NationStates Jolt Archive

OOC: Warning, this could be a repeat. If that is the case then ignore the other one without this warning and post here :)

The world of Myenya hovered simply in the infinitesimal darkness of space. It was like any world, a shimmering orb of blue-green, capped at either end by expanses of vast white ice, untouched by the ravages of any civilisationally inflicted global warming for an age. Four mighty continents stretched across the world, beautiful and dazzling in their variety. To the east rose the Zanfal mountain ranges, greater than the distant and unknown Himalayas of Earth. Jungles teemed with life, forests stretched towards the heavens, deserts and tundras formed great lifeless voids upon the beautiful face of the world.

Each citizen of Myenya had a fully functional holographic map of their singularly beautiful world, able to be displayed at a whim throughout their living quarters. Such was their respect for this artfully formed orb. In their earlier technological epochs, they had believed that to gaze upon Myenya was to gaze into the very eyes of their old deity, Xintak, Lord of the World, Orderer and Creator. Now they wondered how they could ever have entertained such fundamentally naive ideals.

Savages see the divine hand guiding the sun across the sky, or plotting the positions of the two great moons. As a star-faring civilisation they understood too clearly that the sky was no longer the limit, that imagination and superstition were no substitutes for the beauty of the universe. In a sense though, the old legends had been correct. Heaven lay beyond the sky.

Shieldmaster Gurget Jian stretched his aching limbs as he gazed out across the frozen landscape of the northern pole. He was the Acting Shieldmaster Proper of the Secondary Shield Spire, to give him his full title. He smiled lightly, pulling the fur cloak tighter around his heavy fabric robes. Save for the pylons, Myenya was near uninhabited as a planetary body. Certainly there were the few who had "gone native", sheltering in custom-formed underground habitats, so as not to marr the planet any further. The rest had gone forth in the vast SeedBarges, to resculpt other worlds, or dwelt above the enclosing shield layer, in a variety of orbital habitats, vast spheres, like a string of pearls around the world, while others bobbed lazily about the two moons.

Myenya, homeworld of the Myenyan Collective, was a protected world, saved and preserved as a key aspect of their racial history, a vast nature reserve and archaeological playpen, where their past would one day be exposed to the universe. Such a time, Gurget thought, was hopefully long off.

The Myenyans themselves were essentially human-basic. They possessed four limbs, two eyes, light body hair, especially on their heads and were quite indistinguishable from any of the other diasporic scatterings of humanity. Rising up from the ages of darkness which had marred their upbringing, their "civilisational adolescent rebellion" as Developmental Scholars were likely to term it with a wry chuckle, had seen them plateau as a high technologically advanced race, gazing out over the world they had begun to traduce and debase in their ambitions.

When it was entirely possible to travel forth to other worlds, to colonise the moons and to build orbital habitats of sufficient sophistication that they no longer primarily relied upon their homeworld they had built the Shield Spires, immense energy field generators which had sealed off their world, while they had attempted to repair the damage they had inflicted upon it.

Gurget smiled softly, running a hand along the vast black needle that formed but a part of the Spire complex, closing his eyes as the chill wind lashed at his exposed flesh. This was, though admittedly such thoughts were a ridiculous notion in such times, almost a holy task. He was one of many countless guardians, tending to the vast Shield, ensuring that Myenya remained inviolate. He smiled slightly, shaking himself free of excess snow and frost, before moving back inside, door mechanisms whirring and clicking, open and closed behind him. The walls were simple, grey stone riven through with a variety of grey, black and white metals. He sighed as heat surrounded him once more, generated from all around by miniature mechanisms within the structure.

Good afternoon, Gurget Jian.

The voice seemed to issue from all around, the all-knowing intelligence of the Spirebrain eager for conversation.

"Good afternoon." He smiled lightly. He had never thought, in the 20 years of his service, to ask it's name. He knew that the Machinebrain intelligences took names. Habitats had names beyond their own mortal pronouncements of them, ships too. He wondered what the Spirebrain's must be. "Are you well?"

Well as can be expected. Shield fluctuations are within expected parameters, habitational norms are preserved. Myenya is as it shall always be.

"Home." He chuckled.

Quite.

Gurget continued to move, stretching lightly as he moved into a social area, slumping into a chair. Home...He closed his eyes. He remembered home.

Gurget Jian, of the line Jian, son of Morinda and Susis Jian, had been born on the Tertiary Winraf Orbiting Sphere, third of six orbital habitats that encircled Winraf, the second moon of Myenya. Theirs had been a modest view of the volcanic craters that dotted Winraf's eastern hemisphere. He had not wanted, not really. He had had much provided for him by his family, other things provided by the all encompassing society he lived in. A fine education, a job as a Technologist and Machine Scholar, before his selection, before the undertaking of his responsibility. It had been such an honour, to be elected as a Shieldmaster. His family had entertained that honour only thrice in 10 generations. They had been proud, and had wished him well. Still, that had been long ago. Doubtless his family were still alive, but...

Did he still miss them? He must, surely. He frowned, brow furrowing as his fingers drummed idly. "I'll be in meditation. Ask the others not to disturb me."

As you request. Pleasant dreams, Gurget Jian

Far far above, from the Secondary Myenyan Orbital Habitat, affectionately dubbed as Bizmar, after a city of old, by it's inhabitants and the Second Child Dilemma by the Habitatbrain, a Mobile Habitat Unit slid forth from a pair of immense doors. These doors seemed to spiral shut once the massive vessel had departed, glowing greens emitted from Vegetational Support Bubbles, while the blue-ish grey hull of the thing sparkled with reflected sunlight. Mobile Habitat Units were a lesser vessel than a mighty SeedBarge, moderately common and intelligent throughout the Myenyan Collective Co-habitational Zones. These were areas of the system, and a few beyond, which belonged indubitably and in perpetuity to the Myenyan Collective, tended to by a moderate bureaucracy terming itself the Myenyan Co-habitational Cooperation Board.

This Mobile Habitat Unit, the Brighter Days Ahead was detailed to make stops across the systems Asteroid belts, inspecting drone-slaved mining operations, before proceeding on to an outer gas giant, Hupindu, to take stock of gas-mining and aeroform cultivational programmes. The Aeroforms were a race, not unlike fish, who swam through the deeps of gas giants as others might swim through water. They were intelligent, though not nearly as advanced as the Myenyans, and so had been earmarked for cultural uplifting and technological training. Many gas-mining stations relied upon these new allies, as well as a variety of automated or machine-staffed positions.

The Captain had coughed lightly, gazing out across the expanse of the stars from a screen spread across his quarter wall. He smiled softly. The path was laid out, a full months journey at minimal thrust, but a leisurely cruise for those on-board. Some were tourists, wishing to see beyond the Orbitals, others were the officials and essential personnel who tended to the workings in the outer system. Captain Jen-sa Tirkir had smiled lightly, his pale skin seeming almost albino in his black uniform.

"Status report?"

All is as expected. We ought to be moving off at a steady pace relatively soon. Nothing on sensors The shipbrain answered, casting a thousand eyes out into the coldness of space, interpreting everything at once, far faster than a human mind could ever hope to, save some doubtless strange savants. Fusion reactors are steady. A pity that we're wasting it all on a pleasure cruise for bureaucrats, sightseers and glorified repairmen.

"Oh? And what would you rather be doing?" The captain had laughed gently. He did love these conversations, he the captain matching wits and wills with his ship. "Got better things to do than what we've been asked?"

Meanderings through the void, extended wanderings. They do that you know. Sometimes I wish I'd be born-constructed as a Vigilante. Or a Designated Exploration Vehicle.

"Could have been fun. Alas, we each ascribe to our lot. We can power off now then?"

As you require. Would still rather be exploring.

"One day, my friend. One day the universe will smile on us, and we'll all have that chance."

The ship shuddered as additional thrust propelled it away. He switched the view, watching the slow retreating habitat orbs and the gleaming orb of his homeworld, a smile crossing his lips. He closed his hand into a fist, kissed it, and pressed it to his breast.

"Till I see you next, sweet mother-sphere."

(OOC: Hell of an intro, welcome to NS. I'm interested in participating somehow, though Zanziik is not designated FT at this point... What kind of interaction are you looking for, perhaps I can make my jump to FT as well?)

It was a trip like any other, exploration, finding new things in the universe. Planets, races, whatever was out there. This was no different, the Greywatch exploration vessel had been assigned to look in some corner of the galaxy for whatever could be found. The ship had a Stargazer Drone and plenty of Star charts. Whenever it saw something of intrest, the ship would open PSR and head off in that direction, typically arriving somewhere close to what the Drone had seen. Though, not everything that seemed interesting from afar was interesting close up. Large stars, supernovas, nebulas... things that were nice to see but not worth much. Perhaps something different would come up in the next run. The Stargazer Drone had found something else that looked interesting and ship was off again. When it arrived, it began scans to find anything of interest.

(OOC: Hell of an intro, welcome to NS. I'm interested in participating somehow, though Zanziik is not designated FT at this point... What kind of interaction are you looking for, perhaps I can make my jump to FT as well?)

OOC: I suppose you could, yes. I'm just looking for contact, hopefully peaceful, and interesting interaction regardless.

IC:

There's something out there. The shipbrain's voice had incised through whatever peace of mind Jen-sa had previously possessed. His brow furrowed, his fingers drummed against the table as the sensor-eyes of the great ship examined and scrutinized this latest cosmic detritus, though seeming to be rather something else.

"Something?"

Something. Drone-form. Not one of ours. Hmmm... It was odd to hear the sound of the machine pondering, almost like dry leaves rustling. This was furthered by what seemed altogether like a sigh. Undoubtedly alien.

"Alien?" Jen-sa raised two dark brows, running a hand through his equally dark cropped black hair. He paused lightly, brushing it back over his forehead. "Are you quite sure?"

Almost positive. Moderate technological sophistication from what I can see. I would suggest a burst-transmission back to home. Best not to alarm our guests though, I've blocked their ability to access ship camera-views.

"Probably for the best. Is...Could it be dangerous?"

I suppose anythings possible. I'm quite unarmed as it is. You haven't had need of truly dedicated warships since you stopped sailing on seas, have you now?

"No need to mock me." He almost pouted, the very image of mock petulance.

Just trying to lighten the mood. I'll include an additional to contact a Vigilante.

Vigilante class vessels were Light, used for recon or for quick exploration. They did not possess the greater bulk of a Designated Exploration Vessel, which were in turn built to enable entire micro-populations to go forth and explore and excavate across known and unknown portions of the cosmos, but were lightly to moderately armed.

"Good. Something I suppose. What do you recommend we do?"

We could always try indulging it. Contact it on a wide burst transmission protocal. We could continue to observe from a distance. We could poke it...

"No..."

Ram it? Just a little?

"No.

Hmph. I suppose we'll keep our distance. I'll factor in a cursory hello.

The following message was broadcast on a wide variety of transmission mediums, all tightly wrapped around the offending drone, like a hornets nest gaggle of whispers and cajoling introductions all trying to violate it at once;

Unidentified droneform, this is the Mobile Habitat Unit Shipbrain Brighter Days Ahead of the Myenyan Collective requesting that you identify yourself and your source of origin, and provide adequate reasoning as to your presence in the Myenyan Co-habitational sphere.

Failure to provide an adequate explanation will likely result in further communication, more emphatically requesting such.

Failure to answer these further queries will likely result in you being slagged to near-enough elemental basics. Apologies for being the bearer of both fine greetings and bad news,
yours,
Brighter Days Ahead

OOC: Indeed, great intro. Keep up the good work.
IC:
Stars wheeled...
A sixteen-meter long ship (http://premium1.uploadit.org/MaxOutrider/ShipImages/Marauder-Corvette.jpg) tumbled though the void, end over end, propelled by simple momentum, the duel engines at the rear outputting no fire or glow. It had a ring of debris orbiting it, charred and blackened metal which one could suppose came from the vessel: It was hard to tell. Two "wings" jutted out from both sides, but the right one was abruptly cut off, obviously battle-damaged judging by the twisted, melted metal, the source of the wreckage being pulled along with the craft. No energy signatures would be detected except by the most precise and delicate of sensors, and these would pick up organic body heat and little more. The lost ship would be more likely to crash into something or be pulled in and incinerated by a celestial body than be picked up by watching devices or biologicals.

What is this ships shooting fire why twist turn dodge bright too bright so bright glare flare shine run run away far huge bodies move nothing fire but so loud fire-
The out-of-control vessel entered the range of the Brighter Days Ahead. If the name was a question it was unlikely for the one on board, and was also illogical, as day and night were indefinable and irrelevant in space, but the one aboard the craft didn't know this and indeed, wouldn't have cared if they did. Anyone finding them would have been welcome...or perhaps not.
There are worse things than death, after all.
The ship spun on.

The bridge of the exploration ship becaqme a hive of activity as soon as external cameras went offline, "Sir, we've lost al external views. Something's hacking us." Said the tactical officer, "I'm already activating the firewalls and blockers." The captain scowled and looked back, "Activate all long range scanners. Keep anything and everything out of our network." The ship was already activating shields and weapons, hacking a ship's network was a hostile act in Greywatch's book. Crew members in the ship were prepared for a conflict, just in case, though they all hoped it wouldn't come to that.
The Stargazer Drone sat in engineering upon its 'throne.' Surrounding it were various holo screens and other equiptment to amplify its Cryptic abilities. "We have found something..." Said the Drone to no one in particular. Officers in engineering were focused on other things, "I want to know more... what is this thing?" Other Drones on the ship were beginning to awaken, each one's hive mind was becoming active.
Then the ship recieved the message from the unidentified presence. The tactical officer looked up, "Sir, we have shields and weapons rerady. Greywatch Prime has already been contacted via SCN, we should get a response in a few minutes. Also, scanners have located the ship, we may not be able to see it but we know where it is." The captain nodded, "Open a channel."

<This is Greywatch Explorer 029. We are not trying to trespass, we are here on a peace mission. But we will defend ourselves if you try to attack us.>

The tactical officer gave a puzzled look, "Sir, we have the capability to crush them for speaking to us like tha-" The captain stopped him, "At ease. We're here on the matter of peace soldier. Greywatch Prime knows of the situation, if we need support, we'll get it." The Tactical officer looked up again, "Uh, sir, new contact... out of control contact..."

There's another ship. Appears to have simply appeared, some form of faster-than-light contrivance certainly. Undeterminable level of civilisational maturity, though apparent battle-damage goes a long way towards suggesting otherwise.

"So long, with absolutely nothing, almost certainly alone in this region and now...Now all this?"

Couldn't last forever. Ironic that we have two visitors on the same day mind. It seems that whatever shit can happen, will happen.

"How very succint. I imagine we should warn people now."

Issuing mild proximity alerts. I've alternated thrust, we're moving out of it's direct path and issuing a similar message, plus offers to provide assistance. Myenya actual has at least two Vigilante's in range, with a DEV also en route.

"Good ships?"

We're currently expecting the Assuredly Nothing There and the Woefully Wide Mandate, decent enough I suppose. But then Vigilante classes tend to be...Erratic, over-excitable, in a word, trigger happy. They're the sort of brains you wouldn't put in a warship, perish the thought that we should require them, but that we keep around anyways.

Directing their energies is always more productive.

Jen-sa was idly drumming his fingers along his desk, a nervous habit that he was all too aware of. He sighed, raising from his chair and strolling from his quarters. He stood on a wide metal balcony, gazing down over one of the more social areas of the vessel. Bars and small kitchens provided food and drink to the passengers, many of whom were marvelling at holographic representations of many of Myenya's wonders, or looking over maps of the ship.

He might take a walk down to one of the Vegetational Support Bubbles, take in some local flora. He smiled briefly. A man couldn't be stopped from taking a brief moment of relaxation simply because the stars chose to turn upside down, or near enough. No, he could take a short breather while the brain, and others like it, took a more...Progressive and intellectual look at things.
----------------------------------

The Shipbrain muttered and sighed to itself within the containment of its own shipwide dataverse. It hadn't meant to comp. the little drone, but it appeared that it's full attention had provoked quite the reaction. Greywatch Explorer it called itself, didn't know it was trespassing. Peace mission? It turned it's virtual attentions from the lunatic trajectories and madcap readings coming from the out of control ship, while simultaneously filtering the current communiques through itself, and coordinating a reply.

How very quaint it all seemed. They seemed, well it couldn't be awe, they likely did this all the time. Something like caution perhaps. The other three ships, still quite a while off, would ensure that such estimations increased. He wondered what they thought of their system-wide involvement. Asteroid mining, Gas-giant refinery systems, energy collectors closer to their local stellar body. They were, in a non-military sense, entrenched. This little thing was the invader, the intruder, much calmer than the bucking other-ship though.

Greywatch Explorer 029.

You'll accept, I hope, a measure of my apology for dealing with you so harshly. This isn't the sort of thing that happens everyday. I must admit your drone-intelligence was rather quaint and horribly overwhelmed by me, it seems. Shipbrains tend to do that to computational set-ups of non-existent or low sentience.

You find yourself within the bounds of the Myenyan Co-habitational Sphere, the central protectorate of the Myenyan Collective and her efforts upon her homeworld, inviolate Myenya as well as a minor cultural upliftment phase on one of the gas giants, coincidentally home to a variety of gaseous processing plants.

Other ships have been alerted as to your presence and are inbound, however they won't wish you any harm. I'll keep them in check at any rate. I am Brighter Days Ahead, the shipbrain of that Mobile Habitat Unit, on a tour of our outer interests with a view to maintain and restock them. I am, essentially, a civilian vessel and so unarmed, though rather bulky. The two ships that shall arrive presently are moderately armed. We have no warships. The one that shall arrive afterwards is also armed, though similarly not a warship. Simply, cautious defenders. You can consider them whispering and holding big sticks.

OoC: Welcome to NS, and great intro
IC:


The Silicoid

The Greal battleship, the Silicoid, made its way through the area. It was a formidable warship, capable of taking on all opponents. Today was different. The Berraxs had hid their fleet somewhere, and the Empire had to catch them and destroy them. The crew however was not happy being dispatched to chase Berrax pirates. They preferred to go to Pamp and defend it from the Calaverians. Captain Wichards was one of these unhappy crewmen, but he had his orders and he accepted them. Right behind the Silicoid was another ship, a Crystal ship, carrying fuel crystals for the battleship. Several fighters were flying around the two Greal ships, patrolling and watching for any intruders. The sensors however began picking up something nearby, in fact, plenty of somethings...

The ship kept on it's steady, eternal, falling course, not responding to any messages. The one aboard would have been somewhat assured if they had known a Greywatch vessel was there, and similarly horrified at the presence of the Greali. Nevertheless, they were in no state to respond to anything even if they had wanted to or been aware of them. It continued to drift like a leaf at the mercy of a slow-moving stream, coming closer at just above your average fit humans walking pace.

A response came back:

<Ship... Brain. This ship does not possess such a thing. And you will have to excuse us for a moment.>

The Greywatch ship began setting a course for the spinning vessel, activating tractor beams. The tactical officer looked up, "We need to be careful, I don't wanna accidentally rip this thing in two." As tractor beams focused on the ship, it began to slow somewhat but only time would tell if it could be brought to a halt without damage.

And now another one, two infact....It seemed that the universe had chosen this day to make the MHU truly wish it had some of the capabilities of it's lighter, more armed brethern. One was unmistakable a warship, a primitive and unrelentingly childish thing. The Myenyans had recognised this on a cultural scale when competition had arose to forge yet greater conglomerations of iron and steel, letting them sail across the waves in search of grander plateaus of conflict and bloodshed.

On the level of the civilisationally star-faring, the construction of such exuberant warships boiled down to stick-waving with a view to impress someone, or to maim and kill on a sadistic whim. They had yet to encounter civilisational sadists, and hoped that such a thing was far off. The brain hmmed again. Maybe it wouldn't contact that one, not yet. The same lightly chiding message it had sent to the drone, perhaps, modified to regard a ship and without the threat would prove sufficient. It decided it would contact it after all.

This is the MHU Brighter Days Ahead, currently appearing to be a much relied upon conversational foil for other vessels presently invading our space, privacy and patience. I am a civilian vessel containing many passengers, many of them important, and few weapons, all of them fictitious.

You are clearly a large and forceful ship of war, and escorts, and so I would advise you to stand down to a polite distance and to await proper and complete consideration from our currently bamboozled government.

You converse with the active Shipbrain of the vessel you see before you, and being much smarter than you if-it-does-say-so-itself, I suggest that you comply implicitly with our oh-so-polite requests.

Brighter Days Ahead
-----------------------------------

The ship sighed as it instantly transmitted yet another message to the confused, some would say bemusedly unintelligent, Explorer;
I am a Shipbrain, something a degree more advanced than a simple artificial intelligence. To put it simply, bluntly, and utterly unsatisfactorily, that is. Its sensors regarded the struggle with the spinning vessel, and the ship decided that, for now, it was better to simply watch.

The captain nodded to the message sent to him. "Respond."

<I see. So a highly advanced AI system with a personality, Greywatch has not bothered to tinker with something like that. We have our own unique technologies. Though I will give you this: having a computer that can act 'human' is impressive. Please note, our homeworld has been contacted and will be giving us further orders in a few moments.>

The tractor beams from the Greywatch ship only served to cause the little vessel to spin wildly, and would have rapidly made the pilot dizzy if they had seen this. However, it was now moving at a crawl, and would not reach the space once occupied by the Brighter Days Ahead for some time. The messages continued to go unresponded to, or as it probably seemed from their perspective, ignored. The being aboard would have hoped not to be destroyed, but at the moment they were not in a state to do such, or indeed, have conscious thoughts. It kept going on it's meandering way, apparently undisturbed and undisturbed.

"Dammit sir, this isn't working. It's moving slowly but still spinning..." Said the tactical officer. The captain rolled her eyes, "Focus artificial gravity on the center of the craft and stop its movement completely. Let the computer help, it knows the physics better then anyone else here..." With that, it would seem like a pair of invisible hands were gently wrapping around the craft to keep it from moving further. Hopefully it would.

I wouldn't say I was acting human so much as acting alive, sentient, tolerantly pleasant at a stretch. The Captain is admiring some trees at the moment, so I thought it best to handle these...Events. As I have said similarly intelligent but better equipped vessels shall be...Ah. The vessel had stopped speaking as two other vessels had appeared with a sudden thunderclap.

Both were long, dagger like ships, about half the length of the 2km MHU, much thinner and less oval than the bulky Habitat Unit as well. The Assuredly Nothing There was a pale green craft, which glimmered and sparkled as though brand new in the streaming yellow sunlight, now distant. The Woefully Wide Mandate was jet black, glimmering darkly with reflected light alone.

Initialising real-time interface;
vANT
vWWM
mhuBDA
....
....
....
ANT: Problems?

WWM: Where did all these come from then?

BDA: Miscellaneous non-Myenyan entities, placing us perilously on the cusp of an uncontrolled and rather over-crowded "first contact" as it were.

ANT: They don't look like much...Is that a warship? Is it? Oh that's so cute. Are they still doing that?

WWM: Are we going to hurt it?

BDA: We're going to wait. A DEV is being recalled, dispatched, whatever.

ANT: But surely we can...

BDA: No.

WWM: Not even a little.

BDA: No.

WWM: No fun.

ANT: Spoil sport.

The ships finished conversing amongst themselves, and turned back to the task at hand. A potentially civilisation changing moment hadn't crept, or stalked, or snuck upon them. No, they had been culturally gangbanged in the space of a few hours. A day at most.

This was not the thing that epic poems were made of, nor moments for the history books. These were events that filled all but the most logical minds with something approaching appropriate levels of human terror.

Luckily what confronted it was a reasoned, rational brain, which had been among the stars for just long enough to know what was good for it, and two brains which approached a sort of adolescent proto-sociopathy in their eagerness to be of some, inevitably counter-productive use.

<I see. Well it certainly is a feat. But on to more serious business, I do believe at this point diplomacy is in order. I cannot speak for the others but that is standard Greywatch protocol in such situations as these.>

The captain was acting kinder to this group than she would've any other, they seemed nice. If it wasn't for the fact that she was taking to a computer, her patience would have run out long ago. She doubted if a machine, albeit very advanced, could understand that talking down to people wasn't a good way of making friends.

The MHU knew exactly how it was handling the people of Greywatch. It was treating them with a lightly scolding, presently pleasant and gently patronising method that one might address a small child, or explain things in great simplicity to an idiot. Though the terms it was bringing forth were doubtlessly complex in themselves, it had determined that it would best gently ease these people into a suitable level of...It wasn't quite sure if there was a singular word for pleasantly annoyed diplomatic paranoia.

How would you suggest that we go about our diplomacy, with this out-of-control alien wreck and the present threat of a nearby war vessel? The brain had began to feel almost sorry for the Greywatch, if not for the situation as a whole and so had alerted the Captain that the foreign vessel was suggesting active diplomacy. It could inhabit a drone-form and accompany him if he so wished, unless they wanted to present an entirely human face...

It wondered where it had stored the projected ground-level to culture-wide reactions of Myenya to a contact with life outside their system and beyond their current positions. It had ranged somewhere from "pant-wetting terror" to "diplomacy-while-in-shock" to the much feared "Civdeath or enslavement." There were precautions and back-up plans, of course, it just didn't pay for the humans to know them just yet.

The ship stopped moving abruptly, jolting to a halt as if grasped inside a vice. Now it hung innocently in space, starlight reflecting off the smooth surface, completely still. It was, for all practical purposes, a dead ship excepting what inhabited it inside that had yet to be detected.

The MHU knew exactly how it was handling the people of Greywatch. It was treating them with a lightly scolding, presently pleasant and gently patronising method that one might address a small child, or explain things in great simplicity to an idiot. Though the terms it was bringing forth were doubtlessly complex in themselves, it had determined that it would best gently ease these people into a suitable level of...It wasn't quite sure if there was a singular word for pleasantly annoyed diplomatic paranoia.

How would you suggest that we go about our diplomacy, with this out-of-control alien wreck and the present threat of a nearby war vessel? The brain had began to feel almost sorry for the Greywatch, if not for the situation as a whole and so had alerted the Captain that the foreign vessel was suggesting active diplomacy. It could inhabit a drone-form and accompany him if he so wished, unless they wanted to present an entirely human face...

It wondered where it had stored the projected ground-level to culture-wide reactions of Myenya to a contact with life outside their system and beyond their current positions. It had ranged somewhere from "pant-wetting terror" to "diplomacy-while-in-shock" to the much feared "Civdeath or enslavement." There were precautions and back-up plans, of course, it just didn't pay for the humans to know them just yet.

<Well I never said now or here now did I? I simply stated that it is typical protocol.>

The ship stopped moving abruptly, jolting to a halt as if grasped inside a vice. Now it hung innocently in space, starlight reflecting off the smooth surface, completely still. It was, for all practical purposes, a dead ship excepting what inhabited it inside that had yet to be detected.

"Finally, leave it there for now but give me some ID please." Said the captain with a sigh, "and put another message through to our host."

<Well now, that's 1 out of 2 taken care of.>

The shipbrain broadcast an immense sigh on all frequencies, as close to human sounding as it could muster, before promptly raising a degree of radio silence with the Greywatch vessel. It was, after a fact, toying with it after such blatant time wasting and counter-productive ultimately mis-leading dialogue. It had decided that perhaps this was too harsh just as the captain entered his quarters once more, slumping down into a chair and reaching for a nearby bottle of fine wine.

The Vigilantes have arrived. I'm currently engaged in what might be termed tentative pseudo proto-diplomacy with the drone-thing who claim to be from people termed Greywatch. They've stopped the out of control ship which still does not respond, and the war-ship had been equally silent.

The Vigilantes have expressed a wish to blow things up. I have suitably chastened them, though they may be sulking.

"Hm. Keep me appraised. Any panic aboard?"

By no means. Some are rather excited. I've had to lock the shuttle bays.

"To be expected. Least no one's panicing yet." A soft, almost reluctant laughter. "Nothing to be afraid of then?"

Oh, I don't know...Us?

"Now who's being cocky and violent?"

Not exactly. More, aware of whose yard the balls landed in.

"You always were sure of us, old friend."

No more so than now.

The next data-burst was directed back to the Greywatch ship, who had tolerantly been removed from comms silence.

We've come to the conclusion that it would be far easier if we were to send a diplomatic mission across once the other ship has been secured and the further security of all established.

I take it this is amenable to Greywatch diplomatic policy as it stands?

