NationStates Jolt Archive

The blackness of space, seemingly infinite with slight interruptions of white, red, and blue specks in the background. The tranquility could last for eons if it were not for the sudden arrival of the destroyer Belldandy.

The Ganoxian Alliance Ship, GAS, Belldandy is on a mission of finding home. After several narrow escapes and endless demoralizing jumps the crew still retain hope that the next jump would end up in a way to their loved ones. Now the crew fights to survive in the turmoil that is the galaxy. Captain Lingun got up from his command chair and looked at the display screen. "Lieutenant?"

"Class GD planet. Atmosphere: Breathable."

"A desert planet eh? Any known lifeforms."

"We can't tell from here. We are getting interference from that large sandstorm on the equator.

Lingun sat back down in his command chair, he looked around at his crew. All of them seemed to be disheartened at yet another jump turned up with nothing. No home to goto, no loved ones to hold, nothing but sorrow. "Land the ship down near an oasis."

"Sir?" Jilneas asked.

"You'll see," he smiled.

The destroyer landed next to what seemed to be an unusually large oasis, some may consider it a lake. The water was deemed safe by the engineers, and there seemed to be no sentient life here. "Attention all personnel. This is the Captain speaking. Attention all personnel. Assemble in the hangar area. I repeat assemble in the hangar area."

All one thousand five hundred personnel filed into the hangar standing at attention. Lingun climbed up the stand and stood over his comerades. The look of determination in their faces staring straight at him. "At ease!"

They relaxed a bit and looked up their commander, some wondering why he called them all here. Some complained that it was another drill, others joked of a mass suicide. "When we first escaped from that wretched storm, we looked at each other with disbelief. Were we dead and sent to the next life, or were we in a horrible dream only to wake up at the bosom of our loved ones sleeping next to us. No it was reality, we had escaped from a terrible fate only to be repaid with more sorrow. Now after the series of random jumps and the narrow escapes from unknown enemies, we still retain our belief that we will one day find home." he paused for a second, "Some of you are wondering why I have brought you here. Well I will tell you. My main concern is for my crew and their well being. That is the reason for my calling you here."

Crewman started to look at each other, smiling at each other, "He can't possibly mean.."

"Your shore leave starts...Now!"

The hangar filled with cheers as the door opened down into the oasis, the crew running down the hatch, stripping down to their skivvies, jumping into the water. Splashing and swimming. "Thank you sir."

Lingun raised his brow and turned to Jilneas. "We needed this sir. We really did," she said.

"We all needed this." he smiled turning back to look at his crew.

OOC: Is this thread semi-open meaning "open until there are enough people" or otherwise? If I am allowed to join this thread, I would be interested in RPing the desert dwelling inhabitants of this planet.

Several figures emerged from the sandy dunes surrounding the oasis and began to run toward the oasis, yelling in their coarse tongue. As they approached the oasis, they drew what looked like glass spears, pointing them at those in the water, and yelling at them.

OOC: I don't want this RP to be filled to the brim with people just a few. As for your request I'll accept.

Seli Grostin was sitting in the shade of the rather large palm tree near the beach. From there he sighed with relief, relaxing on what was like a paradise. The glistening blue waves of the large oasis, his fellow crewman enjoying themselves in the water. "Why won't you go out there?"

"Ah!" he yelled in surprise, his eyes widened. He didn't notice Nisa walk up on him from the side.

"Was it something I said!?" she said hold her hand to her mouth.

"Uhh..no. You just startled me is all." he said while waving his hands in a negative gesture.

"Oh." she giggled, "So why won't you go out there."

"Well I...uh..well." he looked off into the water, "I can't swim." he muttered.

"Hm?"

"I can't swim."

"You can't sw--"

"Shh. Don't let them hear you."

"Oh I see. Well I'm going for a swim. Wait for me hear okay?"

Nisa in her bathing suit was a sight to behold for Seli. Her beauty pierced through his heart like a spear. A shining glass spear. "Wait!? Nisa!"

"Hm?" she looked behind her to find several spears flying at her. She covered her head, "Ahh!"

Suddenly she was pushed out of the way, with the spears flying by hitting into the water. "Are you okay?" Seli said.

"Yes. What was that?"

"I don't know."

Meanwhile on the Belldandy, Lingun looked at the tactical display on the bridge. Only Lieutenant Jilneas remained with him, "Lieutenant? Whats are those contacts surrounding the oasis."

