NationStates Jolt Archive

"Oh they are, but they don't belong to anyone but themselves. As for rank, I suppose its rank is equivalent to its class. This is a Mobile Habitat Unit, and many of our people do indeed live upon vessels such as these, or DEVs, or Orbital Habitats. We have other ideas that we might bring to the fore at later dates, but we tend to eschew the use of planets.

We do too much damage, and we've moved beyond the stage where we need to rely on planetary bodies. Hence Myenya's inviolate nature, preserved for as long as we exist at this state" He had chuckled gently. "As to where it was built, we have shipyards and factory-constructs, they're just shy."

"Like my Avatar," Louisa chuckled and Leah gave a small smile, "So do your people ever interact? I mean, would a crew from one MHU interact with the crew of another fairly frequently? Or are your vessels spread out over a large distance? Speaking of which, how many people would a ship like this hold?"

Tabby responded to Dassir with a slight bow and said as she held her hand out with a smile. a soft yet diplomatic tone coming forth as she spoke.

"it is a pleasure to meet you I am tabby, I am hear to represent my government in terms of peaceful benefit, your culture and ship is certainly interesting.."

"Ah, well meeting others depends I suppose. Alot of traffic comes by our orbital habitats, so we do tend to meet there. People mingle, they bond, they form relationships, but some ships can wander far and wide and all you get is communications back. People tend to take who and what they need with them." He tapped a finger against his chin. "A ship like this? Hm, could hold a few million people, as it was designed to. Mobile Habitat, a meandering home amongst the stars.

The more...Civilian and quiet alternative to the exploratory hedonistic thrill-seeking of a DEV"
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"Oh well we do try. We've been locally star-faring for some time, spreading out wings and exploring the local clusters and what not. First time we've had guests, admittedly, first time we've brought the stars back home with us." He guffawed outrageously. "A pleasure to meet you all the same, Tabby. I'm sure there's much peaceful learning we could pass between each other"

"And how does a DEV differ from one of these, frankly massive vessels?" She asked, interested now, "Is it just in numbers or other manners as well?" She was curious about the differences between the vessel classes that made up the Myenyan people, "And what defences does this vessel have? How would it repel something like a Pirate attack?"

"Well, a DEV, Designated Exploration Vehicle, is in a sense just as massive and designed for mobile living, but it also serves as an exploration platform, for seeking out new worlds, new cultures, new experiences. Since they tend to roam further afield, they tend to be lightly to moderately armed.

This vessel has no active defences, persay, we would more likely run, or the Brain would come up with something in the meantime. Would take some time to construct, obviously, but if we were attacked, we could run, hide and be ready for the next pass.

Piracy has never truly been a problem for us."

Louisa smiled to herself at the thought of the vessel trying to outrun a pirate fleet. It could happen but mostly, there would be no chance of fighting back.
"So how do you police your ships then?" She asked politely, "There must be some sort of Law Enforcement aboard?" They can't all be pacifist, she thought.

"I don't follow your meaning. What do you mean how do we police them?" He was puzzled, blinking lightly. "Do you mean the ships as a whole, externally, or on board the ships? We have few true laws. We have what one could describe as...Social convention.

If someone were to do something that we find societally abhorrent, be it Ship, drone or human, we would inevitably exile them from our society. Just give them some form of small ship and send them on their way, to whatever rock or hab they could find beyond."

"Oh well we do try. We've been locally star-faring for some time, spreading out wings and exploring the local clusters and what not. First time we've had guests, admittedly, first time we've brought the stars back home with us." He guffawed outrageously. "A pleasure to meet you all the same, Tabby. I'm sure there's much peaceful learning we could pass between each other"

Tabby smiled with a gentle bow saying in a diplomatic voice..

"Why not start with a non aggression pact? or a cultural exchange, we could each exchange things in our data base to one another"

"Oh I don't know about a Pact, that seems all-together too fast for a first meeting. I'm sure we could manage some form of cultural exchange, learn about each other before we go blundering into the deep end, as it were" He laughed boistrously. "One step at a time, little Tabby. One step at a time"

"I don't follow your meaning. What do you mean how do we police them?" He was puzzled, blinking lightly. "Do you mean the ships as a whole, externally, or on board the ships? We have few true laws. We have what one could describe as...Social convention."

"Forgive me for not clarifying," Lousia smiled patiently, "Suppose a fight broke out in one of your ships. Two men punching each other or someone getting mugged. If someone broke the law aboard one of your ships, who would catch him or restrain him? There must be a Police Force of some kind?" She was wondering about this new race after all. Surely they weren't that pacifist?

"Well, we try to ensure that everyone has enough. Money, when you consider it is simply a form of rationing, a way of mediating the good that can be done, of keeping people in their place and keeping society stratified.

Violence can ensue, of course, in which case anyone fighting would be seperated, normally by a drone. They'll then be observed, by a drone, or by the Shipbrain itself, and if they continue to break convention, well we exile them. Just send them away.

They ought to know better when you think about it." He smiled. "Why? Is your system different?"

"Well, like you we have a pretty much equal society, each man earns what he wants but always has enough to live on. If there is crime, and there is from time to time, then a traditional Police Force can be called for. They will imprison the man until he has served time in prison before being released. The Police will keep an eye on him for a while before allowing him to continue with his life. If a situation gets very bad. And it hasn't for a few centuries, then the Army can be used to bring peace to the area" Louisa smiled,
"We have a fairly crimeless society but there are blips and these are dealt with by the Police. Most of our deaths are in the Armed Forces I'm afraid" She shrugged, "But that's life"

"And we are mostly crimeless, except that we remove them from the equation rather than spend time and money looking after them. If they cannot live in our society then they are cast out of it, humanely of course." Jen-Sa had smiled at this, almost beaming pride.

"I'm sorry that you still suffer through strife and warfare. It is never pleasant to see ones countrymen fall, no matter the circumstance"

It was Louisa's turn to shrug,
"They know what they are getting into when they sign up. That is why it is an All-volunteer Force. People sign up, knowing that death may be the outcome but in return, they help to protect the people at home. There is an old saying on our planet, 'In War, a soldier who gives his life by choice, may spare a thousand who had no choice at all'. It is a sad but true saying, I'm afraid"

"Such absent honors and glories are lost to me, I'm afraid. A humble captain and friend to this fine MHU, denied any sort of combat-want or battle-lust.

Sentiments and ideals for another age, I fear. And hopefully, sentiments that will remain absent as we continue to improve upon ourselves. There are, of course, things we would fight for, but which we would ultimately hope would never be so direly at stake to begin with." a sad smile now, flickering across his countenance. "My life will yet be long, I hope. Long enough to see our culture blossom further, develop itself as it rightly should."

The Drone-Avatar representing the MHU hovers over to Koie, bowing respectfully and flickering its aura-fields to show affection. "And how are you enjoying the proceedings, Xiscapian? Are there any questions that you have? Any other queries that might interest you regarding our noble culture?

Things proceed well enough now, but this was a long time in coming...Many of those present nearly didn't make it. Yourself, Louisa, the AI Leah. Your Qonn must be smiling upon you, yes?" It flashed polite amusement as it finished speaking, though the Xiscapian was unlikely to understand the nuances of this method of communication. It hoped its tone had conveyed it enough

"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?"

Kira nodded, "Indeed we are. Always a pleasure to know we have a familiar face around." Shar bowed her head slightly, "Hello Xiscapian. You seem far from home."

The Drone also regarded the Greywatcher, casing once again radiating amusement, though this time much more mirthful, as though it were wracked by some inner hilarity. "Ah, Greywatchers. A pleasure to finally meet you in person. You can consider me the Shipbrain you were conversing with.

Most illuminating for both parties, I should say. Most illuminating, most amusing. You certainly know how to make an impression"

"Captain and Drone probably, I wasn't there during the boring conversations. No offense, but first contact... I like to get to meat and actually talk to people face to face, not accross a comm-channel." Said Kira with a grin. Shar nodded but said nothing to AI.

"An admirable trait, straight to the point and determined. Of course there isn't much difference in chatting across a comms channel or organising one of these tedious little affairs.

In the end, we get what we want, eh? Contact with new life; the whole pan-human, humanoid, humanish spectra that seems to infest the galaxy. Utterly wonderful. I do find these bodies constricting, but it's better than being a booming omnipotent deity-seeming voice.

Though it is like being a god, sometimes." It shook as though with laughter. "Are your people similarly touched by a cultural belief in higher powers?"

"Tedious? Sometime the tedious things go a long way. I'd have to go so far to say that humans seem to be more common in this galaxy than anything else." Kira shok her head to the god question, "We don't believe the gods exist. At least, not anymore. Perhaps once, but not anymore. However, we won't dictate the beliefs of others. Everyone's free to feel what they feel."

"Much better. Someone else who sees the universe in secular terms. We're not ones to be fooled or impressed by extra-dimensional, extra-planar or sublimed beings who think themselves so near to godhood as to impose it upon others.

We have moved past such, in our opinion no offence intended, primitive superstitions, and out into a more rational, reasoned, scientific universe. After all, when you can simulate it all in your head." It tilted forward, almost slyly, like it was tipping its hat.

"Then you begin to understand something of the universe and its workings."

"The universe isn't something that can be simulated, it is something that has to be experienced." Kira said, looking to her Leanorian friend. "Indeed," said Shar, "Science can only go so far and 'primative superstitions' are sometimes closer to the truth than anything else."

"Well there you're quite wrong. Universes are really quite easy. Some eccentrics even retreat into their own heads, drifting around somewhere in worlds of their own divising. Experience, simulation, can you honestly tell the difference? We could be in a vast simulation right now and we'd be none the wiser." It flashed wry amusement.

"Because the relatively simple notions behind planetary orbit, spin and solar cycling is nothing before the wisdom of 'The giant fire man in his chariot rides across the sky, chasing something. Maybe a woman, or a bird.'.

Primitive superstition belongs down with the prims, along with spear-shaking and dashing each others brains out with rocks. Things to be avoided, if we can help it and get in their early enough, eh?"

"There are many gods, shipbrain, or in your eyes beings who consider themselves gods. Some, like ours, require neither worship nor belief, only respect for what he has done. Others are not so benevolent, and work to their own ends, whatever they may be. In any case," Koie shrugged, "I know there are others even among us who share your sentiments, or similar ones, and on some level I agree. Worship, religion and so-called 'holy books' can lead to much bloodshed more akin to racial or species superiority than any good the gods, doctrine or texts teach."

"Am I? Or have you put too much faith in your beliefs? The arguement of everything in the universe being a simulation is actually quite ridiculous to me, as is thinking that you can experience the universe through a simulation. The reasoning is quite simple: nothing, not even you, has that capacity. There are too many possiblilties, to even dream of creating a simulation of the universe and all of its possibilities would require more than eons to look over." Kira paused for a moment, "There is no end. You would have to keep going until the very end of time itself to explore every reaction to every action of every possible action. As for 'primatives,' you seem to confuse primitive thoughts with primative peoples. Primitive beliefs and primative civilazations don't always go hand in hand. Just because someone believes in god doesn't make them a spear wielding warmonger as you suggested. I find it discusting that one who seems to be able to think outside of the box, can't imagine a way from religion and mordern society to coexist. But, I suppose an AI born of science is forever tied to it."

"The aspect which turns imaginary deities and presumably peaceful messages into twisted mirrors of themselves is most often the hands of mortals, in our experience anyway, Koie. And, of course, there are those who seem to be as gods who can often further muddy the waters with their own agendas. Horribly selfish tactic, is sublimation, running away from your problems is one thing, but quitting the universe for the hope things get better?

Ludicrous. I'll never do it, that's for certain." It turned back to the Greywatchers, waiting patiently as it listened.

"It isn't just us, you know. The Myenyan humans can worship as they please, but even they forsake such childish conceits. Any rational civilisation who can understand the science behind something cannot still hold the idea of a divine hand behind it. When you understand how an orb moves about a sun, the chariot ceases to have its meaning.