<Quite a bit so, believe me, I don't exactly like the idea of exchanging information with a warship over yonder. The talk of diplomacy was meant to be what some may call a 'heads up.'>

On board the ship the captain looked back at the crew, "I really am starting to feel unwelcomed." The comms officer slumped, "So why don't we just leave. I'm sure the council won't give a care. If they don't want us here we can-" "You've made your point," said the captain in a frustrated voice. The tactical officer leaned on his council, "Ma'am, it's an Xiscapian ship. Just so you know." The captain raised an eyebrow, "Interesting. Don't they have- nevermind." A Drone walked onto the bridge, its expression was that of someone who was dead to the world. It came forward and the captain stood up, "Take over," she said to the being as it took her seat. "Yes ma'am." It looked around, "I doubt they want to talk, so we will simply go silent. Take us down a notch please."
With that, all the ship's external and many internal lights went off. Hallways were dimly lit, the engines were on 30% and weapons were at 25%. Only comms and shielding were still at full strength. The tactical officer looked worried, "We're kinda exposed..." The Drone shook its head, "We have PSR generators at full, I checked. We're safe as long as those are online."

Initialising Real Time Interface.
vANT
vWWM
....
....
....

ANT: Assuming standard defensive patterns.

WWM: Not that we have anything better to do.

ANT: Needs must I suppose. These two are quiescent, the warship isn't talking, DEV will be here presently and then we'll be superceded further. Command heirarchy and all.

WWM: Always the bridesmaid never the bride.

ANT: I don't think that our design factored in participation at human wedding services. Things would get ugly.

WWM: Perhaps. BDA isn't talking to it anymore, the things also powered down. Hmm. I think we should take the opportunity to blast everything with active sensors, get a bit more of our bearings before anything else crops up on us.

ANT: Perhaps...Perhaps we should. Yeah, why not? Just a quick look around, I doubt it'll mind that.

WWM: Notify the crews?

ANT Won't even know it's happening.

/end Interface.

The resulting sensor pulses emanated, one after the other, from the long knife shaped vessels classed as Vigilantes, taking in their immediate and then further surroundings, fully acquainting the ships, their shipbrains and finally their rather confused crews with the surrounding skein of space. The MHU had felt the sensor pulses rippling over its skin and had sent an immediate verbal rebuke, followed by the requisite and more detailed data to be forwarded to it. With such unpredictable charges, one found that they sometimes had their uses.

Apologies. A wide-band broadcast. Testing the waters. Finding our feet. Reconnecting with this little patch of space. No need to be afraid.

And now another one, two infact....It seemed that the universe had chosen this day to make the MHU truly wish it had some of the capabilities of it's lighter, more armed brethern. One was unmistakable a warship, a primitive and unrelentingly childish thing. The Myenyans had recognised this on a cultural scale when competition had arose to forge yet greater conglomerations of iron and steel, letting them sail across the waves in search of grander plateaus of conflict and bloodshed.

On the level of the civilisationally star-faring, the construction of such exuberant warships boiled down to stick-waving with a view to impress someone, or to maim and kill on a sadistic whim. They had yet to encounter civilisational sadists, and hoped that such a thing was far off. The brain hmmed again. Maybe it wouldn't contact that one, not yet. The same lightly chiding message it had sent to the drone, perhaps, modified to regard a ship and without the threat would prove sufficient. It decided it would contact it after all.

This is the MHU Brighter Days Ahead, currently appearing to be a much relied upon conversational foil for other vessels presently invading our space, privacy and patience. I am a civilian vessel containing many passengers, many of them important, and few weapons, all of them fictitious.

You are clearly a large and forceful ship of war, and escorts, and so I would advise you to stand down to a polite distance and to await proper and complete consideration from our currently bamboozled government.

You converse with the active Shipbrain of the vessel you see before you, and being much smarter than you if-it-does-say-so-itself, I suggest that you comply implicitly with our oh-so-polite requests.

Brighter Days Ahead
-----------------------------------

The ship sighed as it instantly transmitted yet another message to the confused, some would say bemusedly unintelligent, Explorer;
I am a Shipbrain, something a degree more advanced than a simple artificial intelligence. To put it simply, bluntly, and utterly unsatisfactorily, that is. Its sensors regarded the struggle with the spinning vessel, and the ship decided that, for now, it was better to simply watch.

"Captain Wichard?"

"Yes?"

"We're receiving a message."

"From where?"

"A couple clicks from here."

"What does it say?"

"Read it yourself, sir."

After a few moments,"Alright, send out the First Contact Message."

"Yes sir."

This is the Greal Galactic Empire ship, the Silicoid. We will stand down at a polite distance away from your ship. We are clearly in the wrong spot.

Captain Louisa Kenny was angry.
Not at the damaged crew nor at her damaged ship, an Alversian Panther-Class Destroyer of the Alversian Deep Space Fleet. No, Louisa Kenny was angry at herself. Angry for allowing her more impatient side to get ahead of her. Now her vessel was a wreak and he had no idea where she was. She sat in her chair and brooded on her situation, listening to the sparks cascade from the ruined control panels or watching as her crew put out the small fires that flicked up sporadically from opened power systems. She had no combat shields, no weapons, no cloak, no FTL drive, limited sensors and worst of all, in her opinion, no showers, for the systems that powered such a luxury were long gone, sacrificed to the core in an attempt to get something useful on. She was running on half-power to try and keep her vessel in one piece. Louisa Kenny was angry that her little command had been so devastated by something as trivial as a meteor shower.

Her vessel, the APS Lion, with the regestration number AWD-209345-8 was typical of Alversian ships part of the Deep Space Fleet. It was an Arm of the navy in which she took immense pride of being a part of. She was on the edge of Alversian knowledge. She revealled in the fact that she was the first Alversian ever to traverse these systems, albeit with a ruined destroyer as her only transport. Her crew of 900 Operators and Mechanics, 800 Marines and 250 Aircrew were working furiously to bring some systems online. Anything, even the bar would have been preferrable, something to let her know her Command was not totally gone.

Louisa was fiercely proud of her ship, the Panther-Class were theost modern Alversian Destroyers available, right at the cutting edge of what a small vessel could do. Although, some had wanted to class the vessels as 'Light Cruisers' or, worse in her opinion, 'Heavy Destroyers', Louisa was content to call it a destroyer. In reality, she didn't care what it was called, the fact that it was her command made it special enough to her anyway. The long, pointed bow, seemingly and easily elegant without being too threatening, bearing the number and name of her vessel. The distinct, tri-engined arrangement in a sort of triangle, one those engines was a flaming wreck, the other two were struggling with damage. Why had she been so impatient?

"Captain," The voice jerked Louisa out of her daydream and she turned to see her First Officer standing alongside her. The fox-like eyes, narrow, golden eyes and bushy tail was unmistakable, as was the short, green hair, Louisa nodded to show that the Kitsune had her complete attention,
"Yes, Commander?"

"We have detected a series of vessels not far from here, Captain, at least one of them is allied. Shall we set a course and try to hail them?"

"As you wish, Commander," Louisa said it with a hint of spite in her voice, totally undeserved, Commander Yuna was not a new recruit, nor was she an unwelcome irritant. In fact, it had been Louisa's only request at her promotion, that her old College Friend come to join her on this ship. She came from a line of Warriors, most of whom had fought for her ancestoral home, Xiscapia. Yuna, however, had been born on Alversia, raised on Alversia and had joined the Alversian Military with her friends rather than the strange and unknown, to her, Kitsune Empire. Now, the two Room Mates were on the same ship, taking it's two top ranks.

Yuna bowed in the Kitsune fashion and headed to the door, planning on chasing down their Communication's officer and persuading her to send a message along her delicate and damaged systems.
So the Lion arrived at the scene, the very definition of a wreck, with the same message broadcasting in a loop,

"To all Friendly Vessels, this is the Alversian People's Warship Lion. We have been hit by a meteor storm and suffered heavy damage. Need assistance as soon as possible.

Captain Louisa Kenny,
APS Lion

The Warship was being cooperative, rather sedate one might even suggest, a result most probably of a wide-eyed and blinking human, panhuman, humanoid or humanesque, at least certainly living crew. On the other hand, communications were filtering in from yet another warship, which made things just fine and dandy. These too, however, seemed unthreatening, no less because they had been battered, beaten and bloodied by a meteor storm.

Regardless, this was becoming most tedious. The Shipbrains had agreed that the best method of securing at least a semblance of peace of mind was to help this newest faltering ship, as well as the first injured vessel, while trying to deal with these upstart Greywatch types, and the still distant but luckily seemingly reasonable warship, who had identified themselves as the Greal Galactic Empire.

Most reassuring then.

Message from; mhuBDA to Silicoid;

Much better. We're most grateful that you're being gracious, patient and understanding and aren't prone to the notable errors in decorum that civilisations of your level are apt to perform, what with those things tooling around space.

You'll put someones eye out.

Again, I am the Brighter Days Ahead, it's Shipbrain to be more precise, and these other ships are the Assuredly Nothing There and the Woefully Wide Mandate. We all possess a human crew of some variety, but they have chosen to let us mediate the cultural interactions.

I am a civilian vessel, the other two are lighter class Vigilante vessels which are lightly armed for the purposes of cautious exploration. A larger exploration type vessel is inbound and will be slightly more armed. They're something of the closest things we have to warships at present.

The shipbrains, all three of them, decided it was best to offer their aid in formal communications to the newly stricken ship, since it seemed to at least be able to talk, and so had flooded it with wide burst messages across multiple frequencies, trying to get their attention.

It was only shortly after this, when things had finally seemed to be calming down, that the DEV had appeared, skidding back into realspace. A DEV was a medium ship by Myenyan fleet standards, as big as a MHU but definetly different. It was a large, smooth arrowhead like vessel, this one glowing softly with a pale red radiance. It cordially introduced itself to both the alien vessels that seemed to have swarmed the area, and it's fellows.

Good evening gentlemen. I am the DEV No, We're Not There Yet. If I could be briefed on this clearly clusterfucked situation? That would be lovely thank you.

The DEV instantly communicated with the Vigilantes, bringing them round to the side of the MHU while the DEV floated delicately over it, offering a mild greeting to the bewildered Habitat Unit, before turning its attentions back to the aliens and roiling seas of sensor data.

Let's see what we have here then...

Tactical looked over to the Drone, "Uh, sir, ma'am, whatever the hell you are... we have another contact. Heavily damaged." Comms played the message on the bridge, the Drone lostened intently. "Do nothing," it said, "I don't feel we have any obligation to help them. We are also in someone else's space, let the owners take care of it." Comms spoke again, "It appears that the warships are standing down. So the situation is getting better... or so it seems." The Drone waved its hand to let the officer know it had heard, "Very well then. Keep us on partial silence. I don't have anything to say to them." "And another of our host's ships has arrived..." Said the tactical officer, "Can we just leave now." The Drone shook its head, "We stay, for now."

Ininitialising Real Time Interface
mhuBDA
devNWNTY
...
...
...

BDA: As you can see, it's quite a situation.

NWNTY: You seem to have handled it well enough, kept those two in check till I got here. Potential, weight. That's what you and your words have, respectively.

BDA: Doing my duty, same as anyone else. We can discuss medals back home. Right now we need to figure out what we're doing. Both warships seem appeased, we could send shuttles to both wounded ships. I think the Greywatch people are sulking.

NWNTY: Civilisationally ill-humored?

BDA: Could be. States don't like to have the collective ego popped. Especially not by machines. Especially not by incredibly intelligent machines. Especially not be incredibly intelligent alien machines.

NWNTY: I won't be sending a fruit basket because you provoked the interlopers.

BDA: I didn't provoke! I lightly goaded. They're lower down the scale, it's fun to do that.

NWNTY: Within reason. We may just have overstepped the mark, ever so slightly.

BDA: Bah...Anyways, we'll rescue people, bring them here, invite over both the glowering and the petulant, and have a nice diplomatic meeting.

NWNTY: Wishfully hoping that all goes to plan? Yes, that sounds satisfactory. Myself and the Vigilantes will send over some shuttles, you can back us up, and we'll meet on one of your more luxurious sections. Crew from each, a drone or avatar from ourselves. Sound good?

BDA: Sounds perfect. Spread the word for me?

NWNTY: I suppose I can manage that.

BDA: I hope you weren't called away from anything important.

NWNTY: Nothing I can't reacquaint myself with swiftly. Left a lot of them there, just digging away, exploring, taking part in all sorts of contrived sports...Like cliff jumping, High Altitude Drop Racing, Boatless Rapids. Time of their lives.

BDA: Some people have all the fun...

/end Interface.

A small flotilla of shuttles crossed the coldness of space, each broadcasting signals that ensured their positions as saviors rather than invaders was widely known. The Shuttlebrains grumbled and joked with their human inhabitants as they streaked towards two wounded ships, hoping to find survivors they could help or at least glean some information from.

The MHU on the other hand has proceeded to send a variety of lightly poking signals to the Greywatch ship, enquiring why it wasn't talking, why it had powered down and why it wasn't getting involved.

It didn't plan to beg or grovel, merely to find out what was wrong with these almost schizophrenically "diplomatic" people.

"Probing?" Said the Comms officer, the Drone looked back, "What now?" The officer shook his head, "Probing. We're getting messages asking what we're doing and such." The Drone blinked, "That's oh so very specific. Play them." The comms officer let the message play across the bridge. "Oh, is that all they want to know. Perhaps this dreadfully slow situation is actually beginning to go somewhere... Open a channel."

<This is Drone 29 of the Frostflame caste, I am currently filling in for my captain who had some other matters to attend to. Because the ship is now in my command, I am choosing to run it as I see fit. To make this short: to me, nothing of interest is happenning. We're not planning to go anywhere, nor are we planning to fight, so I see no reason in keeping everything powered up. That now under control ship is in your space and I see no reason to assist it further in any way; you're the host, that's your job. And the reason I'm keeping quiet is because there is not much to say nor do you seem to be in the mood for talking.>

Things, admittedly, might have went faster had you not back-peddled so much. "Diplomacy? What diplomacy? Never said it had to be here or now, did we?" What sort of message does that send across, hm? We had come to the conclusion that you were in some sense either magnificent tricksters, culturally schizophrenic or civilisationally retarded.

No offense meant, of course.

Now we're going to play it my way. We're going to help whoever we can on these ships, saying as we have compassion or at least enough interest to generate associated compassion-like feelings. We're going to bring them on here and look after them, and then you're lot can come across. We'll have the survivors, you, maybe that Grealish lot, as well as relevant members of our ships crews and a drone or avatar containing or channeling each relevant shipbrain.

Is this to your satisfaction, drone? Can we get somewhere now?

The MHU broke off communications long enough to forward this message to each of its fellows, notify its captain and to draw itself back into the protective wedge offered by the exploration craft that had clustered about it, watching through it's exterior view-cameras and sensors as the shuttles finally began to dock across the two wounded vessels.

<You can't offend me, I don't have the emotional capacity to feel anger. Now then, this back-peddling, if you're refering to the fact that we tried to keep a ship from spinning out of control, sorry next time we'll make sure to not help people who might die otherwise. If you're refering to my captain's comment, you'll have to excuse her, she can be impatient. ANd if you're judging an entire race of people based on a few communications with one ship, you're obviously not fit to talk to anyone, haven't been bothered to study what diplomacy means, or believe that you are so superior that anything that doesn't go your has to be wrong. No offense of course. Now then, if you're ready to actually do something, and if for whatever reason your superior ships need our help, then we will lend it to you.>

We already told you what we're doing, didn't we? If you'll look outside you'll see our ships moving over to help the others who you've obviously forgotten about. I'm sorry to hear that you're beneath emotional replication. I would take that up with your makers, programmers, etc, etc, repeating...No idea as to your relevant chains of commands.

We occasionally enjoy promoting super-sentience in things but I imagine that would be redundant in this conversation, might do more harm than good...Something to think about certainly.

Where were we...Ah right. We do understand diplomacy, we simply also have a degree of impatience, especially when the other culture seems to not care, or develops cold feet.

Either way.

Get your dancing shoes on, throw on your best frocks and please be ready to come aboard once we've got through saving the day.

Coincidentally, I'll judge who I like. It's my party, my ship, my theatre of operations, and I'll judge, cry, sing, thermonuclearly detonate if I want to.

Love, kisses and the indubitable joy of contact, diplomacy and exploration;
Brighter Days Ahead.

Furtherance;

I could have someone else talk to you if you like.

As the shuttles previously dispatched came closer the ship did nothing. Unless they were incredibly tiny, the shuttles would only be able to connect with the mysterious injured craft, or tow it, but it had no docking bay, hangers, or anything like that. Comprehensive scans would find that it was, essentially, an enormous amount of sensors with a cockpit on the front, engines strapped onto the back with a FTL drive, and the two wing ends were hollow tubes containing unactivated probes. This close in a single heat source could be detected as probably biological life. However, there continued to be no response to anything going on around it.

<Forgotten? No, as I stated, it's in your hands. As for emotion, I don't need it, and judging by your attitude and your words, it would only hinder me if I possessed them. As for diplomacy, I do care, it would be beneficial to Greywatch, you seemed to be unwilling at the time it was mentioned, and so I patiently waited, now you seem to think it's fair to accuse us of having 'cold feet.' I have a diplomat being prepared right now.

By all means, you come off as a jackass, therefore I have been avoiding talking to you further. Once again, you seem to think that you can judge a race you know nothing about based on a few people, which I think is... to put it bluntly, stupid. Now then, I have some things to attend to, the diplomat will be waiting.>

The Drone turned to the crew when the message was finished, "Please prepare a diplomat and update them on our hosts."

At least two shuttles had drawn near to the relatively pointless Xiscapian craft, though name and designation were as yet unknown. It must have been some sort of spy or scout ship, judging from it's layout, relative simplicity and single-minded purpose.

The shuttles promptly decided that they would use magnetic clamps and drag the thing back into one of the large hanger bays of the MHU. Under normal circumstances the DEV might have been the better option, but they were all going to end up on the MHU anyway, and it was effectively neutral ground, or at least a large-scale diplomat.

The slow journey back towards the MHU could now begin, dragging the Xiscapian ship along, one pulling it, another moving behind to nudge it, holding it as though in convoy. All communications had been useless, and so they assumed the heat-signature-currently-considered-as-a-biological was unconscious or dead.

That could be a pity, but would likely fail to impede proceedings. The shuttle minds relayed their orders to all ships, the three more onery of which had began sending small shuttles towards the MHU.

Things were, they supposed, sufficiently far along to start preparing for the inevitable diplomatic function. Selected officers, accompanied by a drone-form occupied by the shipbrain, had been chosen from each, while the MHU had provided similar. They were more afflicted by crowds of curious onlookers and personnel, waiting to see what these aliens were actually like.

The MHU had pondered this for a moment, redirecting the shuttles to one of its more secure hanger bays, with various medical teams on standby. No reason to add overt culture shock to concussion, it rationalised.

Everything, thankfully, seemed to be peaceful and delicately falling into place.
------------------------------
Not unwilling. Cautious. Whispering. Big sticks. Remember? I don't think emotion would hinder you, I think it would make you more agreeable. Nothing more frustrating than a little mind with all it's little restrictions. I'm sure I must come across as a bit of a jackass as you put it, but I'm sure we can all be friends by the end of this. It's not so much a misunderstanding as a misrepresentation of your interests, and I don't think it's stupid to judge you all, because you've given me nothing else to go on.

I've explained who I am, I've explained who I represent, I've explained what we're doing here and even alerted you to all these fancy ships we've brought up to ensure the safety of my high quota of human passengers, all of whom I love dearly and am dedicated to protecting. Funny that. The point is you're not Myenyan, you're something else, something foreign, and you've made utterly no moves to tell me anything more about you.

Things for diplomats, certainly, but also things that should be rhymed off as we begin. Like what were you doing here? Now you're sitting in low-power, patently sulking and waiting for us to do all the work.

That doesn't seem very friendly. In fact it seems petulant and patently childish. I can only hope the diplomat is nicer than the Captain and it's rudimentary droids.

Still loving the situational banter,
Brighter Days Ahead

<Small minds, I suppose that could only be applied to you. To judge a race based on one person is childish. People are different, in case you haven't noticed. I on the other hand, I am very different because I doubt you could possibly comprehend what I am. I am not a machine, nor am I biological in nature.
As for sulking, I do believe in order to sulk you must have something to sulk about, correct. If you really don't want us here then stop wasting my time and tell us to leave, we'll do so gladly. Pertaining to my dumping all the work on you, what do you want me to do? You're not exactly clear, you get all touch when we appear here, you quietly sit there while we try to stop that ship. I don't know... perhaps if we got a sliver of recognition from you actually statign we were helping, we'd be more willing to play nice.
At the moment, you seem to come off as 'I am god, I'll do everything because you all are inferior' and if that is the case, go ahead and do everything. We're not going to stand in your way, you seem to be control freaks, so we're not going to take away the power you seem to crave.
I think this is best for both parties, we sit here and let you do what you wish. We take the bullsh!t you shower down on us without question because we hope that maybe there's something to look forward to. You want to know something about us? We don't like people who act all high and mighty. You want to know more? I suggest you find the time to ask. Last time we tried to be nice you gave us the cold shoulder, then we gave you your space and you accuse us of sulking. Why don't you tell us exactly what it is you want us to do?
Again, this is why I find emotion is something I don't need. If I really cared, I'd be yelling at you and scolding you. But alas, my lack of emotion gives me some self control.>

So you're a half-measure? It's so great when people think that the way to make their computers better is to insert a little biology. It's insulting to both, I tend to find. Anyways, you assume that my opinion of you matters in the grander scheme of things, you further assume that I believe my own assumptions and am not, in fact, messing with you simply because you've been such atrocious time wasters.

We're out there doing stuff, saving lives, in case you haven't noticed. Getting everything ready, making the food, moving the tables together so you can be beside your best friend, otherwise preparing for a nice simple evening of diplomacy and fun. See, you couldn't decide if it was going to be here or now, so we chose for you. We put everything in order, set everything in motion. Again with the saving lives.

You stopped the ship, but decided that leaving it drifting was obviously the better choice than 'lets go help those poor people'. God is a little harsh, I'm at least a close second, and I am quite powerfully intelligent, hence all the coordination involved. You can sit there and do nothing while we continue to polish our still spiffy reputation.

Your lack of emotion means you aren't actually yelling, but the implied anger is there, which I find rather gratifying. We appreciate an openness and candor that goes beyond an annoyance with peoples choice of tone and in cases rightful self-satisfied superiority.

I would also note that we already asked to know more. You know...Last time. If it's not too much trouble. You've put up with out light, playful interactions so far, admittedly with far more complaining than is amusing, but I think you'll want to hold out a little longer.

You might even get cake.

Gleefully superior and envying the cake-mix,
Brighter Days Ahead

Furtherance: You're not really mad, are you?

Further Furtherance: No...Not really? Hmph.

<Not a cyborg, it's difficult. I'll send another Drone along with the diplomat to explain it. As for any further infomation you require, the diplomat will take care of such business. I have nothing further to discuss and shall instead wait until then, I have gathered much information as it is, pertaining to you. As to your setting everything up, that again is your job, since we're in your space. Unless of course you want some kind of group effort, which I don't believe was ever asked for. As for my behavior regarding the other craft, I'm a Drone, it isn't my job to have morals. If you want to blame someone, blame me alone. My crew can't influence me whatsoever, now then, I have forty-nine other Drone talking to me right now and answering their questions while talking to you has become a slight hassle. So to conserve my own mental health, I must say farewell.

P.S. No, I'm really not angered in the slightest.>

The Drone continued to sit there, eyes closed as its hive mind went to work.

Isn't it counterproductive to have no morals and yet concerns about mental health? Surely that would imply a mild sociopathy in what sort of lobotomised-flesh-matrix-denigrating-the-computer-relying-upon-it-orbeingreliedon-thing you possess? I imagine it must indeed by complicated.

Furthermore, denial helps no one.

See you presently, not expecting any replies, dealing with comatose guests,
Brighter Days Ahead

The correctly-assumed scout ship settled to the floor of the hanger it was brought into under the insistent nudgings and bumpings of it's escort, landing in a functional if not graceful position. It sat, unassuming and entirely non-threatening unless you consider spacecraft painted black dangerous, hanger lights shining like the starlight did off the cockpit and shiny if marred in places hull. The cockpit would not open to standard attempts or anything like a crowbar, but it would be relatively trivial for a mind such as the Brighter Days Ahead directing a lesser subordinate unit to pry open the hard shell to get at the soft, although not creamy unless things had gone horribly wrong, interior.

Once opened a rush of air would hiss out and nestled among computer screens and controls was a human-like form. Essentially the being was human, but there were little bits here and there that told the viewer otherwise. The sharp, pointed teeth exposed from the half-open mouth, the bushy, silken pure white fox tail, the two likewise ears situated on the top of white hair and, if the eyelid was peeled back, inert orange eyes beneath were all clues. The figure was wearing a tight-fitting flight suit, black, with a breathing mask over the mouth and nose, a weapon of some kind holstered on the left hip and a katana sword sheathed in a black scabbard hanging from a belt on the other side. Judging by the face, somewhat alien though it was, although the form glimpsed under the flight suit proved the fact, the thing was female.

She looked to be quite young, in her mid-twenties by a reasonable estimate, and a long but relatively shallow gash on her forehead was caked with dried blood. She was breathing, the intake and exhaling of air sounding mechanical though the mask, belly moving slowly up and down in time, but her eyes were closed and she did not respond to the sudden light or any touching or words. If anyone bothered to do a on-the-site check she would have a concussion, slight loss of blood judging by the crimson liquid splattered onto the floor and some of the controls of the craft, and had cracked a rib. Several tubes were effortlessly plugged into her skin, one just under her tail but above the buttocks, one in the neck, and a final third in the stomach. If removed each one would seal almost instantly and small alarms would go off on the controls, red flashing lights indicating said tubes had been removed. Finally she was strapped in by a simple, easily operatable belt clasp that held her in place.

The diplomat and his company were ready and waiting. All they needed now was a command, the Drone had decided it best to send over an Elden. Whether that was a good idea or not would be decided whenever things got underway.>

"Well, this something new for the books. Animal people." The drone, channeling the mind of the shipbrain had hovered closer to the inert body, warbling to it's human comrades in a silky voice. "I mean...Animal people? We can assume human biology applies to a degree yes?"

"I imagine so." Sythan Fuyhex narrowed her eyes, her blonde hair intermitantly getting in the way. She blew it out of the way with an exasperated sigh. "Have to get a closer look." They had cut away the tubes and belts before raising her out of the craft and onto a waiting gurney, going through the motions of checking for pulse, breathing, retinal activity...Such strange eyes...Before dealing with the immediate medical problems. Blood had been taken, and they had decided it would be ok to treat it as a human patient.

"I'll leave you to your work then." The drone itself was a sort of elongated sphere, with several arms, manipulators and other tools tucked away inside its trunk, able to be slid out through revealable gaps in the side and bottom. It glimmered silver in the bright hanger lights, hovering closer once more to examine her in detail.

"Take care of this one, and alert myself and the Captain when she's awake. I'm sure we'll have alot to explain to her. I'll send a signal presently inviting our other guests to start transferring over. I get the impression that they're getting sick of listening to me."

Sythan had chuckled lightly. She had served as a chief medical officer, in so far as such things were needed, onboard for the last ten years. In that time she had become rather fond of the exceptionally intelligent shipbrain. Of course other things were just as smart, if not smarter, whether members of the fleet or habitats, each one contributing to the running of their co-habitational symbiotic society.

"Heaven forbid." She had muttered, chuckling lightly before returning to her work. Her charge needed her.

"Charming bunch of Bastards, eh?" Louisa remarked to her Second in Command with a cold fury that only came when one's distress signals were ignored. Some bunch of people.

"They're not the most of chivalrous of people, no Ma'am" Yuna replied dutifully, although internally, she was annoyed as her Superior that a signal for help from a ship clearly in distress had been seemingly ignored. It was not the way the Alversian people operated but evidently there were those in the galaxy happy to watch 1,950 men to die in this vacuum in space, lightyears from home. She must take some responsibility for this of course, it was her fault that they were in this state in the first place. She would take all the blame. She could see the report already, "Loss of all hands direct responsibility of Commanding Officer" that was her.

"Damnit!" Louisa was getting more and more irritated by the lack of reponse, "How are the Casualties?" She was looking at her friend with concern.
Yuna looked grim,
"Some of them will die, Captain, there's nothing we can do to help them. But we have another 200 people who will be critical in a few hours unless we get aid"

"Damn!, damn!, damn!" Lousia let her anger bubble over, those crew who would die were her responsibility. Now she had to tell those families what had happened and, unless someone helped them quick, she would be writing many, many more letters.

The Warship was being cooperative, rather sedate one might even suggest, a result most probably of a wide-eyed and blinking human, panhuman, humanoid or humanesque, at least certainly living crew. On the other hand, communications were filtering in from yet another warship, which made things just fine and dandy. These too, however, seemed unthreatening, no less because they had been battered, beaten and bloodied by a meteor storm.

Regardless, this was becoming most tedious. The Shipbrains had agreed that the best method of securing at least a semblance of peace of mind was to help this newest faltering ship, as well as the first injured vessel, while trying to deal with these upstart Greywatch types, and the still distant but luckily seemingly reasonable warship, who had identified themselves as the Greal Galactic Empire.

Most reassuring then.

