squarely in the eyes...

"How exactly did you find that out? I destroyed all the records myself a while ago..."

Okay so he'd caught that...

"Destroying records doesn't destroy the actions they record" She gestured to the machine she'd been fighting with. "That is a Temporal Transit Device." There, she'd handed him the gift if he could but discern it.

The one that had been handed to her all those long turnings ago when she'd been interviewed for the Order.

He thought he had her meaning, but then again he could just be drunk and not know it...

"I'm not going back in time. The past makes me who I am today, and I don't want to change that. They died for a reason, even if I can't think of a good one at the moment. The war will end, my people will move on, and so will I. Maybe a new life among the stars will give me the fresh start I need, that all my race needs, and I'm eager to find out..."

She had to make sure...

"Whiptail, all they found were charred beyond identification remains...what if those weren't their remains but those of some unknonws, or lab created piles of cloned cells...what if they were snatched into the future.."

Mm'rr'll was no where near drunk, her nanites wouldn't let her, she could have consumed three or four bottles without effect. Internally she was ready to react if he snapped. She didn't hink he would but she'd only watched him from a distance for years, he could have changed more than she predict. But thats what they pay me the big bucks - though why large deer are so important, beyond being good hunting inside she of...

Whiptail eyed her curiously...

"Now that's just retarded. I'm not John F. fucking Kennedy..."

There was an uneasy laugh somewhere in there...

"Enough with the conspiracy theories. They're dead. End of story..."

Mm'rr'll nodded and smiled inside. "So when I find you again in ten or fifteen years you'll be happily captured by a smart mouthed green scaled little Argonian lady with your second set of hatchlings on the way..."

She broke off as the annunciator chimed and admitted a tall slender man with great brown wings furled tightly against his back. "Lady Mirrelle, you had one that needed.." He stopped as he saw Whiptail, and studied him hard for a moment, his eys seeming to see beyond the 'real'... "Oh" he said slowly "Thats not going to be easy.."

Then his voice firmed and he gave the Argonian a small nod and his voice was confident "But I can do it, though it will take several session. You have a fair amount cuirculating though out all of you, good sir" He added as he moved to sit cattycornered from Whiptail.

"Prop the leg up, I need to start at the place where you got bit. It took the form of a giant snake, is that correct?"

Whiptail did as asked, lifting his left leg with ease beyond its usual range of motion...

"Left thigh, on the outside. It had teeth, that's all I remember. Someone else shot it and I snapped its head into little pieces and broke a fang off in my leg in the process. The venom causes some weird visions, and it won't heal properly..."

The former assassin wound up having to remove his pants for the doctor to get a good look at the afflicted area. The scales around it were cracked and darker than his usual healthy charcoal hue. The scar tissue looked fresh, but still raw to the touch. Being as long-lived as they were, Whiptail's rare breed were posessed of an outstanding immune system and natural healing abilities as far as conventional wounds were concerned. Wounds that took months to heal were back to original functionality in mere weeks. This, however, wasn't a normal wound...

"The incisions I made to get the fang out and drain some of the venom have healed well, it's just the actual puncture wounds from the teeth themselves..."

The Celestial knelt down by where Whiptail sat and with a brief warning.."This may feel strange" Wrapped his hands around the Argonian's legs just above and below the bite.

And suddenly Whiptail was back in Hell, the first seconds after the bite had happened...

The world had changed, and not for the better. He'd escaped here once, and he'd do it again...

"Not again, dammit..."

He was unarmed, and alone this time. He'd only barely survived before, and then he'd been well-armed and part of a group. His chances looked slim this time around...

"Mm'rr'll? What's happening?"

Then the pain hit him, the creature was lodged in his leg again and the acid-like venom was burning through his veins. Again, he reached down but this time he grasped the thing by the neck, below the head, and twisted his wrist sharply to sever the spine. It went limp in his hand, and he cast the creature aside...

"Mm'rr'll? What's happening?"

Large, soft but strong hands held him down against the cool smooth floor. 'Carefull Whiptil, gently old friend. It's okay just memory" Mm'rr'll's rumbly voice soothed. His lightheadedness made it hard to see for a moment, then she had him back in the chair he'd been in.

The Celestial was climbing to his feet from where he'd landed across the considerable width of the room. A hand full of feathers were spread helterskelter about. He rubbed his jaw with one hand "You pack quite a punch my friend."

A burning coldness oozed down Whiptails leg, a virulent acid green rivulet seeping from the fang marks.

"Don't touch it, here lte me get it" The Celestial knelt and pulled an handfull of cloth froma belt pouch and wiped it away. "See me tomorrow and we'll do this again. You caught a big dose. Most others would have died."

He stood and looked at Whiptail very seriously "UI do very much mean that. Most others would have died. Besure to get some sleep and a good meal into you. You're going to feel weak as the proverbial kitten."

His vision returned to him, and he eased back in the chair...

"Oh shit, my fault... You might want to warn me what's going on next time..."

The venom had apparently still been in his system and hadn't fully been cycled out of his system like most toxins, the Argonian liver was a wonderous thing, it might be even better if Whiptail would quite abusing his own...

"The question is if YOU want to do this again. I promise not to hit you..."

The question was more of a joke, but he'd make a real effort next time not to knock the Hell out of the person trying to help him like a nut-job mental patient...

'There is no question of 'IF I wish to', it is simply a matter of I must, it is my obligation to Life, if you will, to wrest you from the venoms's grasp" The Celestial said somberly.

"And do not promise what you can not. You will probably hit me again, you may even try more effective means of striking out at what you will percieve as attacking you. The venom will make sure of that. It does not willingly relinquish it's hold on any one."

The Celestial bid them good evening - it had obviously taken quite a bit out of him.

"I'd suggest a long hot soak, the tubs in this tub are definitely big enough, then a light meal and bed" Her eyes flicked to the piece of machinery "I have work to do but I think first I'd better help you get to your room."

Whiptail, weakened as he was, caught her little eye-flick...

"Mm'rr'll, I'm an assassin. Your eyes can't lie to me, and they'll only betray you. Don't you dare go back in time and do anything stupid. Don't undo what's already been done..."

He felt drained, almost too drained to stop her, but he'd surely make the effort if he felt he needed to...

"Don't you do it. You already tried to have Big Bird kill me, or me kill him or whatever, I really can't tell who hurt who more. That's enough tomfoolery for today, I'm tired and I don't want to be worrying that you'll do something ignorant..."

Mm'rr'll twitched her whiskers at him. "Whiptail old friend, Brother, you already passed the test. But I have other errors that I am Oathed to fix...However those can wait untill I get you tucked in bed."

She helped him as much as his pride would let her and between the two of them they got him back to his suite.

"Would you like me to stay?" she offered quietly.

Whiptail flopped himself down onto the bed, flipping on the TV. His tone was a little more subdued than normal, but that was to be expected. He felt a bit like he'd been hit by a truck...

"You're more than welcome to. I don't really have any plans for the rest of the day..."

He'd welcome the company, the conversation, and the additional input on what sorts of drinks could be mixed with that wonderful liqour she'd brought out...

"I thought you had more important things to attend to?"

He didn't want to keep her from anything important, he was quite capable of taking care of himself and all he really needed was a bit more to drink and some sleep, maybe a joint or two...

Jackson nodded to show that he'd understood the other man's words. Even without the commo helmet's filtering, he could've heard and understood, but the helmet made things easier. He wasn't wearing it for safety, not primarily, but it wasn't not a consideration, either.

The commo helmet was as much of a Revenian institution as the Warblade, when you got down to it -- it was one of the few truly universal pieces of kit, in the sense that a Fleet Marine commo helmet was identical to a RevArm Tanker's commo helmet was identical to an RSN Admiral's commo helmet. The software was different, of course, but...

But they were all, at base, a Sculpted Iridium armor shell -- Jackson's helmet was an older model, still using Sculpted I rather than the now-current Sculpted II, but at this scale the differences between the two armor materials was pretty much insignificant. Integrated into and protected by this shell were the electronics. Extremely capable electronics, had to be, because a Strike Commander wore the same helmet with same electronics as the freshest of recruits...

Versatile -- they worked just fine with every single one of the armor systems in use, including the Marauder Combat Armor which so very familiar to both Jackson and Zar. They were an integral part of the current Fleet Marine 'Crusader' powered battle armor, too. Only when you get to the really fancy powered suits did you get 'unique' helmets. Cataphract, Myrmidon, Guardian Elite, so on.

It was also the only piece of his service armor that Jackson used regularly anymore -- MCA was great stuff -- excellent protection, pretty much indestructible, essentially null-maintenance, comfortable, and it wasn't power armor...but it was also quite recognizable, and, anyways, that part of his life was over. But the commo helmet worked just as well with the thinsuit that, even now, he wore under his clothes...it wasn't paranoia. Really. It wasn't.

Jackson grinned, then knocked helmets with Zar. Or, to be accurate, Zar knocked helmets with him. Height difference and all that...