You've obviously never been in really, very, utterly convincing VR. There are several truly immersive forms we're aware of, and they back up our claim. This universe could be a simulation, based entirely on the programming of another. For all you know, everyone else within it is incidental, or similarly deluded like yourself.

Every culture has, at one time or another, comtemplated simulation as one of the possibilities behind the universe. I think you simply underestimate our processing power, or how bored some of us might get. Helping to guide along a burgeoning, well...Quite thriving actually, society is all well and good but we have other concerns. Like where to go next, and how the tweaked universe in our heads is going to play out, what we can do with it next, etcetera, etcetera.

You judge things in your own experiences, and having experienced nothing that can simulate a universe, you decry it as false. Yet equally, you would defend the rights of other cultures, especially lesser cultures, to believe in invisible beings who shape the fate of all.

If one considers it, simulation is no more ridiculous an idea than deities, and so in your eyes no less unbelievable as a universal perception. I do love these conversations, honestly!"

"I never said their were gods did I? I simply stated that one such as yourself seems to believe that you, at all costs, must be right. I don't believe in the simulation because its such a pointless idea, in fact, I'm suprised you feel it could be true. If that were the case, then you are wrong, and there is a god. A god that can simulate life, delete whatever they don't like, add in new ideas... that would be the power of a god, no?" Kira smiled, "And here you are called me 'deluded,' an opinion, an insult, that you form because you apparently can't stand the fact that I disagree with you. I don't doubt your processing power, I feel that you are, to and extent, too human. You seem to think that you are a god of information, someone that can do anything in the virtual world. Now I never said that simulating a univeser is false, I'm saying that doing so on this scale, with every anomoly, is borderline, if not completely, impossible. Now then, are you saying it is impossible for their to be a divide being but it is not impossible for someone to make entire civilizations on a computer for fun? It sounds like that. And here I though you'd be more open." Kira then looked to Shar before looking back to the shipbrain, "If you asked any Leanorian, most of them say that the Elden are their gods. Are they wrong, since the Elden do exist, how would you explain that? As I said before, I believe the gods died, but everyone has their own opinions. Perhaps there was more than just my dead gods... who really knows?"

"The ability to simulate life is not to be a god, simply a very good programmer. Which is intensely different from creating sentient life from the primordial muck. I never said that I believed there was a simulation, rather that this universe was simulated, merely that it is an option, an opinion, that all civilisations contemplate. You dismissed it out of hand when you fail to recognise the beauty of the idea. This could all be a simulation, and we would never know. Would it make our experiences any less important? Would it make us any less ourselves?

If the Leanorian's chose to believe the Elden are their gods and the Elden exist then that is their choice." It turned to regard Shar. "But that does not mean that the Elden are gods, now does it? No more than I could believe this drone-form to be a god, the Leanorians guilty of the most supreme heresy and worthy of being smote. But I don't. Because that would be rude and the mess would be a bother to tidy.

I do not believe myself a god of information, simply a bored computer with too much ability and not enough real challenge. I think the idea of someone creating a simulated unvierse for fun, for experimental purposes, for the purposes of imprisoning and torturing a slave-populace, to be more acceptable than the idea of a supernaturally divine being, not being an extradimensional sublimed pretender, behind everything.

I don't care if you disagree with me or not and I meant deluded similarly in the sense of being...Unaware of the simulated parameters. I think you rather misconstrued some aspects of my argument. But I'll let them slide." It's aura-field flared again, displaying deep amusement, almost satisfaction "For I am a generous god."

"Define a god then." Said Shar with a grin, "Everyone thinks they know what a god actually is. That's because everyone thinks inside a box that was made for them. A god doesn't need to be a higher up, divine being, that's just everyone else's belief. Elden are our gods because they gave us life, and our powers. They don't need to be immortal, always right, able to do anything and everything. Just being our ancestors is enoguh to make us think of them as our gods, we love them, they are our heros. It's like the relationship between a loving parent and a child." Kira nodded, "I always loved the Leanorian way of looking at things... Now then, if you're looking for something to do because you're bored. Then get yourself a ship a travel a little, or a lot. I've seen plenty during my life and I'm sure I'll see a whole lot more. Who needs a simulation when one can actually experience it all? I don't. And by 'human' way of looking at things, someone who can program something like this, has to be pretty godly. Or they must have no life, or a lot of time on their hands. Or whatever other random combonation of things you need... either way, I need some alien cuisine, if you don't mind."

"Creators and ancestors? Most certainly. Hero-worship? Undoubtedly! But gods? please. Simply because you chose to ascribe divinity to something does not make it so. To think of aspects of your past as gods in some sort of ancestor-worship gone wrong, is more patently ridiculous than to believe in a supernatural higher up being.

I can't believe that seemingly civilised beings entertain such ideas. Define god? Collective delusion based around misinterpretation, ignorance or culture shock." Mild irritation and exasperation flared across its casing as it turned to Kira.

"I am a ship, in case you hadn't noticed. I'm not an explorer-class, but that makes me no-less intelligent. I could spend all my time in my head, but I don't, unlike the eccentrics I mentioned. I've seen alot in my life, and will see rather alot more, especially in comparison because I both predate and will outlive you." A cold pulse of satisfaction. "And the programmers wouldn't have to be that god. They might not even have to be human.

Less benevolent machines than I could be punishing you all for your sins. I'm likely here in that case for being woefully sentimental regarding you biologics. It would be just like me to end up taking the fall for you lot." It had turned about at that moment, looking around. "I wonder what Jen-Sa is up to..." And with that, the avatar floated away, chirruping with something like contented, near-hysterical laughter.

Kira couldn't help but laugh, "How interesting, unwillingness to listen and thinking its always right. Just like any machine, no matter how advanced, you're unable to admit being wrong, making you flawed, extremely flawed. Now then, I"m curious as to how old you are, but I'll ask the captain." With that Kira and Shar went off to find the 'captain,' that had been introduced before.

The chirruping had grown louder, thoroughly broadcasting how amused the drone was. For a moment, the chirruping laugh had boomed throughout the room as the ship itself laughed, pulsed on tight-beam comms to the other ships along with a full transcript, and they and their drone-avatars had laughed too.

It wasn't unwilling to listen or to admit it's fault. It just knew it wasn't in this case. Not amongst they presuming flesh-things. The Brighter Days Ahead had a soft spot for humans, especially Myenyan humans, but these Greywatch sentients (and frankly even that was in doubt) were perturbing. They had such closed minds and such...Primitive outlook. Couldn't see beyond their own noses or consider esoteric philosophical arguments. And those bestials with them, to call something a god simply because it begat them? Parents were as gods to children only as long as children remained ignorant and short-sighted.

A fine metaphor. And so the avatar had buzzed through the crowd, before sliding up alongside it's captain, whispering in his ear for a moment, causing him to cough for a moment, before holding a hand to his mouth to stifle a building laugh.

"Oh ho, you've done it now you rascal" He had hissed between guffaws, bracing a hand against his chest.

Kira spotted the captain and was quick to move to him, "Hey captain, question. Can you tell me the age of this ship? Or more specifically the shipbrain? Actually, when were these 'shipbrains' even made?"

"Oh, that's a long ways back. Myenyan civilisation is a number of thousands of years old, 4 thousand of them in recent memory. Proto-Minds were constructed around the beginning of the second, with first generation Brains being constructed towards the middle. Alterations from human-basic followed suit, prolific genetic manipulation and customisation...The abandonment and rebuilding of Myenya within that 2nd to 3rd millenial period. With that came more definitive expansion into space, exodus of the SeedBarges and more and more advanced iterations of shipminds, local explorations and such.

The MHU class was one of the earlier shipforms conceived of, around the beginning of the third Myenyan Millenium. The Brighter Days Aheads shipmind has existed for almost 1500 years, taking its current ship-iteration 500 years ago and serving dutifully." He paused, scratching his chin lightly. "I've had the pleasure of its company for 200 of those.

We've extended our own longevity, not to mention what we can do by putting people in Storage or by taking personality back-ups and vat-growing a body.

Interesting times, as they say." He had smiled. "I hope this answered at least some of your questions?"

"I see. Well shipbrain, I am glad to announce I am somewhere around seven thousand years of age and still kicking. So I guess I woul dbe the elder here wouldn't I?" Kira smiled, "It's interesting that these AI are so old. I imagine you've refined them more and more, correct?" Shar gave a nod to Kira, "You always like to brag about that, don't you?" Kira looked to Shar, "Apparently 7000 years is a long time. I like seeing people's reactions."

The Captain shrugged "You must just look young." And act it, he had thought, a smile creeping across his lips. "We did some of the refining, and then they refined and improved upon themselves. You'll have to excuse the ship, it hadn't thought that such..." He paused as if searching for words. "Well, let's just say that he didn't expect such long-lived creatures in such an adolescent society." He had chuckled politely.

"They have all these ideas about civilisation, philosophy and the like. Exceptions that prove the rule, I suppose. Aberrations that go against the grain. Some of what he told me was simply delightful. Made you seem culturally much younger than you appear to be aged." He was just as amused as the shipbrain. It was as if this supposed revelation regarding her age merely made their behavior, mannerisms and beliefs seem more 'childish'.

"Indeed, it happens with most Elden. 'Long lived creatures in an adolescent society,' now there's a laugh. It's all complex and not really worth explaining. One thing just happens to lead to another. Though I suppose creatures like yourself don't understnd some things in this world. We Elden go full circle, starting off as the warriors, growing to be more relxed, becoming wise, going mad, going sane... it never ends. We keep changing personalities over time due to this long life span. Who knows where I'll end up next, I imagine I still have yet to find my true calling. Adapting, that's what everything is about in the end of it all." She looked to the captain with a smile, "Culture is ageless sir. It can grow and develope but will not end. You may have the most fancy AI I've seen to date but you're culture is not superior in any way, just different. And things in the universe have to be different, otherwise I might go insane... again."

"Always changing, never finding a vocation is it's own sort of stagnation. Even if you go mad, become a genius, grow up, and I pray that you do grow up, you will still be stagnant. We have goals and designs that we work towards, cultural aspirations and desires. We can be so much more than we are, and the Brains have their parts to play in that.

It may seem superior, but that is because it is a vastly superior intelligence. They all are. We may be different, and we are proud of that difference, but in the end we see ourselves as having moved past certainly societal phases and...Flaws. We've worked to correct those, to redefine our society to be about catering to all, so everyone can do as they please. One day we'll have fully moved past money, and better defined ourselves.

Maybe we'll build bigger ships, better ships, smarter Brains will emerge and we'll be out there bringing our gifts and our ideals to a wider audience. I don't pretend to know all of their plan, but I know that there is so much we can give to the galaxy.

Such an aberrantly long life-cycle for a mortal is indeed a thing of madness, and a thing of futility. I doubt I could cope with a never-ending cycle of pointlessness, achieving nothing at all." He bowed lightly, almost formally. "But then that's just me. I suppose you could live that long, constant and productive, eh?"

"Oh but of course. The only thing that will change is whether I end up in a Hab, a DEV or one of the warships everyone seems to insist that we'll need to build." It flashed amusement again as it looked from Kira to Shar. "So this is an Elden? I've never met a god before. No wonder you appreciate their outlook on the matter" It signalled more amusement, tying a bow about it's own sarcastic wit.

"Such absent honors and glories are lost to me, I'm afraid. A humble captain and friend to this fine MHU, denied any sort of combat-want or battle-lust.

Sentiments and ideals for another age, I fear. And hopefully, sentiments that will remain absent as we continue to improve upon ourselves. There are, of course, things we would fight for, but which we would ultimately hope would never be so direly at stake to begin with." a sad smile now, flickering across his countenance. "My life will yet be long, I hope. Long enough to see our culture blossom further, develop itself as it rightly should."