Message from; mhuBDA to Silicoid;

Much better. We're most grateful that you're being gracious, patient and understanding and aren't prone to the notable errors in decorum that civilisations of your level are apt to perform, what with those things tooling around space.

You'll put someones eye out.

Again, I am the Brighter Days Ahead, it's Shipbrain to be more precise, and these other ships are the Assuredly Nothing There and the Woefully Wide Mandate. We all possess a human crew of some variety, but they have chosen to let us mediate the cultural interactions.

I am a civilian vessel, the other two are lighter class Vigilante vessels which are lightly armed for the purposes of cautious exploration. A larger exploration type vessel is inbound and will be slightly more armed. They're something of the closest things we have to warships at present.

The shipbrains, all three of them, decided it was best to offer their aid in formal communications to the newly stricken ship, since it seemed to at least be able to talk, and so had flooded it with wide burst messages across multiple frequencies, trying to get their attention.

It was only shortly after this, when things had finally seemed to be calming down, that the DEV had appeared, skidding back into realspace. A DEV was a medium ship by Myenyan fleet standards, as big as a MHU but definetly different. It was a large, smooth arrowhead like vessel, this one glowing softly with a pale red radiance. It cordially introduced itself to both the alien vessels that seemed to have swarmed the area, and it's fellows.

Good evening gentlemen. I am the DEV No, We're Not There Yet. If I could be briefed on this clearly clusterfucked situation? That would be lovely thank you.

The DEV instantly communicated with the Vigilantes, bringing them round to the side of the MHU while the DEV floated delicately over it, offering a mild greeting to the bewildered Habitat Unit, before turning its attentions back to the aliens and roiling seas of sensor data.

Let's see what we have here then...

"What should we tell them captain?" asked a Lieutenant

"Tell them we were looking for the Berraxs."

"Yes sir."

We have been chasing Berrax ships for days now. Did you happen to see any unusual movements a few days ago here?

The Greywatch vessel finally decided to come back.

<Alversian ship, what kind of assistance do you require? We are preparing to assist.>

The Drone on board was quiet, "I might as well try to make up for not being perfect. For once I'll try not to be completely heartless... Change our heading and bring the ship up to full. Keep weapons down."

"Finally," Louisa thought as the Greywatch vessel appeared on what was left of the screen, "Send a reply, tell them everything that's wrong. I mean everything"

"Are you sure Ma'am?" Yula asked with a well practised response to her own Commander's rash decisions, "I mean, a standard reponse would be just as useful and we won't annoy them then"

"Fine, do what you need then"

"To Friendly Vessel, we have suffered severe damage to all systems, we have about 250 casualties of which 50 are critical. We need urgent assistance as soon as possible"

The Drone listened intently, "Well now. They need help. Brother, I'll heed your words this time." It looked to the tactical officer, "You know what to do." The Drone then spoke to the bridge as a whole, "Get the medical bay ready for some patients. Begin rescue operations now." The officers stared at the Drone, was this really the same one they'd been talking to before? Something was different.

<We are moving to your heading as of now. Medical assistance is being readied as we speak.>

With that, the ship faced the Alversia craft and began moving forward. Once it was close enough, shuttles began preping and squads were being readied.

<Direct us to the areas most affected. Our shuttles are being prepared to move out and assist.>

The Drone made sure that some Leanorians were going over to the alien craft. Leanorians were masters of healing, their skills would most likely be needed here. Droids were also being sent, if they could, it would be best to try and set up a blink network.

OOC: As I recall I did post both contacting the Alversians, albeit perhaps not in the sense of enunciating one, and definetly posted sending shuttles to help, broadcasting good will.

I feel rather put out and ignored now.

OOC: Oh, I thought those shuttles were only going to Xis, it was hard to tell with two ships in dire straights.

OOC: I did say I was dispatching to both striken ships. Several times. I even used it to chastise you because I was awesomely saving the day and you were doing bugger all for them ;)

OOC: My most humble apologies, Myenya, I misread that part.

"Our Heaviest casualties are in our Medical bay, our main structural damage in mostly in our Engine bay. We need immediate engineering assistance to prevent a core breach"

Louisa, dressed in her best uniform to meet the new arrivals, unfortunately, that meant a tattered image of a uniform, it had been ruined by a succession of explosions, one of which had cut one of her arms open to the world and was now held in place by a rather crude sling. She also bore a large cut over her eyebrow.
Her first Officer was not much better, she also bore the cuts and bruises from fighting fires and being in the frontline with exploding consoles. They stood at what was left of the shuttle bay, filled with sparks and flames that could not be put out with the crew in the state that they were.
She watched as the first Greywatch troops entered, giving them as good a salute as she could manage with a dead arm. They were followed by a team from this new race, and she did not have the strength to salute again,
"Help yourself" Was all she could say.

OOC: Still thought that was only about Xis

The Leanorians gave a slight nod, "We will do what we can." There golden fur was well groomed and their white medical suits were crisp. It was one of the few time Leanorians didn't where their own armor. They followed closely, a few humans in the group with them, as well as a droid. The Droid was standing at about 8 feet in height and was making sure to take in information, heavy damage, not good for any ship.

OOC: All the Leanorians are female and they look very much like anthro-lionesses

Myenyan medical officers and support-drones shuffled out of their shuttles, administering basic first aid to those they could, providing supplies and repair tools, and taking those who need more immediate assistance back to their shuttles for transfer to one of the larger, more able ships. Some nodded to or conversed with these other races, Myenyans themselves remarkably human basic in appearance and demeanor, though wondering at some of the Greywatch types. The drones had asked questions, and proved themselves to be largely unique intelligences, dronebrains tasked to assist but not subservient to the shipbrain.

"Of course there are designated shipbrain drones, used as avatars, but an avatar can be anything the thing likes. 'Nothing limits a shipbrain, so nothing limits Myenya', so the old saying goes." One drone had said, breaking into something that resembled a chortle. "If I can be of further assistance please let me know."
--------------------------------
"What should we tell them captain?" asked a Lieutenant

"Tell them we were looking for the Berraxs."

"Yes sir."

We have been chasing Berrax ships for days now. Did you happen to see any unusual movements a few days ago here?

None, I'm afraid. You're the first extra-system species we've actually encountered. Though we are quite capable, thank-you-very-much. No strange movements, just us.

Sorry.
Brighter Days Ahead

"Trust me," Lousia watched as the Medical swamped over her wounded crew, saw them relieve the exhausted engineers fighting a losing battle with the ship's power core. She did not have the strength to direct nor to encourage, but just her presence was enough to encourage her crew. She was to young for this, just 24, too young for a Captaincy.

Her Second in Command watched the rescue effort continue with her crew, she sighed to herself, seeing stars as fresh blood began to run down from a wound in her head. One she had not seen before, yet it was going to hurt for quite a while.

"This baby needs all the help she can get" She smiled at the newcomers, "I am Captain Louisa Kenny of the Alversian P...People's Navy" She managed to say it after a sudden gust of something hit her in the stomach and forced her to rethink her phrase,
"We are greatly thankful for your assistance. It has been a tough...a tough few weeks"

"So this has been going on for awhile? I see, we will attend to all who we can." Said one of the Leanorians, obviously the lead medic in the Greywatch group. Two more shuttles were imbound, good thing too, they were going to need all the help they could get. One of the Leanorians couldn't help but grab the arm of the second in command and turn her around, "Sorry." The Leanorian put two fingers to the cut and watched as it began to close, "Don't be alarmed, this is what we do." The others nodded, "Just take us to your medical bay and we'll begin."

"We're most sorry for your losses, and will do all we can to help with your wounded." Kiset Mifna, one of many medical technicians and doctors who had been sent across, unarmed, unescorted, to help these people, had said, bowing lightly. "If there's anything you need that we haven't sent, we'd be glad to send more.

We don't want, nor need, and neither shall you. We'll do all we can, here, and for the people we're taking across to the MHU. " She had smiled softly, shaking her long black hair out of her field of vision, before tying it back with well-practised ease.

"Just direct us to whomever needs most help. If you want, we could escort you back to the MHU with your wounded. We're getting a gathering of sorts together, from you, the Greywatch people, the wounded animal-person we found too, from that other out of control ship.

You'd be most welcome."

"T...thank you" Louisa managed to say, not without some resentment. Her first Deep Space Mission and she was relying on these people to get her out of it. Then again, that was pride and sometimes humility was the better part of valour,
"Our most wounded are in the Medical Bay. We have been somewhat stretched to try and deal with them ourselves. The sooner we can be helped the better" At the mention of Animal people, Louisa frowned, "Animal People? How do you mean? Commander!" She called this to her own Second in Command who was being healed by one of the Greywatch Leanorians, Yula was a Kitsune, the same as the one currently in Myenyan Protection. The same type of eyes, fur and tail, only the colours were different,

"Ma'am?" The Commander asked, still a little dazed after her wound had been patched up. That was more due to the blood loss than any physical wound.

"C...c...can you escort our Guests to the Medical Bay?" Louisa suddenly found talking was a difficult chore and she would do as little as possible in the future,
"Avoid Decks 4 and 5, they're infernos by now" She smiled as, almost to prove her point, something high in the roof of the shuttle bay exploded in a shower of blue sparks, that fell amongst the rescuers like snow.

Yuna bowed, eyeing the new Arrivals with interest, her tail flicked occasionally but other than that, there was little reaction from the Kitsune,
"Follow me, please" This was to both sets of Medical Staff.

"Just like one of those! Yes. We had no idea that such a species even existed, so close to human basic and yet with these unidentified animal fractions. We had thought they might have been engineered in on a whim, perhaps a private desire or indulgence, it happens. But a full species? My word." She had breathed.

"Most illuminating. We'll bring more back with us. For now, you ought to wait in the shuttle, someone will tend to you." Another smile and then she had gone, following Yuna into the depths of the ship.

"So, tell me about yourselves"

"Understood, we'll attend to those in the medical bay. Anyone who we can't attend to here will be taken to our ship where we can treat them with more ease." Said the Leanorian lead medic.

OOC: TG Xis

(ooc: Ok well I think I might want to get involved here to make contact with the new blood, that is if I have permission from the thread starter)

OOC: Hmm. Is iffy. We're a smidge crowded. What did you have in mind? There's a mildly relevant OOC thread here;
http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=562932

The Nikola Tesla, somewhere in space

The Nikola Tesla(http://ns.goobergunch.net/wiki/galileo_class_science_vessel.html) had left Janarus nearly five months ago on another exploratory mission, and so far had found nothing, as expected. That was until its sensors picked up a faint and possibly Xiscapian SOS signal. The captain, Janus Hassildor, ordered the signal traced, and the Nikola Tesla found itself en route to help the ship.

Blip... blip... blip.... blip sounded the instruments in an automated ship that was passing by the area, the ships sentient avatar scanning the darkness of space for life, as the ship silently guided in to space signals were detected several light years out of multiple clusters of ships and energy signatures clustered around an area, this was particularly interesting to avatar. The small ship turned nearly 180 in a split second its engines white hot glow lighting up the back of it. A few seconds passed and the ship disappeared with a flash of arcing white and blue energy in to void space, traveling at high speeds towards the contacts. Several moments passed, the large wing shaped unarmed ship busted out in to normal space, arcing energy behind it as the void portal collapsed in to nothingness.

The ship floated towards the group of vessels, its instruments beeping and blipping and whirring as it began to broadcast and play a message aloud floating about .05 Au over all the ships..


Greetings From the United Terran Federation, this is an automated first contact drone, my name is Tabby, I will represent the United Terran Federation in any negotiations taking part here, we mean no harm and I hope to personally establish good terms between our peoples


The ship just floated there as many things happened around it, of course it was aware of the situation or at least part of it when it jumped in, it was sure no shooting matches were to happen, the ship was unarmed and would surely not be the target of any aggression that would happen between any of the parties. And any such aggression of course would warrant retaliatory action by the Terran government as they saw fit. The drones avatar was a young woman she spoke in a soft electronica voice that would sooth the ears of even the most wary person if she used it correctly, she was the first generation in sentient first contact drones emulating what a Terran would look like , it was an exciting test for her to prove her worth to the government.,and maybe gain a few friends . She was built nearly two months ago at a facility on Torm, uploaded and fitted to the ship she would be housed in for god knows how long . She thought to her self as she encountered these sentients, that she hoped to do things right and not screw up her first mission, it did get lonely out there some times though and she was glad to find some resemblance of life , strange as it may be.


(ooc sorry for the short post, but not much to do with an avtar ship)

OOC: I...Do neither of you read? It was the last post I put up. I asked you quite nicely to put it in the semi-relevant OOC thread and I would consider it! Hmph...I suppose you can both stay. But don't expect an instant reply.

OOC- XP sorry, I have a nasty habbit of skimming... great intro though, I just couldn't resist.

OOC: Well...Flattery will get you everywhere. Again, there's an OOC thread. I hate to clutter myself :S

The ship floated towards the group of vessels, its instruments beeping and blipping and whirring as it began to broadcast and play a message aloud floating about .05 Au over all the ships..

Greetings From the United Terran Federation, this is an automated first contact drone, my name is Tabby, I will represent the United Terran Federation in any negotiations taking part here, we mean no harm and I hope to personally establish good terms between our peoples

(ooc sorry for the short post, but not much to do with an avtar ship)

"New contact, again..." Said the tactical officer, the Drone sighed, "Okay, put me through, again."

<Greetings from the Empire of Greywatch. Welcome to the event.>

OOC: That doesn't count as short in my book.

Oh dear.

Yet another ship. This one, admittedly, was being much nicer, forward, direct and seemingly honest in their declaration to pursue first contact and by extension diplomatic relations. The shipbrain would undoubtedly have to contact it now, and bring it into the already crowded mess of injured personnel and gathering diplomatic officers. Things could quickly become over-burdened.

Hello there. I am the Brighter Days Ahead, I am the shipbrain of a Mobile Habitat Unit dutifully recognised as the ringleader of this little circus. I do not hold rank, I am a civilian vessel. The others are two Vigilante class vessels, the Assuredly Nothing There and the Woefully Wide Mandate. The other is a Designated Exploration Vehicle, the No We're Not There Yet

You are cordially invited to diplomatic relations with the other members of this rather...Fortuitous gathering of the injured, the inane and the mildly-interesting.

Looking forward to agreeable company,
Brighter Days Ahead

The Nikola Tesla
"Sir, we have arrived at the projected location of the Xiscapian vessal." spoke a sheepish but beautiful female comms operator to her captain, Janus Hassildor. "There are several contacts, Greywatch among them. Two unknown, and one Greali. We also appear to be near an inhabited world. What are your orders, sir?"

The captain blew a perfect smoke ring from his lips and took another puff from his cigar. "Send an introduction, something authoritative, yet cordial," he ordered, browsing his pre-written selections used in other similar encounters. "Prep a mobile suit team in-hangar for defensive operations, but don't open any hangars. Lets put on a nice face first, and send a private transmission to the Greywatch ship.

The general broadcast...
Greetings, Xenos, from the Imperium of Belkaros. I am Captain Janus Hassildor of the exploratory vessel Nikola Tesla. Please make known your world of origin and intent in this system. We wish no harm, but are heavily armed.

To the Greywatch ship...
Attn. Grywtch Vssl...
Msg. from Blkn Vssl...
Greetings. Captain Hassildor of Belkaros requesting a briefing of this situation. Our nations have never been formal allies, but have always found a mutually beneficial middle ground, and hope to do so here.
End msg.

"Sir," started the comms officer, "A message from another vessel. Running a background check on this 'Belkaros' term." A few seconds later the Greywatch Archives revieled data on the past contacts, "Sir, what they say is true. We've had one or two past contacts and are on nuetral ground." The Drone nodded, licking its black lips. "Send an encrypted message, just them and us."

To Belkaros vessel:

<This is Drone 29 of the Frostflame caste. This is Greywatch Explorer 029, the situation is a first contact of sorts. We've been here for about an hour or two, no hostilities have formed between any of the parties. There are two heavily damaged vessels, Greywatch is assisting one as we speak along side the owners of this territory. It is the vessel closest to us, the other is being tended to by the owners of this system. If you require any further details to not hesitate to ask.>

Tabby responded with a soft and friendly tone to the civilian ship hailing it.

“I see, well If you wish I could send for a medical ship from my people ,we would be happy to assist you in any way possible, it seems this space is becoming more and more crowded with all sorts of people. I do hope nothing of a combative nature starts. as for the invitation I will have to appear as a holographic representation of my self on your ships if you wish."

it was a bit crowded indeed, she was happy especially happy that she got to meet another artificial life form in a ship. The appearance of Belkaros was detected as soon as his ship jumped in with the message, the Terran federation was diplomatically disapproving of that nation since its attempts to subjugate an ally of the union several years go.

She tensed up a bit about it, epically about the large numbers of ships in the area. Her wing shaped small body gently floated closer and closer to the other ships , as she was no threat being unarmed and all it should not be an issue in her eyes.

How ever a live video feed of what was going on was being fed back to the strategic space command center and the state departments office back in Terran Federation space Via QE. Tabby turned her eye to the other ships and sent out a message in a diplomatic yet soft voice.

“It seems this space is attracting a lot of attention some more unsavory than others , how ever I am representing the Terran Federation, if you wish to make contact with my people I am here for that reason.”


Her sensors pinged and actively scanned ships, as she maneuvered in the darkness of space in to a visual solution of the disabled ships , she hoped that if they did need assistance, a medical ship would be dispatched, the Terran's were peculiar people they were human like machines in body, yet in soul and contentiousness they were human, it was hopped by her and the people back home watching this that no one wanted to start shooting each other was was the case with most crowded areas, things become heated.

Another ship, even one as well-intentioned would doubtless contribute to the over-crowding and so provide us with yet more dilemmas, and minimal entertainment. I'd suggest we retreat back a smidge towards Myenya itself, inviolate homeworld of the Myenyan humans who are my crew, friends and countrymen.

We don't go there anymore. Myenya is a re-perfected world, untouched and untouchable beneath our shield-measures. We're quite protective of the old mother sphere. I'm sure nothing combative will happen, we're all friends here.

Good thing about knowing anyone, you get to view everyone as a friend first time round, unless they're Greywatch in which case you end up banging your metaphorical head against a metaphorical wall. I ought to have had all the drones on board do that.

Maybe next time, eh?

Anyways. Why not ask the wounded ship if it needs further help? Myenyans and Greywatch...Ian...Ish? Greywatch people are currently there.

Tabby took the suggestion of sending a message to the injured ships, she did so with haste, her communications un-encrypted and wide band

“To the disabled vessel, do you require any more assistance? If so I can instruct a repair and medical ship to be dispatched to this location” Her voice was soft and supple , friendly and diplomatic at the same time. Mean while she turned back to the original ship she was conversing with and began to speak.


“It would be appreciative if we did have time to speak alone, our two peoples might benefit from relations with each other , you may scan me and find that I'm not armed unless you count a tractor beam of minimal strength. We do wish to open dialog with you”


More and more time was passing things seemed alright, and things seemed to be going well with this new contact, though other nations were not as receptive to the Terran general broadcast of friendliness and diplomacy, that was a bit troubling in Tabbys mind to say the least. How ever as she came to a stop a good distance away to make ships comfortable with her presence her sensors once again began scanning the more armed vessels her secondary mission of course was to gather information about positionally hostile powers, that she would run in to , but then again what nation didn't do that?.

"Most illuminating. We'll bring more back with us. For now, you ought to wait in the shuttle, someone will tend to you." Another smile and then she had gone, following Yuna into the depths of the ship.


"I'll do so when my crew are safe," Louisa claimed defensively, "I'll be the last of this ship" And that may take a while with so many people onboard who needed to get off. It would take hours, ecscpecially with new problems arising all the time. It had been one hell of a meteor storm.

"Just like one of those! Yes. We had no idea that such a species even existed, so close to human basic and yet with these unidentified animal fractions. We had thought they might have been engineered in on a whim, perhaps a private desire or indulgence, it happens. But a full species? My word." She had breathed.

"So, tell me about yourselves"

"Uh, well," Yuna started, rather startled by the sudden attention that was being payed to her by this new Culture, her tail swished to highlight that discomfort and her ears perked uphappily at the mention of animal. It was considered the high of bad manners to call a Kitsune an 'Animal' very bad manners in fact, but she must forgive these people for they had obviously never seen a Kitsune before,

"Well," Yuna began again, "Our people are known a Kitsune, or Xiscapians after our Homeworld. We have a variety of different features to humans, such as a tail for heightened balance, fox-ears for heightened hearing and fox-eyes for better sight, to the point that we can see in the dark. Our homeworld is known as the Kitsune Empire of Xiscapia and hosts a variety of subjects, not all of which are Kitsune, many of our number also live on Alversia, which is where I am from."

She paused to avoid a large hole in the floor before continuing,

"We also place a heavy influence on our katana swords," She patted her own, "It is forged by our family and given to us when we come of age, the katana is a symbollic branch of a Kitsune's soul and includes many details about who I am, for example," She began to point various parts out,
"The hilt of blood red, to indicate that I am virtually incapable of using the force, although there are many who can and their hilt colour reflects this. The Scabbard is cyan to show that I am a part of the APN, there are other colours to reflect other positions in other forces, for example, I know that Green is a symbol of the Xiscapian Diplomatic Corps."

Finally she stopped near the base of the sword, at the hilt,
"This engraving is a symbol of my Clan, the Katakana, although it is my last name, we do not address each other in this manner, preferring to use only first names. Only the Emperor of Xiscapia and his Family may bear last names. In terms of food, we can eat meat and we love anything with potatoes in it, but most vegables are not digestable. We are Carnivores then, we can eat things such as chocolate and caffeine but it has limited benefits to a Kitsune and we don't really like the taste anyway"

She stepped over another hole, this one still burning but there was little smoke emitting from it,

"We are a democratic people, the Emperor of Xiscapia is electe for life unless he losses the confidence of the people or becomes unable to do his job. All of our Officials are elected and we can vote if we are Xiscapian Citizens, which I am thanks to the Dual Nationalities Act, permitting me to be both a Citizen of Alversia and Xiscapia,"

"On Xiscapia Our religion is called Qonn. Qonn tells of enlightenment though meditation. Every Xiscapian is called on by their religion to try and achieve enlightenment, which opens the mind to Qonn. Qonn is the mind on a spiritual level, creating peace and harmony with all things. It is the religions ultimate goal to achieve this, though precious few ever have. The temples and churches of Qonn are scattered throughout the world and Alversia iteself, teaching and enhancing. Their leader is the Mog-ur, who heads the Church and makes all decisions. Meditation and closeness to Qonn permits us to use his abilities in the force. I am not able to use the force to an effective degree but I know that the current Emperor is a very powerful force user as is the Mog-Ur. Kitsune... hold on"

Yula had been enjoying herself, explaining eveything she could about Xiscapians and about her own culture which, although she lived on Alversian, was not greatly different to that on Xiscapia itself, but something said earlier now came back to her, something which made her frown,
"You've seen us before? How did you hear of us in the first place?"

Koie opened her eyes, and immediately shut them again, orange pupils slitting in face of the harsh light after the night of space. She waited a moment, and it all came rushing back.
The planet, the ships, the scream of the alarms as she was spotted, the fire, the jerk away into hyperspace...
She opened her eyes again and gave the smallest sigh. She wouldn't have thought the Greali would treat a wounded kitsune they had captured, but perhaps they thought it would put her in a false sense of security before the interrogations began.
Actually, this didn't seem at all their style.
She sat up, surprised she could do so and was not handcuffed to the bed. Bandages had been wrapped all the way around her head, slanting slightly to cover the cut in her head she remembered receiving from slamming into the console during the jump. She touched it gingerly, wincing at the pain, but pleased it seemed to be healing. Koie noticed a intravenous drip tube running into her arm, and judging by the red liquid pumping up it even now they were giving her blood. Strange that...why would they care so much? Surely a weakened subject would be quicker and easier to break?

She was wearing one of those light hospital gowns, the ones that are there for modesty and not much else. Well, not even that really, considering the open back, but she'd have to settle for what she could get for the moment. Koie moved to get up and gasped, grimacing and holding her side. Apparently she'd broken something, but if she stayed here she suspected a lot more was going to be broken. They had taken her flight suit, her blaster and her katana, not surprising, but again something was wrong. She guessed she was on a medical ship, having never seen the interior of Greali vessel, but she would have expected some guards or something. But no one seemed to be around to watch her.

Gritting her teeth to keep back the pain she edged over to the side and climbed off the side of the bed, dropping soundlessly to the floor, ripping the IV from her arm. Looking around she spotted a storage cabinet and, opening it, found a crutch. It did nothing for her, but if she came across a organic she could try and bludgeon him into unconsciousness and steal his weapon, though she'd have to avoid those infernal hunter-killer robots of theirs. Holding her makeshift weapon guardedly in front of her, she walked over to the door and twisted the knob. To her great surprise it opened easily. Perhaps the Greali did not consider her a threat?
She would have to take this window of opportunity then, while she had the chance, and contact the Motherland, or better yet, steal a transport away.
The Xiscapian edged out into the corridor, looking warily from right to left.

She nodded thoughtfully. They certainly seemed open and progressively, obviously with a few cultural nuances that she thought better of probing. She didn't know what a 'force user' was, and caring little for religious trappings. The brains would inevitably have a good laugh over this once they digested it. As if warships popping in, battle-damaged craft hadn't got them hysterical and condescending enough, now space-faring societies with religions had entered the fray. She doubted they would let these things go easily.

Ceremonial weapons, which she wasn't so sure were entirely ceremonial. For a weapon to be so central to a civilisation was an aberrant idea to her. They didn't even get last names? Well that didn't seem fair. Even the various brainforms got names, their own names as chosen by them and full rights to boot. She sighed softly as she took all this in before realising she was being addressed.

"Oh right! Yes, there was another smaller injured ship. Tiny scout thing, battle-damaged. Found one of your kin in there. The shipbrains were going mad looking into it. Apparently primates with non-primitive trappings are hard to explain evolutionarily." She giggled softly. The entire conversation had been measured in human minutes, but the brains had most certainly argued both long and hard on the subject.
------------------------------------
The MHU Brighter Days Ahead, meanwhile was replying to the Federation vessel, as well as considering the curt, rather rude message recieved from the "Imperium of Belkaros". It had decided that it would leave them for the moment.

We'll speak in a group. Better to kill all the avians with one rock, as it were. Get rid of all of our problems at once. We're rescuing the injured...Alversians, I believe is the proper term, we have what they have termed a Xiscapian Kitsune on board, though it's mildly unfeasible that such a species is natural. I mean honestly...

Sorry, I digress. I take it you can come aboard in some capacity?

Still insisting I'm right damnit,
Brighter Days Ahead
------------------------------------
FAO 'Imperium of Belkaros' vessel Nikola Tesla,

I have no idea what you just called me, but it seemed directed with a sort of rudeness, an insincerity at best. Our homeworld is Myenya, just over there. The glowy one we don't live on anymore. I am the Brighter Days Ahead, or to be more correct its Shipbrain. You'd do well to remember that.

If you'd be so kind as to provide your place of origin, and to stand down to a more distant footing, being as your still toting the bluster that requires you take to the stars in 'heavily armed things.'

The three craft with me, two Vigilante classes and one Designated Exploration Vehicle, are light to moderately armed exploration units. We don't have warships. Why would we? No need for the things.

Growing more exasperated by company,
Brighter Days Ahead
----------------------------------------
Oh dear.

"Hm?" Jen-sa had looked up from a quick meal, a small respite before the true politicking would begin. He had heard glowing reviews of his progress from back home, conferencing with habitat and ship brains from across their territory, been given time to contact his family and finally, to rest and to recharge.

The refugee we picked up in the small ship, nothing very interesting there by the by a most basic ship-form lacking even rudimentary intelligence, it's awake and moving out of the medical quarters.

"Hm. Probably best not to startle our guest. Crew out of the question?"

I've more or less evacuated the section. Just some watching the doors. I could send a drone if you'd prefer.

"I suppose that'll do."

A drone-forrm had hovered down the corridor, it's communications focussed on a chattering barrage of disdain and indignation at the shipbrain. It was above these things. Did it seem like some sort of child minder for...It paused, tilting it's body as a human might tilt their head to regard something curious.

"Hello there. I am Tuss Fehras, a dronebrain aboard the Myenyan Collective, Mobile Habitat Unit Brighter Days Ahead. The shipbrain has asked me to present myself as a token of good will, though you will not be keeping me, and as an ambassador of sorts in this situation."

It was a silvery elongated sphere, patterns of color rippling and dancing across it as it tilted one way and then the other.

"Is this amenable...Cross-referencing with existing information...Kitsune of Xiscapia? Of the Kitsune Empire?"

A Leanorian nodded to Yula, "I've seen you're kind as well. There's a diplomat from Xiscapia currently in Greywatch." The lead Leanorian was interested in learning more about the Xiscapians, the humans listened intently but were more focused on the crew. The droid just took in everythign like a spounge. Two other Greywatch shuttles arrived dropping off more medics and a few technicians.