"I thought you had more important things to attend to?"

'Right now you are ther most importqant thing to tend to...Time will wait" Mm'rr'll twitched an ear at him as she rummaged in the bedside table and came up with a cannister and rolling paper. "here this will help you get to sleep" She tossed them to him and sprawled out on the other half of the larger than kingsized bed.

She fished something prerolled out of one of her belt bouches and sniffed it appreciatively "Cannabis doesn't work on us but this has the same basic effect"

"So made any really interesting and difficult kills lately? or if thats not a conversation to your taste... What do you think of Papa Jango?"

Whiptail began the process of fixing himself an oversized 'hooter' while he spoke...

"He seemed like a good guy, I don't usually trust Yajunta any further than I can lift myself up by my shoelaces, but he seems alright..."

The rolling was quick, and he soon had it lit after a few puffs, blowing a ring of whispy smoke into the air...

"This stuff's not bad..."

The Argonian reclined against the headboard, taking his time...

Four other vehicles pulled out of various bays and lined up at the roughly pained starting line. Their drivers and copilots whooped and hollered as they did so, as did the growing crowd of on lookers. It was obvious that many small bets were being exchanged among the crowd.

"Now every one remember, it's just a race, don't do anything too stupid and the winner gets a bottle of More Please for their pains."

That brought a laugh. Given that it was a Xa'Cz'inni created beverage, there were few races that it failed to act on.

Two looked like old earth muscle cars, and the the other two were ...something or other that qualified as vehicles... maybe?

Papa Jango isn't your normal run of the mill Predator. As an Arbitor, kind of a roving Texas Ranger, Justice of the Peace, and bounty hunter, he had to be one of the best of the best to get where he is. He got bored with the Hunt. Most of them die before reaching his stature, and breath of experience."

She took a draw of the simstick, letting the resin laden breath settle into her lungs. The Barrishka would only effect her mildly, but atop of the 'More Please' it would be a very pleasant buzz.

"And he's a real asset in the field. Of course he's always on the look out for new things to Hunt. He's a Yatuja after all." She chuckled mellowly as her tail curled in lazy loops.

"Wake Up Sweetie"

"Do I have to?" He querried as he opened one eye and wrapped an arm about his wife and hugguing her tight to him, but eventually he released her, after claiming a good morning kiss. Rob slowly got out of bed, stretching luxuriously before padding in to the spacious bathroom and into the shower, where he ordered the hottest water he could stand, followed by a yelp making artic old burst. Once he was dressed he and Aeris would check in on their teammates,

The firsrt stop was Ares, he wanted just a quick check in at the Tanaarans best kept secret. Not even Aeris knew about Ares.

ooc: apologies...just kinda forgot about this thread...

IC:
After waiting for Rob to dress himself, they departed the room. Side by side, Aeris and Rob walked, with him slowing his usual pace so she could match step with him. They didn't move in any hurried fashion, but they didn't drag their feet either. Aeris looked at Rob quizzically, "The crew quarters are the other way." she stated, indicating with a finger in that direction. She studied his face, and sensed he was hiding something from her. "Rob...where are we going?"

"We have to make a quick stop, just to drop off some supplies, and to let you in on Tanaara's best kept secret" He guided his wife into a confrence room with a wide view point. That rather unimpressive planet, still undergoing terraforming is Ares. We've been building our star fleet here for five years."

http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/2030/aresbaseqp2.th.jpg (http://img525.imageshack.us/my.php?image=aresbaseqp2.jpg)

"And those are ours, completely built by us, to our own designs, aided and vetted by the Empire of course, as there is little they don't know about starship building. The ten you can barely see are Light Frigates, and the other twenty are corvettes. Small but still packing a punch. We'll have our first five Battle Cruisers finished next year, those we did use Empire designs on but only because no one does that class better"

http://img404.imageshack.us/img404/4214/lightfrigateoq0.th.jpg (http://img404.imageshack.us/my.php?image=lightfrigateoq0.jpg)

http://img404.imageshack.us/img404/1424/corvetterclasszf1.th.jpg (http://img404.imageshack.us/my.php?image=corvetterclasszf1.jpg)

"We have to make a quick stop, just to drop off some supplies, and to let you in on Tanaara's best kept secret" He guided his wife into a confrence room with a wide view point. That rather unimpressive planet, still undergoing terraforming is Ares. We've been building our star fleet here for five years."

http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/2030/aresbaseqp2.th.jpg (http://img525.imageshack.us/my.php?image=aresbaseqp2.jpg)

"And those are ours, completely built by us, to our own designs, aided and vetted by the Empire of course, as there is little they don't know about starship building. The ten you can barely see are Light Frigates, and the other twenty are corvettes. Small but still packing a punch. We'll have our first five Battle Cruisers finished next year, those we did use Empire designs on but only because no one does that class better"

http://img404.imageshack.us/img404/4214/lightfrigateoq0.th.jpg (http://img404.imageshack.us/my.php?image=lightfrigateoq0.jpg)

http://img404.imageshack.us/img404/1424/corvetterclasszf1.th.jpg (http://img404.imageshack.us/my.php?image=corvetterclasszf1.jpg)

Aeris cast her eyes across the things Rob showed her, and she felt a sense of wonder. It was clear now that the Dominion, apart from its predecessor and superior, was thriving, and thriving well. She linked an arm into his, smiling up at him.

"Clearly, the Dominion is shaping up to be a fine nation of its own accord." she complimented him, "Some more research and a dash of creativity, and your people will make a name for themselves, entirely free from the shadow of the Tanaran Empire." She gave a pause, "And I'm more than pleased that Tarlachia and the Dominion are as closely linked as they are. Together, we'll do great things. Grand things."

"Tarlachia's been tested in the hottest of fires, and has come out on top...The Dominion did its part, and we'll never forget that debt that we owe for that sacrifice. One day, you'll be tested as sorely as we have been...but I have confidence that the Dominion will overcome and claim its right to stand proud."

She gave Rob a reassuring pat on the arm. "Until then, the Dominion is just a child, so to speak." Aeris teased with a laugh, her eyes sparkling with happiness.

Papa Jango isn't your normal run of the mill Predator. As an Arbitor, kind of a roving Texas Ranger, Justice of the Peace, and bounty hunter, he had to be one of the best of the best to get where he is. He got bored with the Hunt. Most of them die before reaching his stature, and breath of experience."

She took a draw of the simstick, letting the resin laden breath settle into her lungs. The Barrishka would only effect her mildly, but atop of the 'More Please' it would be a very pleasant buzz.

"And he's a real asset in the field. Of course he's always on the look out for new things to Hunt. He's a Yatuja after all." She chuckled mellowly as her tail curled in lazy loops.

Whiptail indulged in a longer-than-usual hit from his smoke and slowly released it...

"That doesn't surprise me somehow. Old habits die hard, and the older ones die harder. Didn't you have something to take care of?"

The last thing he wanted was for her to get into trouble, especially on his watch...

"Until then, the Dominion is just a child, so to speak."

"Yes but the Domination is a fast growing child with a big stick, and the will to use it, if it becomes necessary." Rob replied with a small, but savage grin. He wasn't about to ever leave his people hanging in the wind, and he wasn't too proud to ask for help."

"Yes this is why we've mothballed over half our surface fleet, and most of our officer and professional NCO's have disappeared - they're all off at the Tanaran Academies learning how to be space navy officers. We've been very careful though about letting the information out of the knowledge of a very few. The Tanarans have let us have the technical advancements on De Sittter engines though, so we're limited to the slower FTL technology, but it will be fast enough for our purposes." Tanaara had managed to keep all knowledge of this inside Tanaara only for nearly five years, a rather impressive feqat in it's own right.

"That doesn't surprise me somehow. Old habits die hard, and the older ones die harder. Didn't you have something to take care of?"

"Okay I'm going. You get some sleep, as am I - my bowl bed is calling, and I wouldn't Trip when looped like this any way. So you can stop worrying, though you worrying about me is kinda funny" Mm'rr'll climbed to her feet and padded around to his side of the bed, offering her hand for a wrist clasp.

Whiptail accepted the given hand, holding on for a moment...

"I hear that. I could probably use some sleep, too. I'm not trying to run you off, by the way. I just don't want to get you in trouble..."

He'd hit the weed a little too hard, the stuff was a lot more potent than he had thought...

"I hear that. I could probably use some sleep, too. I'm not trying to run you off, by the way. I just don't want to get you in trouble..."

The Xas watched as the premium grade smoke eased the Argonian into slumber, before releasing his hand and laying a light throw over him "Oh scaley long tailed brother, I'm Xa and trouble is our collective family name. But thank you for worrying about me." She whispered and signalled the lights to dom.

Silent footed she padded out of the suite, heading for her own bed.