"Thats strange. They don't seem to be the crewman, our scopes are closing in. They don't look friendly who ever they are."

"Prep an Arm Slave."

"Sir?"

He walked out of the bridge before giving a reply. Soon he was in the hangar the cockpit of one of the Arm Slaves opened for him. He got into the mech and began operating the systems. The systems seemed okay with him and he piloted the Arm Slave to walk out of the hangar and jump into the middle of the oasis. "All crewman proceed to the ship! All crewman proceed to the ship!"

"Is that the captain?" Nisa said.

"Yea!. Lets go Nisa.

"Mm" she nodded.

bump

As the crew began to climb the hangarbay doors Lingun began to shoot in front of the natives. Afterall they were the visitors and he did not want any unneccessary deaths. "Captain most of the crew has come onboard. Waiting on a few."

"Good close the hangarbay doors once me and the last of the crew get inside."

"Yes sir."

Meanwhile on the hangarbay door, Seli was pulling Nisa to her feet when she slid on the door. "Are you okay?"

"Yes thank yoooou." she said as she was pulled by Seli.

"Lets go."

Lingun began to retreat firing controlled bursts into the lake. Climbing up the door trying to avoid the crewman. As he got in and was sure that the last of the crewman got into the ship the hangarbay doors began to close.

The Natives saw the desecrators of the sacred oasis retreat and began to rush after them. With blinding speed and very little sound, they rushed the ship, some of them getting on without being noticed, the rest were forced to hang back for fear of being cut down. A bent and unarmed figure emerged from the dunes and began to sprinkle a mysterious powder into the water, while the others began to chant...

OOC: I didn't actually intend for them to attack your crew, but I'll work with it.:)

As soon as the hatch closed Captain Lingun turned the Arm Slave around towards the crew. "Alright fall in. I want all ship officers and NCOs make a headcount." he said into the external mic. He turned the mic off and contacted Lieutenant Jilneas.

"Lieutenant, I want you to double check the count with the active scanners."

"Yes sir."

Meanwhile on the floor Nisa was standing next to Seli in the formation. She saw the Sargeant Major counting the crew, and Captain Lingun's Arm Slave near the hatch. Everything seemed to be fine but there was a chill that ran up her back. She desided to shake if off believing it was nothing. "Whats wrong?" Seli implied.

"Oh nothing," she smiled, "just had a wierd feeling I'm being watched. I guess its just my imagination."

"Who could blame them for looking at you," he joked.

Nisa blushed at the comment, then looked down. Sell looked at her with concern. "Just stick to me and you'll be fine!"

"Oh Seli!" she hugged him. Seli's face began to blush.

"Hey!"

"Oh!" Nisa said ending her embrace with Seli.

"Sorry Sargeant Major Willis." they said simultaneously.

OOC: Crossbones you can RP but no large fleets. It kinda ruins it for me.

On planet
The cleansing ceremony completed and the desecrators leaving, the natives began to speak to their members through telepathy...

On the ship
The infiltrating 'aliens' began to receive instruction from the priest. Using their collective telepathy, they attempted to communicate with the one called Nisa. Finding that they could communicate only through emotions and pictures, they adapted their efforts.

(anger)
(The Crew in the oasis)

"Ah!"

"Now I know something is bothering you!" Seli had concern over his face.

"Anger... I can feel... so much anger. I just don't know whats causing it."

"Do you think its those desert people?!"

"It could be. They did seem angry when they drove us out of the water. Like if it were something dear to them."

"Should we tell the Captain?" Seli said.

"Will he believe it?"

"I believe it. Sargeant Major?"

"What Grostin! Can't you see I'm busy?!"

"We need to see the Captain. Nisa need to inform him about the people outside."

"Alright Grostin, if it will get your annoying voice out of my ear, then you can leave."

"Thanks chief... son of a.." he muttered walking off with Nisa close behind.

"What?!!"

"Nothing!" he ran grabbing Nisa's hand.

"That better be nothing you bastard! Just wait till I get my hands on you Grostin! Just one of these days! I'll get youuu!"

After running across the hangar, Nisa was sort of dizzy, being dragged by Seli. "I'm sorry I forgot I was holding your hand heh." he rubbed his head.

She shook her head, "Its alright. Just be careful next time."

"Heh."