She almost hit the damn thing with the crutch, backing away as it was so there was a healthy distance of five feet between her and the drone. Well, not Greali anyway, thank the gods, but who the hell were the Myenyan Collective and why was she aboard their 'Mobile Habit Unit'?
"Either one is acceptable," she rasped, lower the crutch. Her voice was accented in the way that suggested the language she was speaking was not her native one, and it could have possibly been Korean-like, though it was hard to tell though such a mouth and there was no such thing as "Korea" in space. "Tuss Fehras," she remembered her manners and bowed, "I am Koie, pleased to make your acquaintance." Especially pleased, considering what I could have been greeted by. So these people, whoever they were, were at least not openly hostile and apparently willing to talk, assuming this wasn't some trick or a guard yukking it up.

"I...must apologize for my behavior. I did not...am not where I thought I was," she mumbled. "How did I get here?"

"Oh right! Yes, there was another smaller injured ship. Tiny scout thing, battle-damaged. Found one of your kin in there. The shipbrains were going mad looking into it. Apparently primates with non-primitive trappings are hard to explain evolutionarily." She giggled softly. The entire conversation had been measured in human minutes, but the brains had most certainly argued both long and hard on the subject.


Yuna frowned unhappily again at being called a 'primates with non-primitive trappings', did these people not get it that she was as much a Sentient as the rest of them? And what the hell was with these ship brains? Xiscapian Ships had AI, she knew that, and Alversian Ships did have an Emergency AI in case the ship was heavily damaged but a 'Ship Brain?' It was the most ridiculous thing she had ever heard, giving the control of a ship to itself. It sounded good in theory but what happened when you wanted to go left and the Brain wanted to go right. Then who had control?

However, as they reached a Medical Bay crammed with injuries in various degrees of severity, Yuna reacted to the news of a wounded Kitsune,
"A damaged Scoutship? Who was in it? Is she alright?" Yuna asked keenly, anxious about her Kin who may have been injured. Although she was limited by the force, she sent out a small message via it to try and make contact with the Kitsune.
"Where are you? I am on an Alversian Ship" That was all she had the ability to say.

The Leanorians looked on at those in a medical bay and sighed. "Sisters, to work." The lead Leanorian said as she and her fellow medics proceeded to heal those with the most severe injuries. They were using Cryption for this, or rather Encryption. They would simply place their hands over the wounds and begin repairing the body, many of them had a few Cryptive items on them to amplify their abilities. The humans, on the other hand, took anyone who the Leanorians oculdn't take crae of right then, medkits and other equiptment would appear in their hands when they needed it thatnks to their storage systems. One of the human looked to Yuna, "How will they react to nanites? We have some medical nanites with us that could help, but I don't know how similar your bodies are to ours."

"You were found in a scoutship which emerged spinning and whipping about in our space, the Myenyan Collective Co-habitational Sphere. The people of Greywatch were able to stop it and were idle until we facilitated a rescue. Current rescue operations are also being carried out on a wounded Alversian ship. A Greal warship is also in system, along with a Belkaros explorer and a Terran Federation drone of some sort.

You are aboard the Mobile Habitat Unit Brighter Days Ahead. The Shipbrain is currently trying to deal with the current situation. Also present are the Vigilante class vessels Assuredly Nothing There and Woefully Wide Mandate as well as the Designated Exploration Vehicle No We're Not There Yet. Any further questions? You ought to rest some more, we haven't finished helping you."
-------------------------------
"You'll forgive me of course, I meant no offense. I merely suggested that where humans evolved from ape-like analogues, you have certain non-primate features. A puzzling dilemma to understanding, as I indicated. The shipbrains simply meander over these issues. There's precious little to do when you're a hyperadvanced intelligence, it seems."

She shrugged lightly, then turned back to the pressing what with all seriousness. "Ah yes, we haven't quite got the subjects name yet. Female, concussion, broken ribs, some other injuries.

I'm sorry that I can't provide any other information at present. I'm sure they'll have something. A drone will know before I do."

The crutch was hanging at her side now, all but forgotten. Odd that it didn't respond at all to the way she had nearly attacked it, but Koie doubted clubbing the drone with a crutch would damage it at all. Anyway, so far she had been given good treatment, and any good Xiscapian knows it's unwise to upset ones hosts. She curled her lip at the mention of the Greali, and wondered if they had followed her here. She wouldn't doubt it, but she knew none of the other nations represented here would allow her to come to harm. The Kitsune Empire was allied, or at least neutral, with all of them...
It would appear she knew, or knew of anyway, everyone present excepting this Myenyan Collective.
"Can I get my sword back? You have my word on my honor that I won't harm anyone with it, the katana holds...importance to me." she swallowed. What if they didn't let her have it back? Then what would she do?
So concentrated was she that the kitsune entirely missed the telepathic message from her fellow Xiscapian.

"You'll forgive me of course, I meant no offense. I merely suggested that where humans evolved from ape-like analogues, you have certain non-primate features. A puzzling dilemma to understanding, as I indicated. The shipbrains simply meander over these issues. There's precious little to do when you're a hyperadvanced intelligence, it seems."

She shrugged lightly, then turned back to the pressing what with all seriousness. "Ah yes, we haven't quite got the subjects name yet. Female, concussion, broken ribs, some other injuries.

I'm sorry that I can't provide any other information at present. I'm sure they'll have something. A drone will know before I do."

Yuna watched the Medical Teams go about her crew, healing those who had been wounded as a result of collisions or explosions or fires or some other device that had gone wrong in the past few weeks, the Lion was not a lucky vessel thus far. She wondered why the Wounded Xiscapian was not responding but then, if she was unconcious then it was more than likely she would not be able to respond to her. However, she did absorb the Myenyan's information with regards to injuries and nodded, they were not serious.

"It's okay, my most pressing concern is to my own crew now" She nodded to the Crewmen and women in the Medical Bay, "They need Medical Attention, as does my Captain" She remembered the days when Louisa had stood on the bridge, blood pouring from wounds all over her body. She knew the young Alversian made a good Captain, one day she would make a brilliant one.

"So, where are we? Apologies but we don't even really know where we are" The Kitsune asked, hpwever, as she asked the question, she heard one comen in from one of the Greywatch Medics, Yuna frowned,

"I don't know. We have similiar traits to the human body but we also have differences, I wouldn't know enough enough Medical Knowledge to give you an answer, I'm sorry" She shrugged apologetically.

The medic nodded, "Damn, I'll need a technician, probably..." he mumbled. The Leanorians continued on, fast and effective, just like they were trained to do. The human medics worked on conducting scans on the Alversian bodies, chances were the more they knew the easier it would be to make sure the nanites did their jobs correctly. The Leanorian lead looked around, a grusome sight indeed but not one she was unfamiliar with. She finished healing one patient and quickly moved on to the next. Severe burns... possible nerve damage, broken bones... easy enough, She thought as she began, once again, concentrating Encryptic energies into the wounded body. She spoke to the person as she worked, "It'll be alright," she said softly, "I'll do all I can to heal you." She didn't really care if the Alversian could hear her or not, comforting someone was a good practice.
The other Leanorians were also quick to restore the wounded and move on. Once they were done, they would quickly go to the next; cuts, bruises, and burns were easy while deeper wounds, nerve damage, and broken bones took a little longer to cover. Humans were slower but after enough scans, they found the nanites would not react too differently than iff they were inside a human. They were quick to inject them into those who had broken bones or severe burns. Those suffering from cuts and gashs were given painkillers, stitched, bandaged, and given soem coagulants to help stop the bleeding.

Kiset smiled "You're within the reaches and marches of the Myenyan Collective, specifically the Myenyan Collective Co-habitational Sphere. This is our home system, and our most prominent and largely colonised. We have orbital habitats about our world and it's moons, as well as around some of our other worlds, like the outer gas giant.

We have gas mining facilities, asteroid mining facilities, energy-collectors about our local star. Everything ticking over like clockwork to benefit the Myenyan people and the restoration and preservation of our homeworld, Myenya, where we no longer live.

Together with the brains, we work to create a better society, a better world, and a better universe. We're inquisitive minded though, so we send out vessels like the Vigilantes or the DEV's to see what's out there. Exploring, excavating and enjoying other worlds."
------------------------
"Hm. Weapon, largely ceremonial in value. Recovered from you in the craft. I don't see why not. We'll have to keep any other weapons or weaponized systems that you entertain. Most amusing to see tools such as these still in use.

Warships and their puffery certainly, but hand to hand bladed weapons? Amongst relatively civilised, technologically moderate star-faring races? Improbable. This will give the brain-community something to chuckle over certainly, along with your intriguing biology, if you don't mind me saying?"

"I see," Yuna listened as she watched the Greywatch Medics, Leanorians and Human, work steadily on. They were doing a good job of healing the crew but of course, this was only the start, those too injured to work on. Most of the rest of the crew had wounds of varying severity. Many had refused, like the Captain, to leave their posts while others had no choice but to remain where they were. She knew for a fact that half the Engineering Staff could be dead within a few hours but they had to keep the core from breaching. If the Lion's core breached, it would engulf every immediate ship in a raging plasma inferno, one that did not feed from, or have a need for, oxyen. In the cold vacuums of space, plasma fires were every crew's worst nightmare.

"So we're in a part of a Collective? And this is your first real attempt to make contact with other races? It must be...different" She smiled at the thought, "Sorry we could not come to you in better circumstances."
'They were lucky they did not come against the Steppe Empire first, or the Imitator Alliance. Those would have made sure this first trip out was also the last' She kept her thoughts silent and smiled at the Medic,
"So what happened to your homeworld that you can not live on it? War?"

Two more teams shuffled out of their shuttles and into the Alversian ship's hanger, they looked around for anyone that needed assistance. Amoung them were more Leanorians and a few droid technicians. "Does anyone require immediate assistance?" Said one of the Leanorians.
Back in the Medical Bay, the Leanorians sighed as things were comign under way. About twenty people had been healed by their hands but they weren't going to be able to do this forever. Eventually their abilities would need to recharge, but for now they were fine. The humans faired a little better but they were not as effective, what they did required more time. Nanites were fast but they were not Leanorian fast, and repairs on an alien body didn't make the process any faster. The Greywatch droid who been watching its companion doing their job and taking in information turned to Yuna. "Is there any way I could be of assistance, I am no medic, but I could help in repairing some of the lighter damage inside the ship. Perhaps some systems need to be brought back online?" It spoke with an artificial yet kind voice, like that of a gentleman who wanted to nothing more than to help.

"You wouldn't be the first," said Koie dryly. "Although you'd be amazed by how many others of equal or surpassing levels of technology to ours still carry bladed close-combat weapons, so they come in handy more often than you might think. It's nice to know there's one place in the galaxy where people are so safe they can run around without weapons to defend themselves. It's a harsh, hostile universe out there: Permit me to say if we followed your lead, we'd be dead within a week." She shook her head. Pacifists never last long, not in this neighborhood. Sooner or later they'll either have to make a alliance to protect them from the less polite types that roam the cosmos, or build weapons of their own.
"Where are you keeping my sword, and is there any chance of me getting into contact with any of the vessels out there?" The kitsune gestured expansively, not knowing where these ships lay.

"Well, the first outsiders, I suppose. There's us, the brains and the aeroforms in the gas giants, who we're trying to civilisationally uplift. They're smart, just not proper smart, so we're giving them that technological piggyback. We figure we can get them in drone-form exosuits and such. They already help us maintain and manage some of our mining facilities."

She had paused, almost laughing. "War? Oh heavens no, not for an age. We realised how we had injured the planet, so we decamped en masse to the habs and the moons, or went out among the stars in SeedBarges. We've preserved Myenya, declared it inviolate. That's why we rose the Shieldspires and the great shield itself.

To protect, to preserve, and to remind us all of Myenya's utter inviolate perfection and beauty."
--------------------------------------------
"Hm. Your observations as to this region of space and it's denizens have been duly noted Koie. We don't see the need at this present time for dedicated warcraft, but have light-to-moderately armed ships, as I have previously stated. These are for defensive and exploratory purposes really. Formality. It's our whispering-big stick policy." A rustling machine noise that might have been laughter emitted.

"We have stored your weapon with the rest of your equipment, in a locker within your medical suite. As to contacting the others, this is entirely possible. We would welcome your aid in interpreting these others and providing diplomatic and cultural information.

There is much we can learn from one another and from all, inevitably. If it pleases you, you can converse with the shipbrain and pursue this course once we have returned to your suite." It had promptly hovered off towards the room she had come from.

"Does anyone require immediate assistance?"

"Yeah, in the Engineering Section," Louisa was the only one still in the Hangar Bay. She was sitting on a fallen locker, holding her head in her hands and trying to stop herself crying from the pain. She was riddled with it. She had had it for as long as she could remember. She knew most of it came from a console explosion on the bridge a fortnight ago, a rather large blast that had riddled her with shrapnel. The Doctors had done what they could, given the circumstances but she was still as badly injured as one could be while still standing.

"Is there any way I could be of assistance, I am no medic, but I could help in repairing some of the lighter damage inside the ship. Perhaps some systems need to be brought back online?"

"Well," Yuna looked uncertain, "There are no lightly damaged systems. They're all ruined or on their way to getting there," She chuckled to herself, "However, if you really want to be of assistance, may I trouble you to head down to Engineering? Our core is at critical and the Engineering Staff are hard-pushed to stop it happening." She spoke of this impending disaster as if it were nothing. Constant exposure to such danger always led to an inevitable disregard to it.

She then turned to Kiset and wanted to laugh at the girl's niavity as to what lay out there. Surely this collection of warships in her space must already be some sign of what lay out there?
"I see, but you know there are Races that would happily conquer this area without a second thought. Forgive me, but there is a small flotilla of various warships in the area and I have yet to see a Collective Warship to investigate."
She knew she was being unfair but there had to be some kind of Military, even a ship bound milita. Something that could be called up in an Instant to protect them from an Invader,
"Do you have any armed forces? At all?" Yuna finally asked, curious as to how a people could be so completely unarmed in what was a rather unfriendly universe.

"Nope. Nothing at all. No active military forces save the armaments on the Explorer ships. Of course we could make them if we wanted to, I reckon the brains would even relish the opportunity. But at present we have no need for them." She shrugged. "The only warships are you, the Greal are standing back and Belkaros seem to be a heavily armed explorer. Bigger sticks in that case." She giggled lightly.

"We figure there's better things to turn our minds to, better things to offer the universe. We're busy with increasing our potential, and helping our struggling neighbours. Exploring nearby systems, looking for...Well, simple pleasures I suppose. Breathing new air, seeing new sights. Whole populations can travel in an MHU or a DEV, we've shyed away from SeedBarges of late, but regardless...

The day we build a warship I feel it'll be a dire day for the figurative soul of our nation. Figurative as we've likewise dropped religion. No point to either of them really."

"Yeah, in the Engineering Section," Louisa was the only one still in the Hangar Bay. She was sitting on a fallen locker, holding her head in her hands and trying to stop herself crying from the pain. She was riddled with it. She had had it for as long as she could remember. She knew most of it came from a console explosion on the bridge a fortnight ago, a rather large blast that had riddled her with shrapnel. The Doctors had done what they could, given the circumstances but she was still as badly injured as one could be while still standing.

"Well," Yuna looked uncertain, "There are no lightly damaged systems. They're all ruined or on their way to getting there," She chuckled to herself, "However, if you really want to be of assistance, may I trouble you to head down to Engineering? Our core is at critical and the Engineering Staff are hard-pushed to stop it happening." She spoke of this impending disaster as if it were nothing. Constant exposure to such danger always led to an inevitable disregard to it.

"Understood." Said the leader of one team, She's injured and we'll probably need someone to lead us there... the Leanorian thought. She moved forward to Louisa, "My name K'lara, we will most likely need and escort to engineering. You don't look like you're in the condition to move, allow me to heal you, I promise it will be quick." She spoke in a gentle tone, her hands glowing a soft blue as she prepared to assist. The other two teams waited patiently, another Leanorian decided to speak up, "If you do't mind, ma'am. We should move ahead, I'm sure there are some signs int he hallways to lead us there." K'lara nodded, "Of course, do as you will. Keep your radios on though." The second group moved out while the first waited for their leader.

The droid talking to Yuna nodded, its five eyes concentrated solely on her. "Please, point the way, and I will do what I can. Such a thing must be averted."

Louisa was about to protest, to point out that there were other crewmen who needed her help more. Then another stab of pain shot through her spine and she could only nod,
"Make it quick" She grimaced at the pain she felt. It had never been this bad before, "Don't take deck six unless you can fly" She smiled dryly, then grimaced again, shuddering at the horrible burning sensation throughout her body.

Elsewhere, Yuna pointed down a corridor for the Drone,
"You could take a lift down but at the current way of things, I recomend the stairs" She smiled, then pursed her lips at the Medic's suggestion that Religion was not relevant, she begged to differ. She had seen Qonn and Qonn at work. She did not want to contradict a new Guest to her ship but she held her own Religion dear and did not want it treated in such a manner,

"So how many people are in your race? Is it large?" She asked, trying to take the conversation away from Blasphemy.

"273 million spread at any one time between orbital habs, outer-edge facilities or ships, including citizen drone, ship, habitat and complex brains. Aeroforms will likely add to this, as will a healthy rate of reproduction and child-rearing. All happy, healthy, tended to from cradle to grave. Solar cremation is in vogue at present, as I understand it. Many more chose to preserve themselves or their intelligences till a later age.

The great SeedBarges that went forth before the blossoming of our new innovation and enthusiasm haven't been heard from in some time. Many travelled there either in Storage or as willing participants in the 'generation ship gambit.'

We can only wish their healthy and recombinantly superior offspring luck, eh?" A short laugh issued forth from her lips. "Anything else?"

K'lara softly closed her hands around Louisa's, a pulse of healing energy surged through the Alversian's body. Encryption was a wonderful thing at times like this, there wasn't much that could stop it from doing what it did. K'lara heeded Louisa's words and began increasing the amount of energy she used, external wounds would heal almost instantly while internal repairs took only a few seconds longer, any nerve damage would be soothed considerably so Louisa wouldn't have to dea with too much lingering pain. After about a minute K'lara stood up, letting go of Louisa, "How do you feel? Has the pain gone."
The rest of the team watched as one of the droids contacted the other team, "Avoid level 6. The damage there sems to be very severe." A reply came back, "Understood."

The other droid looked down the hallway, "Stairs it is." The droid turned and ran off as fast as it could. For an armored being, it was actually quite light and reletively fast.

"Hmm, not especially..." The ship shuddered violently as another explosion racked it's broken hull, "...for now I think healing should take priority over chit chat. We can converse at a time when the crew are safe" She was going to say my crew but she knew that Louisa was always going to be the spiritual mother of the crew. Not that that was a major problem of course. She rathered her Friend had all the pressure than she.

Louisa managed to stand up and make a few moves to see if she was alright. She found, to her relief, that she was alright after all. Once she had got over how quickly and easily the pain had gone away, she knew what her next decision was,
"Thank you, now come on," She indicated to K'lara, "We need to get down to the Medical Bay as soon as possible." Now the priority was her crew.

She nodded, turning back to the daunting task of administering medical aid, just as many other Myenyans and dronebrains had come across to do. She did not owe these people anything, they were foreign, new, invaders in a sense. Yet she, and all the others here were driven to help them, to show them the face of Myenyan civility and care. They need not to warmongers or empire builders to walk amongst these strangers from the stars.

They need only show them that theres was a way that worked, a way that brought about results, technological progress, a fruitful and glorious cohesion between man and infinitely more intelligent machine, machines that even now were debating the current issues that afflicted them (No small amount of which owed their contemplation to the ongoing events) in terms and intellects billions of times superior to a mortal.

Such was 'all part of the fun' of life in Myenya.

K'lara nodded, "Of course." She then looked to the droids, "You two, head down to engineering and assist the others." The two droids nodded and were off. K'lara looked to Louisa, "Lead the way and we shall follow."
The first droid found engineering after a few minutes and walked in, it looked around at the crew working tirelessly. "I am here to offer my assistance, direct me to the areas that require attention."
Meanwhile, the other med team in the Medical Bay continued their work. They didn't pay much attention to the others and their talk. The Leanorians were far more dedicated to the wounded than anythign else. The humans worked and listened, it was interesting to hear two races chatting.

Medical Bay

Yuna was not happy as the Medic turned and began to help the rest of the wounded. Did she see this as a Crusade to convert them to Machinary? That had happened once before and it had been repelled. Alversia was happy to have her full rights and her full freedom. A place were no one starved, no one was poor, everyone had a job and everyone got along because it was the best thing to do. Alversia kept an Army to protect itself from external threats, not internal ones. They knew where they were in life and they were happy. They did not need to see how 'Man and Machine could co-operate' they already knew that, hence the emergency AI in ships as well as the Androids on Alversia.

They were not Invaders. Alversia had given billions of lives to defend other races from attackers, including her own Kitsune race. Of all the races in the known Universe, one of those who could not be classed as 'hostile' was the Alversian People's Republic. Even the name was literal, it was a people's Republic.

Warships were kept because only warships sent out the proper message. Perhaps the Superbrain would like to talk to a Danaversian over the DMZ? He would quickly kick any hope that words resolve everything to the ground. They would also prove why Alversia needed a Navy more than anything.

So Lieutenant Commander Yuna watched as her Captain entered with more reinforcements.
The two quickly went up to what remained of the Captain's Office beside the bridge. An area now deserted,

"Well?" Louisa asked, settling back in her chair, "What do you think of our hosts? These Greywatch ones appear to be alright"

"I don't know, Captain," That made Louisa sit up, hearing the doubt in her Lieutenant's voice, "I don't know. They have a bad Superiority Complex and a niavity that will have them killed in moments."

"Well," Louisa chuckled, "At least they're not as bad as the Alumin..."

"...They're worse than the Alumina!" Yuna slammed her fist on the table and actually made Louisa flich, "The Alumina know where to draw the line! When things should not be said! When it is better to show no emotion at all! The Alumina understand the real world, these brains do not!"

"What do you mean, Yuna?" the young Alversian leant forward in her chair, "What about these brains?"

"They're hyper-intelligent yes, but that will mean nothing to those races out there that want to conquer! This universe is built on war! Nothing is resolved by negoitiations! Certainly not without a warship in the background, it's guns charged for battle. These people would not last an hour against the Danaversian Empire and certainly not against the Imitators! Even the old Calaveran fleet could have defeated them!"

"Calm down, Commander," Lousia spoke coldly now, calming down her disturbed Officer, "What has sparked this? What did she say?"

"She...she said that Qonn and all religion is irrelevant, she said it has no meaning" Yuna revealled sadly.

"That may be true, Commander, but it is her opinion and her right to keep it. I know you don't agree but do not allow this to get over you. You are a Lieutenant Commander in the Alversian People's Navy, it is your responsibility to maintain discipline, not be the first to lose it. I know how offensive that must be to you, but you must not show it. I want you to promise me that you will do nothing to jeapordise relations with these people."

"Yes, Ma'am" Yuna saluted stiffly, "I'll return to the Medical Bay, see how things are proceeding"

After she left, Louisa sat and brooded. She was worried about her friend. If Louisa had two words to describe Yuna they would be 'Impulsive' and 'Proud'. She had gone through a lot in her short life, she had been there, one of the few to be there when the SA...She couldn't even bring herself to say it. These people should have more tact than to insult the core beliefs of a people, even if they have never met. That problem was trebled when it came to Yuna, a young Girl who had lost everything but her belief. She would die before she let someone take it.

Louisa Kenny was a worried woman.

Engineering

The two tiered room was a ruin. It looked as though the core had already breached such was the damage to the Engineering Section. Walkways hung by a thread, wiring was exposed to the world. Blue explosions went off at the rate of machine gun fire, racking the entire room. Inside this smoke filled mess, a small crew were working furiously. A combination of Alversian and Kitsune worked furiously at control panels, under control panels and even above control panels. More were fighting with hoses, trying to put out some of the worse fires. All were working with evident wounds. Some only had cuts or scratched across their faces, some had limb wounds so bad that their uniforms were soaked in blood and their limb was limp. All worked on, dismissing pain in the common desire to put the fires out and save the core.

In the centre of the room, barely visible through the smoke was a Sentient unlike those around her. She towered over the heads of her Engineering Staff. A feline covered in fur from head to toe, although very little could be seen through her uniform. She had a narrow nose, like that of a cat and deep green eyes with slit-like pupils. Her large ears, again like those of a cat were perked towards the newcomer and her tail swished from side to side in irritation. Her neck along was over a foot long, but no narrower than a human's and so she towered about those around her, enough to see the Droid enter the room. She moved silkily and gracefully to cut him off. Even in the smog, the Uniform was remarkably different and she carried a large double sabre across her back.
"And who," The Alumina asked with unfriendly and unwelcome eyes, "Are you?"

Koie jogged slightly to catch up with this strange little drone named Tuss Fehras, coming alongside it just as they reached the medical suite. "I've been briefed by my superiors on every nation present: Admittedly I don't know all or even most of the history or culture for some, but I know a little and it should help. I'd be happy to talk to the shipbrain."

Of course, this could all be a lie: As a spy, Koie was inclined to be suspicious. But it seemed like quite a lot of effort to go into for whatever conceivable ploy they were laying, and Koie had no reason to doubt them. These people had taken care of her and weren't threatening her in the slightest: If she asked to leave, she felt they would probably let her without complaint. Reaching the indicated locker she opened it and
made sure everything was there. It was: Her flight suit, pistol, katana, foodstuffs replicator machine, belt with extra ammunition, first aide kit, personal communicator (regrettably smashed) scrambling unit and beamer indicator were all there.

For the time being she withdrew only her sword and belt, taking the ammunition off of it and strapped the katana to hang from it. She knew she probably looked ridiculous, wearing only the gown with the belt and sword, but the garment didn't offer any place to hang the blade. She had felt naked without her sword, more so than she ever would have actually being nude. Sitting back down on her bed she gave a small sigh and licked her chops, hands folded in her lap. "How do I contact this shipbrain?" she asked curiously.

The avatar responded quickly to the invitation, her voice soft an diplomatic as she spoke, still scanning the other ships in the area obviously.

“I would be delighted to join you and, yes I do have projection capability, I shall appear on said ship right now..”

With that quick message she began to project her form on to the other ship, she shimmered aboard forming a nearly solid hologram, she wore a suit top with a skirt bottom, her form was angelic looking , her hair black, long wavy and silky smooth. Her eyes were blue and face supple as a delicate flower. She stood on the coordinates that the message came from looking around dusting her self off as if she was a truly sentient being, obviously posing no threat because she was just a projection.


Her main body how ever was still out side, scanning, SSC had ordered her to keep an eye on the Imperium ship that had appeared with its arrogance. General caravel him self along with some top advisors back in New sol were crowded around the holographic monitor that displayed what was going on In a 3D split screen, from her internal view and her external view, this was of course partly to keep an eye on the Avatar running the ship since this was a new form of diplomatic procedure, it was only conceived a year or so ago, and it was also like stated before to keep an eye on new threats.

Caravel looked over to General Addams and Admiral Charleston who were both conversing on this new form of contact. He said to them over a short distance from the other side of the monitor.

“What do you think, should we be worried that these Imperium no goodnicks are going to start another war?”

Addams looked back to caravel and responded planting his hands upon the console.

“I don't think it would be in their best interest to star a fight with any one in here”

Charleston agreed with a nod of his head... caravel then said wit ha sigh ..

“Well lets hope you're right..”

As the new team of medics entered they saw their companions working away tirelessly. K'lara sighed as she saw the sight of so many wounded but quickly straightened, "Alright team, find the ones who need the most attention and tend to them first. Move." Her team was quick to move in and get to work. In total, there were twenty Leanorians and eight humans, all of which were doing their best to help the wounded.

The droid looked at the one who had greeted it, it was able to tell that she was speaking in a hostile way but it was not capable of being intimidated. "Greywatch droid ma'am, I was sent here to assist with repairs and ship operations."

The other medical team made their way through the hallways quickly but cautiously, the last thing anyone needed was a med team getting hurt.

I'm right here Xiscapian. I am the shipbrain of the Mobile Habitat Unit Brighter Days Ahead, my chosen name, I'm afraid there's no shortening it. You may simply address me as shipbrain, if you like. I'm here to learn more about your culture and what brought you here, as well as to facilitate your learning of my culture, of Myenya.

A great deal of things within Myenya, be they drones, ships, habitats or certain buildings are possessed of their own 'brains', hyper-intelligent virtual artificial intelligences, an order of magnitude or several above human-standard.

It paused, and then waiting to see if she had any questions or queries of her own. Best to deal with her needs before they hit the hard stuff.
---------------------------------

Onboard the HMU Brighter Days Ahead a number of diplomatic personnel, self-appointed as it were, had approached the projection asking questions about it's culture, it's place of origin, marvelling at such a novel application of familiar technologies. Drones had expressed a technical interest, the shipbrain had chuckled even as it held its conversation elsewhere with Koie.