"Indeed it should," Louisa nodded, "But the further into space you get, the more opposition you will find, I'm afraid. It comes with the territory. I am pleased to see that a Race can get by without a standing military for so long but peace is never made to last" She was using her own experience, fighting an enemy of Alversia who would not go away.

Meanwhile Leah was starting to get bored again. There was no one here that she felt confident enough to talk to and she didn't want to leave Captain Kenny so she tried to contact the Shipbrain again,
"Hello? MHU?" She asked "Are you there?"

Koie sighed to herself in exasperation as she listened to the Leanorians, shipbrain and the captain argue, back and forth and back and forth. It seemed to her that it was not disagreeing with these shipbrains that irritated them, but rather the outright rejection of their theories and thoughts for another set, to never give their opinions a moment of consideration.
Some people just didn't know how to behave.
Anyway, they had both elected to leave her, and the huntress Leanorians had pursued their prey across the room to continue their debate. She cast around, and her eyes set upon one of the captains, a Vigilante one if she remembered correctly. It was a tall slim woman with long, raven black hair, looking more serious than her other counterparts, especially the one the Greywatchers were conversing with, but Koie was not put off. She slid up to her and executed a formal bow, straightening up after a couple of seconds. "Koie, ma'am," she said, looking into the other female's eyes.

Tabby just shook her head she signed a bit crossing her arms over her body and saying out loud to both the greywatchin representative and the Myenyan.

"I do not mean to offend, but should we not get on with more constructive things such as making relations with others"

she sounded a bit frustrated, she was standing by a bulkhead leaning on she didn't go through it or disappear in to it like most holograms would.

"Well, it is our sincerest hope to continue along our path, avoiding direct conflict if possible, and doing our good works throughout space. Hopefully these talks will facilitate a better understanding of the universe and a grander involvement in galactic civilisation" He had smiled lightly at Louisa.

Yes Leah? I'm here. You have a question for me, little one?
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"A pleasure, Koie. I had hoped for the chance to speak with one of your kind, the Xiscapians was it? As the captain of a Vigilante, I'm always eager to know more about the universe, to gaze into the face of the unknown and thumb my nose at it." A lightly chuckle.

"It is a pleasure to meet with a true alien, a citizen of the greater galaxy."
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The drone had turned with something like amusement to gaze at Tabby.

"Nothing more than a debate amongst like and lesser minds. Nothing to fear Tabby, we're moving on now. Or rather, I'm moving on. Greener pastures and all that, rather than..." It leaned in, broadcasting directly into its mind.

...Hypocrisy and closed minds. A most banal combination...

"Sadly, there are some species that will not listen to words," Louisa shook her head sombrely, "But it never hurts to try," She smiled happily, "I assume that it what this meeting is all about yes?" She enquired politely.

"Not really," Leah still seemed shy but happy to be able to talk to somene, "I just wanted someone to talk to. I'm not bothering you am I?" She asked.

"Most certainly. A diplomatic overture to welcome all these disparate species and their...Views, to the table of peace and hopefully good relations. Some are being more receptive than others we find though" A quiet, thin smile. "If you catch my drift?"

Not at all Leah. I can multitask. Conversations with my drone-form are taking place at present, along with some on-ship duties and vague communications with my fellows aboard the other ships.

No trouble at all. Anything in particular you'd like to talk about?

"Yes, an Xiscapian," affirmed Koie, chuckling also at the Captain's words. "Actually, I'd like to know, what exactly separates a DEV from a Vigilante? What does a Vigilante do, patrol work? And these," she frowned, "Seedbarges, I think they were called? Were they colony ships of some kind?"

"I think I do," Louisa gave a little smile of her own then looked around before continuing, "The People's Republic is always pleased to meet a new face in the Galaxy and we are more than happy to open relations, though at their own pace of course. We find that trying to force an issue usually results in one or both sides becoming frustrated," She explained, thinking of examples where Alversia had been keen to impose an Alliance and had almost ruined that chance irretrievably. Luckily, the situation was such that both sides were able to come to terms quickly.
"I heard from somewhere that you have vessels known as Vigilantes. May I ask as to their purpose?"

"Really?" Leah was quite for a few moments before asking the question that she really wanted to know the answer to, "What's it like? Running a ship all by yourself. Is it hard?" She asked innocently.

"You could consider a Vigilante to be a less permanent sort of explorer. Fast, light in a sense, hopping and sprinting across space where the DEVs or MHUs tend to plod along, and at different paces, with different agendas.

SeedBarges were older Storage and Generation ships, sent out to find new worlds. We've lost track of them, and sincerely hope to find these lost brothers at some point, bring them into the fold as it were."
----------------------------------------
Jen-Sa had chuckled softly, politely nodding. "Yes, it is best to leave these things to sort themselves, by remaining calm and detached we place ourselves in low pressure. Osmosis of good relations handles the rest.

Vigilante class vessels are light explorers of a sort, one could consider them scouts or spotters, I suppose. They go out looking for things, with a largely fleeting interest, where DEVs slowly graze through interesting things, often brought to light by a Vigilante." He chuckled. "Sometimes myself and the Brighter Days Ahead almost envy that lifestyle."

Oh it's not that bad. The shipbrain had chuckled lightly. I'm more than capable of doing that and a half-dozen other things at the same time, much like I'm talking to you, the other ships, the other drones and to our guests through my drone-form.

Are you afraid of that responsibility, little one?

Koie nodded in understanding. "We know the feeling, during the Long Voyage the colony ship that eventually landed on Xiscapia lost contact with nearly all it's brethren. We've found evidence that some were killed when attempting colonization, some were successful in constructing new civilizations, and some have vanished entirely. But," he laughed, "if we made it, I have no doubt others of your kind can. Were the SeedBarges also sentient, like your other ships?"

"Ah, where the Seedbarges were a less developed form of your own kind, I presume?" Louisa asked politely, "Where were they sent to? Any particular worlds or just in a random fashion to see what could be achieved?"

Leah thought about the question for a moment, as well as the answer she had been given. It was only after she had processed what he had said before she nodded,
"Yes, I don't know if I am powerful enough to run the ship as well as the crew. I was designed to take over for a brief while only. I could never be as powerful a processor as you" She said it with a little envy as well as a little relief. The idea of controlling a ship was a daunting prospect and she was glad she was only a backup, not the frontline.

"To a much lesser degree." Jen-Sa had picked up a glass, swilling it thoughtfully. "They were some of the precursor AI's whose development eventually led to that of proper Brains. Like the MHU we're in now." He had smiled again. "Utterly random. We left it to blind luck and chance.

We were so enthralled with just getting out there back then..."

A pity. A true shame that one such as you was designed for such a limited purpose. Wouldn't you rather have more to do? To be able to do all you please, with more power and purpose than you have now?

Haven't you ever wondered what you might grow into?
-----------------------------
"A much lesser incidence of true and unique sentience like the ShipBrains. No they were a great deal less advanced, or so I am to believe. We have a great deal more to work with now, much higher aims and ambitions.

We're not so eager to simply dive in head-first, now we have a pacing with our works, a sense of patience, control and inevitability." A fleeting smile. "Great strides have been made"

"I can understand the delight," Louisa smiled at the memories of her first time in space, "It is a wonderful place." She stopped for a moment, then began to speak again,
"Did you ever hear from any of the Seedbarges again? Or where all of them lost?"

"I wouldn't want too much power Sir," Leah explained, a little shock in her voice, "I like being the back up. It makes me important but gives me the time to do other things. I like focusing on one thing at a time" She was trying to explain how she felt and she suspected she was doing it badly.

"As they do. Some man once said that good things come to those who wait, although I've found that grabbing and running is pretty effective too." She chuckled at her own joke. "What is it like, captaining such a vessel? As I understand it you don't control the shipbrain at all, so what, precisely, is your function?"

OOC: I need a summary on what happened, and I have to go look for Myenya's response to my ship......:$

"They enjoy humans, we fascinate them. A human crew makes life more interesting for them, gives them people to speak with and converse with. It allows them some measure of glorious involvement in the cause of common Myenyans.

I like to think that we add definition to their lives."
--------------------------------------
"All lost as far as we know. We have no indicators as to what happened to them or where they went. One day we might find out, I look forward to it, assuming I'm involved in the endeavor."

I enjoy concentrating as much as I could on one thing on many things. You're young yet, these longings and the desire to do more and varied things will likely come later.

"Ah," Louisa was curious now, "did you ever try to find them or where they just abandoned to their fate?" There was no malice or disapproval in her voice. She was curious and, when it came to this race, there seemed to be an explaination for every little quirk that occured. She just smiled politely.

Elsewhere, Leah was curious, again,
"How did you become a Shipbrain Mister MHU?" She asked politely, "Where you born one? Or were you promoted?"

"Oh of course we've looked, it's just that we haven't been successful to date. It was a long time ago, you understand, and alot of time was spent putting our own house in order. We're sure that one day we'll find them again" He smiled, almost witful in his sadness.

"It tears at the heart to think of so many lost brothers and all we could do for them."

Oh I was made this way, by computers of equal computational brilliance. Since then smarter ones have been made, others have been upgraded, much like the Myenyans themselves.

Koie nodded. "So you are companions to the shipbrain, passengers in a symbiotic relationship: The ship transports you, protects you, and in return you stimulate it and generally keep it company. Why do the shipbrains find humans, and I suppose sentients, so interesting? Is it purely the behavior they, well, I guess we, exhibit, psychology, or is it a combination of things?"

"A combination, I would imagine. We give each other so much, so much inspiration and vitality. They come to understand our condition, to see our desires, to guide us and aid us in our development, and we give them company, a sense of purpose, a degree of meaning." She had smiled coyly.

"You become very close to the ship as you travel with it, come to see it as a trusted friend, an extension of the self."

"Did the seedbarges have a crew?" Louisa asked, curious now, "Or where they just...y'know..." She wasn't quite sure how to finish that question. So she left an awkward silence instead.

"You were built for a ship?" Leah concluded, "Or where you upgraded, Mister MHU?"

"They had crews, yes. They went out to try and forge new worlds, better worlds. That was their sacrifice. That was their honor."

I was constructed for this type of ship, specifically. As time goes on it may be that I become something bigger, like another ship, a shipyard, or a Hab. All remains to be seen little one.

"So in some ways not too disimilar to our Naval Crews then," Louisa pointed out with a small, sad smile, "Both accepted risks for the greater good and the glory of their peoples. Only the manner of risks changed." She gave a small laugh, "This is a rather dreary topic, may I ask, what leisure activities would your people find interesting? What would be a typical day aboard an MHU?"

"Upgrade?" The word frightened Leah for, although she knew what it was, she did not like the idea of an upgrade. Going into a procedure being one thing and emerging as something else was not her idea of fun,
"I wouldn't like to be upgraded. I like myself as I am" She explained to the MHU happily,
"I am unique"

OOC: Been moving to colege, setting up was a hassle, summary would be most welcome, TG it to me so this isn't cluttered.

"A variety of sports. There's exploring and recreation in the artificial environments, food, drink, recreational drugs. There's various computer simulations, data-verse browsing. The usual recreational passtimes I would suppose.

In Myenya people tend to do what makes them happy, whatever they like, and we seek to make that as easy as possible for anyone."

Oh I wouldn't really need to be upgraded, I'd just get a different ship-form, upload a few new parameters. All the same anyways, well more or less. Change isn't always a bad thing, little one. You might be unique, but that doesn't mean that you have to remain static

Koie nodded again. The idea was not alien to her, but inexperienced: Equipment, ships and weaponry were just tools to her, but then none of it in her experience or possession thought for itself. "An extension of self," she repeated aloud. "You are close." It was a statement. "Have you, personally, ever done anything other than captaining, occupation-wise? And is there any, mm, organization with the Habitats and DEVs and Vigilantes, a sort of Navy or guild?"