Captain Lingun walked over to the couple, "What did you want to say to me?"

"I believe these desert people are reaching out to me. I can see pictures of anger in my head, I think we have insulted the natives here by being in that oasis."

"Well they seemed pretty agitated," he rosed up his commlink, "Lieutenant?"

"Scans are picking up other lifeforms in the hangar. I have initiated anti-intruder protocols, partitions have been closed, isolating unknown lifeforms now."

"Good," he looked over to Nisa, "I'll look into your lead. Thank you for your time."

"My pleasure," she smiled.

The girl seemed to be more receptive to their efforts at communication, they redoubled their efforts, managing to gain access deeper into her mind. Respecting her right to privacy as the ancient texts mandate them to, they probed only the parts having to do with language. Slowly they began to learn the tongue which she used. Consumed by their efforts, they did not notice themselves become trapped by the anti-intruder protocols. Again they attempted to communicate:

(The Oasis)
"Sacred"
(a foot stepping into water)
"Desecration"

"Hmm..." Nisa nibbled her thumb with her lips.

"Miss Olgander?" Lingun had concern on his face.

"Oh I think I've seen another image. I think we may have desecrated a holy ground...er, water. Well...site."

"I see. Well I guess we got ourselves mixed up in some religious affairs. I wonder if they will understand we meant no harm."

"Well I could at least try something." Nisa closed her eyes and began to think images of peace. She began to think of a bird of peace back in her homeland of Iolia. A Yurikia, a peaceful bird specifically native to her rural area.

As they continued their attempts to learn the language of the people on this ship, they felt a thought bump against their conciousness. Again it bumped against their conciousness, bringing up visions of a bird, a seemingly peaceful bird. The girl seemed to be attempting communication as well; excitedly the aliens' leader constructed his first sentences:
"I am Aeschylus Seliza, a native of the planet you just landed on. You have desecrated our only water, which is a serious crime for my people. We understand that you did not know this, but the laws of my people require for you to atone for your wrongs. We also want peace, please agree to negotiate with us."

Nisa began to say the words that had popped in her mind.

"I am Aeschylus Seliza, a native of the planet you just landed on. You have desecrated our only water, which is a serious crime for my people. We understand that you did not know this, but the laws of my people require for you to atone for your wrongs. We also want peace, please agree to negotiate with us."

As soon as she finished speaking, she blinked. "What did I say?" she said not remembering the the past few seconds.

"It seems we need to negotiate. Lieutenant?"

"We're sending security teams to apprehend the intruders. I ordered them to use only non-lethal force if it comes to it."

"Very well. Miss Olgander. Sargent. Follow me."

A security team was standing ready with their air tazers and dart guns. As soon as the partition opened they rushed right in and attempted to apprehend one of the intruders.

The intruders saw the guards rush in and as they grabbed one of them, an invisible force threw the guards across the room. As the guards lay unconcious on the floor, a deafening voice filled the heads of the rest of the guards:
"We want a peaceful solution, do not attempt to restrain us! We will come with you to negotiate unrestrained and cooperative, or not at all!"

It could have been noticed that one out of four of the intruders looked somewhat tired after the guards were sent across the room...

Some of the guards weren't unconscious, but simply got the wind knocked out of them. "Goddamit! Ah. Lewis, Halenska are you alright." Sargent Jim Tomson said.

"Yes sir." Halenska reported

"Ow my ass hurts." Lewis said.

Suddenly a voice filled their heads, they began to look at each other. Lewis was still grimacing from the pain, "What the hell was that?"

"I think its our 'guests'." Jim looked at the four beings inside the chamber.

"Shit! All they had to do was ask. Ah! Goddam my ass hurts." Lewis said as he got up.

"I'll make it hurt more if don't shut the hell up." Halenska said making a threatening gesture with her foot.

"You're soo mean!" Lewis cried.

She made a swinging motion with her foot, "Ahh!" Lewis covered his rear.

"Enough!" Jim said, rubbing his temples for the terrible headache they were causing him. "I swear you two are going to be the death of me."

"Sorry." they said simultaneously.

Jim lowered his tazer and headed for the room. Making no threatening gestures or anything of the matter, he began to speak to them. "If you can understand me, then good. We are going to escort you to a room where you can speak to the Captain."

Jim walked out of the partitition and looked back at the people, "Well are you coming?"