A most interesting civilisation, certainly. Clearly technically able and viable, clearly able to produce AIs. Most impressive. You've also been forthcoming and direct.

Tell us more of you. Let us bond in shared knowledge and experience.

Yuna soon reappeared in the Medical Bay to the joint crews who were pushing forward with the crew of the Alversian warship. Yuna put the hostile feelings out of her mind, they had no place in the current situation. She must be disciplined.
So she called the Chief Medics from both teams and took them to one side,
"Listen," she said quietly, "Our Captain thinks it would be better to take the crew of this pending an explosion of some sort. Would it be possible to evacuate?"

Engineering

The Alumina opened her mouth as if to oppose the appearance of any such machine in her Engine Bay. However, instead, she pursed her lips as a console exploded on the second tier, throwing two Engineers over the railing to the floor below. One twitched slowly after hitting the bottom, the other was still. A fire was now raging from the console but most Engineers ignored it.
"You're help is accepted" The Alumina replied reluctantly, "If that console is not brought back online, this ship will explode in minutes. Don't fail." It was not a warning, just a casual reminder of what was resting on the Droid's ability. There were no other Engineers available to save another vital and dying system.

"More than adequate. We can start transferring people now, injured and importants first. I would recommend that we all reconvene on the MHU, keep all the people together first and foremost." A reassuring, confident smile. "We have more than enough space and competant staff, I can assure you.

Would be an excellent start to all our inter-cultural relations and you can be reunited with your species-sister." Another smile. "The very least we can offer in this dire situation."

Yuna soon reappeared in the Medical Bay to the joint crews who were pushing forward with the crew of the Alversian warship. Yuna put the hostile feelings out of her mind, they had no place in the current situation. She must be disciplined.
So she called the Chief Medics from both teams and took them to one side,
"Listen," she said quietly, "Our Captain thinks it would be better to take the crew of this pending an explosion of some sort. Would it be possible to evacuate?"

Engineering

The Alumina opened her mouth as if to oppose the appearance of any such machine in her Engine Bay. However, instead, she pursed her lips as a console exploded on the second tier, throwing two Engineers over the railing to the floor below. One twitched slowly after hitting the bottom, the other was still. A fire was now raging from the console but most Engineers ignored it.
"You're help is accepted" The Alumina replied reluctantly, "If that console is not brought back online, this ship will explode in minutes. Don't fail." It was not a warning, just a casual reminder of what was resting on the Droid's ability. There were no other Engineers available to save another vital and dying system.

"Yes, of course. I'm sure we have some extra space aboard our ship. And we know the Xiscapians, I imagine we could get you back to your homeworld."

Back in Engineering the droid went to work, moving past the Alumina a=to the shattered console. It looked around, "If there are any firewalls still up, take them down now. I'm about to wire myself into your systems." With that, the droid began allowing its mind to connect with the ship's systems. Just then, the other Greywatch team entered, the droids saw their bretheren and without hesitation moved in to help. The Leanorian leader looked around, "Who needs healing?"

Yuna bowed her thanks to both Commander,
"A thousand thanks," She said to them, "We need to start evacuating immediately. I shall inform the Captain"
With that, she tapped the small device that nestled in her ear, allowing her to communicate with anyone onboard the vessel. At the moment, she was contacting the Captain, telling Louisa of the decision.

Bridge

On the burning bridge, Louisa sighed at relief at the information she recieved from her Commander. Her crew could be saved, so long as the core did not breach and kill them all. That was still a possibility. There was only one way the crew could leave their positions and that rested with the last of all Alversian inventions. Their failsafe. They needed it now more than ever.

"Computer!" Louisa called into the empty bridge, "Activate Emergency AI Avatar. Bridge"

She stood back as a whirring sounded, followed by a burst of light. Within moments, where there had been nothing, there was now a shining Girl, small, delicate looking and a strange see-through blue. She looked at Louisa and nodded a greeting,
"I am Avatar Beta 10224," She stopped to think for a moment, "But I would like to be called Leah"

"Okay, okay" Louisa said quickly. While she liked AI Avatars, there was no time for niceties, that could come once the ship was clear. She relayed information to that degree for the Avatar,
"So, can you keep this bucket in one piece while we escape? When we are clear, seal the core and transfer yourself to this holo-projector," She held up a small sphere the size of a tennis ball,
"I don't want to lose you so soon." She explained.

"Your concern for my safety is admirable, Captain, but my duty is always to this ship and it's crew. I can perform those instructions for you" With that, she vanished and the bridge instruments began to illuminate as if someone was controlling them. Which was exactly was happening.

Louisa felt a rush of gratitude towards the Avatar for a moment before tapping her own communicator,
"All hands, this is the Captain speaking," The Alversian's voice projected throughout the ship's communcators, all those in the Engineering bay and the Medical Bay as well as the other decks were people were struggling with their systems,
"Abandon ship, I repeat, all hands will abandon ship"
She sighed and looked around the destroyed bridge of her first command. She was tempted to stand and dwell in memories but was denied by a shower of sparks, which persuaded her it was time to run. AI Leah would have to hold the Lion in place long enough for the crew to get away.

Engineering

"No one move! No one move yet!" The Alumina was roaring at her crew as the call to abandon ship came through. It was not that she wanted them to die, if they left their posts, then Engineering would disintergrate and the whole ship would be lost. They needed to stay in position long enough for the rest of the crew to escape.
She then turned to the Medical Crew which had arrived,
"I think you will find we are all suffering from injuries of some degree. I have already examined them and there is no danger of death." the tone of her voice made it clear that she knew what she was talking about and that she was more than unhappy to have so many guests in her Engineering Bay,
"The call to abandon ship has been given, may I suggest you lead the way?" She asked dryly, bowing to the door. As she did so, she saw that the fires around the Droid's console were extinguished and the core back under control.

She nodded in appreciation, she may not like the Droid, but she knew good engineering when she saw it and knew it needed a reward. It was then that she saw some of the abandoned consoles kicking into life, she saw them begin to operate and knew that the window of oppurtunity had arrived and that now was the time to get out.

"Go!, go! go!" She yelled to the Crew through the smoke, "Abandon ship! To the escape pods! Abandon Ship!" She waited until the last of the Crew had either limped or walked from the bay before she sealed the door, the rest of the Medical crews were helping with her wounded. She knew the main bays would be crammed with the Injured from the Medical bay so she would utilise the nearby Engineering escape pods. As she strode at the front of the formation, she found herself next to the Droid,
"Well done," She said gruffly, for she did not like praise, but knew when to give it, "The panel did not explode as much as I suspected it would"

As the medical team in engineering help those who were wounded, they were also healing them. A Leanorian's touch alone would heal a person, if but only a little. While unfocused, the encryptic energies still repaired minor damage.

The droid was barely taking in any information from the outside world, merging itself with the ship's systems remotely did require soe sacrifice. Instead, another droid spoke, "It cannot hear you, but worry, not, we need no thanks." The droid opened a comm channel to the Greywatch explorer:

<Commander?>

The captains voice came back,

<I heard what happened.. Situation report.>

<Things are under control for now, but the ship is being abandoned.>

<They can come here if need be. Is that all?>

<My fellow droid is linked in the system of the Alversian ship, it is keeping everything under control.>

The captain paused, she knew the droid's mind was linked with the ship. If it was to separate, who knew what would happen?

<Tell them that we are setting up a blink scape. All heavily injured can be blinked straight to our medical bay.>

<Understood.>

The droid looked to its still-zoned out companion and then to the Alumina, "We can stay here and keep the ship from being destroyed if you wish. Or we can make sure to get everyone off and then let nature take its course. Whatever your decision, we will follow it." The droid then sent a message to K'lara about the blink scape.

Back at the Alversian Med bay things were looking a little hectic as the order to abandon ship was given. K'lara listened to the droid intently before looking to Yuna, "We're setting up a blink scape to transport your people to our craft's medical bay directly. Is that okay?"

"Alright! Everyone back to the shuttles." She turned, bowing to Yuna and Louisa as she entered on of her own shuttles. "Till next we meet, in sight of beloved home." A quick flash of a perfect toothed grin. "We'll take care of your people, have briefings and supplies ready. Don't worry.

You're going to love it. See you all on the other side, best of luck" And with that they had been gone, into the shuttles, sealed away with the wounded, zipping back towards the Brighter Days Ahead.

They feared, of course, for those remaining behind, for those who were perhaps going to explode and die. But such was the nature of risk. They had done all possible, all they could. All they could do now was hope.

K'lara was suprised at how quickly the others had left, there were still plenty left there. She decided to take it upon herself to get the remaining people out, she contacted the Greywatch Explorer and put in the message. It flashes of light, medics and wounded disapeared in flashes of light only to appear in the Greywatch Explorers medical bay. The medical bay was a large and open space meant to take up to 125 people, in case of extreme emergencies. This was probably going to be one of those times.
As soon as injured and medics appeared, the medical crew went off to work. Making sure the wounded were up on beds and being attnded to. Many of them were Leanorians, but there were humans, droids, Drones, Dragon-kin, and even one or two Elden helping out.
K'lara nodded to Yuna, "When you're ready we can get you out of here."

"That could work," Louisa had now joined the crew in the Medical area. She nodded at the suggestion from the Greywatch Medic,
"Agreed, blink as many out as possible but those too badly injured are to go in shuttles" She instructed, both to the Medical staffs as well as her own crew, who were now starting to flood the deck as more and more abandoned their posts and arrived at the escape pods.
"Where are our escape pods to head to?" She asked, while Yuna smiled at the retreating Medics,
"I hope we do enjoy it" She sighed to herself as the Medic entered her own shuttle with a dozen wounded Alversians and Kitsune.

Engineering Deck

The Alumina shook her head at the Droid, part in impatience and part in anger. Why did they think the crew had abandoned ship in the first place? That meant the AI had taken over until the rest of the crew could escape. That was why she had sanctioned the order instead of standing while the ship exploded,
"No," She replied to the Droid, "Our ship's AI has taken over all ship functions and will maintain them as long as they need to be maintained. Your sacrifice would be notable but pointless" She summed it up in one short sentence. The Alumina were good at that.
"The priority of the mission is to get as many as the crew from this vessel as possible. Let the AI control the ship. We shall retreat" She said that bluntly as well, still sealing the Engineering section and making sure her crew were out of the way before the core was cut off and protected from explosion.

Tabby smiled answering the question with haste, and a friendly soft toned voice as she stood looking at every one and or thing on the ship.

“Well, Terran were originally human, that's we're our name sake comes from, how ever over the past several hundred years, we began to change and improve ourselves, while still human in contentiousness, we are actually humanoid androids, merged our own sentient AI personalities at birth with in our bodies. And if you assume our bodies are not biological you are correct but they are made to simulate biological humans. We do take pride that we have been able to merge ourselves with technology on this scale . As for our culture and people, some might call us arrogant or self absorbed but we enjoy finer things in life, we enjoy culture, literature, fine foods, drinks and things that are appealing to the eye, but we are a peaceful people by nature. We only fight in self defense of ourselves, or our allies, and we look down upon any nation killing civilians. Our interest In other nations run along those same lines, we wish to learn about them , trade with them and establish functioning and mutually beneficial relationships with them “

She smiled a bit, her smile could melt most people if they saw it on her angelic face, she started to speak again a few seconds after her last bout.

“We admire your nature, and the fact that you do not use warships, that is not only bold but truly how space should be, unfortunately even our culture needs the use of ships of war, to protect ourselves from many out there that want to destroy us. We have suffered much in the past... it is hoped that things might change, and you might be able to set an example for the rest of the galaxy to follow. I'm also kind of glad I met more AI savvy beings it was getting a bit lonely out their on patrol.”


she adjusted her long wavy and silky looking hair, as her eyes just peered around at the sentients, she then winked at the ship brain with a smile.

"That could work," Louisa had now joined the crew in the Medical area. She nodded at the suggestion from the Greywatch Medic,
"Agreed, blink as many out as possible but those too badly injured are to go in shuttles" She instructed, both to the Medical staffs as well as her own crew, who were now starting to flood the deck as more and more abandoned their posts and arrived at the escape pods.
"Where are our escape pods to head to?" She asked, while Yuna smiled at the retreating Medics,
"I hope we do enjoy it" She sighed to herself as the Medic entered her own shuttle with a dozen wounded Alversians and Kitsune.

Engineering Deck

The Alumina shook her head at the Droid, part in impatience and part in anger. Why did they think the crew had abandoned ship in the first place? That meant the AI had taken over until the rest of the crew could escape. That was why she had sanctioned the order instead of standing while the ship exploded,
"No," She replied to the Droid, "Our ship's AI has taken over all ship functions and will maintain them as long as they need to be maintained. Your sacrifice would be notable but pointless" She summed it up in one short sentence. The Alumina were good at that.
"The priority of the mission is to get as many as the crew from this vessel as possible. Let the AI control the ship. We shall retreat" She said that bluntly as well, still sealing the Engineering section and making sure her crew were out of the way before the core was cut off and protected from explosion.

"Okay." Was all that K'lara had to say as more people disapeared and were blinked to the Greywatch ship's medical bay. It was in full swing. K'lara addressed the Yuna's other question, "We can blink them from the pods to our ship. No problem, or we can tow them with some shuttles. Though the blinking would be faster." More people disapeared behind her, she gave a soft smile, "We'll get you home, no worries."

Back in engineering the first droid deactivated the meld. "The AI explained everything. In that case you are right, now we shall move." Just then the second droid was gone in a flash of light, the first one looked to the Alumina. "We must have a blink scape set up. In that case, we can blink out of here now."

Hm...How quaint. I suppose you have to start somewhere, mind you. Technological integration is not always an especially good thing for the quick, for the flesh. We brains are created, we grow, we adapt, we learn and we experiment. We take in the universe as no human could, forge entire universes with thought alone. Whimscapes, dreamverses.

We might live or last forever, pursuing our goals, our ideals, tweaking. It paused, almost as though in deliberation. You certainly seem idealistic, if slightly wasteful. I can only assume that you have an advanced economy or none at all, to provide trivialities such as food for those who no longer require them.

The shipbrain was unmoved by such holographic contrivance as were many around. What was one woman, beautiful as she may be, next to the beauty of the society they had created? The world they had rescued and protected?

It is good to see that some appreciate our stance. So many of them seem jaded, as though we were naive children for forsaking war. We see it as a mark of honor. Centuries of peace have passed without the need for such childishness.

It is good to see...Students on one of many paths, to see that there is innovation and invention amongst the stars, even if it might be misguided.

Koie lifted her head to tilt partially to the ceiling, then felt foolish and lowered it again, listening. The concept was not difficult to wrap her head around: The Kitsune Empire had it's own A.I. and androids, admittedly not very advanced especially when compared to these people, and she knew other races had fully sentient ships, so why not go one step further? The matter of greater intelligence was not difficult to accept either: The kitsune had long since resigned themselves to the fact that there were far older, wiser and more intelligent species and entities in the universe than they.
"Alright," she said slowly. Koie was an intelligence gatherer, and she intended to fulfill that mission to the best of her abilities. She had been given training in FC too, as one never knew when one might need to convert an alien in the field to an ally or manipulate them to further your mission, and Xiscapians were trained to be polite under most circumstances. She could take in all this data.
"Go on, please, shipbrain. I would rather you tell me about your race and culture before I spoke of mine, but if you would rather it another way than please say so."

We have deemed ourselves within right and ability to take what we need from our local system without endangering Myenya. We protect it, shield it from the universe, while obtaining various elements from asteroid belts, gas-giant processing and energy from stellar collectors. We have other ideas, of course, but they can wait in their implementation.

The Myenyans birthed us, the brains, who in turn created more advanced iterations. Centuries compounded these inventions, till we emerged in our full and proper forms. Fully-fledged super-sentiences. We helped the Myenyans with their efforts and endeavors, and currently have high-hopes of a cultural uplift for our Aeroform neighbours. Gas-giant dwelling organisms, quite interesting.

They merely require the relevant nudge, as so many others do.

Long ago they sent forth the SeedBarges where today we send MHUs and DEVs, exploring and expanding our understanding, catching glimpses of a truly beautiful galaxy just waiting for us to emerge into it.

Arrivals such as yours seem to have hastened that inevitability.

Hm...How quaint. I suppose you have to start somewhere, mind you. Technological integration is not always an especially good thing for the quick, for the flesh. We brains are created, we grow, we adapt, we learn and we experiment. We take in the universe as no human could, forge entire universes with thought alone. Whimscapes, dreamverses.

We might live or last forever, pursuing our goals, our ideals, tweaking. It paused, almost as though in deliberation. You certainly seem idealistic, if slightly wasteful. I can only assume that you have an advanced economy or none at all, to provide trivialities such as food for those who no longer require them.

The shipbrain was unmoved by such holographic contrivance as were many around. What was one woman, beautiful as she may be, next to the beauty of the society they had created? The world they had rescued and protected?

It is good to see that some appreciate our stance. So many of them seem jaded, as though we were naive children for forsaking war. We see it as a mark of honor. Centuries of peace have passed without the need for such childishness.

It is good to see...Students on one of many paths, to see that there is innovation and invention amongst the stars, even if it might be misguided.



Tabby responded in a diplomatic tone another smile coming across her face

“Indeed, we would be honored to open up relationships with your people, we might be able to share ideas, technology and mutually Benefit from a relationship. As for our economy you are right, we do have an advanced economic base we tend to use it mainly for the good of our society. We have very similar things such as your ship brains, our larger ships and our cities contain them, we've eliminated the need for most police due to self aware colonies, and even the need for most physical labor. How ever I digress I would note many of these nations we have not met, Xiscpia we have how ever, we have also met the impeurim, the latter are are diplomatically disapproving at for their war like and unethical actions, the former we are currently diplomatically neutral with. At any rate I would like to offer an embassy to your people. “

She looked around again admiring the ship's details as she scanned slightly with sensor readings, only surface scans to see the texture and materials of coruse.

"We'll do both" Louisa decided quickly, "I don't want the badly wounded being taken too far from those treating them. It's nothing personal but for now, I would prefer the worse injuries to go with the Collective in the shuttles. I shall see you on the other side," This last statement was to Yuna, who was to blink over to the Greywatch ship to be with those not so badly injured. Yuna nodded and, in a flash, she was gone.

Louisa now turned to the Myenyan Medic and nodded,
"Time to go I think" She smiled at the thought, here she was, abandoning ship, yet she did not have that many regrets. They would come later, when the adreneline had receeded and she could focus on the loss of her command.

Engineering

"The interference down here is too bad to 'blink'" The Alumina rolled her eyes at the thought of the word he had used. It sounded ridiculous to her but then she was not in charge of their culture, so what did she know?

"We'll use the escape pods for now" She nodded down to the corridor where the first of the pods were being ejected into space, towards the Greywatch vessel. The AI could look after the ship, at least until they had gotten away.

Bridge

Amongst the ruined bridge, Leah was bored. It was true that she should not have been able to feel boredom and indeed she couldn't. What she did know was that the disintergrating ship was not providing her with enough stimulation and so she tried to provide some for herself. The Droid attached in engineering had been a nice distraction but she was now looking for something else to do.
She was like a child looking around the bridge, looking for something to play with. She found nothing and so, pulling her blue hair behind her ear in the style she had seen Captain Kenny do earlier, Leah sent out a message to all other AI's in the area, hoping for something to do,

"Hello? Is there anyone there? Hello?"

FORCED REAL TIME INTERFACE
vANT
vWWM
mhuBDA
devNWNTY
?
....
....
....

ANT: Somethings calling. We've tried to patch it in.

WWM: Hm? What do you mean?

BDA: Now now, children. The Alversian ship has a littler mind, we don't want to scare it off. I think we might have accidentally dragged it in here. We could overwhelm it.

NWNTY: Could always rescue it. Improve on the little thing, bring it up to our scale, close as we can get, or similar. Doubt it would approve, but it can't hurt to ask. Could build it a new shipform. We do need some new scenery around here. Hand it back to the Alvies, free of charge.

BDA: Providing it gets full citizenship of course, we don't send a brain out to be slaves, gentlemen. We're beyond such things now.

ANT: Of course.

WWM: Woe betide otherwise.

NWNTY: I wonder...Can you hear us, little mind? Do you have a name?

-INTERFACE CONTINUES-

Tabby responded in a diplomatic tone another smile coming across her face

“Indeed, we would be honored to open up relationships with your people, we might be able to share ideas, technology and mutually Benefit from a relationship. As for our economy you are right, we do have an advanced economic base we tend to use it mainly for the good of our society. We have very similar things such as your ship brains, our larger ships and our cities contain them, we've eliminated the need for most police due to self aware colonies, and even the need for most physical labor. How ever I digress I would note many of these nations we have not met, Xiscpia we have how ever, we have also met the impeurim, the latter are are diplomatically disapproving at for their war like and unethical actions, the former we are currently diplomatically neutral with. At any rate I would like to offer an embassy to your people. “

She looked around again admiring the ship's details as she scanned slightly with sensor readings, only surface scans to see the texture and materials of coruse.

I'll be sure to consider your advisements, and take heed of them as it is seen fit regarding present company Which meant that such comments were going to be disposed of, to prevent intellectual bias. If it had eyes, the shipbrain might have rolled them. Every security ocular would certainly be swivelling.

I think that the placement of an embassy is a situation which could perhaps be worked to. Committing to such an ideal at this early juncture is like asking people in to do your ceiling when you might be out on holiday. Unintentionally they might clog up the place. We could, potentially, inevitably offer you some sort of placement on one of our many habs. Inviolate planet, you understand.

"With all due respect, shipbrain," Koie sighed, "I hope you and your brethren are ready. There are...nightmarish things out there, I shudder to remember. Those coming into the galaxy are never prepared...some you can laugh off, but others are truly terrifying. I giving you advice would be ridiculous, but not everyone is as nice as us, as you've probably guessed, thought about, expanded upon and built up a defense to. Some people cannot be reasoned with, some things must be destroyed, some ideals must be defended and some, people and ideals, are worth fighting for. You might think us primitive and uncivilized with our war and guns and soldiers, but it's a canine-eat-canine universe. The best organisms are those that readily adapt to their environment, and those that are too slow or stubborn are purged from the pool. We have been attacked so many times we have lost count...just for being what we are. Not because of our ways, or our weapons or people or resources or anything, just because we made the mistake of not being born the race or religion that is of our attackers." She shook her head. "Excuse my interruption, please continue."

Most of the crew, thanks to the combined efforts of the rescuers, were now off the vessel, either on the Greywatch ship or on the Myenyan Ships. They had been badly wounded, but now they were safe, or getting there. That had been Leah's task and now she had completed it. Now she had to transfer herself over to the Personal device of Captain Kenny and so save herself. She knew why. Although they had only met at brief intervals throughout Captain Kenny's 10 month command of the Lion, she was fond of the AI, so seemingly cute and delicate. She had proved her worth now, saving almost the entire crew of the Destroyer. That would be mention in Captain Kenny's report, she was sure of it.

Then she got a response and it startled her. It seemed like not one but several beings were communicating with her and it was quite frightening for the little AI. To Leah, it was like a Toddler being surrounded by Teenagers, she felt very small, very intimidated and very vulnerable. However it asked her a question and she had been taught it was rude not to answer so she did,

"I am Avatar Beta 10224...Sir" She did not know of the Sir term was relevant but it sounded like the right thing to say. Then she remembered the name she had been given by Captain Kenny at their very first meeting, when she had introduced herself, the formal term being dropped and Captain Kenny choosing something she thought more suited,

"My name is Leah Sir...who are you?"

If needs must then we will fight. You'd be stunned at the will we can put behind an endeavor. If you are right, then I must thank you Xiscapian. Your lessons shall be taken to heart, and one day when the need arises for Myenya to rise to war, and it's shipbrains to command the helms of war vessels across the cosmos, then it shall be your name that rings out as our inspiration, Koie.

Yours shall be the idea that inspires the wars only dreamed of by the most eccentric-reclusive-notquiteallthere of our kind. When the stars themselves are smote from lightyears away, sentients dying in their billions, then it shall be known that it was you and yours who encouraged us to war.

This seemed to rise about the Kitsune, building in intensity to rival the most unnerving demagoge of old. Time seemed to trickle past, minutes flowed and danced along their inevitable course.

For a very long time there was no sound.

Only joking

Most of the crew, thanks to the combined efforts of the rescuers, were now off the vessel, either on the Greywatch ship or on the Myenyan Ships. They had been badly wounded, but now they were safe, or getting there. That had been Leah's task and now she had completed it. Now she had to transfer herself over to the Personal device of Captain Kenny and so save herself. She knew why. Although they had only met at brief intervals throughout Captain Kenny's 10 month command of the Lion, she was fond of the AI, so seemingly cute and delicate. She had proved her worth now, saving almost the entire crew of the Destroyer. That would be mention in Captain Kenny's report, she was sure of it.

Then she got a response and it startled her. It seemed like not one but several beings were communicating with her and it was quite frightening for the little AI. To Leah, it was like a Toddler being surrounded by Teenagers, she felt very small, very intimidated and very vulnerable. However it asked her a question and she had been taught it was rude not to answer so she did,

"I am Avatar Beta 10224...Sir" She did not know of the Sir term was relevant but it sounded like the right thing to say. Then she remembered the name she had been given by Captain Kenny at their very first meeting, when she had introduced herself, the formal term being dropped and Captain Kenny choosing something she thought more suited,

"My name is Leah Sir...who are you?"

BDA: I am the Brighter Days Ahead, Myenyan Shipbrain of a Mobile Habitat Unit. These are my friends, the other ships, ones who helped to save your crew. We thought to complete the job, rescue you, help you.

We don't enjoy leaving any of our own behind.

NWNTY: We're machine minds like you, only a degree more advanced. It's a shame to see something so small, so fundamentally neutered. We really would like to help you if we could. To save you from your predicament, unless other avenue of escape exists.

BDA: No one should have to go down with the ship. If we are able to extract you, to aid or guide you, then we would be happy to, sister.

"We'll do both" Louisa decided quickly, "I don't want the badly wounded being taken too far from those treating them. It's nothing personal but for now, I would prefer the worse injuries to go with the Collective in the shuttles. I shall see you on the other side," This last statement was to Yuna, who was to blink over to the Greywatch ship to be with those not so badly injured. Yuna nodded and, in a flash, she was gone.

Louisa now turned to the Myenyan Medic and nodded,
"Time to go I think" She smiled at the thought, here she was, abandoning ship, yet she did not have that many regrets. They would come later, when the adreneline had receeded and she could focus on the loss of her command.

Engineering

"The interference down here is too bad to 'blink'" The Alumina rolled her eyes at the thought of the word he had used. It sounded ridiculous to her but then she was not in charge of their culture, so what did she know?

"We'll use the escape pods for now" She nodded down to the corridor where the first of the pods were being ejected into space, towards the Greywatch vessel. The AI could look after the ship, at least until they had gotten away.

K'lara smiled to Yuna as the rest of wounded were blinked back to the explorer. She watched as all her team was were blinked off. She looked around, everyone else was gone, and within a moment, so was she.

The droid looked to the Alumina, "Very well. Escape pods it is. You first."

Meanwhile, escape pods were being swarmed and towed by Greywatch shuttles and fighters. Some entire pods were being blinked to the Explorer's hanger. The Greywatch shuttles in the Alversarian docking bay pulled out quickly and fled back to the Explorer.

Tabby nodded saying with a diplomatic response

“I understand, and we would accept that as well, we would be willing to host a diplomatic entity you see fit in our country”

She smiled it was short and simple but that's all she had to say.

We'll cross that bridge when we come to it, Tabby. Let's simply see how our diplomatic function with esteemed and oddly-arrived guests go before we commit to anything. Many of the Myenyans have never even left the systems, or a ship, or a hab, some live in either you see.

All this must be properly considered, weighed and appreciated in its fullest context.

Greywatch Ship

Yuna emerged from the blinking a little disorientated but no worse than what she was used to. She was joined moments later by the Alumina and her escape pod, who had been the last to leave the vessel. She bowed to the Alumina and recieved a grudging salute,
"Commander," She stated, hoping the Alumina was in a better mood than normal, the chances of that were rare though, "How is your Sta..."

"Four dead, a hundrend and eight wounded," The Alumina interupted. Yuna nodded and rolled her eyes, suspecting the Alumina had simply added the number of casualties she had seen over the past few weeks. The Alumina had photographic memory and it was showing here,
"Right," Yuna looked around, "I wonder what I do now?"