OOL: I strongly suggest reading this: Monoceros (http://www.dibonsmith.com/mon_con.htm)


Monoceros (http://space.about.com/library/graphics/2004_10.jpg), a constelation, birthing new stars and showing details of old ones previously unseen - due to the activity of V38 Mons. Dangerous ion storms, flares of radiation, and other hazzards made entering the region tricky but nothing retired Warmaster & Scholar Harr'llun ah'tah mah' Noh Varrr'nn, Captain of the Falling Star, wasn't experienced with.

Once in the region close to V838 he let the Falling Star settle into deep space to begin short range highly detailed sensor sweeps. To catolog stars and discern those with possiblely habitable/ inhabited planets.

The soft musical tones of elven music could be heard wafting through the private suite of Aeris and Rob. Aeris had opened one of the outward panels that hid them from the deep darkness of space, to gaze upon the first planet they had come upon since the venture past the outer solar storms of this system. They had settled into orbit for the last forty-eight hours, preparing for exploration. The planet was hazy, much like Venus, although some landmass could be seen in the cloud breaks. She estimated that a mere ten to fifteen percent of the planet's surface was covered in landmass, and the rest by water. She studied the planet, her imagination moving forward to the exploration of its surface and it's potential benefits. It was alluring, even peaceful in this deep chaotic realm of space.

Returning her thoughts to the present, she turned away from the window as it silently slid shut once more. She left the suite and made her way to the bridge, knowing that AIs would have done their preliminary invasive and passive scans of the planet, first to determine life sustainability, second to ascertain if there were any detectable markers of civilization.

In the bridge, she was shown a three dimensional holographic rendition of the planet, with atmospheric and terrestrial readings suspended next to it for her information. The weather was generally calm, but occassionally a storm would arise, and readings indicated winds reaching as high as two hundred miles per hour. The atmosphere was habitable, so terraforming would not be required. Scan after scan revealed some minimal constructs of civilization, but no life could be detected within. Deep atmospheric photographs of those constructs in particular revealed structures that looked as if they had been abandoned for years...hundreds of years it seemed. Six clusters of these constructs were found, scattered over two thousand square miles. What they were used for could not be determined, the technology and architecture was unknown, even to the vast archives of Tanaaran knowledge shared with this ship.

Taking the portrayed information already embedded onto a zip drive, she departed the bridge, heading to her team's briefing room. They had already been informed to meet her there courtesy of the notice given from the bridge as soon as she had extracted the planetary information from the computers. She entered the room, finding no one there just yet, and so she prepared herself and the information provided for the briefing.

OOC:AU, which stands for "astronomical unit", is a unit for measuring distance. One AU is the average distance from the Sun's center to the Earth's center. It is equal to 149,597,871 km (92,955,807 miles). One light year is equal to more than 63,000 AUs. The nearest star to Sol system, Proxima Centauri, is just over 4 light years away.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The report for the team...

The Thalia System (http://www.atddm.com/Thalia.htm)

This is a midlife G sequence star, 'perfect' for developing planets teaming with life, and the two planets in the stellar ecozone were just that, but save for long abandoned structures there was no sign of sentient life other than some dolphin, porpoise and whale analogs. These two in the stellar eco zone lie just slightly further out than Terra does.

Rotation Period about Stellar Primary (Length of Day): 26 hrs
Rotation Period with respect to stars (Sidereal Day): 25 hrs 59 min 58 sec
Revolution Period about the Sun (Length of a Year): 364 days 1 second
Minimum Distance from Sun: 93 million miles
Maximum Distance from Sun: 94.5 million miles
Orbital Semimajor Axis: 1.0 AU
Tilt of Axis: 20 o 22"
Diameter: 7,926 miles
Surface Gravity: 9.78 m/s^2
Mass: 6.5e21 tons
Density: 5,515 kg/m^3
Temperature: -125o F to 110o F
Satellites: 3

There were eight planets in the solar system, three of which were massive gas giants - the closest was almost 10 AU's from the stellar primary - about the distance of Saturn form Sol. Each of the gas giants have multiple moons, some of which are sizeable enough to have minimal atmospheres.

There is evidence that at one time this solar system had two more planets, that, like the two in the ecozone, occupied a 'same orbit', but some great disaster in the distant past had broken the two planets up into a massive asteroid field that lies at roughly 6 AU's out. It shows to be a field rich in rare and heavy metals.

There are three inner planets - two that look a lot like Venus and one like Mercury though it has a rotation - which Mercury does not.

Liam and Cassy both awoke within their respective beds, resting after the long journey from home to wherever the they were now in some region of the galaxy. A notice from the captain had just indicated they had reached their first destination and evaluation of the nearby planets was beginning.

Shaking off what was left of his slumber, Liam got to his feet and called out to Cassy.

"Come on, we're due in the team conference room. And we don't have time for you to change or whatever else you women do that takes so damn long."

To Liam's surprise, Cassy emerged from her bedroom now dressed in a loosely fitting white t-shirt and a pair of blue jeans, her her brushed but loosely hanging around her shoulders. Liam merely stared whilst she produced a slight grin.

"Come on, we don't have time for you to pretty yourself up..."

Silent for once, Liam simply followed Cassy out of their suite and thanks to a little guidance from one of the AIs, they arrived in their meeting room to see Aeris already there, fiddling around with various switches and items. Finally speaking up, Liam strode into the room casually.

"Looks like we're early for once."

Aeris looked up as the Assingtonians arrived, dressed in nothing but their regular civilian clothes. It was after all, not a military expedition. She gave Liam a smile as he announced their arrival. "Indeed you are. Have a seat somewhere. The others I expect are only minutes away at best."

She placed her hand on the tabletop in front of her, and a faint glow was seen for the briefest of seconds. Beneath her hand now sat a stack of papers and photographs attached. These, each team member would receive for personal review. She slid two of the packets across the table to the two of them.

"Feel free to browse this later. It summarizes everything I'll be briefing you on as well as highlighting specific goals we'd like to see accomplished by the end of this trip." she stated to each of them. That said, she seated herself and waited quietly. A few seconds later, a panel in the middle of the table slid open, and up rose a small turntable upon which sat several selections of beverages, from water to coffee. Alcohol however, was not provided. Now was not the time to let one's mind become impaired.

Aeris chose for herself a bottle of water, setting it off to one side as she mentally went over the information she'd be giving shortly.

Whiptail hauled himself from his bed, having only garnered around a fifteen minutes of sleep, before re-arming and moving at a quick trot towards the briefing room. Either he'd forgotten to set an alarm or he'd just been too out of it to hear it, but whatever the reason he still had a chance at not being late.

He arrived not a second too soon, sliding into a chair as covertly as possible, and trying to clear his head of the stuff he'd been drinking earlier, grabbing a bottle of water and a can of Monster energy drink from the well-stocked beverage bar. Colonel Kerrich seated himself next to Whiptail, stoic as ever and looking much better rested than his assassin companion...

"You look like Hell..."

"So does your face..."

"Now's not the time for insults, fugitive..."

"Whatever. Just take some notes..."

The Colonel was already ahead of him, having in hand a standard-sized notebook and a ball-point ink pen in military black...

Tempest and twilight all but bounced in, looking very chipper and wide wake.

"Good morning every one." Tempest said as she poured herself an oversized mug of coffee, which she made very blonde with cream and lots of sugar.

"Morning" the other twin said more softly. Twilights was black, but as equally sweet. Both wore comfortable clothes that looked good on them but would handle a variety of activities. Their thick manes of dark hair were pulled back into tidy ponytails.

As one they looked toward the pile of packets, eager for the information inside.

Rob entered with a hand full of data chips. "Good morning every one. It looks like all the teams have found worlds to explore."

He kissed Aeris on the top of her head "And you are especially beautiful when you have good news to give" and slid into the chair next to her, setting the pile of data crystals aside as he reached for the pitcher of orange juice.

The team's steward came in with a rolling cart filled with a breakfast buffet, and proceeded to serve those of the team already arrived.

Rob had the steward fill a plate high with thick sliced bacon, a grapefruit half , cheese baked grits, toast and a thick golden waffle beneath sliced strawberries. He didn't look at all abashed at the large meal. He just shrugged and explained "I'm a growing boy" but the twinkle in his eye just ruined the deadpan expression.

Whiptail's hangover had the peculiar sympton of making him feel like he was starving, or maybe that was just the munchies. He quickly requested a plate stacked with scrambled eggs, bacon, and a liberal helping of hash-browns. The entire mess was then covered with hot-sauce before he began to consume it as quickly as his manners would allow.

The Colonel, on the other hand, contented himself with a cup of coffee and a stack on pan-cakes. If food was provided, why not eat? There was a bit of disgust in his eye as he reguarded the assassin next to him, with his over-stacked plate, but then again he didn't want the man to be distracted by his stomach when they were in the field...

As they flipped open the folders Aeris slid their way, the twins also took a second to glance at the breakfast fare. In low voices they ordered, oatmeal, the Eggs Benedict, the mixed berries over yogurt and waffles. And lots of bacon. Their enhanced metabolisms demaned a large fuel load.