OOC: Sorry bout not responding for a while, my internet is down at home so I can't post on weekends.

As the guards walked in, the intruders were wary, though they understood that the guards meant for a peaceful solution as well.
"Very well then, we will cooperate" responded their leader as the guards informed them of what their intentions were. Following the guards out, they started en route to the meeting with the captain.

Captain Lingun was sitting in the chair of the meeting room. It was a long oblong table with 13 cushy seats mostly used for briefings of pilots and marines, it was now used for a first contact mission. "Welcome, I am Captain James Lingun of the Ganoxian Alliance Destroyer Belldandy. Now I understand from a certain person that we have somehow intruded on a holy shrine of some sort. We show our sincere apologies for this intrusion but you see we did not detect any lifeforms on your planet. My crew was severely demoralized by our ordeals and saw this as a break from the tension. I hope you can forgive our shortsightedness."

"Your error will be forgiven, unfortunately by our law we are bound to demand you to compensate for the desecration, else our lives are forfit." responded Aeschylus Seliza. His men stared at their surroundings, especially the chairs, which were completely foreign to them, and their use unknown.

tag

"Please sit and we will discuss the compensation." the captain gestured to the chair. "Sargent, can you stand outside."

"Yes sir. Come on Lewis."

"Why you always gotta pi--" the door shut behind Lewis before he could finish his complaint.

"Excuse us for the distraction. Now about this compensation that you are asking. What does it entail?"

Finally realizing the use of the chairs, the aliens sat down.
"Traditionally, one must give something which holds great value to them in payment. Some people groups have desecrated our water and given members of their society, it all depends on what the offender finds valuable. We will need to discuss terms after investigating your culture" Aeschylus Seliza replied to the question once he was seated.

"Hmm... I see. You put us in a tight situation. The one thing we all hold value is this ship, and we can't simply hand it over, we need to get homw. You see that is what we hold most dear to us, our hope. Without it we would have succumbed to the void some time ago," he looked over to screen on the table, he pulled up a file. "Although...I believe we still have some raw materials in storage that we can give to you. Although it would be a detriment to us if we transfer it but we can live without it."

Outside of the room, Lewis cupped his ear on the door, "What are you doing...?" Halenska said.

"I want to hear the meeting."

"Thats a four inch steel door, how the hell can you listen in on their conversation."

"With this!" he showed her what looked to be some sort of advanced listening device.

"Where did you get that!?"

"Got it from Sarge's locker. You'll be amazed of what kind of espionage devices you'll find in their."

Jim came around the corner and saw his two subordinates fighting over something. He was baffled and angered simultaneously. "What the hell are you two up to now!?"

He then saw what looked like to be his listening device. "Uh...hey Sarge. Hehe." Lewis said nervously

"I was trying to retrieve it sir!" Halenska ever the soldier, standing up at attention with a salute.

"What the hell! Is that my SPX-200!? BROKEN!"

"Uh...heh...it was her fault!" Lewis pointed.

Five minutes later Halenska and Lewis were standing at attention in front of the doorway, rather large bumps on their heads, handcuffed to the railing that was on their opposite sides. Across from the door, Jim sat on a bench with his arms crossed, giving the two a dirty look through his glasses. Lewis looked down to see that Jim's sidearm was exposed in the holster, he gulped, and resumed looking forward.

"Hmm, what kind of raw materials would you possess and be willing to be separated from?" the alien leader replied as his followers began to follow his lead, taking a seat at the table, "depending on what they are, they may be of sufficient use to us."

"Well our stores include some iron and copper ores, some tin and maybe some compacted bauxite. This is the best we can come up with," he said.

Aeschylus paused for a brief moment before he hesitant offer:
"Would you be willing to bring a small number of my people with you as payment, our population puts a large strain on the water resources of our planet and we would like to move a small portion of this population to a different planet to lessen this strain."

Pondering on the notion Lingun looked back at the being before him, "That could be arranged, but this is a small vessel. We only have room for at maximum 100 more beings. Plus you will have to ask your people if they are willing to spend days even weeks in a confined area on end. As you seen with our violation, we were desperate for an escape from our venture."

In normal circumstances this would have been unacceptable under Alliance protocol, but for as long as he knew there was no government to make foreign policy, he would have to be the governor. The governor of the Belldandy. He sighed at this new responsibility weighing at his shoulders.