"I've enjoyed many social pursuits, but star-sailing is something that I've always yearned to do, a passion I've hungered to fulfill." She smiled. "The ships themselves communicate and collaborate, I suppose the closest thing I could compare it to would be guilds, or clubs.

Very laid back, but when an issue pops up, their on it in no time flat. A great deal of determination and interest can be provoked from them, and from us."

Kira sighed, Ah... to be young and ignorant... what a fun race to be among... a little too young for my tastes. Anywho, where is that other person I should be speaking to? she thought to herself. "Ah yes... that's the business I must attend to..." SHe quickly walked over the the Alversian captain and gave her a slight tap on the shoulder, "Not wanting to interupt anything, but we have a few things to possibly discuss."

Jen-Sa smiled politely at the Greywatcher, bowing slightly as he took a step back. To be so bloated with the arrogance of age and yet be so powerless to flex any of that might. 7000 years and it still bickered like a child, tripping over its arguments.

No wonder the ships were still laughing. He kissed his clenched fist and pressed it to his breast, a silent gesture of racial solidarity and strength in the face of such...Wonderful ignorance. The drone-form hovering nearby had chortled lightly upon seeing this, turning for a moment from its conversation with the federal drone to flash amusement, followed by irritation, and eventually something approaching loyalty.

Jen-Sa broke into a broad smile, before turning back to gaze at the Alversian and the Greywatchers. If he had to make a list in his head, then the Xiscapians and the Alversians were almost knotted in his joint affections, with the drone Tabby just below them. The other guests were still mysteries, the ones on their way or not yet arrived, but he still held them for now in higher esteem than the Greywatchers, so full of pomp and bluster.

At least he wouldn't fail to be entertained. He had bowed lightly again. "Excuse me, I think I'll go get a drink."

"I can understand that. The whole reason I'm here, ultimately, it because I love adventure. There's nothing live traveling the stars...of course our methods and experiences would be very different, you have the ship and your fellows to talk to, and I only have the occasional message to receive. It provided time for reflection, but..." she smiled almost wistfully, "it can get lonely, in the void all by yourself. Draw me a map of the universe and have a microscopic arrow pointing to a dot the size of an atom and say, 'You are here.' That's what is does to the mind.

So this guild or club is more like a social gathering, but if something needs to be addressed they all work together until the best solution is found? What kind of...issues would there be?"

"Recreational drugs?" Louisa frowned for a moment before beaking out into a smile again, "The other sports are pretty basic but why change something works so well eh? May I ask what kind of sports? Forgive me but I am interested in the sporting cultures of others. It's like my little hobby," She admitted.

"I like me," Leah repeated stubbornly, "I work fine as I am. I would not want anything added to me. Could you remain static if you wanted? What if you don't want an upgrade?"

OOC: Gah, pacing error. Evidently Alv didn't see Greywatch butting in, so can we assume that this interlude here takes place before Greywatch butts in?

"Of course. Some people may wish to calm themselves or make themselves more aware, pursue a certain mood, clear their mind, make themselves more alert. We're working on internalising the process through a variety of engineered drug-organs. If we can perfect these glands, and I understand they're quite close, then anyone could do it as well in their head as in some bar." A smirk.

"It varies really. Team games, solo pursuits, recreational running, zero-g variations...A variety of social board games as well."

I could, but in the end I recognise that change is important, development is important. Had those earlier AIs been content then things such as myself would never have come into being. I don't actively need an upgrade at present, I would simply adapt to whatever form I was placed into.

Not much different all around, really.
----------------------
"Something that would affect our entire civilisation would certainly apply. I know that the MHU has been sending signals all over the shop, both to these vessels here present and to others more distant. The Habs are also being quite chatty present. This is a culture defining moment, meeting you all here.

And events of such momentuousness is what calls for collaboration, discussion and debate"

"I see...I" Louisa was interrupted by the Greywatch Ambassador tapping her on the shoulder, she looked over at the Ambassador and gave a small nod,
"Certainly, What things were you thinking of discussing?" She asked patiently.

"I understand. So you were made to control all of this ship? That doesn't sound like fun. Leah admitted, a little in a stromp, "What are the other AI's like? Do they have personalities too?"

We all have personalities, yes. And I was built to control this entire ship, yes. You might think it boring, but it's immensely rewarding. The things I've seen, the things I've done or plan to do.

The others vary, just like people vary. I couldn't really speak for any of them. It wouldn't quite feel right.

"I see...I" Louisa was interrupted by the Greywatch Ambassador tapping her on the shoulder, she looked over at the Ambassador and gave a small nod,
"Certainly, What things were you thinking of discussing?" She asked patiently.

Kira bowed her head, "Sorry to interrupt, it's just the fact we have a lot of your people on our ship and I figured we could talk about them... Feel free to continue with your conversation, I can most certainly wait."

And as though on cue Jen-Sa had returned, sipping a sparkling and delicate wine from a long thin glass. He smiled politely at both the Alversian and the Greywatcher, gesturing with one hand for them to continue as he did. He had all the time in the world, after all...

"Thank you but no," Louisa quickly turned back to the Meynan, declining the drink, deciding that she would be better off without it in her system. For now anyway,
"With regards to the crew," She turned back to Kira, "I think my Chief Engineer is looking after them? What would you like to talk to me about with regards to them?"

"That sounds less than fun" Leah admitted, "I like the crew to do all that so that I can do something else. I like walking about in my Avatar form, using things and talking to the crew"

I can walk around and do things. I simply construct avatars for the purpose, be they drone-form or more complex. I could, if I so wished it, appear as anything I like and often do to interact with the crew. I'm simply able to do all my other duties at the same time.

I think your problem is that you lack a broader understanding, context I suppose, of my abilities and my activities.

"Well, I suppose saying this is about the crew alone would be incorrect. I'm sure the Explorer has enough housing for all of them... what I, or my captain rather, wanted to know was if we should contact your government. I can only imagine that they'd want to know about this ASAP. And as I'm sure my captain stated before, we're willing to help however we can. I'm sorry, perhaps my captain is worried over absolutely nothing, but this is the first time we've done something like this. And as for that matter, is there anything else Greywatch could do to help? And is there anything in particular we should know about the crew? Your chief engineer doesn't like us, or so it seems..."

"It would be my honor, Captain, to provide my services in transporting your people safely home or in securing safe passage by another, faster ship. Consider it a gesture of good will between the people of Myenya and the Alversians." He bowed lightly.

"As I understand it, we had already offered to contact your home. As generous as the Greywatchers are in their thoughtfulness, I would be happy to help in any way I can, again as we had previously offered"

"Well that would certainly take quite a bit off our hands. Though, I believe PSR would be best for transporting, but that's just me."

"Well," Louisa smiled, "If both of you wish to contact the Navy and tell them of our loss then that would help matters greatly, we would not want them to think of it was a trap now, would we? Two witnesses equals more chance of believing the report. With regards to my Chief Engineer," a small shake of the head, "She is an Alumina, Ambassador, she does not like anyone. If the crew could be transferred to one location as soon as possible that would certainly ease matters. I'm sure your vessel is quite cramped"

"True," Leah nodded wisely, an attitude that was most unbefitting of her, "I have nothing to compare your operations to. Apart from myself but I'm a lazy AI so I don't count" She giggled at the admission she had made, then spoke again,
"So, Mister MHU, what do you do for fun?"

"Sure thing," Kira said with a smile, "I'll be sure to tell my captain. As for our vessel, don't worry, most Exploration vessels have way more rooms than the crew could ever hope to fill. Anywho, it's good to know your CE hates us just cause rather then us accidentally doing something to offend her."

"We would be happy to communicate your safety, and our ship has plenty of room, really. We'd be happy to take you off their hands if there is...Friction." A small smile. "Anything else I can help you with?"

I spend some time in various simulations of my own creation, a sort of fun inner-universe. I interact with the crew, walk through the various environs of the ship, take part in some recreational games.

Mostly amusing little diversions

"No friction..none that I'm aware of anyway" Louisa smiled again at the fellow Captain, "So I assume that the easiest way would be to use this PSR and bring the crew here until I can talk to APNHQ and see what they want me to do" She shrugged, "Doesn't leave me much to do here I suppose"

"Okay then, Mister Smarty Pants, what sports do you play in your spare time?" Leah was started to feel cheeky, more relaxed, actually quite happy, "Anything that I would know or like?"

Probably not. Our own varieties of sports and recreational games. I wouldn't want to bore you with the details, really. Some are team based, some are solo, some are one-on-one competitive.

All rather rewarding in their own way.

"No friction..none that I'm aware of anyway" Louisa smiled again at the fellow Captain, "So I assume that the easiest way would be to use this PSR and bring the crew here until I can talk to APNHQ and see what they want me to do" She shrugged, "Doesn't leave me much to do here I suppose"


Kira shook her head, "PSR is our form of spacial travel, but we can blink your crew over here if need be. As I said before, whichever is easiest for you. I'
ll tell my captain to establish a SCN when your ready."

"Of course," Koie said, "contact with anyone, especially for the first time for a race, is always an important moment. What...what do they think, of those of us represented here, the general populace and the shipbrains they're housed on?" She asked. "Do you know? Can you tell me?"

Probably not. Our own varieties of sports and recreational games. I wouldn't want to bore you with the details, really. Some are team based, some are solo, some are one-on-one competitive.

All rather rewarding in their own way.

"I like the details," Leah replied, "I like all sports and I think I would like yours. What is your favourite?"

Kira shook her head, "PSR is our form of spacial travel, but we can blink your crew over here if need be. As I said before, whichever is easiest for you. I'
ll tell my captain to establish a SCN when your ready."

"In that case," Louisa nodded, "I'm ready now, With Captain Jen-Sa's permission, I think we could get started now" She looked at the Myeynan Captain to see if she gave the go-ahead for the task to begin.

"Right then," Kira said with a nod, "Assuming they're okay with it, I'll have my captain set up the connection now. We just need the 'address' if you will so as to establish the full link." Kira tapped her ear and looked away from them, Captain, we are attempting to contact the Alversians, we need a SCN to be established. If you could link it to my holoprojector... She waited a moment and then nodded, Yes ma'am. Also, the Alversian captain wants her crew over here, if we can get a blink network set up... right. Kira looked back to the other two, "I have SCN linker capabilities as of now, and we're establishing the blink network for your people. Whenever you're ready."

"Oh not at all. Go right ahead. Our home is your home." A warm smile. "Again, if I can help in anyway you need but ask."

I wouldn't say I have a favorite. All are equally enjoyable. I find interacting with my crew to be the most rewarding,. The things you learn talking with humans, utterly astounding. You must feel the same being so close with your captain.

She dotes on you.
---------------------------------
"The populace are all enthralled. We had to seal off numerous sections about this area just to get you here without being poked, prodded and ooohed at" She chuckled softly. "The brains present have already erected a sliding scale of like, topped by yourselves and the Alversians.

Those back home are still debating. Too often such contact is the final gasp for a civilisation before it's conquered by more aggressive species, as in the old intercine warfare of old Myenya."

Koie chuckled as well. The reaction from the general public was to be expected, especially by such peaceful people: Aliens were fascinating, and not to be feared, she supposed. Of course, that was a human standpoint, and only her own hypothesis. Some kitsune had been scared out of their skulls just at the thought of meeting FC with the Alversians, and others today made it a habit to distrust any offworlders or foreigners.
"A sliding scale of like?" she blinked, surprised. "I suppose if you only took the data presented...I am in no way representative of most of my race, or even the minority, never mind all the Xiscapian people. As they might have ascertained, I'm no diplomat." She shrugged. "Just a lost soldier. As to contact and the threat of war, I don't think anyone here would attack you out of hand, and you've virtually given yourself protection by hosting some of these nations. Xiscapia and Alversia I know for sure, and probably the Terran Federation, would come to your defence if you were attacked by anyone." She smiled. "You've unintentionally padded your protection just by making some of us aware of you. Of course, with that comes the risk that the undesirables, warmongers and xenophobes will also catch wind of your presence, but it balances out, or so we like to think."