Digging in tidily the also pulled out some necessary for them suppliments and vitamins, washing them down with tall glasses of whole milk. But their meal seemed to dealt with rather absent mindedly as they perused the contents of the folders.

Aeris took the time to also grab some food, eating it quickly, yet politely. Looking around at the others, she nodded to herself as she finished off the last of her food. A gulp of water, and she began the briefing.

"Now that we've all had our food, I hope it'll help you have a sharper mind for what is to come. You may have noticed that the Falling Star has been in synchronized orbit with the first of promising worlds for exploration."

She paused as a three dimensional display of the planet appeared above the center of the table. She continued,

"As you can see, this planet is by far more of a water world than a terrestrial world. Computer estimates state that 13.7% of the planet's surface is land. The rest is covered by oceans deeper than even the deepest seas of Earth. What lies at the bottom of those seas, we may never know, but surface scans have already indicated that this planet, perhaps this whole system as well has been visited before. The atmosphere is habitable, nearly identical to that of Earth, except that its 'usual' storms are much more stronger than they are on Earth. We've measured the surface wind speed of some of these storms seen since our orbital arrival to reach 200 miles per hour, with potential to get stronger...much stronger."

The planet's hologram enlarged, removing the atmospheric layer. On the open waters, they could see various markers where architecture had been found. "These structures have thus far appeared to be uninhabited, and even abandoned for what may have been a very long time. The low end of such time is at least several hundred years in the past."

Green dots appeared on the surface, situated outside the six clusters of buildings. "Our exploratory teams will land here, and move independently to their assigned building clusters. Two teams per 'town'; for lack of a better term; to conduct reconnaissance and take more accurate planetary readings."

She zoomed in on one of the 'towns'. "This team will be concerned with this 'town'. It's situated a short hop away from the nearest continent, about two dozen miles, so there may be a chance for a trip to terra firma for additional exploration." She gave a wry smile. "Anyway, we're to inspect the buildings, and try to figure out who left them behind and where they've gone. If on the off-chance that we do find sentient life, do try to establish positive relations with them. If you cannot establish this, defend yourself as necessary, but don't start a war if you can help it."

Taking the time to drink some water, she looked around the room. "Everyone will be armed with weapons of their choice, and will also have radio communications gear. We'll be able to link to other expoloratory teams via S.S.S. relay (Surface-Ship-Surface)."

Finished, she asked them, "Any questions?"

The teams physician and Adept Valkidris finished the small meals they had chosed. They'd entered together, not saying much at about the same time Robert had. They were well rested and ready to go.

Cassy and Liam simply grabbed platefuls of whatever was on offer, obviously not particularly picky or at least more interested in the content of the briefing rather than the actual food.

Cassy was nearly shaking with excitement, a chance to explore and identify alien organisms was a chance very few Assingtonian's had ever come across. Whilst they certainly were a space able people, little exploration had been done outside the Sol system and thus far they had not had any encounters with unknown species before.

Liam's easy going demeanor had disappeared, replaced by an all business attitude. His primary role was to protect Cassy and any information of interest she may discover and whilst he was ordered to be a team player, at the core he worked for Assington interests. Once it was time for questions, Liam took the opportunity to speak up first.

"Is there anything to indicate we may end up in a combat or somewhat dangerous situation? Like giant bears or something, I'd rather not get mauled so it's good to have some kind of idea what to expect."

Cassy gave him a dirty look as if to suggest he was being silly but didn't say anything, she knew he had their safety at heart and wasn't about to tell him how to do his job.

Aeris listened to Liam's question, casting a glance toward Casey a moment later before she answered him. With a nod of her head, she brought up another hologram, this one shifting through various discovered species found while conducting surface scans.

"So far, most of the creatures we've seen appear to be harmless; most of them residing in the oceans. Since we'll be arriving by air to the island town, it's safe to assume that we'll not be bothered by anything that lives on land. We've seen what appears to be something akin to whales, although the organic anatomy is different in its own respect. We'll have various weaponry available to us to help deal with this should they prove to be a threat. Overall, the animal life of the planet seems docile, independently concerned with their own kind."

She shrugged, "Honestly, if you ask me...it makes me wonder why such a world that has veritably high amounts of raw materials, including some materials we've not been able to identify, has remained by far, largely unpopulated by civilization of any kind."

She gave another glance around the room, "And this worries me...but I'm not going to let my worries halt this mission. If we find ourselves in a fubar situation, we'll have a way out. I'll make sure of it. Anything other questions?"

Valkidriss spoke up "I can state that an initial psiscan of the planet has not revealed any sentiences save those of the pseudo cetatians and those are at the level of the Cetatians of Earth. Sentient but not human sentient. Though it was only an initial scan, and some of the unknown elements that Aeris has mentioned has similarities to certain Terrestrial elements that can play hob with psionics."

Doctor Kalista McCoy, the teams doctor added. " Please wear your shield field at all times. The only thing it will stop are microorganisms, germs, fungus spores, bacteria and the like, but better to be safe than sorry. Even if the initial scans show no known pathologicals, we have to take into account the possibly unknown ones."

She handed out the small boxes that clipped to one's belt or harness webbing.

Papa Jango entered with a handfull of small objects of his own "Iffers" His voder translated. "So we don't shoot something half seen, and it be you."

He'd gotten with every one who normally carried a weapon and verified for himself that they were at least competent to handle them. and he'd already set what frequencies those involved with security for the team would be working over.

"Madame Aeris, I am going to pull aside Liam, Robert, Whiptail and Keyton for just a minute." He requested. It was time for that part of the team to hold a shake down meeting, and she would know that the Yautja wouldn't take long.

Jackson and Kalazar had made shown up somewhat late, though not at all exceptionally so. If questioned, they would mention that they had been eating breakfast at the time, then progress through a series of vague excuses that would, ideally, make blatantly obvious that they Did Not Want To Discuss The Matter.

Jackson was dressed in his usual manner -- cargo pants, jacket, shirt. Beneath his clothing, he was wearing the latest generation of RevTek Thinsuits, not at all as capable as the Thinsuits of the Ascended Supremacy...but still quite superior concealable body-armor. Of course, a thinsuit, by definition, wasn't just body armor, which was why he was wearing one and not something more overt.

His jacket didn't do much to obscure his pistol, and, indeed, it was a cut that was particularly conducive to the hybrid-quickdraw rig he was wearing. Contained within said rig was the RevTek APCP that he'd been carrying as a manner of course since he'd gotten settled in.

He'd accepted the offered IFF-device and 'shield box thingus' without comment. He had no objection to the former, and if the latter was likely to be completely useless to him -- his Ascended heritage had inflicted upon him a somewhat excessively pro-active immune system -- then it wasn't liable to hurt him, either, and if it did...well, there were ways of dealing with that, too.

His warblade rode a scabbard slung over his shoulder, out of habit and propriety as much as anything -- he didn't really expect to need it, hoped he wouldn't need it, but if did need it...he'd rather have it close to hand than in its case in his quarters. Plus, it was a Revenian thing.

Interestingly, this wasn't at all in reference to any impending planetary missions -- like the pistol, he'd been wearing the sword as a manner of course. It marked him, certainly, but that didn't really bother him. Indeed, it would have been much odder, considering his nationality and background, had he not worn the sword.

Unlike Jackson, Kalazar had none of the cultural baggage that prompted the wearing of swords. On the other hand, the Veliki were fully in possession of an institutionalized paranoia of their very own -- it was quite uncommon to see an unarmed 'lik. Practically unknown to see an unarmed female...but that was getting into things that didn't really need to be gotten into.

Zar wore his 'sidearm,' perhaps more properly labeled 'hand cannon' in a drop-down thigh holster. More than that, he had not shared -- one did not fire a 'lik combat pistol except in combat.

Which was not to say that Kalazar had been at all unwilling to demonstrate his proficiency with firearms in general. Indeed, he would do so without complaint, possibly even with relish.

Jackson...not so much. He disliked 'showing off' to a significant degree, and would only do so when pressured. Persistently. Which tended to annoy him to the point that he either gave in or gave an object lesson in the deceptive build of the Halfling-Ascended, specifically, how they are several times stronger than they by rights should be...

Or something like that.

Well Jackson's and Zar's excuses were never asked for, as no one asked for them, much less pressured them.

And while he may had had what he considered a superior immune system, it was much safer to wear the shield- it wasn't bulky and weighed little - than to play out the worst case sceneario.

The Yautja elder had simply commented that proving one's minimal competence was Not showing off. And he had no intention of letting Jackson refrain from doing so. If you feel that having witnesses, other than me is " and the roll of the eyes was almost audible "Showing off we can do this in private." But Jackson had found there was no way around it.

And Zar, once he had advised Papa Jango that the combat pistol was Not fired until Combat occured, recieved an understanding nod from the Yautja, and the simple request to look among the Cannibal Armory's selection and chose some thing to test with that had similar characteristics. And there ws a wide variety in the armory to say the least.