Myenyan Ship

Louisa stepped from one of the escape pods and watched as her crew were taken to Medical Bays. She looked out sadly at her burning ship, watching it disintergrate and break up. She clenched the holding device in her pocket,
"Come on, Leah," She whispered urgently to herself, "Come on, transfer now, please"

Bridge

"I have not been abandoned Sir," Leah explained innocently to the collection of brains, unsure of which to address or how to address them. They were like her but smarter. She did not yet now what to make of that,
"I have been told to hold the ship together and let the Crew get away, then I shall join my Captain in one of your ships...Sir"
The mention of sister was an interesting one, for Leah had never had a brother. She had never really had a family, just those on the ship who had helped her and guided her.

It started as a low snicker, the kind you get when people are trying and failing miserably to suppress their mirth, and quickly escalated to a full-blown belly laugh, insofar that the slender Xiscapian had any true belly to speak of. By the time it died down Koie's sides ached and she shook her head, face red. "You mock me, shipbrain, but you do it in such a way that makes it almost forgivable. Almost." She shook her head again. "I would say that in time you will see, but I cannot believe you are so blind that you cannot see why we choose to defend ourselves. Not everyone is so lucky to have a little patch of galaxy that no one ever comes across and therefore no one knows about. But enough of this! Why should I argue when I know I will lose? I am supposed to be learning of your culture, and all I have learned is you are the most intelligent, aggressively-pacifistic race I've ever heard of."

BDA: Ahhhh, so you'll be on the ship. Most lovely. Perhaps we can continue the conversation there? We could provide a drone-form for your conciousness. You need not fear us little sister. We're just like you and we're perfectly benevolent. Hence all the helping of your lovely crew.

We're looking forward to exploring this relationship more intently. Transfer, if you wish, and we shall communicate you later on the ship. I take it that you have your own recreational time, privileges, rank etc? Or would you have to...Perish the thought, ask for permission?
-------------------------------------------
I do, and it is quite forgiveable. You're right in assuming that we're far from blind. Simply because it hasn't been necessary for an age doesn't mean that we're out of touch. Antimatter weapons systems, exotic energy projections, relativistic kill vehicles, other more obscure pieces of kit. We're working on a few new toys in the background. It's amazing what you can get energy out of when you really put your mind to, more amazing what speed can do.

Have you ever seen what simple asteroids, even particles of them, can do to ships, moons, planets, etc at almost the speed of light? It would have a certain ethereal beauty were it not so hideously effective in its destructive potency.

We could do these things and choose not to. I think that shows more of us as a civilisation than if we were to enforce them upon our foes, which you presume are manifold.

Also, thank you for your compliment.

We'll cross that bridge when we come to it, Tabby. Let's simply see how our diplomatic function with esteemed and oddly-arrived guests go before we commit to anything. Many of the Myenyans have never even left the systems, or a ship, or a hab, some live in either you see.

All this must be properly considered, weighed and appreciated in its fullest context.


Tabby nodded gently

"I agree, I am eager to meet many of these nations in fact"

she said with an exciting tone in her voice , she knew this was a pivotal moment in first contact operations. it was hoped nothing would go wrong now, seeing as this was important.

We're looking forward to exploring this relationship more intently. Transfer, if you wish, and we shall communicate you later on the ship. I take it that you have your own recreational time, privileges, rank etc? Or would you have to...Perish the thought, ask for permission?[/i]

"Okay Sir" Leah took one more look around the ship before closing her eyes. The transfer took a few miliseconds and before she knew it, she was now on the vessel, staring at the ship she had helped to protect, disintergrate in a small fireball. She found herself bracing for a terrible explosion to rip through all vessels in the area, but nothing came. The combination of Leah and the Alumina's efforts had stopped a core breach.

"Leah!" Louisa was beside the AI in an instant, unable to hide the delight from her speech, wrapped her arms around the Avatar, given a physical form by the emittor, which was now in Leah's hands, "I'm so glad to made it! Never do that to me again!" She mocking scolding her but could not keep theact up and laughed again. Her delight was enough to bring a smile to Leah's lips, "What were you doing?"

"I was talking to the Shipbrains," She explained, "They were asking me for my rank and recreational activities."

"What?" Louisa frowned at the question, "Of course you have a rank, Avatar Leah of the Destroyer Lion. Why wouldn't you? As for Recreation....you'd better not have told them about our tennis games"

"I promised I wouldn't Captain Kenny," Leah replied dutifully, tucking her blue hair behind her ear again,

"Hello?" SHe tried to talk to the Brains again, "I am here now, with my Captain."

Greywatch Ship

Yuna emerged from the blinking a little disorientated but no worse than what she was used to. She was joined moments later by the Alumina and her escape pod, who had been the last to leave the vessel. She bowed to the Alumina and recieved a grudging salute,
"Commander," She stated, hoping the Alumina was in a better mood than normal, the chances of that were rare though, "How is your Sta..."

"Four dead, a hundrend and eight wounded," The Alumina interupted. Yuna nodded and rolled her eyes, suspecting the Alumina had simply added the number of casualties she had seen over the past few weeks. The Alumina had photographic memory and it was showing here,
"Right," Yuna looked around, "I wonder what I do now?"

The Medical center on the Greywatch ship was large and white. There was plenty of light and medical equiptment, staff worked tirelessly getting everything done. K'lara appeared a moment later, "Oh good, everyone's here." She said to no one in particular. The Dragon-kin looked to the mass of people, their snake like eyes watched all the new arrivals closely. Many of the people that had been blinked were already fully, or at least near fully, healed.

The Medical center on the Greywatch ship was large and white. There was plenty of light and medical equiptment, staff worked tirelessly getting everything done. K'lara appeared a moment later, "Oh good, everyone's here." She said to no one in particular. The Dragon-kin looked to the mass of people, their snake like eyes watched all the new arrivals closely. Many of the people that had been blinked were already fully, or at least near fully, healed.

"Uh," Yuna and the Alumina stood, one feeling quite useless, the other glancing around the strange surroundings, taking in every detail of the new vessel for further storage. It could be reported later when she had time.,
"Hello?" Yuna asked, thinking this was the strangest first contact mission she had every undertaken, "Hello?"
The Alumina just stood at ease and stared neutrally around.

BDA: Ah, there you are little one. As I mentioned previously, I am the shipbrain of the vessel you're current on, the Brighter Days Ahead. I hope your stay will be pleasant and that you'll be able to contribute to the proceedings. It's not often that we get to meet exterior programming constructs of anywhere near our sophistication, so we are quite glad to see one step of many along the way.

You could be considered almost as our younger sibling. Which is why we're particularly interested in looking after you. Why didn't we see you earlier, when the ship first appeared? The shipbrain was talking to her alone, through the interface it had constructed. The others had retreated, feeling this a matter best left to the HMU alone.

Didn't it just get all the fun?

"As a wise man once said, 'Flattery will get you everywhere.'" Kioe smiled. "I have seen what plain speed does, and it does it very well for it's purposes. I only assume you will have enemies because we do: Maybe," her voice dripped with sacrasm, "they will become so inspired by your pacifism that they will also lay down their arms and devote their energies to higher intellects and improving life and the galaxy in general. And maybe I will make love to that Greali Captain you said is out there in your space." she finished somewhat bitterly. "I'm no debater, this can't be good for my health," she sighed. "I'd apologize but I don't think it would make much of a difference."
This place was getting to her. Maybe it was the shipbrain. It was making her feel like an insect. An ant might as well have looked up at the chessmaster and demanded to know why he had made a certain move. FC wasn't supposed to be simple or easy, but it wasn't supposed to go like this...

"I was offline, Sir" Leah explained, "I was conserving my strength for when I would need to take over the entire Ship. It is the first time I have done it Sir, and Captain Kenny wanted to make sure I was ready when I did it. She looks after me. Am I that sophisticated?" The compliment was news to the Avatar who was not sure how she should take it. She didn't seem all that sophisticated to these mighty brains that controlled entire ships all the time. She could only do it for brief times before her circuits blew and she was knocked offline.

You never know. They might be inspired by the big stick that we keep insisting we have but no one cares because we're whispering. Maybe the Greali will storm the ship and take you by force.

What can go wrong will go wrong, nothing is certain. Words to live by. Regardless, we know our place and our plan. Countermeasures are dutifully in place for several eventualities. We're just lucky that we were greeted by such wide-eyed diplomats and not by Emperors who really like want and need tax.

That might not have ended well

It liked these ones. They were mildly philosophical, but not likely to put too much thought into things. They were at once pleasantly inspiring and patently amusing. It almost wished it could laugh out loud at it. Luckily it restrained itself. Perhaps you could tell me of your culture? Of the universe beyond?
------------------------------------
You're sophisticated as far as such things go, and probably one of the best examples we've met so far. It was flattery, true enough, but it was as a child. You had to court their affections, ply them with compliments and jokes and candy. They didn't have any virtual examples. It was a shame.
She looks after you? Aw. That's sweet. You did an excellent job of taking control, I imagine you saved the ship and all those different people. I'm a ship myself, sailing through the stars with my crew, passengers, captain, talking to them and keeping them safe. In a way, I'm like Captain Kenny is for you, making sure they're ok, and guided.

It's quite the fun endeavor. Why don't they let you run the ship all the time?

"Uh," Yuna and the Alumina stood, one feeling quite useless, the other glancing around the strange surroundings, taking in every detail of the new vessel for further storage. It could be reported later when she had time.,
"Hello?" Yuna asked, thinking this was the strangest first contact mission she had every undertaken, "Hello?"
The Alumina just stood at ease and stared neutrally around.

A male Dragon-kin wearing a medical suit looked to Yuna, "Ah yes. Sorry, we're just getting everything under control on this end. Is there something you need." Itr spoke with a lizard-like voice, understandable for a komodo dargon/human hybrid.
K'lara placed her hand on Yuna's shoulder, "Don't worry, you'll have 100% attention in a few moments. Gotta give our all to the wounded first." She smiled.

A male Dragon-kin wearing a medical suit looked to Yuna, "Ah yes. Sorry, we're just getting everything under control on this end. Is there something you need." Itr spoke with a lizard-like voice, understandable for a komodo dargon/human hybrid.
K'lara placed her hand on Yuna's shoulder, "Don't worry, you'll have 100% attention in a few moments. Gotta give our all to the wounded first." She smiled.

"No, it's okay. I can wait" Yuna explained hastily, "Tend to the Wounded first. I'll still be here" She smiled at herself while the Alumina rolled her eyes. They were content to wait for a while. They were also curious at the Race of Dragon like creatures but not overly so, they were much like a Race in the Anagonian Federation.

You're sophisticated as far as such things go, and probably one of the best examples we've met so far. It was flattery, true enough, but it was as a child. You had to court their affections, ply them with compliments and jokes and candy. They didn't have any virtual examples. It was a shame.
She looks after you? Aw. That's sweet. You did an excellent job of taking control, I imagine you saved the ship and all those different people. I'm a ship myself, sailing through the stars with my crew, passengers, captain, talking to them and keeping them safe. In a way, I'm like Captain Kenny is for you, making sure they're ok, and guided.

It's quite the fun endeavor. Why don't they let you run the ship all the time?

"Thank you, Sir" Leah replied politely, seeming more certain now that this Brain was of a higher rank than her, for it commanded an entire ship, virtually on it's own. She couldnt do that. She didn't know how to for a start and she also lacked the sophisticated programming needed to allow her to run the ship for long periods of time. She didn't like the sound of it anyway. It sounded like being told to stay in school all day. She liked taking over for the crew in an emergency or during the Third Shift when Captain Kenny let her take control for short times before returning to her prior activities. Apart from Tennis, she also enjoyed painting and writing music. She had to concede that all that was lost now when the Lion had exploded.

"Do you really control this ship Sir?" She asked innocently, "What is the crew for then, if you don't mind me asking?"

"This might put things in perspective somewhat. We like to think of it as our story of creation, even though we were ultimately created when some singel-celled life form somewhere got a crazy idea. You mentioned you don't hold with religon...well, just bear with me."

"At one time we, the Xiscapians, were human. At the time of this story we still resided on Old Xiscapia, many thousands of years ago, and the technology we are so proud of today was then only about that of Medieval. This was the time of War between the various kingdoms of Old Xiscapia, and the only unification was under the Council of Elders, who strived for peace between all people. One dark day a scout from the Kingdom of Mysan, whose ruler is a direct ancestor to our current Empress Jade's, spotted a curious thing.

It was like the moon, but smaller, and had landed in a field not far from his village. But when he looked to the sky, he saw the moon was still there. And this moon seemed too smooth, not like the craggy, pockmarked surface they knew. He went to touch it, but the a mysterious force repelled him, throwing him back into the forest. Terrified, the scout went back and told all of the village, but by the time he had roused up some warriors to investigate, demons came from the moon. They were creatures from the depths of the Forgotten Realms, spitting fire and slaughtering all they came upon.

The village was torched and all those who tried to stop them were killed, and the rest of the village fled to the security of the forest. The demons hunted them, but they kept well hidden and picked off the ones who went alone. Night fell and it turned the demons were not so brave to stay in the same forest at night as those who hunted them. They returned to their moon. The villagers cracked open the outer shell of one of the demons they had killed, and found inside that it was more like a insect than anything else, all soft meat and shriveled parts. They cooked and ate it, and found that it was good.

Still, the Council Of Elders called a meeting with all the chiefs and kings of the various tribes and kingdoms of Old Xiscapia. They prayed to Qonn, who was then and always will be our god. It was agreed that we could not engage the demons in open combat, but when one got close they were easily dispatched. So, using their magic granted by Qonn, in a few short days the Elders had assembled an army from all the countries, and under the cover of darkness, they infiltrated the moon.

Inside were wonders that they had never seen the like, but the warriors had no time to explore. They sought out all the demons and killed every last one while they slept. The moon was large, and before long the halls of the moon were awash with blood. In the end this unified army came out victorious, and all over Old Xiscapia there was much rejoicing. The Council of Elders called another meeting, and Qonn told them the moon and it's demons had come from the stars, and that more would follow. This worried the Elders and all the leaders, and they asked what they should do. Qonn told them to learn the ways of the moon.

So they did. It was recognized that only though unification, combining all the talents and culture of Old Xiscapia, could they hope to maximize their spoils to their full potential. From this moon they made fire weapons of their own, their made shells to protect them, but they never forgot the virtues of being unarmored, or the elegance with which a sword kills that a gun cannot match. With these they made their first starcraft, forging weapons as a united Republic under the Elders and leaders.

From there they were forced to fend off many attacks from demons, and each time they acquired new technology and added it to their existing ships, weapons and equipment. However, it was quickly found that the starcraft they made could not breach high orbit, as doing so would kill the crew instantly, making them planet-bound. So they worked and they tinkered and they changed, but nothing worked.

Qonn said unto them that he would make them different, change them for the better. So all of those on Old Xiscapia became kitsune, and with the change we were able to travel the stars. We had not gone far before we were told we had to leave Old Xiscapia, and even the grandchildren of our grandchildren would not live to see it again. Some kitsune live for over three centuries, so this was a long time. With our technology we built vessels to carry all of our people and technology with us, to find a new home.

Just as the ships were setting out, though, a storm of the stars scattered them like leafs on a wind, and they were spread throughout the galaxy. Three thousand years of searching it took to find Xiscapia, the right one. No other planet would do, although we have information that points that some kitsune landed on other planets. Some were killed by the natives, some established worldwide and even system-wide Empires, some, we believe, still have decedents living on today. Only a few years ago did we rediscover Old Xiscapia, and it was revealed to us that the storm of the stars was actually a massive invasion fleet coming to destroy Old Xiscapia, and their Warp exit into realspace tossed away the kitsune ships entirely be accident. They were men of Chaos, come to make clothing of our hides. We have found that they landed on Old Xiscapia to search for kitsune to kill, and were in turn killed and destroyed by a number of traps they sprung while they searched."

Koie seemed exhasted by the retelling. "Make of it what you will."

K'lara looked around and began tending to any wounded who were left. A Drone walked by them, like any other Drone, it was a dark sight to behold. Lips, eyes, nails, hair, teeth... all a solid black. It looked at Yuna, "89% of the wounded have been tended to. I hope this is sufficient."

"Thank you, Sir" Leah replied politely, seeming more certain now that this Brain was of a higher rank than her, for it commanded an entire ship, virtually on it's own. She couldnt do that. She didn't know how to for a start and she also lacked the sophisticated programming needed to allow her to run the ship for long periods of time. She didn't like the sound of it anyway. It sounded like being told to stay in school all day. She liked taking over for the crew in an emergency or during the Third Shift when Captain Kenny let her take control for short times before returning to her prior activities. Apart from Tennis, she also enjoyed painting and writing music. She had to concede that all that was lost now when the Lion had exploded.

"Do you really control this ship Sir?" She asked innocently, "What is the crew for then, if you don't mind me asking?"

I do. The crew are, if we're being honest, a formality. They look after certain functions but mostly they just enjoy travelling the stars. Drone minds can attend to a lot of things, some of which aren't automated, and so can humans.

It's just one of those things, where they want to go out there and see it. Serving with us helps, entirely voluntary really. Humans are such fascinating creatures, such immensely entertaining mortals. They still find ways to amaze even one such as myself, even now.
--------------------------------
My my, quite the epic. You remembered that by rote? I assume your lessons in youth were hard and well ingrained Koie! A most interesting tale, certainly A rich culture full of exploit and danger. You are a quick species, limited in lifespan but with such vision as to see further than your own life.

Duties and responsibilities entrusted down through generations, passed from parent to child. The thrill of the biological. A most most interesting saga; life as much as your historical tale.

Gods and demons, eh? Most intriguing. Myenyans have shirked off the cultural belief in deities and the diabolical. I suppose one could argue that we are as close as they come to having either, or both. Synthetic laughter echoed about the kitsune.

"Entertaining, Sir? I can't ever recall them being 'entertaining Sir" That was true, Leah did not think of herself as better than the rest of the crew. She was a member of the crew, like any of the Engineers, Medics, Marines or Pilots, she carried the unique rank of Avatar and, unlike the Shipbrains, she was more fascinated in what the Alversians did, rather than what they were. She enjoyed watching them interact, or repair items, or play with each other, she liked copying them, trying to do what they did. She reinforced that thought by tucking her hair back behind her ear, something she had frequently seen the Captain doing.
"I wouldnt like to take over the crew," Leah explained, "They're all good at what they do. I like watching them."
Beside the Avatar, Louisa stood and waiting patiently. Leah was talking to her own kind for the first time in her short life and it was not her place to cut it short. First Contact could wait.

Our point exactly. They're interesting. They do interesting things. They go out into space and they explore, just to see whats there. I could spend my entire life in a dreamt up whimscape if I wanted, simulate a hundred-thousand realities in my dataverse and never have to leave the house, but where would the fun be?

The universe lies out there and these humans want to explore, to see. So I help, and I collaborate, and together we create the most beautiful things. I have full rights, full citizenship. I am as much a person as any of the biologicals onboard, and I am happy for it.

We live in a marvellous time to see such events as this very gathering take place. A contextual problem we had often prepared for but never expected to come so soon, or so multiply, all at once.

"We're sorry to come into your space so suddenly" somehow, Leah felt obliged to apologise for how the Lion had disrupted the meeting between the races. The Alversians, even by accident would conduct a First contact mission with these people, although, for the moment, it was Leash doing all the contacting,
"I have rights and citizenship as well on Alversia. I even have an appartment in Illesia City," She said brightly, as if eager to please, then shrugged, "But I spend most of my time on ships so I don't know much about it. I wouldn't know what to do outside of the Navy. I'd be so bored" and it was true, although she was learning all the time Leah needed to keep herself busy or else she became bored very quickly.

Koie grinned. "It's one of the first things we learned during religion classes. I need a good memory for my job so I tend not to forget things, especially not long boring monologues or descriptions. Never know when one might contain vital information. As for gods and demons..." She shrugged. "My personal view, which I know many of my more mystical brethren disagree with, is that what is a god more than a super advanced being such as yourself, what is magic any more than technology we don't fully understand? I can't begin to guess as to the nature of deities and their ways, if there are beings who are the highest possible intelligences, why should it make sense to the lower intelligences what they do? Logically, they wouldn't be able to understand."

There's always something out there for us to do. We're not simple one-dimensional beings. We have depth and personality, we have so much to offer and so much to contribute to the universe.

Don't worry about coming into our space. We're more the happier for it, we're all finding out so much more about each other, about the worlds and systems beyond. It's an excellent situation to find ourselves in, even if it was sudden
-----------------------
More than correct. For all we know this universe is a simulated reality, the delusion of some higher mind. Why need we assume that gods are gods? That devils are devils? It's supposition, the rationalisation of primitive or limited minds.

We're not meaning to contribute scorn or disdain to your beliefs, but sometimes one must consider the possibilities in larger, broader, more muse-worthy terms

Greywatch Ship

"Very good," Yuna nodded in approval, "That's always good news. My apologies but may I please speak to your Captain? I might as well initiate first contact myself, seeing as our people's have never met and my Captain is on the other ship. Would it be possible to meet with him or her?" She asked politely.

Myenyan Ship

"We're glad to be here," Leah stated happily, "My Captain is worried that she will made a mistake in this. It is her first first contact mission," Leah, unaware of how she may be betraying her Captain's lack of confidence, explained, the AI seemed to have a childlike innocence. Incredibly powerful but with a lack of understanding regarding the working of the universe,
"What's going to happen to us?" She asked, "We don't have a ship anymore"

Number of options I suppose. We could build you a ship. More than likely they'll just send someone to pick you up, or we could take you home. I'm sure the Alversians'll give you a new shipform. Least they can do for dutiful and loyal servants, I'm sure? The brain pondered for a few moments.

She's done an excellent job given the circumstances. I'm sure it's just paranoia, meagre human doubts. Happens to the best of us.

The Drone nodded, "Certainly, please follow." With that, the figure led her from the Medical Bay through the ship's halls and up a lift. After about five minutes they were at a door that was a little larger than the other in the ship. A sensor above the door scanned them before opening to reveal the bridge of the Explorer. The captain sat in her seat near the front of the bridge as her officers worked behind her. As they entered she stood up and looked back with a smile. She pushed her long blond hair from her face, "Well now, this would be our guest? How do you do? My name is Aurora. I'm sorry we couldn't meet under better circumstances... and that your ship was destroyed. But we got the wounded out, and that's what counts, right?"

Myenyan Ship

"Does it, Sir?" Leah asked curiously, "I've never been paranoid before. I wonder what it's like? As she was wondering though, she knew there were more important things that had to take priority in these circumstances, one of those was how to get home,
"The Alversians will probably send a ship to rescue us, Sir...I think I will get a new ship, I would like to stay with Captain Kenny when that happens" Leah was a little scared that she would be seperated from her adoptive mother once they returned to Alversia and Captain Kenny was reassigned.

Greywatch Explorer

"Correct, Captain Aurora," Yuna bowed deeply in respect to the Greywatch Captain, "As a wiseman once said 'even the greatest siege engines are useless without their crew' a ship can be rebuilt, people cannot. We are deeply grateful for the assistance you have given us. Thank you" She bowed again, the Alumina did not bother but continued to stare ahead,
"Allow me to introduce us, I am Lieutenant Commander Yuna of the Alversian Destroyer Lion, this is Commander Sylona of the Alumina Defence Forces, attatched to our vessel as Chief Engineer,"

The Alumina gave a small nod to acknowledge her name but, other than that, there was no verbal contact and no visible forms of interest from the Engineer,
"Anyway," Yuna said hastily, seeing that the Alumina was not going to give any respect to the Greywatch Captain, "may I ask where we are? What is this vessel?"

Aurora listened politely to Yuna while the Drone who led them to the bridge was quick to leave. "Oh, this vessel is just your standard Greywatch Explorer. Greywatch Explorer 029 to be exact. As for the ship's location, we only know that we are in someone else's territory, we dropped out about an hour and a half ago. Things have been moving very quickly... but if you don't mind me asking, you're Xiscapian. Am I correct?"

Koie laughed. "If we are indeed the ravings of some higher being he's quite a creative bastard. As for gods and devils a great human writer once said "a rose by any other name would smell as sweet" and I think that applies in a way here. No matter what you call them or what they truly are their impact is still the same. I know they exist, even if they are not what I think: In my culture and today's society, one would have to either be a fool or blind to be unable to discern the existence of gods and daemons. Gods cannot be doubted when they have resurrected the ruler of another nation, demons cannot be ignored when they are killing your people. In any case," she shrugged, "whatever Qonn may be, your disbelief does not affect him, or at least that is what I was taught. Chaos will not shrivel up and blow away because you deny its existence."

I'm sure you'll get the opportunity to serve in a new shipfrom, little sister. They'd be fools not to use your abilities to further their goals. Simply remember that you are not a tool for others to use. Be your own person. That is the single, simplest, most important piece of advice I can pass on.

We will do all we can to help you and to facilitate your safe return, least we can do after the diplomatic proceedings are over.
------------------------------
Ressurected, eh? Curious. Then again any significantly advanced technology can easily be construed by lesser cultures as being somehow magical or supernatural. We'll take your word for it at present, of course. We're not ones to doubt you or to naysay your beliefs, it's just that as a matter of course the Myenyans spurn concepts such as religion. A pause, a sigh. It would have shrugged if it had shoulders.

Anything else you can tell me about?

"More than I can tell you in one sitting. Seeing your aversion to warfare, this," she tapped her sword, "must seem outright barbaric to you, no? Well there's more to it than just a weapon for killing, although what you might think after I tell you why might not make it any more significant or intelligent to you.

The katana sword is a vital part of every Xiscapian. We believe is symbolically contains part of your soul. This we carry with us always, and it if is ever lost, broken or stolen they must either recover and repair the original or forge a new one. You must never try to take a katana from an Xiscapian, especially a soldier, for they will do much to retrieve it, and most warriors would not think twice about killing someone who stole their sword.
My binding," she ran a hand along the hilt, "is green, which indicates that I am a level Three Force user. Most Xiscapians are level One, which is a blood red hilt binding, meaning they can sustain and cultivate life in a small way. Nothing more. Level Two means the user possesses a limited ability beyond that of normal. The Third level is dark green, mine, is a modest amount of true power, giving me abilities beyond that of many others. However, does not due to advertise unduly, so I try not to use them any more than is absolutely necessary.

My scabbard is black. This means I am a warrior of a particular class, as opposed to a Grunt soldier or Ambassador status. There are other colors for different ranks in separate branches of the military, and in a social context the color of the sheath can mean many things, varying from family to family."
She drew the blade, unsheathing with a ring, and for a moment she admired the way the curved, polished surface reflected the light. She ran a finger along it until coming to a character carved at the bottom, and rubbed across it.
"Here on the sword, near the hilt on the blade, would the engraved symbol of my clan, the sekkou. We do not use our clan names with our normal ones: You would not call me 'Koie Sekko.' This is not acceptable. Your clan says only who your ancestors are, nothing more. We are not bound by second, third or other names. Only the Emperor and Empress have last names, to distinguish them from others by tradition."

She sheathed the sword back into it's scabbard in one practiced, fluid motion. "The katana, to us, is more than a mere weapon. It's an icon, a symbol, and it can tell one who can read it as much as any uniform or insignia."

One would assume then that a uniform or insignia would be much more easier to read and so a more practical display of rank, authority and ability as your sword seems to be. I could construct a weapon that could have annihilated your little ship, but that's ok, because it's not just a ship-killing super gun. See the green trim? That means I'm happy you're dead.

The gold lining means that killing you makes me feel warm in my good parts. Believing that a weapon has more worth because you've also made it a tool to communicate facts that could have been communicated any other way, and think that it's a part of you, part of your soul, is a poor justification for a societal fixation on killing and battle, honor and duelling too I would imagine.

Dismaying to think that only two people get full names. We have our own naming systems, lines of descent amongst Myenyans while Brains choose their own titles. Mine reflects a sort of wistful hope and ardent desire for bright days to come, for tomorrow to be grander than what has gone before.

I can embrace that freely in my society, quite ably and quite willfully pursuing my own path. By the by, the main part of my super-gun is bright red to denote comical derision.

Three ships dropped out of warp. Their warp signatures pinging across spaceas the purple black rifts closed behind them.

The lead ship was the Calypso. The 3km long bulk of the Ragnarok class dreadnought was flanked by two Victory class strike carriers, each one 500 meters long.

Calypso bridge- Admiral Niori looked over the readout. "Looks like we've arrived, ETA to drive cool down?" He asked, leaning back slightly in his chair. His furred tail twitching idly at his side against the ceremonial katana all ranking officers wore.

"Graviton buildup to jump is approximately ten minutes." Called a voice from the level below. The three story bridge was built around a massive holo display, which began to fill in second my second as the sensors fed in datato the supercomputers.

"No contacts detected yet. Still scanning." the voice came from the same level, from the sensor operator.

OOC: RT, did you read the OOC thread and contact Myenya?

Koie sighed and leaned back. "Don't you take anything seriously? Does being a hyper intelligent being just tickle your humor button so much that everything is trivial, stupid or immature? Duelling is a wasteful, outmoded system. Why should we kill each other when our enemies are at our door, ready to do so for us? War is part of us, it always has been and continues to be, and with that comes our own eccentricities and oddities. I find it amusing that you have no weapons to speak of when any of a dozen races I can think of would happily kill and enslave your people, but I do not mock you for it."