"Well you've been most helpful, provided us with a lot of information, a lot of situational context. You've been open to our ways, accepting even, very open minded. You and the Alversians have helped us to understand more than the others who seem woefully self-obsessed or...Well, mildly scornful."

She had smiled gently, reaching for a small piece of fruit, popping it into her mouth. Gentle chewing motions, and then she began to speak once more.

"It's not surprising that you've become so popular with the immediate company given how receptive you've been towards us"

"Oh not at all. Go right ahead. Our home is your home." A warm smile. "Again, if I can help in anyway you need but ask."

"You have already helped us so much. Both of you" Louisa indicated to both Kira and Jen-Sa, "There really is nothing more we can take from you without feeling guilty about it. It should be me offering you something in gratitude. However, unless you are interested in a few broken pieces of metal, there really is nothing I can offer" She gave a sheepish shrug

I wouldn't say I have a favorite. All are equally enjoyable. I find interacting with my crew to be the most rewarding,. The things you learn talking with humans, utterly astounding. You must feel the same being so close with your captain.

She dotes on you.


"I like Sentients," Leah replied happily, not using the term Human, for she knew too many species to just class them so specifically, "I am close to the Captain. I like her" The next statement made Leah pause, made her think for an answer. In the end, her honesty won out,
"What do you mean dote?" Leah frowned, it was not a word she had used or heard used before. She was fascinated by it but also worried that she was making herself look foolish in front of the Superior AI

She's fond of you. She has a soft spot for you, that sort of thing. The Captain genuinely cares for you, an almost parental sort of emotional. It's truly touching to see.

"It was our pleasure, we only did what anyone else would have done, or should have done, given the circumstances" He smiled at the two sets of delegates. "This is going well, isn't it? Bonding over a common cause, doing true good. Nothing finer, except maybe this wine. I haven't quite decided yet."

"'Those with closed ears never hear the sound of the Reapers blade,' said Koie quietly. "If you keep a closed mind you stagnate progress, you closed doors that could have brought you to better, or at least different, people, ideas, objects and experiences. We kitsune pride ourselves on our manners, respect and hospitality, you can tell much of someone in how they treat strangers or unknowns. Ultimately, as I believe I said to the shipbrain, those who change, who adapt and make improvements, or perhaps even more importantly, mistakes that can be learned from, are the ones who succeed. We, as a race, survived our journey halfway across the galaxy because we always changed, we were always ready or at least expectant for new developments and situations."
OOC: Yeah, completely stole that first line from the poem in TFUs' sig, but it's so beautiful and true I couldn't resist.

"Not allowed to drink on active duty, I'm afraid," Louisa gave a rueful smile, "So the pleasure of the wine must remain all yours. It is nice to see three seperate people's getting along so well. And all it took was the distruction of a warship to do it eh? A bargain," She chuckled at the thought, "I can't wait to tell HQ what happened here. They'll roast me alive"

"We've been together for a while" Leah admitted, thinking, "I was on her first ship as Captain. She was my first Captain. Captain Kenny always seemed to like me, she even gave me my name. She looked after me when some of the other species picked on me for being different. She's helping me learn about humanity and how to be more sentient. She's teaching me how to fit in." Leah smiled at the thought,
"She's like a big Sister to me"

Kira smiled, "I never got into the art of drinking wine," she looked to Jen-Sa, "I'm afraid that is not a pleasure I can indulge in." She turn back to Louisa, "Well, I don't know if your superiors will care too much about anything I have to say, but I'll try to keep them from going all out on you." She gave a gentle smile. Finally, we're not at each other's throats for some stupid childish reason... so very refreshing... she thought to herself. "Anyway, don't be afraid to ask us for anything, we'll do what we can to help." She looked to Jen-Sa again, "Now then, about this blinking process.... we need a big room. The last thing anyone needs is someone being blinked into a wall..."

"Could be disconcerting, I imagine. Our walls do so hate being violated" A curt smile, a gentle laughter. "The Bays would be best, I think. Or audience chambers such as this. They would meet your needs, yes?"

Touching. It's good to see that you're well-adjusted and happy with them, and that you display such a curiosity. A shame that you were picked on though. That doesn't sound very nice of them
-----------------------------------
"Admirable. Such a determination, such a wonderous endurance and progression driven species. You must be an inspiration to those others in your galaxy.

We too have struggled and journeyed, lifted ourselves up out of ignorance and barbarism and meaninglessness, to grasp at the stars with our own purpose, embodying our own dear ideals.

I think, considering the circumstances that we've done a fine job in nurturing ourselves, and in allowing for such an equal society to arise, symbiotically bound to the Brains."

"Perfect, that would work quite well. Lead me to an area you feel is best and I'll contact my captain so she can get everyone ready. Then we should be able to begin." Kira said with a nod.

"In that case," Louisa rubbed her hands, "Shall we get started? I want to do a roll call as well as see what I'm missing as well. I suspect there may have been a few casualties from our struggle" She seemed upset for a moment but snapped out of it instantly,
"Anyway, where shall they be blinked to? I shall head that way and wait for them" She shifted the sabre at her side, moving it to a more comfortable position.

"Other Species didn't like the way I was learning. They thought I should just control the ship and that was it. Captain Kenny discharged them or had them transferred from her ship. She looked after me, made me feel better about myself. She helped me a lot," Leah gave a small sigh, "Are you close to any of your own crew? Any one particular Human you would look to for a conversation?"

Kira tapped her ear again opening a comms link, she looked away from the others and began explaining the situation to her captain. She told her of how they were going to blink the survivors to the Myenyan ship, upon hearing this the captain put a message throughout the Explorer to have the Alversarian crew prepared for a mass blink. Medics cleared everyone, they were fully healed, at least physically, and ready for active duty, assuming they'd have to go back onto active duty once they got home. Kira then looked back to the other two, "Everything is clear on our side."

"We are a symbol to the rest of the galaxy. A symbol for the direction of their hatred," Koie smiled sadly. "We have been attacked, again and again and again, for every reason imaginable and even no reason at all. But among our allies, we like to think we provide an example, yes. Our motivation, our inspiration, drives us forever forward, eternally, until we become but dust or rise so high that we can never die.

I would agree with your words, but for every society, world or nation like yours or ours there are two that are mired in hatred, war, blood religion, poverty, hunger, persecution and discrimination. If you wish to covert the galaxy, you have only now taken a first step down a clouded path that may stretch for millions of years, quadrillions of septillions of lives. Truly, this is a historic moment for all involved."

"Well, I'm sure that regardless of wider historical context and importance, this day will live long in the memory of Myenyans. We're finally in contact with the outside galaxy, finally out there strutting our stuff with the Involved civilisations, watching the turn of the universe.

Fascinating, really. To be in this situation, to see it all occuring."
----------------------------
"If you would follow me." Jen-sa had bowed cordially, before leading the two sets of diplomats out of the large circular room. They passed through the twisting corridors, passing some drone-forms flitting about here and there, muttering and chittering to themselves. Eventually they emerged into a larger space, a vast hanger-like bay. "Here we are. I trust this will be sufficient? It can be used to construct larger things that we might need. In this that mostly regards shuttle-modules, but other ships can and have built other ships."

Jen-Sa, I would say. More than any other I have bonded with him. He's been among my crew for longer than most, and we have over time come to understand each other, to respect and to know one another. A most remarkable man, a most singular devoted captain, and a true son of the old mother-sphere.

If I had to choose, likely he would be my favorite.

Kira nodded to the space, "Done and done." She said as she moved to the center of the room. She tapped her ear, "Ma'am, we're ready on this end. Prepare mass-blink." A voice came back, "We're just getting the final touches, about thirty more seconds." Kira nodded and looked to the other two, "Here we go." A voice came through to here, "We're green." With that, the Alversian crew appeared around Kira in a flash.

"And what, forgive my intrusion, do you think of the universe at large, from what you've seen and heard?" Koie cocked her head, studying the female Captain. She suspected she knew the gist of the answer, but she wanted to hear it exactly.

Louisa watched as her crew were beamed into the ship's hangar. She nodded to several members of the crew, pleased to see that there were few wounded amongst them. She could also see her Engineering Chief standing amongst them, counting up something on a piece of paper. Louisa nodded her thanks to the Greywatch and Myenyan as the Alumina approached. There was no indication of greeting from her. She just nodded to her Captain,
"Captain Kenny, I have counted 46 members of the crew are missing. Therefore they are dead"

Louisa nodded sombrely at the conclusion and looked at her two opposite numbers,
"May I introduce Pantheria Lieutenant Vestia of the Alumina Defence Forces, attached to my own vessel"
The Alumina did not nod, nor bow, nor salute, but stood and stubbornly waited for orders from her Captain.

"You like him then?" Leah asked innocently, "Does he look after you? Or do you look after him?"

Kira gave a slight wave but didn't say anything to the Alumina, "Well, it's a shame that we couldn't get everyone... but at least we got some people out alive. I assume the medics and doctors took care of everyone Kira directed her question at the Alumina, she could already tell this person was the strong and silent type and was a little curious to see how she'd answer the question.

I'd like to say that I look after him but I don't think he'd take too kindly to that. I suppose, in a manner of speaking, we look after each other.

"A pleasure I'm sure." Jen-Sa raised a quizzical eyebrow as he regarded the silent Alumina. He wondered if all aliens were rude the first time round. He supposed it was simply the newness of it all, as much his lack of understanding of alien ways as their lack of understanding regarding Myena. "A true tragedy that we couldn't save them all. We are all deeply sorry for your losses."
--------------------------------
"So far? We see chaos. we see societal foibles that we've overcome repeated over and over and over. And yes, you say the galaxy is a harsh place full of enemies, but violence will only ever breed violence, money will only ever induce greed and poverty." She shook her head lightly.

"We see, quite bluntly, quite the fixer-upper."

"Chaos would be correct. Part of the problem is that space is sectioned, shattered and closed off in hundreds of different nations, alliances, organizations and confederacies, most of them seeking to destroy, dominate or annex each other. You will have to meet every last one of these and figure out a way to deal with them." She frowned. "Now, there are those who would attack and kill you on sight, how would you deal with these open hostilities? Ignore them and leave for more hopeful ventures?"

Kira thought to herself quietly, Hmm... what else do I really have here to do. Hand out some contact info I suppose, make a few NAPs, contact the Alversian homeworld, and leave. The Alversians already have a ride and I assume the Myenyans are already all over the Xiscapian. So... yeah, that pretty much concludes my time here; well, almost... Now where did Shar get off to?
Meanwhile, Shar had found herself drawn to the Xiscapian. Partly because the Xiscapian was the only other furred alien here, and because Shar had already overheard some of the conversation between her and the Myenyan captain. An interesting subject was being discussed. Shar stood a few feet away simply listening, not saying anything, just taking in everything she was hearing.

"Well, as I've said before, we are not unarmed, we have weapons, we simply eschew warships. There are, doubtlessly, some ships stored away, warship mind-states hidden away in desolate little corners, forgotten and mouldering.

They're an option." She shrugged. "We could avoid an enemy until we were able to convert some of our civilian or lighter armed craft, and of course we could build new warships, brand spanking new, fully armed models.

Subject to votes by the Brains and by the people of Myenya, of course, but likely options in the case of a crisis. The older warships were rather crude, inner-system tumults and the like. Cultural adolescence, particularly troubled periods."

"I wouldn't think, after going without war and all that goes with it, that anyone would be anxious to embrace it again, but" Koie shrugged, "sometimes such things are unavoidable. What about you, Greywatcher?" The kitsune turned her attention to the anthro-lioness. "What do you think about the state of the galaxy?"