And so, with much grumbling, Jackson Straker would have tromped down to wherever the hell the ranges were and, with little prelude other than releasing the thumb-break strap securing his APCP into its holster, proceed to selecting a range -- one hundred meters, if possible -- a little far out for a pistol range, but the APCP wasn't your average pistol...

He would step back casually, then with absolutely nothing in the way of prelude, draw and execute a three round routine-of-fire. His grouping was a little loose compared to what he was capable of had he actually been trying, but still within a three centimeter grouping. The entire sequence from the instant his hand touched pistol grip to the last bullet leaving the barrel had taken less than a second -- the reason that he didn't 'show off' much was because when people saw him on the range, in Revenia, at least, he tended to get asked questions like 'why aren't you in competition?'

Questions that he didn't want to answer.

Ever.

Mindlessly, automatically, he ejected the depleted magazine into his off-hand, dropped it into a pocket of his jacket, slid a fresh one from one of the two mag-holders integral on the left side of his belt, slapped the fresh mag into place, then safetied the APCP -- the APCP's 'hard' mechanical safety was typical of Revenian weaponry.

The RevTek APCP (All-Purpose Combat Pistol) was the standard combat pistol of the AFESSR. It was a 'full-frame' weapon, but thin -- not unlike a classic M1911. It fired 10mm shot of various varieties, and, like the vast majority of Revenian military small arms, a gravdriver. Jackson's personal pistol was not a stock military version, but a customized 'civilian' version which carried, among other things, additional security measures, including one that disabled the impulsion mechanism unless the firearm was actually in Jackson's hand.

Which kinda made the hard safety redundant, but it was there for nostalgia, yes, and because you could never be sure.

The APCP returned to its holster and the strap was replaced.

Kalazar would have shown up with the CR-17 HEMOD (Hostile Environment MODification) that he generally carried while dirtside. The CR-17 was the AFESSR's standard service gravdriver, the HEMOD variant was done to spec for the Fleet Marines' Marauder/Recon teams...with obvious connections therefrom. It was slightly bulkier than a standard CR-17, and sacrificed some of CR-17's ability to accept attachments, but that wasn't really a big deal -- the Marauder/Recon teams had little use for the more esoteric attachments that were incompatible with the HEMOD.

Zar would choose a similar standard 100m range, if available (one could only hope...they were certainly available on Fleet Marines combat transport, and also on the vast majority of RSN starships, and all of them that carried Shipboard Marine complements), then fire a series of rapid single shots, producing a grouping of less than two centimeters -- decent enough for a casual shoot.

And that was that. As Jackson would say, "You only get one free demonstration. Anything more costs."

Whiptail's effectiveness with his knives had already been observed by the Yajunta, and his pistol proficency much the same. He hadn't, however, gotten to employ one of his favorite weapons yet. The weapon was a highly optimized compound bow, made from advanced composites and crafted in the most modern of computer-controlled methods to produce a silent and deadly weapon. Two types of arrows were also in evidence, the standard razor-tipped broadhead would penetrate most modern body armor when fired at full power from the bow, and the explosive-tipped variety would deal with what the regular arrows would not.

Keyton, on the other hand, hadn't demonstrated anything yet, but he was more than happy to do so. On either thigh he wore a customized Springfield Operator M1911A1 outfitted with a SureFire tactical light on the underbarrel rail system. The Colonel engaged a pair of paper targets in succession with both sidearms, then in tandem before shooting each seperately with at the same time, using the left pistol for the left target and the right for the right target before crossing over and firing the last rounds before all nine rounds had been expended and the slides locked back. He threw a look in Papa Jango's direction before hefting the massive Barrett M82A1 anti-material rifle to his shoulder and settled into a comfortable kneeling position. Sending the target far down-range, Kerrich hammered out a sub-MOA group of three rounds of .50 BMG API. If it would kill an APC, it would damn sure kill anything on the surface of the planet.

As for the Vietnam-styled tomahawk on his belt and Cold Steel Black Bear Classic on his right shoulder, he wouldn't be showing those off anytime soon, unless he needed to...

The Yautja had merely nodded at Jackson and 'Zar, in no way impressed, merely satisfied that they were competent. Competetion was not something he did either. To the Yautja is was less than useless. Now if the pair could do that on a hunt, that would be different matter intierly. But he wasn't here to certify that worthiness.

The Argonians had recievced his approval as well.

The 'Nihongoan twins Twilight and Tempest had proved to be workmanlike in their approach and well versed in the basics if not perhaps as regularly practised as the Yautja might prefer.

Aeris looked around the briefing room at the remaining members of their team. She nodded to herself. The team was structured well in all aspects, perhaps one of the more balanced teams created for this exploration amongst the stars.

"While we wait for the boys and their toys to return, do any of you have questions regarding the planet? I'll try to answer them as much as I know."

Upon request, Liam had followed the others down to the firing range in order to squeeze off a few rounds. Liam was never one to show off and simply decided he would do enough to prove he could handle his weapon.

Liam withdrew a stainless steel pistol from a thigh holster, and hit a button on the grip with his thumb, the result being a low hum emerging from the weapon. The gun within Liam's hand was a reasonably recent concoction of physics and firearms thrown together by the Assingtonian military.

The R-36 Rail Pistol took the principle of a rail gun, using high powered electro-magnetics to propel a projectile at ridiculous speeds and shoved it into a large caliber pistol. It had taken several years and quite a lot of money into portable high powered energy source research to finally see the R-36 come into existence but now that it had arrived, Liam had adopted it as his weapon of choice.

Turning the power dial down as far as possible, Liam picked a paper target further back than most humans wouldn't be able to see well enough to shoot accurately and unleashed five rounds in quick succession, three across the chest area of the target in a straight line whilst the other two had lingered up towards the head. Liam augmentations gave him reflexes and senses keen enough to spell out his own name on the target if he so wished, although he would frown upon such things.

With his little display now complete, Liam depressed the grip button again and the weapon buzzed into dormancy before it was holstered once again.

Not too much time later, Papa Jango and the rest of the "security team" had returned to the briefing room. There, Aeris was simply surveying the hologram of the planet, running over various thoughts and scenarios in her mind. Looking past the hologram to them, she smiled, "Ah, finally. Our drop shuttle is primed and ready."

Aeris stood up, placing her hands on the table in front of her, "Everyone, get what you need and be on board the shuttle in twenty minutes; which will be accessed from Corridor A." A look around at the room, "It's time to go adventuring!" She gave them an excited smile, before departing. She and Rob had already set their things they'd take with them in two bags, bags that Aeris could port to the shuttle with a mere thought. So, they headed directly to the shuttle to commit to a final flight checklist before departure.

Planetary Approach

The takeoff from the Falling Star had gone without issues, and already the shuttle was entering the uppermost layers of the atmosphere. It wasn't long before the entire shuttle was engulfed in flames as it tore through the skies at a blinding rate.

"Air brakes." the pilot called to the copilot. "Adjusting angle of approach to thirty one degrees." The thick glass windows directly in front of them displayed nothing but churning clouds and brief spats of lightning. Aeris groaned slightly as she heard one of the pilots remark, "Gonna be a bumpy ride everyone!"

Bumpy was an understatement, for the ride was hellish. Powerful winds ripped and struck the shuttle every bit of the way through its domain of the sky, until the last five thousand feet above the surface where they eased off a bit. Sunlight poured in in the massive break of the clouds that had coincidentially overtaken the area. White knuckles gripped the handbars at her sides as Aeris let out a tense breath. Several lights on the panel were blinking, a lot of them referencing damage to something or other. However, she noted that their landing apparatus was undamaged. That was good, but she knew they'd probably have to do some repairs before taking the shuttle back to Falling Star.

Looking ahead, Aeris watched as the island city (http://www.atddm.com/atlantis1.jpg) came into view. "Beautiful" she whispered, wondering how the city, and others like it scattered across the planet, had survived the powerful winds and storms. At this height, they could barely see the nearest strip of land on the horizon. After dropping off the majority of the group into the city, the shuttle would carry the twins to the land to best utilize their geology and botany expertise. Accompanying them would be two armed security personnel picked from the Falling Star standard security force.

The shuttle eased into a port, and finally a thumbs up was given by one of the pilots as the main door hissed open and a cool breeze met them. Aeris closed her eyes in silent thanks before undoing her safety restraints and taking the first step onto the new world.

It was rough yes, but nothing like coming in hot and taking fire on top of being rough. So Rob just toughed it out, but was glad when they landed safely. His main attention had been on Aeris, making sure she was handling the ride down well.

He noted that the doctor Kalista McCoy took atmospheric samples on the way down once the bumpy part of the ride ended and was calibrating them against the samples from the earlier probes.

"Nothing kicked up by the storm, no airborn biologicals we didn't already know about, no unusual chemical traces. It's safe." She said confidently as she tucked the additional samples away.

"Now that I am within the planetary atmosphere I still feel no life forms other than that aquatic mammal analogs we sensed earlier" Adept Valdikris confirmed her latest psionic scans results.