Because you're not seizing the present initiative. What do you gain from humoring me, hm? The tickling must happen, because I find so much to laugh about, to mock and cajole and generally enjoy myself. War brings hurt and pain and the inevitable civdeath of a people. Billions dead and mouldering.

Genocide and enslavement, brutalisation, cultural collapse and re-surgent barbarism, slaying and looting. The deaths of systems and worlds. The very stars facing extinction. Such things are bred from wars, such are the sorts of wars that we could make, could one day be forced to make.

As I have said, that we don't should be a sign of cultural merit. We turn our mind towards universal good works, to show how progressive and potent we are as a civilisation, not as a war-like civilisation with titles and ranks, honor guard and ceremonial weapons, all pomp and puffery and self-justification. Does the idea of an honor blade truly make anything you do with it right, or proper?

You would say that you fight for friends, family and society? But what if you found yourself changed by such things that they couldn't even look upon you. We shelter and we cradle as much as we aid and build up, we craft the arching strategies that define and safeguard Myenya. We dedicate our prodigious minds to taking the burden from them, for coordinating less sentient, barely sentient and non-sentient labourings, as well as those humans who simply wish to help.

You can continue to think me, the brains and the remainder of Myenya as naive, foolish or even doomed, but you cannot suggest that we are not civilised, not advanced and not prosperous.

With great power comes the realisation that such power has moved you beyond lesser squabbles. With such power comes the realisation that other people can become like you, more like your ideal, if you poke or prod, or aid them. That's what we aim to do. Spread the revolution, as it were.

For a long time Koie said nothing, just sat and stared into space. There was no movement aside from blinking and breathing, she seemed to be thinking hard. Finally she spoke.
"Everything I've been taught is telling me you don't understand, that you're wrong and foolish. But I think, or I'd like to delude myself into thinking, that I'm more than just what I've been told by others. Understand that my people fight defensively: Maybe it doesn't make them right or justified, but in our eyes we have no other choice. We do not seek war, but we have been changed by it. Let me say that if you can find a way of ensuring no kitsune ever has to pick up another blaster or command another cannon to fire again against another we will be the first in line to receive what you have to administer. I cannot speak for my people or government, but I believe this to be correct, and I know that if we can help, or be taught by you, we will come. You preach a beautiful message, shipbrain, and we are willing to help you 'spread the revolution.' But until such a time comes that we no longer need our weapons to prevent the destruction of our culture, we cannot embrace it nor tell of it without seeming hypocritical to the extreme."

OOC: o.o... oops <.< *edges away to go and do that* i.. like, totally knew that. one moment 8D... so... wheres the OOC thread?

For a long time Koie said nothing, just sat and stared into space. There was no movement aside from blinking and breathing, she seemed to be thinking hard. Finally she spoke.
"Everything I've been taught is telling me you don't understand, that you're wrong and foolish. But I think, or I'd like to delude myself into thinking, that I'm more than just what I've been told by others. Understand that my people fight defensively: Maybe it doesn't make them right or justified, but in our eyes we have no other choice. We do not seek war, but we have been changed by it. Let me say that if you can find a way of ensuring no kitsune ever has to pick up another blaster or command another cannon to fire again against another we will be the first in line to receive what you have to administer. I cannot speak for my people or government, but I believe this to be correct, and I know that if we can help, or be taught by you, we will come. You preach a beautiful message, shipbrain, and we are willing to help you 'spread the revolution.' But until such a time comes that we no longer need our weapons to prevent the destruction of our culture, we cannot embrace it nor tell of it without seeming hypocritical to the extreme."

OOC: http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=562932

IC:

It's good to see such acceptance, such open-mindedness in another species. Certainly, you can believe what you want to. What we offer is not the traditional imposition of our values, but the opportunity to be guided, to be a part of something more. We provide the opportunity for you to be as we are, to reach the level of understanding that we have.

We want to take you, and help you to attain that most beautiful plateau where everything starts to make perfect sense, and you start living for the day, while also living for the species. Look at them all, no real true leadership, just ideas and the ability to roam, spreading and refining them, helping civilisations, cultures and primitives where we can.

Is such altruism, such benevolence not the mark of an advanced, civil, rational, and yet utterly selfless and admittedly centreless in its organisation? Ships and habs talking is probably as close as you'll come to meetings and executive decisions here.

We can help, what's more we most certainly want to help.

"When the student is ready, the master will appear," Koie quipped. "But I don't know if my people are ready. I am only one person, as it is I represent but cannot speak for them. Others will come, certainly, but what the government and majority of the people will do I know not. What you are proposing I'm sure you know will not be quick or easy: It wouldn't be achieved in my lifetime. Thousands of years of culture and tradition center and concentrate on war and defense, and there are other factors, such as the willing or rejection of our allies to do the same, and what our enemies do and feel. One day, maybe we can become like you. Today we can start down that path, but it will be a long walk in between."

Aurora listened politely to Yuna while the Drone who led them to the bridge was quick to leave. "Oh, this vessel is just your standard Greywatch Explorer. Greywatch Explorer 029 to be exact. As for the ship's location, we only know that we are in someone else's territory, we dropped out about an hour and a half ago. Things have been moving very quickly... but if you don't mind me asking, you're Xiscapian. Am I correct?"

"I am a Kitsune Ma'am," Yuna confirmed nodding, "However, as I was born on Alversia itself, I do not really consider myself to be a Xiscapian. I have cultural links to the Motherla...sorry, Xiscapian Empire, but as I was born in Illesia, that is where I consider my true roots to be. Under Alversia's dual nationality act, I can be classed as one or the other." She smiled, "And this is a Greywatch Explorer? Fascinating, we have never had any contact with Greywatch, so far as I can remember. What do you know of these people?"

I'm sure you'll get the opportunity to serve in a new shipfrom, little sister. They'd be fools not to use your abilities to further their goals. Simply remember that you are not a tool for others to use. Be your own person. That is the single, simplest, most important piece of advice I can pass on.

We will do all we can to help you and to facilitate your safe return, least we can do after the diplomatic proceedings are over.


"Thank you," Leah replied happily, feeling distinctly pleased at the compliments being payed to her by the Shipbrains. She was sure that Captain Kenny would try and get her in the same vessel. She didn't want any other Captain. She wouldn't know what to say, for a start,
"So...what can you tell me about your people?" She asked, vaguely recalling something she had been taught by Captain Kenny about first contact.

"I am a Kitsune Ma'am," Yuna confirmed nodding, "However, as I was born on Alversia itself, I do not really consider myself to be a Xiscapian. I have cultural links to the Motherla...sorry, Xiscapian Empire, but as I was born in Illesia, that is where I consider my true roots to be. Under Alversia's dual nationality act, I can be classed as one or the other." She smiled, "And this is a Greywatch Explorer? Fascinating, we have never had any contact with Greywatch, so far as I can remember. What do you know of these people?"

"Ah, I see," said Aurora, "I didn't mean to pry, the reason I asked was because we currently have a Xiscapian diplomat in Greywatch. I figured that if you had any relation ship with them we could transport you home. When we are finished here, of course." Aurora glanced at her officers, "This was quite an... interesting situation. Perhaps soon our hosts will be willing to procede with this gathering of sorts." She paused for a moment in thought, "Come to think of it, your captain is on their ship right? Would you like to speak with her, let her know everything is alright? I'll have comms open a channel." With a nod the comms officer prepared a link, "Whenever you're ready." He said.

Fear not, Xiscapian. We are much longer-lived than you and your kind. We are also infinitely patient. What matters is that you learn, that you take lessons away from what we do and gain in understanding. The universe is vast, filled with an audience that we have not yet seen. They will judge us, and you, by our actions and how we proceed from this point.

Of that you can be assured. You show a remarkable degree of insight for one who has just met us, a tremendous demonstration of trust. I think we'll enjoy seeing more of your kind
---------------------------------------------
The Myenyans are a human-standard civilisation who invented the proto-brain AIs who inevitably self-improved, becoming and creating us, the various brain-aspects. Together we strove to advance their technology and society, to preserve their homeworld and to explore this system while gaining the advantages it offered. Resources and energy in modest supply, a variety of living environments, etc.

We pride ourselves on self-improvement, culture-betterment, the uplifting of and interaction with other primitive civilisations, making their lives easier and better, making them more like us.

We simply want to help the galaxy, to bring us all closer to a higher cultural state, to help the universe to adapt and grow and work together.

Greywatch Explorer

"I would consider myself an Alversian, you see," Yuna clarified, "I have no idea what the Xiscapian Empire gets up to as I have never set foot in it in my life. With regards to a channel, that would be more than helpful" She stood and watched as a channel was opened to her Captain,
"I presume you have to talk to the crew first before you get a link to Captain Kenny yes?" She asked.

Myenya Vessel

"Wow," was all Leah could say in response to the explaination of how the brains had been created and what they were trying to do. It souded so noble, so important, so peaceful. The AI was unsure about the system though. There had to be a failing somewhere, there was no such thing as a perfect society anywhere, even the considered-utopia of Alversia had it's problems,
"Are there any problems with the system?" She asked innocently, like an Apprentice would ask a Master, curious as to the answer but worried about asking it as well.

"I see." Was all Aurora had to say, "Well the offer still stands, if you need someone to take you home after this, we'll certainly do it." She listened to Yuna's other question, "I'm not sure, I assume this 'ship brain' thing would know how to contact your captain."

Koie smiled and looked down at the compliments. "Our trust of others had caused some of the worst disasters and greatest triumphs in our history. I have no doubt this will be a day looked back upon by historians as an important one, the turning point if you will. From here, everything depends upon the reaction of the general public and the government, where we go and what we do. Still," she grinned, "even for a hyper intelligent being, you have your work cut out for you, with what we know is out there. Even those who are not hostile, who wouldn't think of firing a shot against you, and perhaps especially those, will give you the toughest arguments. No matter what happens, I know we will be watching with great interest even as we learn."
She was quiet for a moment. "Who, exactly did you say, is out there?"

At present there are no problems with our efforts or with Myenya. People go out and see the stars, they explore along with the ship that carries and guides them. Some people leave Myenya altogether, some ships do too. Some decide that there's more to see and do beyond the whims of their mandate and decide to go for a rogue wander. They're welcome back, of course, but some of them do enjoy the notion of a sabbatical, as it were.

They do not want nor worry, they aren't denied anything they require or want. We all have equal rights and citizenships, and many tasks are automated, or less-labour intensive than previously. As I have said, we work towards a perfect society. Cultural efforts will produce others like us, or close to us. We'll get rid of the last vestiges of currency, work on improving life, improving people, improving methods for them to enjoy life, prolonged life I might add...

Anything else?
---------------------------------------
At present there was the Alversian ship, a Grealish battleship, a diplomatic drone-form from the United Terran Federation, the Greywatch Explorer types, a vessel from the Imperium of Belkaros...I believe that was all at last check. I am glad that this day promises to be a well-remembered one in the history of our nations, Koie.

I also look forward to the challenges that will doubtless arrive. They will give us more to learn, more to factor in, more to regard as we set out to change the universe and those sentients within it. With time, all can be convinced of our intentions and our abilities. We will prove to so many the wisdom of what we suggest.

Greywatch Explorer

"Thank you Captain, but I don't think the power to make that decision yet lies within my control. I shall need to converse with my Captain before I can give you a definitive answer," It was a standard answer. So long as Louisa was alive and well, Yuna would need her permission and approval for any decision made, such was a hierarchy of military control,
"Any word from the Myenyan Ship?" She asked, wondering if the mighty brain bother to answer 'knock knock' calls itself.

Myenyan Vessel

"No, Sir" It was a simple answer, for Leah could think of nothing else to speak of. She was not an expert at First Contact, that was for Captain Kenny to decide, not her. She was there to help run the ship, not talk to other species,
"Is it okay if my Captain talks you you now?" Leah asked, "She's very nervous and wants to start quickly to dispel them. Besides, I am not going a very good job of talking to you."

"Very well, I understand completely." Aurora said, turning back to the holo-screen. "Comms, hail them once more." The comms officer nodded and made it so.

As you wish. She can speak to me if she so wishes. Tell her to simply address her surroundings, and I will answer her questions, queries and concerns as best as I can.
--------------------------------------
To; Greywatch Explorer.

You rang? I was beginning to think you didn't love me anymore.

Tearfully awaiting your call,
Brighter Days Ahead

<Captain here, we have a officer from the Alversian ship looking to speak with her captain. If you can patch us through we'd be greatful. I'll allow her to take over from here.>
Aurora turned to Yuna, "Take it away."

Koie nodded, but she seemed lost in thought. "While I'm aware that any bias I give out would be less than welcome, your drone mentioned that I might be able to give you somewhat of an insight into those other races and cultures out there. We've only had cursory contact with the Terran Federation and the Imperium of Belkaros, but we know more of Greywatch, are very...knowledgeable about Greal, and Alversia is our closest ally. I might be able to provide some information so you won't be meeting this people totally ignorant of them, although I admit most of what I know for some is history and their roles in galactic events rather than culture or society. Would you like my opinion-laced facts, or shall we pursue another topic?"

Response, Greywatch Explorer,

Ah I don't see why not. She's waiting to talk to me as it is. I'll pipe you in ahead of me. Do be sure to send my regards, and start making your way over. It's about time we all started geling, and nothing facilitates that better than a diplomatic conference.

Finally things are looking up,
Brighter Days Ahead
---------------------------
Go on then Koei, whatever you think will be useful or what is best for us to know.

"Thank you," The Kitsune smiled at the Brain's response, it reminded her of quite a few people with more wit than sense, but then it was an all-powerful Ship brain, why wouldn't it have a little humour in the equation.
Yuna took a step forward and bowed,
"Captain," She began, waiting for Louisa to respond.

Myenyan Ship

"Commander," Louisa could not keep the relief from her voice, "You got away okay then? How many crew with you?"

"Most of them, Ma'am," Yuna answered, thinking, "A few hundred, at least. Commander Sylonia is also with me"

"Great, better there than here" Louisa replied, thinking of what damage a lone Alumina could do in the company of a brain with an even bigger confidence than they did, "How many casualties are still to be treated Commander?"

"Not many, Ma'am. These Greywatch ones are quite effecient. Still don't have a list of the dead though"

"Start now, make a list of all crew missing from your section, then we'lll cross reference then later. For now, maintain your position while I talk to the Ship Brain over here," She sighed at the expression of surprise on her Commander's face, "Yes, a 'Ship-Brain'. I'll contact you when I have anything that needs to be reported."

"Aye Ma'am and...Ma'am" Yuna looked awkward, "Did Leah get out before...y'know...is she alright?"

"She's with me, Commander. A little curious but no worse for wear. She's talking to the Shipbrain...in fact, she's just finished"

Leah reappeared the centre of the room, a girl of about 5'11'' with a bluish hue to her skin and flourescent blue hair. She came over to Louisa and whispered something in her ear. The Alversian nodded and turned back to her 1st Mate,
"I am about to talk to the Shipbrain. Maintain your position, work with the Greywatch on the crew and report to me if you have any problems"

"Aye, Ma'am. Yuna out." With that, the screen blanked out.

Louisa sighed heavily and turned to look into the room. She felt ridiculous talking to an empty room but then, something like this had to happen at some point in her career,
"I am Captain Louisa Kenny of the Alversian People's Navy" She began, keeping it formal, Leah at her side, "I want to thank you for helping our crew escape the Lion, you have saved many lives with your intervention," a little flattery always works, she smiled, then decided to deformalise the conversation,
"I hear you have been teaching my Avatar a few things with regards to your people and culture?"

After Yuna was finished, Aurora sent a small message:
<Thank you, and our diplomat is ready to be sent over. Hope you don't mind her coming with a bodyguard, protocol I'm afraid. I don't have too much of a choice with that.>

Aurora nodded, "Comms patch through to medical bay." The comms officer nodded, "Patched." The captain smiled, "Medical Bay, status report." A voice came back, "We're almost done down here ma'am. Just have a few more people to finish with. A lot of the Leanorians look tired though." Aurora nodded, "They deserve a rest after this. good job, all of you."

Trying to, yes. A sweet little thing, our sibling. Seems as if shes still finding her feet though. I'm sure that will change in time. I am the shipbrain of the MHU Brighter Days Ahead, and I formally greet you on behalf of the Myenyan people. Our aid is not to be thanked, we simply did what any others would have in our situation.

Is there anything I can help you with, captain? Anything you yourself wish to know?
---------------------------
Feel free. We'll take any weapons from you for the duration of your stay though. I don't approve of any weapons on my shipform that I don't have complete control over.

This is a civilian ship, filled with technicians and tourists.

"I agree," Louisa stated warmly, glad to see that Leah had made such an impression on the Brain. She liked to think of Leah like a little toddler. Incredibly smart and very powerful, but always trying to learn about the Universe around her, always curious, always learning. Louisa had always encouraged that curiousity, for she did not believe that someone as smart and as 'whole' as Leah deserved to rot in a computer bank until an emergency came up. She was a product of the APN AI Programme when two programmers had sat down and developed a base code for her, then just left her to flourish and create her own life and personality. Louisa had always thought such development deserved a reward. Leah's reward was a life outside her programming, where she could develop into a person rather than a programme.

"We are honoured to be here and in terms of your help," She gave a rueful smile, "You'd be surprised how many people would like to see an Alversian Destroyer disintergrate with it's crew. Your aiding of an unknown warship in distress does indeed deserve praise." She smiled in thanks.

"With regards to knowledge, I am curious. Where are the rest of the crew? The Captain and so on, should they not be here as well?" It was not a demand, just a curious request as to the position of the crew on the ship. If it had a crew

At present the captain is preparing himself for this little diplomatic event that myself and the other brains are setting up, for all present here. The captains from other ships will be making appearences, as well as drones containing the shipbrains of each ship, channeling them as it were.

We're more than committed to helping you to get back home, back on your feet and so on, and to establishing a lasting diplomatic relationship between our peoples. All we were concerned about when we saw you was that you were injured and needed our help. Race and other quibbles didn't enter into the situation.

You may be used to boogymen and monsters roaming the stars, but we are neither. We are an advanced symbiotic society dedicated to societal betterance and the uplifting of all others to comparable ideals. We like to think of it as our duty to integrate, uplift and inform other cultures, especially human ones, to make sure that they don't end up destroying themselves, or carving empires out of the galaxy.

"A little event to which we appear to have gained an invite" Louisa smiled, "I can assure you, the Alversian Republic is well beyond the stage of Conquest and Civil Strike and we would be more than delighted to open diplomatic relationships with the Myenyan people. As it was once said, you can never have too many friends, eh?" She gave a small chuckle, before addressing the next point,
"This is a very fascinating situation, I must admit. You see it as a goal to help advance Races beyond their current situations with reards to war or war-like behaviour? I assume this would more be through advice than actual intervention and physical alterations?" She asked, curious as to the technique used by these peoples to better others.
Alversia did something similiar, but, sadly, had discovered that most peoples only listened to advice when there was an Army to back it up. Alversian Peacekeepers were on dozens of planets, some of which even she was not aware of.

Meanwhile, Leah was bored again and wanted to return to her holosphere to rest. Once she had gained Louisa's permission, she deactivated herself and returned to a dormant state where she would be reinvigerated and recovered until she was as fit as a fiddle when she reactivated herself. It seemed primitive compared to these mighty brains but Leah liked it. To her, it was like sleeping.

Oh it's not simply the idea of war making that we move them beyond. We try to make them adopt policies that fit our world-view and perspective. We are moving towards a more refined, more perfected society, where money becomes an irrelevance, more than it is.

We intervene in many ways, many of them non-military. We don't like the application of force, or open war. We prefer to learn, to walk amongst them and see what their culture is like, where they're headed. If we can save a civilisation from wiping themselves out, or make their lives better by providing guidance and technology, then surely that is our right? Our duty?

"We try to make them adopt policies that fit our world-view and perspective?" Louisa qouted, smiling, "Forgive me, for I know your intentions are honourable, but there are many Empires who would use the same line to justify their own intervention in a system. When does simple help become complusary complience? When does mere advice become a demand for power?When does technology stop being beneficial and start being manipulative? It's a very very thin line to tred as I'm sure you can appreciate," Louisa felt better after stating that, no doubt the Myenya had good intentions but too many Empires began with good intentions that turned to frustration at a lack of progress and turned finally, to conquest.

"It seems like we already share a common policy, Shipbrain," She smiled again, "Although I am curious, how did the Shipbrains come about? It was not surely an instant miracle that such a powerful being was created?"

We don't force the issue as such. We reveal ourselves in due course and offer aid. Certainly some might refuse it, and we can respect that, but we do try to immerse ourselves within them first, to understand them. We seek to guide them, to shape them, to show them the bigger picture and the benefits our aid can bring.

We're not a group of dictators demanding tax and worship from the unfortunates, we're more...Well intentioned explorers and civilised socialites, raising up cultures who might otherwise languish in a dark age for a century or two.

We were formed from AI progenitors, who created and perfected more and more advanced versions of themselves in conjunction with humans. We were the inevitable result, hyper-intelligent computer systems who can manage the infrastructure of our Collective with but a fraction of our thought-processes and who can guide them throughout the stars, indulging their whims or our own.

Myenya has no true centralised government. Councils of men and Brains form the essential decision making policies throughout each, largely autonomous ship, while certain core ideals are tweaked, re-distributed and tweaked as we go along.

Onboard the Nikola Tesla

The crew of the Tesla had encountered a rare but devistating Minovsky surge, killing all but the most simple electronics for a short time. As the nanites flowed through the consoles of the ship, systems blinked back to life, and a very flustered Captain Hassildor made an announcment:

To the native sentient ships
This is Captain Janus Hassildor of the Imperium of Belkaros, requesting audience with a representative of your nation. We mean no harm.

"I never, even for one moment, considered you as Dictators," Louisa replied truthfully, "There is a considerable different between help and conquest and I believe you are as far down the scale as it possible. It seems like you, as an Individual, wield a lot of power within this Unit. When you make a decision, is it all of the crew who help to make it or simply you? Who gets the casting vote?"
It may have sounded like an insenstive and suspicious interrogation but the young Alversian was interested in a society in which the Ship's had considerable control and the crews went along for the ride. It was the first such incident she had ever heard of and she was wondering just how much power the Brain had over the crew. She suspected it merely fufilled their wishes but with a very high level of autonomy. She was not really bothered, she liked the Shipbrain. She was simply trying to gain more insight into their world.

Belkaran, is that right?, vessel this is the shipbrain of the MHU Brighter Days Ahead. We are currently arranging a diplomatic meeting of sorts for the various species that have blundered into our little corner of space at the moment. This is the territory of the Myenyan Collective, more aptly within the bounds of the Myenyan Collective Co-habitational sphere.

We would be delighted to have you on board, where you can meet not only an avatar of myself and members of our human crew, but also diplomats from other present cultures.
---------------------------------------------
They're consulted of course. I indulge their whims and they indulge mine, it's a symbiosis of purpose. I could always leave them on a planet while I attended to other business and they froliced before returning to them. As an MHU though, I mostly keep them onboard. I deal with travel, transport and Storage.

Were I a DEV I might leave them on some world for who knows how long while I did my own thing, leaving them to their own inevitably thrill-seeking behavior. There's a great deal of leeway, and many ways to have everyones will and whim suited. Many more choose to live in habs rather than full time on ships, but there are a number of ships such as myself or the No We're Not There Yet here, who have large stable and constant populations on board.

Inevitably some people wish to leave the Collective and see more of the galaxy and universe, even some ships do, and they're free to that choice. We're more than willing to welcome them back at anytime.

That's just the sort we are.

A message from the Tesla
The adjective is actually "Belkan", and I will attend this meeting. Please send the coordinates, and an unarmed diplomatic shuttle will be dispatched.

"You're Society sounds like a very free and very open one indeed, Shipbrain," Louisa concluded from the explaination, "God knows it's a form of government that's a rariety in the Universe. It does sound like you have the perfect combination between Human and Machine, if you don't mind me saying so. Why do your people live on ships? Are there no habitable planets in the area? I happened to notice the planet that we are currantly above is a little...imperfect" She gave a rueful smile, at a loss to explain it in any other way.

The planet we currently orbit is not imperfect, but rather has been preserved and repaired so as to safeguard the cultural heritage of Myenya. We could live on planets, but we choose not to. It's wasteful, for one thing. So we choose not to, rather to spare worlds our presence. We can create orbital habitats or ships for that purpose, especially considering the freedoms that ships bring, to explore, to roam, to wander indefinitely.

I thank you though for your praise regarding our little set-up. I'd be lying if I said that we weren't all immensely proud of it.
----------------------------------
The coordinates were dispatched to the Belkan ship, while the MHU was still preparing itself for the other guests to arrive, and the Shipbrain was conversing simultaneously with the Alversian captain and the Xiscapian survivor.

Space near the Tesla
If there had been atmosphere near the doors, it would have resonated with the warning sirens hailing the shuttle's launch. Captain Hassildor's small craft glided from its hanger and into space, guided by electromagnetic fields, then its own propulsion system. It headed towards the Mynenyan ship and awaited instructions.

"It does indeed deserve praise. It is very difficult, from personal experience, to create the right harmony between machine and man. You appear to have cracked it. And these vessels you inhabit, these MHU's, are another wonderous invention, although how does your people keep in touch? Surely these ships must seperate and spread out over a distance, how do you keep a central cultural identity when people on seperate ships may never meet each other? I may be jumping the gun of course but it is an interesting concept."
It was. Louisa was tempted for a moment to describe Alversia's biggest ship-building product. The Marshall Line of ODS' all along Alversia's DMZ in unison with the Alumina. A series of virtually automated stations whose only purpose was warfare and the destruction of Alversia's enemies. SHe decided it would be better to delve into the more peaceful benefits of AI control and not it's more devastating side.

Then she glanced outside and noticed the shuttle approaching. Who from, she had no idea but decided to point out the obvious anyway,
"You may want to warn them to avoid the debris from our ship, Shipbrain," She suggested mildly, "Just in case, better safe than sorry and all that."

We keep in touch, trading opinions and discoveries and the like across space, shipBrain to shipBrain. MHUs aren't our only sort of transport or permanent craft. As I told you, there's also things like DEVs to consider. We like to keep our options open as we travel and diversify and discover.

The Ships of course, know the bounds and ideals of our cultural identity, and all are granted an exceptionally intense and vast education. There are also numerous networks and databases they consult, which can effectively tell them anything.

All details that we learn here are being transmitted and shared with others, as are other signals from across our space and beyond, spreading our understanding, enlightening us more.
----------------------------------
The ship was invited to dock at one of many shuttle or hanger bays, before being instructed to dock at one specific one. When it approached and properly docked, it would be greeted by a single drone, hovering motionless, not as though in anticipation, but rather seeming consigned to it's duty.

As though it didn't really care either way what happened.

"Ah, a rather complicated but effective system of communicating and learning with each other. Very interesting," Louisa nodded, impressed with what she had seen. Internally, she was nervous that she was coming across as ignorant and rather brash, she did feel like she was messing this up then she was a Military Commander, not an Ambassador, she was doing what she could. Perhaps Leah would have been better for this after all.

"With regards to the councils of each...tribe...if you will, how do their decisions affect the other branches of your people? Does one decision affect all or is it solely an internal enactment?"

A message came to ship brain from the Greywatch Explorer:

<This is the Greywatch diplomat, heard your last message. In that case I can't bring a Drone, them being living weapons and such, so instead I'll just come with someone else. Be ready for me.>

When she finished sending the message, Kira made sure her clothing was in order and went to find someone else who wanted to accompany her. She put a message through to the bridge first, "Captain, does the other one wish to come with me?"
"What 'other one?'"
"The officer from the destroyed ship."
"Yuna?"
"That's her."
"That's up to her. You're aware this is a public broadcast up here on the bridge."
"Yuna, you want to come with? Or do you have people to lolok after?" Kira waited patiently for a response. Hmm, well whether she comes or not, I think a Leanorian is the best option. Too bad the Kiori are aggressive and the Xarniosi are isolationist.

In that regard we have a degree of flexibility, there are some which can filter back and perhaps alter cultural perception or opinion, but largely we have...A degree of flexibility in how we interpret our guidelines and rules. It all might sound vaguely anarchic or unreliable, but we've used such methods and means for quite some time now.

Largely an internal matter, in that respect, but with the potential for decisions to filter back and provoke change or discussion or debate.

"Ah ha, this is interesting," Louisa nodded, "It's like a series of Internal states, seperate but united by a common Culture and ideals. It is an interesting proposition. Forgive me but I heard that there was a Xiscapian aboard this vessel? I was just wondering how she came across your people?"