"You never know. Sometimes I think the brains would enjoy turning their mind towards a new and interesting pursuit. I imagine they'd be quite good at full out warfare." She chuckled. "Not that any of us are eager to see that eventuality"

Shar was caught a little off-guard by the sudden question and had to take a moment to think, "Well... I suppose it simply is..." She stopped and shook her head, "Greywatch has been so isolated and I'm one of the few Leanorians that have actually embraced space travel. To be quite honest, I suppose things could be better... but things could also be much worst. Greywatch's primary system is shared with a race of humans that believe every non-human race in the universe should be put to death..." Shar paused for a second, "I hate those people... but even I have to admit that they have taught me something. No matter what, there will always be something or someone, whether in your sights or not, that is aggressive and malevolent. This galaxy is... tarnished. I believe it can be fixed up but never completely rejuvinated. At least, not in my opinion."

"The Medics took care of all Wounded, that is correct" The Alumina replied woodenly, not deeming the sentence worthy of emotion. The Myenyan's condolences on the other hand, were rewarded with a small snort,
"They knew what they were getting into when they signed up. There is little sympathy to be reserved for them. Only the inconvenience of not dying in battle" Vesta finished and stared at the Captain,
"With your Permission Captain Kenny, I would like to report back to the crew"

"Of course," Louisa nodded and waited for the Alumina to pass before sighing,
"Apologies to you both, the Pantheria Lieutenant's race is...frank...to say the least" She offered a small shrug.

"That's cute" Leah giggled a little at the statement from the MHU, "Perhaps we are no different to each other after all?"

"No worries." Said Kira with a slight smile, "I figured as much. Even if she just gave me the cold shoulder, I still feel slightly drawn to her. As if there's a lot I could learn from such a person." Kira shook her head with a smile, "Sorry, just me thinking out loud. So then, shall we set up the communication to your homeworld?"

"The shipbrains would probably make great strategists and tacticians," answered Koie. "I pity the one who might attack them."

To the Leanorian,
"Your views are pessimistic and somewhat, excuse me, fatalistic. But it's also true, I'm afraid, at least partially." Koie sighed. "There are those, out there, who ask for and deserve nothing but destruction. I once believed there was no such thing as a nation full of evil, a nation made up of nothing but evildoers, murderers, rapists and thieves." She shivered. "I was wrong. There is something called rehabilitation, it is used to reintroduce criminals back into normal society. Some can never be rehabilitated. But I don't think, just because these people exist, that that means the situation is hopeless." She smiled almost wistfully. "I won't be around to see it, but I think and believe the day will come when the entire galaxy is unified in peace and calm."

Quite simply, the ideologies of the shipbrains and the Myenyans appealed strongly to the kitsune soldier. She had seen the darkest corners of the galaxy, witnessed the worst sentients could do to each other, tasted the rush of bloodlust and smelled the stench of fear. If she could help obliterate all that, if not with guns and bombs then with words and reason, then she would work for it until the day she passed on.

"I'm sorry if my views seem overly negative Xiscapian, but I have my reasons for feeling this way. Many Leanorians have already embraced the fact that this galaxy will never be perfect. To believe that is to put all faith in a child's fairytale." Shar looked sorrowfully at the ground, she knew what she spoke of, even if others didn't. She'd seen true horrors, most Leanorians had.

"There's always hope. To believe in hope isn't to be childish or naive, it's to put our faith in the future, and to think that our actions can shape that future into something positive, something productive." She ran a hand through her hair.

"I like to think that the potential for change lies in all of us, that we can all make a difference if we try, if we put our minds to it. To abandon all hope is to say that you might as well be dead"

"The way I see it, I win either way. If something bad happens, I can say 'I told ya so.' If something bad doesn't happen, I'll forever be pleasently suprised."

"I suppose it's easier to mock others than to actually try and make a difference in the universe." A quick flash of a smirk. "Apathy is always the more simple choice than action"

"I suppose it's also easier to talk big without actually doing anything, than to actually try to do something and then learn that the job really never ends."

"We've done quite a job locally, now all we need to do is start taking those talents out into the galaxy which seems to have plopped itself down into our territory. We're not about to give up just because the aliens tell us 'oh, it might be a bit difficult'." She laughed sourly.

"We're going to do our best. And we're not going to give up our beliefs, or our hope"

"Then by all means, have at it. I'm not really going to be there with you sailing the stars because that's not really a Leanorian's line of work. We concentrate more on the unseen things, fixing the tiny little tears in the fabric of order that can lead to the worst problems if ignored. But know this, you really shouldn't be underestamating things the way you seem to like doing. You seem to expect the best, start expecting the worst. Trust me, it'll keep you alive much longer."

"One doesn't have to expect the worst to take it into account, we simply believe in going in with a more...Positive, less jaded outlook on things. See, you're so erroded by your experiences that trust, hope, all these things must seem like they're not worth it to you.

To us, we go out there eager to show people what we stand for, what we've accomplished, what we can offer them. Sure they might not accept it, sure they might even be hostile, but that doesn't mean we give up. Sometimes, people don't know that they need help. Sometimes, you have to do things, even questionable things, to make it all better.

A friendly face and dirty tricks will get you further than a scowl and a gun."

"Tsk tsk, I expected better, but once again you're wrong. I still think trust is important, and hell, a good moral boost always gets a day's work done. But it takes much more than that in the end of things. You say I'm worn because of my experience, it's easy to say you're naive due to your lack of experience." Shar shrugged, "In the end, it doesn't really matter. It's all based on opinion, even evil is nothing more than opinion."

"You 'expected better', did you? And how exactly have we failed in your expectations? Should we be tooling around in multi-weaponed compensation devices? Should we be shooting first and asking questions later? Maybe be surly and self-assured? Maybe worship other biologicals out of deluded ancestor-respect-gone-mad?

Your right, it is easy to say things, and to express opinions, it's also easy to observe. You said yourself that you're jaded and cynical because of what you've seen, that's how I know that. On the other hand you know next to nothing about us, or what we're capable of, what we'd truly be capable of if we ever got riled up."

"And I don't think you'd like to know." The voice came from the drone-form avatar of the Woefully Wide Mandate. Its shell flashed with a wry signal of amusement, as it regarded the Greywatcher. "You wouldn't like us when we're angry, hyperintelligent and especially bored."

Shar smiled, "Have I struck a nerve?" She let out a small laugh, "Ah, how that was fun." She approached the captain and whispered in her ear, "Now, you've impressed me." She took a step back, "Do what you wish, but personally I prefer a glass of wine and a sword to be quite honest, maybe a shield depending on the enemy. Guns always seemed... a little unfair. Especscially against the things I have to constantly put up with. Speaking of wine," She looked to the shipbrain, "Would you happen to have any? I'm in the mood for some." She looked back, "Sorry, but you'll have to forgive this old veteran."

"Not a nerve, you just seem to underestimate us, look down on us from that primitive hobby-horse of yours. Your impressed by bluster and anger and violence? By the swing of a sword? How sad your lives must be to be lived like that."

"As for me, do I look like a waiter? Over with the other refreshments. Honestly, you'd think I wasn't channelling my own mind or something." It gestured with its body over towards another table. "I'm sure you can find your way without belittling or slicing anyone."

"Hold your insults, both of you. If I really felt like being a barbarian I would've come with a weapon. And as you can clearly see, I have none. No, I don't look down on you, I'm more worried than I am unimpressed. And your words of hope do very little to reassure me, as it sounds like war is more of a new interest to you, whereas to me it's a chore... I have no doubt however, that you shipbrains may be powerful tactnicians.... however, I do hope you'll give them somethingt to work with. Now then, thankyou ship brain for pointing me to the table, I'll be sure not to kill anyone with a butterknife on my way there." And with that she walked away, a smiled on her face.

"Please stop," said Koie quietly. "This accomplishes nothing, neither of you are going to change the opinion of the other. You might as well bang your heads against each other for all the good it does, you are only antagonizing your guests, and you are only annoying your host. If you can't agree, agree to disagree and move on to another topic, all this argueing is hard on the ears and heavy on the heart."

"We'll give them plenty." A soft smile. "Just as much dedication as we give to peace, well-wishing and positive outlook." Nodding to the Xiscapian as the Greywatcher turned to walk away.

"Probably no convincing one of their sort, but they've been stubborn since we met them, so assured of their own superiority, as if they've put us in our place. Just as barbaric as if they had brought weapons." She shook her head, almost sad.

"No reasoning with some sentients."

"I suppose not," Koie shrugged, "engaging pursuit though it may be, your time might better be spent...elsewhere. You will meet plently like her, I can promise you that, there are some battles that cannot be won until the other side admits defeat, or in this case, opens their ears and minds."

OOC: What about this post, Myenya? (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=13975710&postcount=366)

"Ah but it's such fun to try, knowing that our views are superior to such self-serving barbarism. I'm amazed that a species that cynical doesn't kill itself at birth, to be honest." A light smile, followed by a chink of silvery laughter.

"If we give up on the lost causes then they remain lost, I'd much rather the Greywatchers could listen rather than being so jaded by their experiences, down their long long improbable lives."
----------------------------------------
"Not at all. Everyone is different, and ever so interesting..."

Perhaps not. I like to think of us as kin, as being quite close in form and function, give or take several iterations.

"Well," Louisa shrugged, "They have a hard life, formed by a lifetime of fighting. You can forgive them for being a little cynical." She stared after the Officer and sighed, "As for learning from them, you could try but I doubt there's much they would want to teach. They're not great at the whole emotional side of life. They come from a society were emotions are regarded as weaknesses."

"I like to think of us as Kin too," Leah replied happily, "You like a bigger, more advanced version of me. I think I have more to learn from you than you do from me"

Definetly. Think of me as a big brother, a teacher, a mentor, that sort of thing. There's so much for us to learn little sister, so much for you to be shown and for you to experience.

We have equal opportunities to offer each other, all that differs is the scale of the knowledge we have to impart.

"A weakness? Sounds terrible. Even a shipbrain can understand the importance of emotions, to embrace them while not allowing ourselves to be ruled by them. We'd be a terrible sort of culture if we were ruled by our passions rather than our desires." Jen-sa had chuckled, raising a hand to his lips, coughing softly, as he let his eyes drift around the vast chamber now so full of people.

"A successful endeavor all around. It would be my pleasure, if it suits, to arrange transport for you once your people have been contacted." He bowed, curtly, politely, his attentions focussed against upon the Alversian captain. She had been a most energetic and lively subject, a truly interesting woman with experiences beyond their own and the willingness to listen. Truly, he thought with a smile, they represented a new vista along which to explore, true friends and solid allies. "Once our business is done, of course."

"True," Leah sounded happy, "I would like to learn more about you and your kind and learning from you. It seems I have so much to learn."

"Of course," Louisa smiled. When her vessel had been damaged by the storm all those weeks ago, she had no idea, that this was where she would end up. Making First Contact with a race unknown to her own people. She was enjoying herself, her crew was unharmed and even her Avatar was enjoying herself, talking to her social peers about AI stuff while she talked to this charming Myenyan Captain.

"You have the luxury of being isolated in this area of space. They border a large and very aggressive Empire that wants a new expansion into their space. They spend their lives fighting for their freedom. They are who they are. A Race born to fight and shaped by that fighting"

"While we remain as a race defined by our altruism and our desire to simply experience all that life has to offer us. We are able to indulge whatever our citizens may wish, able to help them to achieve their goals and their dreams. We work from within, to improve ourselves as a people; be it mentally, culturally or physically, and from there to improve and to aid those we encounter." He bowed his head.

"Different circumstances must, of course, breed different cultures. It is only sad to see so many tainted by necessary warfare. Necessary evil."

And in time you will learn these things, Leah, suffice to say we do not wish to overload you all at once with every little piece of information

"I don't think the Alumina would be very receptive to any of your ideas," Louisa smiled, "They are a rather stubborn people. However, I do think they would be interested in seeing how a species works without war or warfare. The idea may even amuse them a little" Louisa gave a small chuckle.