"Of course all this means is that what ever it is that we've missed is just going to be even nastier" Rob joked as hatch retracted and allowed a gentle, salt and sea scented breeze to curl in.

His hand riging easily on the butt of his heavy Hyper pistol he followed his wife out. Very much wishing she'd let a red shirt go first.

Returning to the conference room, Liam moved towards Cassy as Aeris announced it was time for everyone to get onto the planet via shuttle. With everyone departing to do last minute preparations, Liam fell in beside Cassy, noting she was almost shaking with anticipation.

"The briefing can't have been that exciting..."

Ignoring his comment, Cassy lead the way out of the conference room and back towards their suite, intending to pick up a few bits and pieces before heading to the shuttle.

"So what have you been up to then?"

Liam grinned and patted the pistol on his thigh.

"Just some boys and their toys time."

Cassy looked at the gun with distaste, she wasn't a fan of weapons, being more inclined to the pacifist way of life. Ironically that's why Liam was there in the first place.

"I've just got to grab a few sample kits, should only be a few minutes."

Cassy entered the suite and moved towards her room whilst Liam moved off towards his, calling back out to her.

"That's alright, I'm getting a bigger gun."

Sighing out loud, Cassy focused on finding the necessary equipment and within five minutes met Liam back at the suite entrance, a pouch clipped to her waist and a backpack over her shoulders.

Liam certainly looked all business, now wearing something resembling a military clothing line, body armour and various pouches, clips and topped off with what appeared to be some kind of assault rifle strapped to his soldier and resting comfortably within his hands.

"Let's go."

Cassy had no idea where the shuttle was but Liam seemed to have gained a good idea of where everything was in the relatively little time they had spent aboard the ship. Not bothering to question how he'd done so, she simply followed in silence until they finally boarded the shuttle.

The landing was what Liam deemed normal, although Cassy looked as though she was about to lose her stomach during the rough patch, colour finally returned to her face as they moved closer to land.

With Aeris already out of the shuttle, Liam rose and moved in behind Rob as he followed his wife. A low hum signaled Liam's weapon was now active and he began searching the area, using his keen senses to determine whether there was any threats nearby.

Cassy wasn't far behind and she too immediately began taking in her surroundings, although she was far more thrilled than cautious.

The Argonians followed the Assingtonians out of the shuttle, Whiptail standing with an arrow already knocked on the string and Colonel Kerrich cradling that massive rifle of his in his arms, the weight distributed by a thick nylon sling that would make it much easier to haul around all damn day long.

The thought had crossed his mind to bring the SOCOM II out instead, but then again the potent 7.62x51mm round it chambered might not be potent enough...

More Security forces followed the team out, save for the 'Goan twins who were headed for the nearest chunk of land. They'd looked out of the hatch briefly before settling back in their seats.

Once every one was out their various cases of scientific equipment were unloaded, and the drop shuttle sealed its hatch and took back to the skies.

More expasive view of the city (http://www.atddm.com/city1.jpg)

For various pieces of comparrison and information. The Shuttle is about 150 ft long - picture is Not to scale- and it settled down comfortably in the 'inner lagoon' to drop part of the team off (red dot ). The green dot is where the scientific equipment has been unloaded too.

People looking over the side will realise that it's about 100 down to the waterline. The wall that runs around the out lieing 'branches' of the structure is a good 20 foot tall. The central tower is the tallest at over 2000 feet tall. The city is nearly a mile across.

The security team moved ahead of Aeris, sweeping the area, finding nothing. So, without contest, they made their way into the center of the desolate city. The air was mostly still, save for the occasional wind. They passed what appeared to be shops of various sorts, stripped bare of anything they once had sold. What the shops were, one could only guess by the layout inside, for even the names of the shops were in an unknown language.

"This city is dead." Aeris whispered, "Almost like it's been abandoned." She paused to look around for the millionth time. She gestured to a nearby wall, where deep gashes could be seen in the metal and reinforced concrete, gashes that appeared to be claw marks. Millions of these gashes covered the walls of every building as high as the eye could see. "But, something happened here."

Her eyes turned completely white as she scanned the arcane realm tied into this world. Nothing was out of the ordinary as she could sense, but she kept having a feeling that something was watching. Waiting. A blink later, she saw the world as it was again, and she gestured to a nearby doorway that was pried open violently, thick metal bent and twisted in ways that made the mind imagine all sorts of things. She let the team sweep ahead into the room, but remained close behind them.

A structure in the center of the room stood alone, covered in dust and very much appearing unused for a very long time. A hand set the rifle she held upon a nearby surface, as she gave her attention to the structure. A breath of air, and the dust swirled away to reveal a cryptic language on the surface. A touch upon one of the signs revealed nothing. Whatever this thing was, would remain secretive.

Several seconds after turning away to look around the room, there was suddenly a low humming, as if a generator had kicked in somewhere. A static noise arose from the structure, and Aeris turned to stare at it. A screen flickered to life two feet away. She moved closer.


[Recording]
[Date] June 18th, 2042
[Subject] Desmundi Excavations: Desperate Warning

A face, fractured in its display appeared on the cracked screen overgrown with moss and vines. It was a dark-haired man, whose face was weary and yet woefully sad. His eyes were hauntingly disturbing, and when he spoke, it was in such a low voice that it almost was not recorded.

“My name is forgotten. My life is forfeit. This is the last entry I fear I shall record before…before I am no more.”

The man hung his head, shaking it several times before looking back up at the screen. “But, I have to do this. I have to warn whoever may come after us about this planet. Maybe they can get away with their lives, or maybe…it’ll be too late.”

Silence followed for several seconds as the man looked around the unseen room. “I was part of a mining expedition crew from Earth under the command of a private sector company. We were looking for anything of value, anything we could take for our own. We chanced upon this planet twelve days ago when we were thrown off course by a solar storm. At first, initial planetary scans showed minimal life forms, nothing except for abundant vegetation and a habitable atmosphere. It was like finding a new earth. Roughly four times the size of the original Earth. There are many resources both on land, and in the sea that we could have mined, but there’s a problem.”

Suddenly, there was a howl from the man’s background, and he spun about, whipping an automatic gun up into view. Ferocious pounding struck the outside of the enclosure for several minutes as he constantly swung the gun to and fro in fear. Finally, it subsided, and he returned to the screen. His face hovered closer as he spoke.

“This planet is not uninhabited. There is something out there…something we didn’t know about until it was too late. At first, an entire recon platoon was wiped out in a matter of minutes. An elite military-trained team gone without so much as a fight. Four hours later, the remaining three platoons were killed, their bodies disappeared but their belongings left behind, including their clothing. Something took them. Something made them disappear…Something in the mist. I didn’t know what it was and I still don’t, but I do know this. Whatever it is cannot be killed by normal means of extermination. Bullets, fire…nothing. We tried it all. Nothing worked.”

He looked up as more pounding ensued for a few more moments, “This bunker won’t last long. This is a perfect enemy. It has no known weaknesses. It strikes without warning, and it could be standing right next to you and you wouldn’t know it until you’re dying. They wiped out our entire military contingent, our civilian population, and sabotaged our ship. They are smart. They are cunning. And they are either extremely advanced, or they are entirely so unique that known sentient civilizations still wouldn’t stand a chance, if at all.”

He hung his head, sobbing heard as he shook his head. When he looked back up, tears could be seen. “Four thousand of us dead in a matter of ten days. Four thousand… I am the last one…and I know I’m not going to make it. There is no hope…”

A terrible screeching sound, much akin to metal being peeled apart was heard, and the man looked up in terrible fear, his gun blazing helplessly as something impacted him with such force against a far wall, barely seen now. It seemed that there was nothing attacking him, but there was a lot of smoke filling the room. His screams were unnerving, and suddenly, he lunged forward to the screen, his face torn as if by multiple claws, skin hanging off by shreds. One eyeball hung limply outside its socket, blood gushing from the wound freely. His hand also bloodied with all the skin missing; streaked against the screen. Even then, he managed to utter his last words, “Get out! GET OU—“ He was lifted suddenly, and slammed forward, his head impacting the screen with a sickening crunch. The screen flickered off a few seconds later.

[END Recording]


She remained standing, staring in shock at the screen, and turning to face the doorway and gazing once more upon the shredded steel. She looked about the room, just trying to fit all this in her mind. What had killed him? What had killed them all? She wandered the room cautiously now, looking at everything carefully for any more clues. After several minutes, she completed her search with nothing new. She returned to the console, and keyed the button. The disc emerged from a small crevice nearby, and she pocketed it.

Looking up to the others, she finally spoke, "I think we better find someplace safe to stay, just in case."

Liam had followed Aeris into the bunker, the torn open steel grabbing his attention rather quickly. Cassy opted to stay outside with some of the other guards and continue to investigate their surroundings.

As the screen played its message, Liam remained dead silent, taking in the unnerving warning with a blank face. The claw marks along the buildings had already put him on edge somewhat. Judging by the make of the city, Liam had assumed the technology of the people that built it was advanced enough to defend against almost anything. Apparently not against the creatures hiding on this planet though.