Seli was walking back from his quarters, after changing out of his trunks into his uniform, when he suddenly saw Nisa sitting on her bed, looking depressed. He paused and peered inside the room, his eyes widened with concern. She looks down.

"Nisa? Whats wrong...?"

Nisa sprang up and looked at Seli, "Oh, I didn't hear you come in." she said in her sweet voice again.

"Whats bothering you?"

"Oh its just about those images that were in my head, they seemed rather hurtful. I hope we didn't hurt those people down there."

"Look. Don't worry. The Captain will know what to do, just relax. Hey, wanna come to the cafeteria with me? Get your mind off this?"

She nodded, "Hm."

"Okay lets go!" he smiled.

Pondering on the notion Lingun looked back at the being before him, "That could be arranged, but this is a small vessel. We only have room for at maximum 100 more beings. Plus you will have to ask your people if they are willing to spend days even weeks in a confined area on end. As you seen with our violation, we were desperate for an escape from our venture."

In normal circumstances this would have been unacceptable under Alliance protocol, but for as long as he knew there was no government to make foreign policy, he would have to be the governor. The governor of the Belldandy. He sighed at this new responsibility weighing at his shoulders.

The alien leader seemed to stare blankly into space for a second, a moment later he responded with a voice other than his own.
"The people are eager to relieve the strain on their home, we would like to bring another 14 of our number onto your vessel if these terms are acceptable to you, the requirements would be satisfied and we would have no further grudge against your people."

"That would be acceptable, glad to work this out with your people." his image began to flicker as he got up, "but we do have to apologize for our cautious stance."

During the whole meeting, the Captain that stood before the sand people was a hologram, his image being transmitted from his command chair on the bridge. The security team decided it was too risky for the Captain to meet with them face to face and convinced him to proceed with the meeting via hologram.

"I do apologize for not meeting with you in person in the first place, but I see we can trust you."

"We understand your requirement for security and your initial mistrust, such caution is paramount and we would expect nothing less. When are we to begin our journey among the stars?"

"Well we are ready to launch right now. Just need you to get your people on and we can leave." The door opened, Jim, Halenska, and Lewis walked through. "Follow my people to the hangar where you can pick out the future travellers."

After leading the desert people to the hangar Jim, Lewis and Halenska stood at attention when Lingun came with Lieutenant Jilneas one pace behind him. "I'm sorry again that we could not have met normally."

The hangar bay doors began to open and dropped slowly into the desert sand. Slight winds blowing sand into the hangar, "We will have a medical team waiting here to make sure your people are fit for long travel conditions."

The 'diplomatic' party and the crew of the vessel they were on were greeted by a party of 7 aliens, who promptly boarded the vessel. The leader of the boarding party turned to his counterpart:
"These are the only additional people we bring with us in this mission, again we thank you for this agreement to help us colonize another world"

"These people are fit for travel sir, they shouldn't have any problems." Dr. Olinas said.

"Very well," he picked up his commlink off his belt,"Close hangar bay doors, prepare for launch."

The howling winds were silenced the loud mechanics of the hangar bay doors. Crewman began sweeping up the remaining sand when the doors closed, sweeping them near the filter systems. "Lieutenant, show the guests to their quarters," Lingun said.

"Sir we are ready for launch."

"Begin."

"Yes sir. In 3...2...1," the ship lifted off from the desert planet and began its ascent into the heavens. Blue soon turned to gray then to black. "Begin jumping sequence."

"Yes sir. Jumping now."

The Belldandy soon sped up and disappeared into the black.

This was the desert peoples' first journey into the stars, as their previous only method of interplanetary travel had been via 'Gate', and they were all anxious. As they were shown to their quarters, they were in constant telepathic communication, taking comfort in each other's company. The original boarding party, already partially comfortable with the vessel, asked the nearest crewman what parts of the vessel were open to them, should they feel the need to... how did the humans say it... "stretch their legs".

"Well we have the recreation room that has some exercise equipment, or if you prefer a more natural means you can run up and down the corridors. Thats it really. Space travel isn't what its cracked up to be. Areas that are off limits however are the weapons, engines, and communications areas, but those areas have a security lock in the first place so it doesn't really matter." said a crewman.

Impulsively one of the aliens began to run along the corridor, apparently to let loose a little energy.
"Please excuse him, he is only 100 standard years old, and blessed with boundless energy."
The leader apologized.