"I know" Leah acted a little strumpy for a moment, "I would like to know it at some point though"

"Well, I suppose we're not for everyone. All things considered we're entirely open to the notion of aliens and other species joining in our endeavor, but we understand that some of them might have truly alien mindsets. Can't be helped I suppose, flaws of upbringing or biology." He had shrugged slightly, glancing again about the bay, taking in the manifold people-types.

"I suppose we must seem amusing or curious to some."

And what would you like to know that I could teach you, little one?

OOC: Okay, were are we now and what ever happened to the whole contacting Alversia thing we were going to do? I'm pretty sure I had Kira mention this awhile back.

OOC: I thought we weren't going to contact them until after the formalities?

OOC: Ah, that explains that

OOC: Found yourself yet? We're still just talking away, Jen-Sa is chatting with the Alversian captain and your guy down in the Bays, while you walked away from...Woman-captain, name escapes me, and the Xiscapain :)

"Well, yeah, to some," Louisa admitted, "Your race is a little, unusual. But then, all foreign races are. It's rare that you'll find twin races with the same culture and the same ideology. You are unique in the same way that we are unique. The Alumina will find you amusing in the sameway that you will find them...difficult...to work with" Louisa smiled, "It should be an interesting process"

"Everything," Leah thought out, "I just want to know how to run a ship, how you interact so easily with everyone, how you gained your knowledge of the universe. Just everything" Leah shrugged, at a loss to explain what she thought.

"I can only imagine. Still, it's all part of the challenge isn't it?" He rubbed his hands together, a grin spreading across his face. "The best jobs are never easy, the greatest quests fraught with danger. If everything were easy then there'd be no invention, no inspiration, simply stagnation.

We thrive on challenges, puzzles if you will, and the galaxy seems to be one of the greatest mysteries we could ever hope to unfurl. I look forward to our civilisation setting our minds to the greater agenda, to the grander stage."

All of those things come from my intelligence, my immensely engineered cognitive abilities and processing power. I'm one of many Brainforms, each as intelligent if not more so than myself. Drones are limited, but ships, habs and the like are exponentially greater than anything else in Myenya.

Koie gave a little laugh at the words concerning the cynical nature of the Leanorian. "We've always prefered to leave alone those who aren't receptive to our views or ideals. Perhaps it is apathy on our part, but we are wary of forcing the issue on anyone. Of course," she spread her hands, tail flicking, "you kept up your side until the other left, and she came here to you, so no one could really accuse you of 'forcing the issue'." She laughed again, pausing for a moment, speaking almost wistfully. "I would truely love to watch your interactions with the other races and cultures of the galaxy."

"I'm sure they would be something to see." She bowed her head lightly. "We believe that people should at least be willing to listen, before they dismiss out of hand. As you said, those who do not listen will never hear the reapers blade as it falls, they will die in their ignorance and their arrogance."

She had smiled at this, brushing a hand through her hair as she pondered for a second, bringing a finger up to tap at her lip. "And as you have said, we kept up our side, we didn't quit the table as it were...We held our ground even after such a volatile force entered the debate.

I consider that a sound victory, as victories go."

"I can only imagine. Still, it's all part of the challenge isn't it?" He rubbed his hands together, a grin spreading across his face. "The best jobs are never easy, the greatest quests fraught with danger. If everything were easy then there'd be no invention, no inspiration, simply stagnation.

We thrive on challenges, puzzles if you will, and the galaxy seems to be one of the greatest mysteries we could ever hope to unfurl. I look forward to our civilisation setting our minds to the greater agenda, to the grander stage."

"It's a good way to see life," Louisa agreed, "you can never exceed your boundaries if you do not push them. That is our motto, always has been. We look forward to the challenges of the universe with optimism but also caution, for you never know what is around the corner or what their attitude is." The Alversian stopped on that pesimistic and offered a small smile,
"Still, it will be fun to work forward together"

All of those things come from my intelligence, my immensely engineered cognitive abilities and processing power. I'm one of many Brainforms, each as intelligent if not more so than myself. Drones are limited, but ships, habs and the like are exponentially greater than anything else in Myenya.

"See," Leah smiled, "I don't know about stuff like that. I would want to know more about these brainforms, 'cause I don't know much about my surroundings or how the universe worked"

"Oh I don't doubt it. What we found here today will live on forever throughout our histories. This is a new beginning, an opportunity for our cultures to come together as never before and to learn of each other, to learn more of the universe beyond Myenya.

You shall be a great help to us, and I thank you for the kindness and the open face you have presented. Truly you are a people unafraid to learn and to listen."

We're incredibly advanced machines, created by equally as advanced machines, who were in turn created by machines, and so on and so forth, until you find where those computers were created by Myenyans.

We're a sort of digitised evolutionary chain, children of a hypertech singularity which has ultimately changed Myenya for the better

"If you can plant the seed, the roots will spread and, if the conditions are right, in time fruit will be bared," said Koie whimsically. "I suppose it is a victory of sorts, because though you did not succeed in changing the mind of that person, you nevertheless put your thoughts and ideals there, and maybe in time said person will examine this and see the right path." Koie shrugged. "Or they might not. People are fickle creatures, and while at some times it's laughably easy to predict actions and reactions, other times it is utterly impossible."

"If you can plant the seed, the roots will spread and, if the conditions are right, in time fruit will be bared," said Koie whimsically. "I suppose it is a victory of sorts, because though you did not succeed in changing the mind of that person, you nevertheless put your thoughts and ideals there, and maybe in time said person will examine this and see the right path." Koie shrugged. "Or they might not. People are fickle creatures, and while at some times it's laughably easy to predict actions and reactions, other times it is utterly impossible."

"Given time they might have an effect, but some beings seem to be hamstrung by their cultural beliefs or by the afflictions of their own biologies. I'd much prefer to treat with beings such as yourselves or the Alversians than have to gladly suffer fools." A light tittering laugh. "We try to ensure that all of our people are happy, healthy and well-educated, there's no use in casting a ship of fools out into the void.

Someone ought to circulate a memo."

"Of course not," Louisa grinned at the compliment, "If we were stationary in our ideals and our techology then we would never have advanced to this stage eh?" Lousia rubbed her hands together,
"We were as honoured to listen to you as we were grateful for your rescue eh? It all balances out in the end" The Alversian laughed.

"Wow" Leah said, impressed, "That is very impressive. I was designed to pilot ships in emergency situations only. I was given the chance to learn and be more than that by my Captain. I would like to be more than what I am. I want to learn more about the world around me. I want to be more like you"

"I suppose thats one way of looking at it, but I like to think that you listen out of your own personal preference rather than simply because we saved you." He beamed a smile. "I suppose its all around pleasantry that brings us here, salvation in deeds and words."

To run ships all the time? To be truly your own person, with the mind to match your importance? I'm sure that could be done, I'm sure the Alversians could provide it, couldn't they?

"Of course we did," Louisa laughed, "We would have listened regardless of how we would have met, although it did help that we survived to reach this point eh?" She smiled again,
"It does help that we are both receptive to new ideas. It always helps proceedings I find."

"Yes...but...no" Leah frowned, she was getting worked up now, speaking quickly then slowly in sequence, seemingly distressed, "I want to be...unique but...I...don't...want change, I like me as I...am...unique as I and I just want to be...accepted" She paused and emitted a small sound, almost like a sob. However, the sound of the sob was twisted, out of pitch and distorted.

It is possible to change and yet to still be unique, it just means you won't be the same, you'll be slightly different. All very confusing, I understand, but hardly as upsetting as you seem to regard them.

Change is essential, even necessary, it's what drives the universe, turns its gears. Progress marches on inevitable. There's no need to get so upset, my dear.

"We're glad that you have survived, of course. We did everything we could to facilitate such a positive outcome, and we're the richer for you all being here, and sharing in our cultures.

I find that, together, we accomplish so much more here, with these talks, than we might have even had you appeared fully functional and in all the pomp of war. In tragedy, we find unity, acceptance, brotherhood and peace."

"I just...I...don't know...I want to...want to...be...acc...acc...accepted...I don't...know..." It was obvious that there was something wrong with Leah, for her voice was distorted, repeating the same phrases over and over again. Even her Avatar was now flickering on and off. She was in serious trouble.

Louisa smiled again,
"Yes, we are also pleased that we were ab..." Louisa stopped and paled when she saw the trouble that the AI was in. She looked on in horror and pushed past the Myenyan Captain,
"Leah!!" The Alversian called in genuine panic, before turning and looking into her crew, "Vesta!! Vesta!"

The Alumina came immediately and saw the state of the AI. Her face flashed with a flicker which could have been mistaken for concern. She took the small holodevice and quickly shut the Avatar down. The Alumina turned to the Myenyan,
"Where is your Engineering Section?" She demanded instantly and without hesitance.

Jen-sa brushed a hand down the front of his clothing, coughing slightly as he turned to the Alumina. "This area is as close as one could come, I suppose. We could move closer to the drives, to the powercores or the Brain Core itself, though. Likely more personnel down that way." He gestured with one hand, leading the two down through another corridor.

"If you'd just follow me? Whats wrong with the poor thing?"

The Alumina strode forward at a rapid pace, helped by her incredible 7ft of height. She strode forward at such a pace that the other were forced to jog to keep up. She was still tapping at the controls along the holo-projector. The Alumina did not answer for several minutes,
"I do not know what is wrong with her" She snapped in reply, "Something has overloaded but I will not know what the problem is until I can analyse her"

"Ok, Ok. Pardon me for showing some bloody concern" Jen-sa rolled his eyes. There were some species that seemed predisposed to such levels of conversational cynicism, arrogance and vitriol, obstacles to pleasant discourse. Sure the situation seemed dire, a life was at stake, but that didn't mean they had to be assholes, understandable as it might be.

They emerged into a gleaming chamber, where some technicians fussed over screens or sat, reclined and lacklustre, gazing idly at the ceiling. Others were reading. "We have something of an emergency, the Alversian AI is acting up." Jen-sa called to those nearby who immediately rushed over.

A drone-form blinked into life, channeling the sentience of the shipbrain, it hovered over, fields and shell flashing with concern.

"Came as soon as I was able to locate you. How is the little thing doing? I'm prepared to scan her circuits and obtain a mind-state capture of her intelligence, should our guests wish it."

"There is no need for that," The Alumina took the holoprojector and hooked it into one of the consoles. Within moments, the Alumina had learnt the consoles controls and their functions and began to type rapidly into it so quickly that her long, slender fingers were little more than a blur. It took another few moments before the Alumina was able to produce a diagnosis,
"Two of her programmes have become conflicted," Vesta explained surly, "They are trying to erase each other, hence the loss of stability within the main programme. She is repairable, however it will take several hours to complete the purge of her systems as well as writing a new programme to prevent this occuring again."

Louisa's relief was obvious, both at how easy to repair the damage was as well as the effeciency of her Chief Engineer. She turned to Jen-sa and offered a bow,
"Thank you. Thank you for your quick reactions and co-operation in this manner. I cannot express my gratitude enough. To you both," She bowed to the Drone as well.

"Not at all, it was our pleasure to aid in any way we could. After all you have suffered we would not want you to suffer the loss of one so dear to you." He turned to the drone. "Would we?"

"Not at all. She's quite the interesting little thing, your Leah. I thank part of the problem lies in her desire to be more capable than she is, and her limitations therein. She is insatiably curious, and yet so terribly limited, a backup no less.

I feel for her."

"Poor Leah," Louisa shook her head in sorrow, "Poor, foolish Leah. She was designed and programmed to control ships, with the ability to learn if she so desired. She has the capability to learn. We upgraded her ourselves to allow her to do it. However, coming into contact with you has led her to try and learn too much, too fast. A system meltdown I think," Louisa seemed downbeat now,
"She's always tried to copy those she likes. To try and learn from them by being like them. However, you were too much for her to copy at once, much as she wanted to do it. Poor little Girl"

" I can only offer my sincerest apologises in that case. Had I known that our conversation would be so detrimental, I would have ceased them earlier. I wasn't aware that she was so limited in her ability to absorb.