Eventually the video ended and Liam watched Aeris as she searched around the bunker once more before speaking.

"I think we better find someplace safe to stay, just in case."

"I would suggest we get back into the air, perhaps even back into orbit and stay there until we can work out if there is something here and what it is."

Taking a look at all the damage to the walls and thinking of the video simply reinforced Liam's thoughts on the issue.

"From a security perspective, it's not worth taking any chances, especially if these things can somehow approach us undetected."

"I think we better find someplace safe to stay, just in case."

perspective, it's not worth taking any chances, especially if these things can somehow approach us undetected."

Agreed, and that some place safe is going to be back on the Falling Star" Papa Jango said frimly. "Let us wait a few more cycles, and send down more remote drones."I want that recording analyses, there is information given that is inconsistant."

"He's right Rob said "A planet four times the size of Earth? Thats not any planet in this system. Similar, smaller, or much more massinve gas giants. So thats one major conundrum right there."

He noticed something out of the corner of his eye and stepped over to view it better. "And there are more data cards and files over here, wedged" He paused as he knelt down to get a better grip on the pile of folders. "Here. If others from Earth have been there..and I recognise the corporate logo on this one." He held up a folder "Then it behoves us to study them. In the safety of the Falling Star."

Papa Jango pulled out a communicator and contacted the shuttle, ordering it to return and pick the team up.

Kerrich had been studying the claw marks on the structure rather intently. There wasn't any blood or other biological residue dried around the markings, so the creatures had either destroyed it on a molecular level or they weren't such perfect foes after all. Argonian commandos, whatever the branch, were trained to take life as quickly and silently as possible, and leave no traces of their passing besides the bodies of their victims. They didn't carve etchings into the walls with their knives.

While this new enemy seemed to have learned how to dispose of the remains of an enemy fairly well, they didn't seem to know restraint in their attacks which led him to believe that they weren't as intelligent as the man on the screen was making them out to be. Vital ship components gave off intense amounts of heat, as did human bodies and Argonian bodies to a lesser degree. The creatures could have attacked these thermal signatures out of instinct rather than cunning, disabling the ship accidentally. The whole scene reminded him of a Steven King novel, 'The Mist' or something like that he'd seen in the airport on the way in...

"Perhaps they're not as cunning as our unfortunate friend thinks. These claw marks are fairly wild for controlled, precise killing machines, and the fact that they haven't slaughtered us already seems to indicate that they're probably nocturnal and therefore might have some sort of thermal vision capability which would explain why they took the victims' bodies and not their gear, and why they shredded the crucial parts of this team's aircraft..."

The Colonel dropped his hand from the claw marks and returned it to the forearm of his massive rifle...

"Even still, primal is worse than intelligent and I'd agree with returning to the Falling Star to study this enemy further. I'd also like to know what sort of orbital firepower we can bring to bear against this planet in the event this threat is too much of a problem. I'm sure the Imitorians have something in their arsenal to sterilize a planet this size, or we could simply glass every landmass one by one if we don't have enough nukes to accomplish the job..."

Surgical was a relative term when it came to Argonian Special Ops. While capable of precision strikes, it was always preferred to wipe out the enemy through an overwhelming display of aggression and violence, to deter any further thoughts of counter-attack on the part of the enemy. In short, Kerrich was all for carpet-nuking the entire planet, if it was indeed a planet and not some sort of gigantic trap, just to be on the safe side. Terraforming could replace the atmosphere after the radiation had subsided. The use of neutron ordnance was also an option, leaving everything basically intact while killing off any living creature in the blast radius. Then again, nukes were more powerful and were almost certainly effective against anything you threw them at.

Whiptail had remained silent, making his own observations. If what the others were saying was true, then this planet couldn't have formed on its own and something was seriously wrong. Fighting what you couldn't see was nearly impossible, and he'd bet his life on that fact for close to seven centuries now and what worked for him would work for these unseen killers...

"I'm going to have to agree with the Colonel here. We shouldn't be here, especially when it gets dark. Stay out of the shadows and stick together until we're safely back in orbit..."

Jackson frowned, running a gloved hand across the scarring on one of the walls. The sheer scale of the scarring was the thing...it just didn't make sense. Not as a method of attack -- not to that extent. Scarring at doors, or at the ground level...maybe. But this continued upwards...climbing?

Possible, but just as likely that it was nothing so mundane...

Jackson's comm chirped, Zar's identifier on a 'secure' channel.

"Jikri?"

Jackson blinked, a hand rising to finger the Swordsworn pin he wore his lapel, "No. I would have felt it if it were."

"I hope you're right."

Jackson winced, "So do I."

He forced his breathing to steady, slowing his heart-rate considerably. The thought, the merest possibility, that this was the work of Them...had set him on edge. But it wasn't, it couldn't be. He'd have known if it was, felt the wrongness that lingered wherever the Foe passed. There was none of that here -- there wasn't much at all here.

He sighed, then.

"If these...critters...are as dangerous as the recording seems to indicate, truly undetectable...we can't leave. In fact, we have to freeze all further surface-to-orbit flights, return flights, whatever. Nothing. Unless you want to risk bringing whatever it is back with you...and I've done the 'Alien killing machine loose on a ship' thing before. It isn't fun, and it gets a lot of people dead..."

If these...critters...are as dangerous as the recording seems to indicate, truly undetectable...we can't leave. In fact, we have to freeze all further surface-to-orbit flights, return flights, whatever. Nothing. Unless you want to risk bringing whatever it is back with you...and I've done the 'Alien killing machine loose on a ship' thing before. It isn't fun, and it gets a lot of people dead..."

Rob cursed in an alien tongue under his breath - a long stream of curses as a matter of fact.

"You are quite right Dr. Jackson...If those things are here at all" He slid the data disk back into the player...


We were looking for anything of value, anything we could take for our own. We chanced upon this planet twelve days ago when we were thrown off course by a solar storm. At first, initial planetary scans showed minimal life forms, nothing except for abundant vegetation and a habitable atmosphere. It was like finding a new earth. Roughly four times the size of the original Earth. There are many resources both on land, and in the sea that we could have mined, but there’s a problem.”


"The description of the planet he gives - four times the size of Earth - but the one on which we now stand is earth sized, as is the other one in the same orbit. Others in the system are much smaller or much larger - so it's not his system where he and his group were attacked."

"The Falling Star found no ships orbit, or residues that would suggest any in orbit within the last ten or so months."

"Look at the backgrounds on the disc. It doesn't match the interior of the room back there, and these folders- while they are from a coupany I am familiar with - they don't match the identilock icon on the chip. And the dating on the recording down't make any sense either."

Rob looked at the others as Papa Jango considered a long moment.

"Robert is right there are many things that do not add up, but the risk of infecting the Falling Star... no that must not be risked Doctor Jackson" He gave the Revenian a agreeing nod as he spoke " is correct. However I do not want us to split up. Let us explore this city further, but with all due caution, once the shuttle has returned with the Doctors Remmington."

Jackson nodded, carefully, "Good. And, please, it's just 'Jackson.' Doctor Straker is correct, as is Colonel Straker, but I don't really see the need for that sort of formality -- so, please, just 'Jackson.'"

That said, he continued on, thinking for a few minutes...

"Four times the size of earth, hmm? That's a big damned planet...big damned planets have equally heavy gravity. Zar, whaddya think, two, two and half, maybe three times Earth-standard?"

Kalazar nodded, "Possibly. Sounds like home..."

Jackson grinned, "The guy on the tape has issues -- what he should have said was 'it's like finding a new earth...on which one can't stand upright for more than a few minutes before you faint."

Zar raised an eyebrow. Just that gave Jackson pause, as he reviewed what he had just said, then blinked.

"Blehk. Right. What I should have said was that humans can't stand upright for more than a few minutes. Kalazar and I are both native to worlds with gravitic fields stronger than that of Earth's..."

Which was a very nonspecific way of indicating that, though he very much looked it, Jackson Straker wasn't, in fact, human. He was Halfling Ascended, native Revenian.

"That out of the way...splitting up is definately out, I'd have shot you if you suggested it. It'd be a quicker and less painful way to go, I'd think, than getting torn to pieces by whatever marked up these walls...I don't know that we can run, and how can you hide from something you can't perceive?"

His somewhat quirky smile was almost impossible to interpret -- it was really hard to guess if he was joking or not.

Aeris listened as the others debated, agreeing with the various points raised, and most of all the sobering realization that they couldn't leave without risking the security of Falling Star. Looking over at the Revenians, she spoke,

"It's possible they had gravatic adjustment suits to help deal with the gravity of that planet," she looked around at the world around them, "Which is clearly not this planet because otherwise, we'd have not made it as far as we have from the shuttle drop off point." She listened as the recording was played again briefly, "So, obviously, whatever they found on that planet; which I suggest we name Desmundi," she tapped the screen to show the name portrayed there, "they brought back with them to their ship and brought it here to this world."