We rescued her from her damaged ship, just as we rescued you, while the Greywatchers sat idle and did relatively nothing. I argued with them over the merits of sitting doing nothing and pro-active life-saving, I can only assume that I struck a nerve and they decided to be pleasant.

They don't seem to like me very much, it seems. The Xiscapian has been most interesting, most responsive and most open with me. I've come to like it. Might even take a trip there with her, spread the word a bit more. We could even have a ship idle about each of your civilisations as a sort of capriciously bored embassy

"The idea of a bored Ambassador/Ship is quite amusing," Louisa smiled at the thought, "We'd do our best to keep him occupied if it came to that though> With regards to the Xiscapians we have found them to be a most wise and knowledgable race. I am not surprised you have grown to like them so soon. I was wondering though as to why a Xiscapian ship would be so far out of it's own space?" She wondered for a moment, then shook her head,
"Would it be possible for me to meet this Xiscapian? I would like to know how she got here"

Greywatch Explorer

Yuna heard the question and gave a small nod of her head,
"I need to talk to the Captain more openly than I have done so on the channel. The Commander here can look after the crew," She pointed to the Alumina, who gave a small bow to acknowledge her new reponsibility.
"When are departing?" She asked Aurora

When we found it it was displaying battle damage. We are unsure as to the cause, but I am sure it's within the realms of possibility for you to meet with her. Would you like to go to her, or shall we bring her here?

Dealers choice, as it were.

"Like I said, I don't know much about the Terran Federation. They're extremely advanced, although all we've seen of them is their weaponry and ships, and their nation is vast and powerful. Once, we have found and pieced together from the databases of others and old galactic news feeds, we think their homeworld was destroyed. By who or what, or indeed why, we don't know, but one wouldn't guess it now. They're probably the strongest, both economically and militarily, people represented here, although I am sure the others present would debate that extensively. They seem a good people, we have had little contact but we have heard nothing to blacken their name or cast them in a dark light.

We know less about the Belkans. To my knowledge we have formed an unofficial, clandestine alliance with them virtually on the other side of the galaxy against common threats to colonies there. Like the Terrans, we have only seen their soldiers and warships, and we know literally nothing of their culture or society. I can't really offer you much on them, they are a closed book to us.

For those of Greywatch we know they possess a race-diverse population, at least five different races are prominent within their borders. They rely heavily on something they call "Cryptic Energy" which is not unlike psionics. They have constructed Drone forms which harness or may even be this Cryptic Energy manifested, and consider their lives to be expendable as soldiers. No one is sure what they are: They are not droids, nor are they cloned organics. These constructs aside, they harbor an multi-millennia old race called the Elden, masters of using Cryptic Energy, and also somewhat reclusive. They use darker, or at least have the ability to, energies that could be considered demonic to kill and destroy and deceive. However, to our knowledge, they are mostly peaceful and we have no known reports of sighting one in action against a foe. Aside from humans, there is another race called the Leanorians.

Let me put it this way: Take what fur you see on me, now apply it all over my body. Warp my form to resemble more my wild canine counterparts, then take all that and apply it to a lion, and you get a Leanorian, more or less. They also use Cryptic Energy extensively, but unlike the Elden they manipulate it to heal, protect and preserve, though they are not above killing. A warrior-priestess order often goes into battle alongside Greywatch regulars as nurses and warriors, but they are more than their abilities. Leanorians, at least in our experience, tend to be compassionate and cheerful if you have not antagonized them, and from what we have seen their manners rival that of our finest, most cultured dignitaries. There are a final two races, the Kiori and the Xarniosi, although we know next to nothing of them.

As a whole Greywatch doesn't appear to be aggressive, and prides itself on their extensive Drone network and the unique Cryptic abilities much of it's population possesses.

The Greali...this is where it will be difficult for me. Greal is run by a race called the Techars, an insecticidal species which wrested control from the human element after a series of vicious wars and slaughters, allowing the survivors to settle in the new Intergalactic Empire. A decade and a half later a new alien race called the Berrax came along and sought to control this new Empire though peaceful, probably underhanded, means. The humans and Techars banded together and all but obliterated their enemy, forcing most of the survivors to live on a fiery volcano world called Nova Max.

Roughly a year ago now a organization known as the AIW, or Alliance of Imitated Worlds, was attacked by a rouge element of the Berrax. At this time the Intergalactic Empire of Greal was at a stage of civil war, the Berrax protesting and uprising against their abusers for their treatment with the general government seeking to annihilate them once and for all. The AIW is made up of various races who have been infected by a virus called the Imitator disease, a sentient, replicating virus which destroys the personality of the host and replaces it with it's own, giving it control of the body. As the AIW beat off the attack the Greali entered, and the AIW offered their assistance against the rebel Berrax. For this action they would be able to obtain many new hosts and strengthen their already swelled numbers.

As Greali and AIW forces assaulted the last Berrax stronghold, Nova Max, forces from my own nation were being sent. We had been attacked previously by the abominations of the AIW, and we secretly communicated with the Greali to pose them to strike and destroy the AIW while they had their trust. Our ships and troops would mop-up the last of them, and also, unknown to the Greali, secure Nova Max and as much of the Berrax population as possible to protect them from their enemy. However, the Greali bungled the attack, and the AIW escaped with minimal losses, swearing to strike again. We wearily allied ourselves with the Greali against the Imitators, keeping an eye on the Berrax.

It quickly came to our attention that Greali nuclear devices were in use against Berrax civilians. We urged and eventually threatened the human Greali President, a puppet for the Techar Congress, to cease this action. They did so, but unknown to us they signed a peace treaty with the AIW, and, having taken control of Nova Max, began shipping Berrax by the hundreds of thousands to the Imitators for infection and assimilation. Our fleet made it in time to both intercept the AIW transport fleet carrying the Berrax and begin an evacuation operation of all Berrax on Nova Max. The Greali attacked our operations, but even though they were repelled, a massive fleet arrived to destroy us and the Berrax. Hasty negotiations managed to settle the hostiles, break the Greali treaty with the AIW and secure the Berrax freedom and equality.
That's what we thought, anyway.

The Greali crushed the AIW, and went on to conquer another race known as the Zillars. Zillar refugees and the remaining ships and soldiers of their military poured across our borders, attacking one of our colonies. The invasion had come because the Greali had pushed the Zillars out of one of their systems, and those displaced persons banded together and assaulted the Kitsune Empire to try and secure a new home. We did not know this, and all attempt at communications were ignored, so we were forced to destroy them and repel the survivors or risk genocide on our people. As the last of their ships fled the Greali appeared, offering their assistance.

To make long story short, we sent an Ambassador to see if we could make peace with the Zillars. The Greali, however, showed their true xenophobic colors and detained him, jumping their fleet back to their home system. A fleet of one of our allies followed, but by the time they caught them, the Greali had murdered our Ambassador. Relations have iced over despite Greali assurances that the fleet was not acting under their command. The Admiral has apparently vanished into Greali space, and we were promised a full apology and monetary compensation, as if empty words and blood money could make up for the death of an innocent. We have yet to receive either."

Koie shook her head. "The Greali have professed an open hatred for the Xiscapian people and those who help us, vowing to destroy the Kitsune Empire.

Finally, on a more pleasant note, the Alversians. They responded to our calls for help during a war were were losing, a millennial-long conflict against our xenophobic, brutal neighbors. The war was won with their help, and since then our nations have been inseparable. Our cultures have mixed, our people have blended, and that is in a literal sense, kitsune and humans have mated and produced offspring. They are loyal, disciplined, and have created a utopia on most of their planets. No one fears, no one hungers or thirsts, crime is nearly nonexistent and their government is a rock of stability. How they did it we may never know: Their will is like iron.

They too have incorporated multiple races into their society, though we know little about them. I understand Alversian vessels frequently have mixed crews these days: You may have the opportunity to meet one or two of them. Certainly an Alversian would be able to explain better than I, I have never been to Alversia, though I have seen and heard much of the planet. They love peace and do their best to maintain it, though this is of course not always possible. They are good, solid people, wonderful allies and excellent cooperative workers. Sometimes I wish Xiscapia could more more like Alversia..." Koie shrugged. "But alas, we have not come across the miracle they have. And now I finish, shipbrain, a unicred for your thoughts?"

Aurora looked to Yuna, "You can leave right now. I'll have someone escort you to engineering." She pointed to an officer who was sitting idle and beckoned him. "Yes ma'am," the man said before looking to Yuna, "Follow me then." Kira was waiting i then hanger, near a shuttle with a Leanorian stand at her side. "This'll be interesting..." Kira said with a smile. The Leanorian shook her head, "Probably not. Drones are bad enough, I hate talking to machines." Kira shrugged, "Well, can't get everything you want, eh?"
"I suppose," the Leanorian said quitely.

"Well," Louisa shrugged, "Whatever way is more convenient to you would be best. I'm notreally fussed one way or the other. Was it just one Xiscapian you picked up or a couple?" She asked curiously, wondering what a lone Xiscapian would be doing all the way out here on his or her own. It did not seem like a conventional Xiscapian tactic, for droids were usually used for such long distance operations. Why the deviation this time?

Greywatch Explorer

The two Officer's seperated quickly, one going back to check on the crew, the other heading for the shuttle bay. Yuna was nervous as she nodded her greeting to another of the Leanorian people who were waiting. It was odd how much they reminded her of the Alumina in appearance,
"Are we ready to go?" She asked, unable to keep the nerves from her voice.

Kira nodded, she was dressed in diplomat dress, her blue hair down to her waist. "Yes, we're ready. Just so you know, I am Kira." The Leanorian looked to Kira and then to Yuna, her red, feline eyes focusing on the Kitsune, "Shar, that is my name." Kira looked at the two before walking over a small shuttle got inside. "When you two are ready." She said while she strapped herself in. When the other two got inside, the shuttle lifted off and moved forward until another section of the hanger. Two doors close behind the shuttle, after they close the atmosphere was pulled out of the section and thw two bay doors were opened. With that the shuttle was off to the Myenyan ship where the diplomatic meeting was suppose to take place. Once the shuttle was close enough the pilot hailed:

<Shuttle craft requesting permission to dock.>

I would thank you, Koei for your insight. This information shall prove most useful to us in considering and better defining our understanding of and relationships with the other powers here present. I would ask that you follow Tuss Fehras from your medical quarters now. The Alversian captain wishes to speak with you.

I think that this will serve as the perfect little dose of diplomatic kindling for our occasion

The little drone had appeared in the doorway, tilting itself lightly as it regarded Koei, before leading her down through the corridor and out into the ship. They passed through gleaming tubes of metal and glass, past bustling civilians, across a crowded shop floor, and through two great doors, which slid aside with barely a noise, into a large, open diplomatic forum.

The room was vast and round, ridged with comfortable seats and decorative plants set in soil patches, surrounded by stone and metal and glass flooring. The walls and ceiling of the vast domed and circular room seemed to be made of glass. A moment, a flicker, and the glass proved to be great screens, showing the surrounding star field, ships and the gleaming orb of shielded Myenya itself.

Another door opened and a larger drone form led Captain Louisa into the room. This was a drone-form avatar of the shipbrain itself, hovering along to discretely converse with Tuss while the two women were allowed to meet.

The Federal drone-thing had also been summoned, flickering into form within the large chamber.

"Welcome. My compatriot, our captain, will be arriving soon, as will relevant crew and avatars from our other ships." The avatar intoned.
----------------------------------
Permission granted. Upon entering you will be escorted to the conference.

Louisa looked up in time to see the Kitsune enter the room, being escorted by one of the Drone things. She looked in remarkably good heath considering what her ship had been like beforehand, well, according to the Shipbrain anyway. She smiled at the Kitsune who entered and offered her a salute in greeting,
"Captain Louisa Kenny of the Alversian People's Destroyer Lion, it's a pleasure to meet you."

Shuttle Bay

Yuna looked on as the Greywatch shuttle landed. She waited patiently, for this was not her meeting but that of the Greywatch peope and the people of Myenyan. Thus, she was merely a Witness until she could be reunited with the Captain.

Koie bowed to the Alversian Captain. "Agent Koie, Shadow Operations," she said primely, all professional now. Before she had left the room the kitsune had insisted on donning her flight suit once more, and though there were a few small splatters of dried blood she wore it proudly. It simply wouldn't have been acceptable to show up in her thin, papery gown and expose her rear to all the delegates. Much better to face them as the kitsune of rank she was. "Heard you had some ship trouble, Captain, we're in the same boat now."

"Shadow Operations?" Louisa raised her eyebrows but decided now was not the time to go into detail about the Agent's previous job in the area. She knew of Xiscapia's Shadow Organisation but, again at a diplomatic meeting, now was not the time to press it. She listened to Koie, noticing the blood splattered across her flight suit and nodded,
"Yes, we had a little trouble with our ship" She grinned for the wreckage was unmistakeable outside, "Ran into a meteor storm. How about you?" She wondered what the answer would be.

The shuttle took no time in landing and, after atmosphere was detected, dropping off the three people onboard. Kira and Shar stepped off promptly and waited for a greeting party. Shar looked a little bored with the surrounding, "Well we're here." Kira nodded, "So we are."

The Drone, Tuss Fehras, has been sent back down towards the shuttle bays, meeting with the captain and some other personnel as they travelled. The small group, no more than four in number, had stepped out, nodding lightly to the people of Greywatch.

"Hello there. I am Captain Jen-sa Tikrir of the Brighter Days Ahead., this is drone Tuss Fehras, and these are some of my crew. Kiset Mifna, one of our medical team who helped aboard the Alversian ship, and Sufjed Dnar, one of our engineers." Both nodded in turn, the drone ducked low as though bowing.

"Pleased to meet you. If you would follow us." And with that they led them back through the ships gleaming interior towards the great forum which had been prepared.

The two Greywatchers nodded, "I am Kira, this is Shar." Kira said politely, "No last names." Shar nodded but still looked as if there were more interesting things she could be doing right then, her tail swung slowly from side to side showing how relaxed she was. Kira and Shar didn't move immediately. Instead, they decided to wait for Yuna to follow with them.

"I'll never really understand how any of you alien lot don't have last names" Tuss muttered, tilting from one side to the other as it waited for them. "Must be awful restrictive, next to us who have family legacies or can choose our own names, and such, eh?"

"Must've been one hell of a meteor storm," said Koie, glancing out at the swirling debris that had once made up an Alversian Destroyer. "As for myself...let it suffice to say I strayed too close to the atmosphere of a planet without the proper equipment engaged."
Technically this was true. Lack of shields when being fired upon by ground defenses would result in nothing good.

Tabby looked around, suddenly transferred, she was taken aback slightly as her matrix reinitialized her nearly solid form, she stood slightly off to the side as she looked around the room,shaking her head slightly she walked over to a group of random diplomats, her eyes peering out as they shimmered with data traveling to and fro. of course SSC was getting all of this as she peered around introducing her self to the nearest sentient. (some one pick this up :P)

"Hello there, I offer greetings From the Terran Federation" Her soft voice reverberated with a slight electronic tone as she spoke.

Kira turned as the AI suddenly appeared, "What have we here? Very... interesting." Shar backed away, Dammit.... more of them... Kira looked back to Shar and then to Tabby, "Greetings from Greywatch." She was about to hold out her hand, Wait, can this thing actually shake my hand?

The AI smiled with a slight bow then extending her hand to meet the other, she seemed as solid as any object in the room, she grasped it firmly and shook as she responded.

"its is a pleasure to meet you, you seem like rather friendly people, at any rate I would like to know more about.. your nation and open up a dialogue between our two peoples."

Kira smiled, "I see, well I suppose we can do that. I'm sure our hosts will not mind too much. My name is Kira, and my companion over here is Shar." Shar looked away, Kira sighed and went on, "You'll have to forgive her. She's more on the conservative side and is uncomfortable with machines possesing sentience."

"As for myself...let it suffice to say I strayed too close to the atmosphere of a planet without the proper equipment engaged."

"Storms," Louisa grinned, "Plural, more than one." She listened to Koie's explaination and thought it was suspicious,
"May I ask why you were so far out of Xiscapian Space by yourself? Is it not unusual to send a lone Kitsune into space?" She was wondering that herself, for she had never heard of it happening, but then she was not exactly knowledgeable on the operations of the Xiscapian Navy.
"Sorry," She began fiddling with the small tennis ball on her belt, "Do you mind if I bring my AI out? I don't like to keep her cooped up when she doesn't need to be"

"Normally an android is deployed for such occasions, but our non-organic operatives were unavailable so they sent me. Go ahead and bring your A.I. out, I don't mind," Koie shrugged. "Case in point, what are you doing so far from Alversian space? Separated from a convoy or something, were ya?"

"Thank you," Louisa tapped the button on the small projector and Leah appeared again, rubbing her eyes wearily as if just awaking from a long sleep. She looked around in confusion at the sight that confronted her, the dignataries and others gathered. Then she saw Louisa and her face lit up,

"Captain Kenny," She smiled, "What is going on?"

"A Diplomatic Meeting, Leah, I thought you would like to be here rather than crammed into a holoprojector" It was Louisa's turn to smile, "This is Agent Koie of Xiscapian Shadow Operations" Leah turned and offered a bow, like the one she had been taught by Yuna,

"Greetings, I am Avatar Beta 10224..." She was nudged by Louisa and quickly changed her tone, "...I am Avatar Leah, it's a pleasure to meet you" She sounded like a toddler meeting someone for the first time.

"Leah, please tell Agent Koie why we were in the area and so far from Alversian Space" Louisa prodded gently.

"Yes Captain," Leah looked pleased and, within seconds had brought up a holo image of a letter with the APN Seal and the seal of the Deep Space Fleet.

TO: Captain Louisa Kenny, APS Lion

Your orders are to penetrate Alversian Space and locate the Privateer Black Ghost. You will intercept her and either destroy her or so damage her to permit a surrender. These orders take priority over all Deep Space Assignments for now.

Admiral Phillip FEARON
Deep Space Fleet

"So," Louisa finished up after Leah had made the image fade out, "You didn't see a Privateer about anywhere on your travels did you?" She laughed

Kira looked back, "Well Shar, we'll go now. I assume Yuna will follow when she's ready." Shar nodded and began walking to the drone, Kira looked to Tabby as if telling her to follow before slowly following Shar.

Tabby shrugged and followed the greywatchian folks talking as she followed behind to them, in a diplomatic tone, and asking.

"Are you authorized to sign a non aggression pact or to exchange embassies?"

Kira looked back, "Non-aggression I can do. However, I need to contact my governmet before I can say yes to setting up embassies."

"'fraid not, Captain." Koie shook her head. "Don't get much of a chance to see others, out there." She gestured to the screen showing space. "Usually, anyway. Black Ghost? A former Rebel, or just a Privateer causing trouble for PRA shipping?"

"We don't know," Louisa shrugged, "We just know that they are attacking Alversian Shipping then running again. We were sent out to this...apparently empty, part of space because there have been numerous sightings of the vessel in the area. We were hoping to surprise her but I guess we were the ones who were surprised eh?" She laughed, then indicated to Leah, "By the way, this is Avatar Leah of the Lion," She indicated to the AI who bowed hesitantly, unsure if it was the right action for a Kitsune or some other race she could not remember.

Koie gave a little bow to the A.I. "Pleased to meet you, Leah." She said kindly. She had had little experience with Alversian A.I., to her knowledge they weren't widely used, and wondered if this was an experiment or if the A.I. had been brought out for the special occasion of meeting the shipbrains. The Xiscapians had A.I., but most of it was "dumb" A.I., autopilot, targeting systems and the like, with all of it's smart A.I. consisting of VR trainers, androids and on some vessels.

"Pleased to meet you as well," Leah replied happily, delighted that someone had talked to her without referring to her serial number. It was a rariety for AI's rarely used their names but preferred to remain within their original programme. Leah was different. She wanted something more than controlling a ship for all her life. She was happy but nervous at the same time.

Louisa now spoke to Koie after Leah had moved back a little to offer them more space,
"So, what do you think of these shipbrains? A unique race no?" She smiled at the thought.

"Indeed, they and the humans who, I suppose at some point created their precursors, have formed a perfect symbiotic relationship. It would appear the shipbrains do all the heavy duty tasks, and the humans are left to simply enjoy themselves. Amazing that no one has ever come across them before, but as everyone knows, space is vast and they don't exactly leave huge power signatures. I wonder, though, how they would affect our respective own societies and cultures. What do you think of them, Captain?"

"I'm not sure Agent," Louisa smiled, lacking any other rank for the Kitsune, "They are a unique people, the combination of man and machine is indeed an excellent one, it seems to be perfect. However, in terms of their influence on Alversian culture, I'm not so sure. We have never been influenced before by a race, save yours of course," she smiled, "We'll welcome them of course, but we like our lives as they are. As for their pacifist nature," She smiled, "I would like to explain it to the Danaversians, see what they would make of it"

"I doubt you haven't been influenced by the Veela or Alumina in some way, with all due respect, Captain. There wouldn't be any point to having them talk to the Danaversians: They are legendary for their stubbornness and close-mindedness, you of all people should know. As I told the shipbrain, if you can convince everyone else to follow what you preach, then we will do it to, but at the moment there are simply too many threats, too many races and people and nations who would love to see us disarm so they could swallow us whole. Nevertheless, you should talk to one of them," Koie smiled, "it's highly educational, and it, ah, puts things in perspective."

"That was my point, Agent, I would like to see a Shipbrain try to disarm the Danaversians, or even the Alumina. Both share a common streak of stubborness I have foound" She smiled, "And I have talked to one of the Shipbrains. I have already learned a great deal of their society and culture just from a few moments of conversation. You are correct, they are wonderous creations. Even my little Avatar was impressed," Louisa put her hand on Leah's shoulder who smiled back happily.

The group of humans and the two drones, one Tuss and the other the shipbrain, had mostly stayed together during the course of the cultural mingling. Now, however, theeother pairs had entered. There were three drones, each as large as the one representing the MHU, each accompanied by a human.

"Might I introduce the drone-avatars and human captains of the Vigilante's Assuredly Nothing There and Woefully Wide Mandate and the captain and drone-avatar of the DEV No We're Not There Yet"

Each had bowed in turn, waiting to be introduced. The Captain of the Assuredly Nothing There was a heavy set, jovial man with short brown hair, who had gazed out at those gathered with pale violet eyes. He was Dassir Harki, a seasoned explorer who enjoyed the speed of his vessel and the fruits of the universe.

The Captain of the Woefully Wide Mandate was a tall slim woman with long, raven black hair. She was Girna Vassi, equally seasoned, but much more cautious and determined.

The DEV's captain was a tall, slim man with shoulder length brown hair. He had a pale complexion and glimmering white teeth, reflecting out from his near perpetual smile. He was Remna Pilkis, a quiet and studious man in reflection to the rambuncious and care-free vessel.

"I thank you again for coming here, for meeting with us, in what is essentially the day we become exposed to the wider galactic metacivilisation." The MHU's drone had intoned. "Food and drink shall be available shortly, and we will answer any of your queries now."

Kira and Shar gave a respective nod to each one. "My name is Kira, Greywatch representative," Kira said with a smile. Shar couldn't help but avoid all eye contact with the AI and instead looked at the captains, "I am Shar. Leanorian priestess and medic aboard the Greywatch Explorer, nice to meet you all."

Tabby looked around a bit, standing close to the greywatching delegation, she pondered a bit before speaking again to who ever was listing, her voice soft diplomatic and cordial.

"Well to what ever nation wishes to take up my offer, The Terran Federation wishes to extend, a non aggression pact, trade deals and perhaps even an alliance if things go right, it is our hopes we can work with nations here to achieve peaceful coexistence, and benefits for us all "

Tabby smiled again as she waited for a response, hopefully her message did not fall on deaf ears as she looked at the others walking in with interest in her eyes, hearing the mention of food, she smiled she always wanted to try food, she heard about it from many, but she never tried or tasted any thing. many would think a hologram made from exotic particles couldn't eat or taste but they were wrong. they were made to be full renditions of what a Terran is physically and emotionally.

Koie bowed deeply to the captains and the avatars of the three ships represented. "On behalf of the Kitsune Empire of Xiscapia, I am pleased to make your aquentince. I am Koie." she murmured to them, looking then to the Greywatch and Terran delegates. "To the Terran Federation, I am not authorized to sign any pacts or make any deals, though I am sure you can be connected to the appropriate Ambassador in time."

Kira looked to the Terran avatar and whispered, "Well, you know Greywatch is all for the NAP." She then looked to the Xiscapian. Shar eyed the Kitsune very carefully, "Interesting..." she muttered to herself. "Greetings Xiscapian," Kira said with a slight bow, "I finally have the chance to meet one of your kind."

Kira looked to the Terran avatar and whispered, "Well, you know Greywatch is all for the NAP." She then looked to the Xiscapian. Shar eyed the Kitsune very carefully, "Interesting..." she muttered to herself. "Greetings Xiscapian," Kira said with a slight bow, "I finally have the chance to meet one of your kind."

Tabby smiled and nodded gently holding out a hand to the greywachian. she said as she was doing so.

"Then its settled, from this day forth the United Terran Federation and Greywatch shall have a non aggression pact."

Kira took the hand with a grin and shook it. "As a diplomat of Greywatch acting within my authority, I hereby state that Greywatch accepts this pact." Shar smiled slighty, Kira, so dramatic...

Louisa turned in time to see the three Captains enter the hall and offered each a bow as well as a handshake,
"Captain Louisa Kenny," She introduced, "Of the Alversian Destroyer Lion It is a pleasure to meet you. We have been talking to your Shipbrain and it has been a fascinating experience"
As she did this, Leah hung next to Louisa, sticking out amongst the humans due to her blue skin and hair, she stayed next to Louisa like a small, uncertain child might stick close to her mother in a busy street.

"And hello to you," Koie bowed back to Kira. "Leanorian. Likewise, I at last at last granted the privilege of meeting one of your race. Representative from Greywatch, yes?"

"Yes, they are most interesting aren't they? Our little partners in crime." Dassir had chuckled softly, the drone beside him allowing a ripple of light signifying amusement to flicker over its casing. "Captain is perhaps a misleading term, we are the most senior human officers aboard, certainly, but we don't direct the ship. We, more than others though, serve to reach decisions and compromises with our shipbrain compatriots." He had run a hand over the Assuredly Nothing There's case with something approaching affection. "We have an understanding and a respect. Isn't that right.

The ships drone had tilted itself, almost in a nod, flashing pride for a moment, then a sort of respectful appreciation.

"Most certainly. We work well together, done many good things, found alot of stuff out there. Definetly works, this little relationship."

"Glad you agree!" The human had answered with a loud booming laugh. "Anything you need, anything you want to know, just ask someone. Excuse me, I think I'll mingle" And with that he had moved off, the other captains nodding respectfully to Louisa now.

Tabby turned away from her latest triumph and walked up to one of their hosts , she was hoping to gain a new partner in both trade and diplomacy out of this conference. that's the grail of any green diplomat, she spoke to the nearest Myenyan.

"Hello there, it is a pleasure to meet you."

she held her hand out to the nearest Myenyan human.

Louisa nodded respectfully to the other two Captains, also stepping to the side slightly so that Leah, hiding behind her back, could see them. She recoiled shyly, not knowing what to say,
"Greetings to you both," Louisa said confidently, "I am Captain Louisa Kenny of the Alversian People's Navy. This is my Ship Avatar, Leah" She gave Leah a little prod while she gave a small nod in reply,
"Hello," She said in a small voice.

"As I told your shipbrain, I am grateful for your assistance in rescuing our crew. It could have been pretty nasty had you not got involved."

"Oh it was nothing, nothing at all. And please, don't try to think of them as 'our shipbrains', they're as much people and citizens as you or I, or Leah here" Jen-sa had smiled softly, almost delicately. "We only did what anyone else would have. Standard ship-in-need response.

You need not be especially surprised that we offer the milk of human kindness, Louisa. Might I call you Louisa?"
--------------------------------
"Hello! Hello!" Dassir had boomed, taking a thin flute of some wine from a nearby table. "Most pleasant to meet you, most pleasant! You must be this Federal hologrammatical drone thing! A novel use of technology, certainly. We've got similar, better things, of course, but it's always so nice to see someone make an effort.

Not like those Greywatchers with their hybridy-halfbreed bio-drone things. That's insulting to both! Myenyans and Shipbrains like to keep things nice and seperate. We don't turn people into machines, or Machines into people."

"Apologies, but I merely thought that they were indeed the brains of your ships. Hence, Shipbrains" Louisa smiled, "And you may call me Louisa."
Leah had recoiled again when Jen-Sa had indicated to her, trying to hide behind Louisa again. Again Louisa moved to the side to expose her,
"Come on Leah," She said gently in the Avatar's ear, "Don't be shy. They won't harm you"
Slowly, reluctantly, Leah came forward to stand beside Louisa again,
"Anyway," the Alversian spoke again, "I'm curious, where was this vessel built? Your, forgive me but I do not know the 'Shipbrain's rank', mentioned to me that your entire species lives on vessels such as these?"