She crossed her arms, "Which leaves us with the big question. What is this mist and how do we stop it?" Her hearing, sharper than most others here, save for perhaps the Argonian, caught the sound of distant shuffling feet. Whipping her head about, she drew her gun to bear in the general direction. "Something's here. Whiptail, you heard that?"

Hardly giving him a moment to respond, she issued a command, "Security team, fan out, secure the perimeter. We'll move together, 360 view, and find some place more secure than this room."

Elsewhere

The shuffling sound belonged to a lone figure, a person dressed in what could best be described as ghillies made with random metal pieces and shards found around the area, buffered by small cloths in between to minimalize residual clanking metal sounds. The figure moved swiftly, nearly silently. It wondered who these new people were, why they were here. Perhaps they were rescuers responding to the distress signal sent so long ago by the last visitors to this world, his people. They had found the recording he had observed himself, but hadn't paid heed to the warning, and they had died like the recording's last person alive, in a room much like the one that man had died in.

A hand dipped into a pouch, drawing a yellowish liquid paste, to which he quickly wrote a message upon a nearby wall, mindful that the visitors might be following.

Beware, the mist is here.

A simple message, but one that he knew they would realize was fresh, new...and the threat equally alive.

Seconds later, he was gone, having disappeared into the bowels of the city...

As soon as Aeris had her weapon out, Liam had spun around with his weapon at the ready, quickly scanning everywhere in sight for a sign of movement. Those around him did the same and it soon became evident there was no one within sight, although Aeris was sure there was someone nearby.

Liam hadn't heard it himself but his hearing wasn't as strong as hers, even if it was augmented to be better than the average human.

"Security team, fan out, secure the perimeter. We'll move together, 360 view, and find some place more secure than this room."

Already outside the room, Liam remained close to a wall in order to cover his left flank as he moved down the street, ready to squeeze off a round or two into anything the jumped out at him. Checking around the corner and all other nearby areas someone could hide within, he called back to other members of the team.

"Nothing over here."

Now waiting for the rest of the group to move within the perimeter the security team had set up, Liam spared a quick glance to assure himself Cassy was where she should be.

While Argonian hearing wasn't that much better than the average human, the sense of smell was more akin to that of a canine...

"I didn't catch much of it, but I do catch something on the air. It smells unwashed, and I'm also getting a whiff of something along the lines of a thick liquid, possibly a wax or gel..."

Kerrich wasn't quite as in tune with his instincts as Whiptail was, but he did detect a new scent. He moved to say something but Whiptail cut him off...

"I don't catch any hints of smokeless powder or ozone, so if it's armed it hasn't used whatever weapon it's got in the past several days, or we're dealing with something more primitive, hence the metal scent. I'm also pretty sure if it wants to take us out, it's going to do it quietly, either through splitting us up or taking us out one by one. If it's survived this long with these things about then it's either a really sneaky bastard or one Hell of a killer and either way it doesn't bode well for us if it turns out to be hostile..."

That out of the way...splitting up is definately out, I'd have shot you if you suggested it. It'd be a quicker and less painful way to go, I'd think, than getting torn to pieces by whatever marked up these walls...I don't know that we can run, and how can you hide from something you can't perceive?"

Papa Jango looked at the Revenian - "You forgot though that not all large planet have equal mass or gravitational pull. I know of over a dozen planets that have have" the Yautja thoght for a second thinking of equavellents most her would understand "Ah yes, the size of Jupiter but barely the gravity of Terra, Earth as you call it. So they easily could have found a planet with such a size and yet one standard gravity."

He paused for a few seconds, his keen non human senses taking all evidence in "There is at least one survivor. He left heat trails behind...and this message"

Beware, the mist is here.

"Perhaps not hostile, but wary" the Predator hissed.

Rob started to say something, then frowned, and all but smacked himself on the forehead.

"Actually most of us can leave." The others looked at him confused and he continued "The Transporters, they automatically filter out everthing that's not 'you. And Liam, I bet Valkidriss can figure out a way to do the same thing for you with a psi gate."

Jackson nodded absently, "Yes, but that seems so very much like cheating..."

He was studying a patch of markings, talking loud enough to be heard, though.

"My assumption was based on the discoverers being a mining company -- planets of interest to a mining company are liable to be heavy in ore, thus dense, and so on. Big, light-gee planets tend to, well, suck. Balloons. Though, I'll admit that that isn't exactly my area of expertise..."

He paused, frowning, drawing a probe from a case on his belt, scratching at something in the claw-furrow.

"Of course, it's entirely irrelevant. If we can all leave, then I suppose we might as well do so, put a big 'stay away' beacon in orbit, and move on, hmm? That's what you're supposed to do with things like this, isn't it?"

Whiptail had a suggestion of his own...

"We might want to try and extract this survivor, quarantine him in a shuttle while we pick his brain, and try to find out what exactly went on down here..."

Kerrich didn't miss the opportunity to chime in either...

"And then carpet-nuke this miserable death-trap, just to be safe..."

"Yes, but that seems so very much like cheating..."

Papa Jango gave one of his weirdling laughs at that "If you aren't cheating you aren't giving it your all."

"Of course, it's entirely irrelevant. If we can all leave, then I suppose we might as well do so, put a big 'stay away' beacon in orbit, and move on, hmm? That's what you're supposed to do with things like this, isn't it?"

"Though that is not something that sits well with me" Papa Jango replied

No, a Yautja didn't tend to think like that, they weren't called Predators for nothing. Hunting was the core of their society and specie's cultural geist.

"If it lives it can be hunted."

"And then carpet-nuke this miserable death-trap, just to be safe..."

"I see you don't hunt" The Yautja fixed the Argonian Colonel with a cold stare as he delivered the deadly insult.

Kerrich narrowed his eye, fully getting the gist of the Predator's words...

"I hunt what can been seen or otherwise detected. Even the assassin can be ferreted out and slain. But who's to say I'm just hunting with a bigger gun? Your kind have self-destruct devices of similar power when you turn from hunter to hunted and a B-grade actor drops a log on you..."

If they were going to trade barbs, he might as well use sharp ones. The Colonel was sure the Yajunta had seen the movie that bore his species' nickname at least once...

"I didn't lose my eye sitting on my ass, Yajunta. Hold whatever passes for a tongue in your kind until we're back aboard the 'Falling Star', then we can trade insults all you like..."

Whiptail had gained a bit of respect for both beings through that exchange. Kerrich seemed oddly patient with the Predator, while Jango didn't seem at all worried that something might be stalking them right now, waiting to dismember each and every one in a most horrible fashion. Quite the opposite, he felt at ease enough to tease Kerrich...

Aeris too had been studying the scratches, her keen elven sight able to see minute detail up close. She noted that Jackson had taken a sample. Good she thought to herself. We'll test that on the ship...

She turned her attention to the conversation about the means of transport back to the ship, thinking further to herself, If we can figure a way onto the ship safely. I know I can get myself there just fine...but the others...I can't leave them behind.

"Portals are too risky." she stated to Rob when he made his suggestion. "They're like doorways. Anything can get through once they're open. Sure, we could have guns pointed toward the doorway on the other side, but if this mist is as dangerous as it sounds, we'll likely have lost the battle already." She shook her head, "And I'm not going to allow that. We must not."

She looked over to the Yajunta and the Argonians, whom had momentarily gone off into their own personal standoff. She let them be, knowing that they were just asserting themselves to each other.

"So, how do we get them on board?" she indicated to the two Assingtonians, "Because until we figure that out, I'm not leaving them alone here." Her eyes met Rob, and he saw her determination and saw she would not be deterred from that decision.

"I hunt what can been seen or otherwise detected. Even the assassin can be ferreted out and slain. But who's to say I'm just hunting with a bigger gun? Your kind have self-destruct devices of similar power when you turn from hunter to hunted and a B-grade actor drops a log on you..."

Papa Jango just shook his head. It was apparent that the Argonian Colonel had no idea why every Yautja who hunted carried the fail safes. And Nukes weren't simply 'bigger guns'. Besides this was a being that killed the young of his kind. He was nothing more than a bad blood, and not worthy of the Elder' time or notice.

"No colonel" Rob stepped in "I refruse to do that to perfectly good planets. You amy like over kill but I prefer precission strikes. Papa Jango you said our little ghost left thermal trails. Can you follow him?"

"Easily"

Rob nodded, then looked at Aeris to reply to her last statement of

Because until we figure that out, I'm not leaving them alone here."

"Agreed, but I wasn't thinking of a Gate or a Portal, but either a Cats Keep type Step or a Psionic Tleport."

"I'm going to tell the shuttle to not open up when it arrives back, but to saty sealed, and I think yes indeed we need to find this survivor and do it as a group, but we vcan't wait for long as the thermal readings degrade too much."

"This might also be a hoax to drive us away" Doctor McCoy had here to fore been silent, taking everything in and trying not to jump to conclusions.