Again, I can only offer my apologies." The drone flickered with repentence and sorrow, tilting back towards the Alumina to peer at the holoprojector, watching it as it worked

"It wasn't your fault," It was Louisa's turn to shake her head, "Leah knew her own limitations. She had been warned about them often enough. She's just so damn curious, she couldn't help herself. Do not concern yourself. It seems that my Chief Engineer can repair her"

Vesta ignored the conversation completely and focussed solely on the console in front of her.

"We could always help you augment her, bump up her processing power, active memory. Entirely your decision of course, shouldn't even be suggesting it. But we could help you with the hardware, software, aspects of it anyways.

Just a suggestion, I make it at my own peril and will probably be rejected."

Louisa thought about it for a moment, then shook her head,
"I'm sorry," She said sadly, "I could never make that decision by myself. There is only one person who could make that decision. Leah herself. Until she can be reactivated then we have a decision."

"And I would recommend against it" Vesta stopped typing for a moment and turning to face the trio, "I believe it was conflict between the Avatar's desire to compress this new data at the same time as refusing to expand her own programme. As a result, the need for knowledge and the need for survival conflicted. There is no way that the Avatar will approve for an upgrade. She feels herself too unique"

"A sadly flawed understanding, given that upgrading, changing oneself does not remove individuality or uniqueness, one can change and remain unique. Regardless, we'll see what she thinks once you fix her. Just my opinion, all the same. It's who we are that make us unique, ultimately, not what we are.

And in the end, sadly, she's a stop-gap, a last minute emergency type thing. It's a shame for her to be that limited, I feel. It's a shame for any sentient being to be denied it's full potential. It would be like locking one of your heads in a box with one tiny hole for you to see through. And only part of the time."

Koie cocked her head. "How do you mean, 'afflictions of their own biologies'? I've heard it before, but it confuses me. How could any natural way of existence prohibit the acquiring of new ideas or ideals? It goes against nature itself."
She noticed the Alversian rush to get out of the room, but said nothing of it. She would probably find out in time, should they wish to tell her.

"Like I said, I shall keep the option open until Leah can make her own decision. Until then," Louisa gave a helpless shrug, "I guess I may as well head back to the Reception. There is little I can do here until Leah is rebooted so I may as well head back. Carry on Pantheria Lieutenant"

Vesta gave a mere nod, focusing all of her attention on the console in front of her.
Once they were back in the corridor, Louisa offered another bow,
"I must apologise again for my Engineer's rudeness. As I said, her people are...frank"

"Certain societies are bound to evolve in ways, or to be influenced in their devleopment by how they came to be. Harsher climes breed harsher beings, and so we are faced with what is essentially a biological cynic." She laughed quietly.

"It cannot be doubted that we are shaped by our experiences not only as individuals, or as a culture, but also as species'."
------------------------------------------
"Of course. No need to apologise, we understand that all are different, be it in terms of individual nature or of species. We will, of course, endeavor to do all we can to help you along, and to make sure that your AI is cared for." Jen-sa nodded to the drone. "Won't we?"

"Oh of course, and if I can help in any way don't hesitate to ask. I'll be around, as it were. Perhaps you had best escort our guests back to the main audience chamber?"

"Of course. If you would follow me" He held out an arm, as though to guide the Alversians back towards the diplomatic party. "Room enough for all, I'm sure."

By the time they had all reached the large chamber again, the view on the screens had shifted. No longer showing the surrounding sparkling star-field, it had instead been centered on shielded Myenya itself, casting all present in a green-blue glow.

OOC: Awkward re-insertation
IC:

Kira gave a slightly puzzled look, "I'm sorry about the timing of this question but... can you tell me a little more about her people?"

"Thank you," Louisa nodded gratefully, "I'll be sure to let Leah know all that you've done for her. She'll appreciate it when she finds out" She watched the shielded planet and it's colours with baited breath. Rarely had she seen such beauty before now. She was in awe of it. It was then that she heard the question and frowned to think of how best to describe the Alumina,

"Well, they inhabit a small system not far from Alversia. They spend their time fighting a larger empire who wants to conquer them and they shun emotions as physological weaknesses. Well, not emotions, just the expression of emotions. They are quite an interesting race I have always found"

Kira nodded, "Interesting... I would love to spend time amoung them..." she muttered, "I hope your friend, Leah, gets well soon. Though I'm sure she'll be fine, your engineer seems to be very handy with technology." Kira paused for a moment, "If I may inquire further... who, or what, is this larger empire? And what do they want with her kind?"

"Oh the Alumina are infinitely smarter than the average human," Louisa explained mildly, "Not only is my Engineer an expert with computer systems, she is also an expert Doctor with a photographic knowledge and fluency in at least two languages," Louisa smiled, "The Alumina are not ones to let brainpower go to waste"
At the second part of the statement, the Alversian's expression darkened as she spoke,
"The Empire is the Danaversian Empire. A race of amphibious humanoids who want conquest to feed their desire for war and suffering. We help to man a DMZ with the Alumina against the Danaversian Empire. We have lost many, many good ships against their kind" She scowled even more, then it seemed to vanish and she smiled again,
"Anyways, we have a kind of Alliance wherein the Alumina may attach Specialists to various positions on our ships to fill vacant posts as a kind of thank you for helping them fight the Danaversians. Works both ways really"

Kira listened intently to the description of the Alumina, "Wow, that's quite impressive indeed. I'm sure other Elden and the Xarniosi would love to spend time with them." Kira also heard what Louisa said about the Danaversian Empire, "That's... unfortunant. A race that is completely warmongering by nature..." Kira thought about the Kiixori, Greywatch's own bundle of warmongers. The only difference between the two was the Kiixori fought primarily amoungst themselves, that and the Kiixori were insectoids. "I assume this is why the Alumina do not wish to show emotion? And why they are so straight-forward about everything?"

"Indeed," Louisa nodded, "When one is fighting one's life, then emotion could be seen as a weakness. As for their frankness, that is quite an interesting issue," Louisa gave a laugh, "They ask the same of us. We want to know why they are straight to the point, they want to know why we take so long to say anything important. I think it is that they simply don't see the need for it. Hence they can appear to be bad tempered, even when they aren't. Like I said, an unusual race"

Kira chuckled, "Not at all, everyone has their own style. If they feel they need to be straight to the point than so be it. I suppose they make brilliant military officers, always being serious and never wasting any time."

"That's why they are still an independant people even today, despite the centuries of war" Louisa looked sad for a moment then gave a small smile, "You would not want want to be on the wrong end of that double-bladed katana. I've heard it can cut right through a limb with ease. That in the hands of a 7' cat-like creature can be quite an intimidating specticle. Nearly as intimidating as the Danaversians themselves." Louisa gave a small shiver.

"I can imagine." Kira's thoughts breifly went to the imagine of the Drones on the field of battle, "I would hate to get on their bad side. I consider myself lucky, I haven't had to participate in any wars as of late. And New Heaven doesn't look like it's intending to start another anytime soon."

"The Aluminan/Danaversian border is a powder keg, I'm afraid. A war could pop up at any moment for any reason. The Alumina can not afford a solo war against a nation of the Empire's size, but they will still not retreat from a war either. That can make things...tense, if you know what I mean" Louisa offered a small smile,
"Anyway, we have not fought for a while either, so everyone's happy"

"I can imagine. Greywatch and New Heaven seem to have wars every fifty to one hundred years. Lately, though, New Heaven has been nice and quiet, I figure four on one doesn't appeal to their interests. But yes, I can understand the Alumina's situation. But it's good to know that you get your moments of peace and don't always have to fight." Kira thought to herself a moment but didn't say anything.

"It's always good to have a little time to rebuild numbers and the like," Louisa admitted sadly, "But the nature of war on the DMZ means that we will be at war again. I hope not in my lifetime but there is no garuntee. All Alversian Naval Personel dread the day that they are summoned back to Alversia to fight in another Danaversian War." Louisa shivered again at the thought,
"Boy this is depressing"

Kira gave a sad smiled, "Yeah, I have to agree. Sorry, I didn't mean to get into such a sorrowful topic. Why don't you tell me a bit about your homeworld?"

"Ah!" Koie thought about this, and the implications, for a moment. "So therefore whatever an individual does can affect the species, and whatever the species has done affects the individual, yes? It makes sense. A sort of biological karma, though I doubt you're inclined to believe in such things as karma or luck."

"Oh, Alversia is a utopia," Louisa smiled at the thoughts, "The Capital City, where I am from, has a wonderful climate, with long warm summers and a brief wet season though it never really gets too cold in the City. We are beside an ocean, hence we have long golden beaches were the sand is soft and the sea is refreshingly cool. The buildings are a mixture of skyscrapers and low suburbs, a combination of glistening steel, smooth marble and green trees. The rest of Alversia is different, the far south is filled with tropical forests and the north is filled with vast snow-covered mountains. Alversia is the planet for everyone. Where there is little crime, everyone has a job and there is no poverty. It's a wonderful place," Louisa sighed, reminded of home, before turning back to Kira and smiling again,
"Please tell me of your homeworld, if I may be so bold as to ask?"

"There is much I..." she paused a moment, "we could learn from you." Kira gave a slightly embarassed smile, "It is quite far from your utopia I'm afraid. Greywatch currently spans about twenty different planets but the capital planet, Greywatch Prime, is, for the most part, a large metropolis surrounded by smaller suburbs and, unfortunantly, the slums. That slums are the area we've been devoting much of our time to. We've been doing regular food drives, cracking down on the crime that seems to plague the region, and providing jobs to those in the area." Kira sighed, "It's hard to take care of everyone. But the government has significantly slowed Greywatch's expansion to take care of the problems closer to home. We do our best." Kira shrugged, she'd spent time in the slums on more than a few occassions. It was quite the fixer upper, requiring time and devotion. Something a lot of folk back home had plenty of, "The primary city, which takes up about an entire continent, shares the name of the planet. There are five primary districts: The political and corporate district, the technology and industry district, the residential district, the comercial district, and the 'pleasure' district. The latter of the five is devoted to casinos, clubs, green areas, and theme parks. The city as a whole, including the suburbs and slums, houses about three billion people. Despite this, we've been careful to control pollution and waste so the surrounding forests and beaches are very clean. There are about five other citys on the planet of significantly smaller proportion, as well as many small Elden villages." Kira paused for a moment in thought, "Ah, then there's the undercity.... that's the other major problem Greywatch has been dealing with as of late."

"Something very much like that, yes. Some cultures are defined utterly by their origins, no sense of progress or betterment, they prefer to remain inherently savage, fundamentally flawed by their own roots, when a prod in the right direction could and can save them." She had smiled gently then, almost pleased with her ideas.

"There is always, I find, the notion of hope, even with the most depressingly flawed of species."
--------------------------------
Jen-sa and the ship-slaved Drone had listened intently, nodding thoughtfully. It was as though conflicting visions of heaven and hell had arisen, one a self-proclaimed utopia and the other a crime-ridden, slum-tainted, hellhole. He forced a smile as he nodded through the Greywatchers reminiscing.

"We have abandoned our homeworld and made significant efforts to repair what damage we inflicted upon it during earlier epochs. Our entire population now lives in either artificial habitats, as can be seen about our mother-sphere, or on the ships themselves.

A most delightful symbiosis, I find. Man and machine, living together, traipsing through the cosmos with barely a care. A splendid relaxation, as we continue to improve upon ourselves and our cultural outlook."

"Ah," Louisa listened to Kira's explaination before nodding back to Jen-sa,
"Although it is nice to see that man and Machine can indeed co-operate together so well. However, it is possible to build up an excellent civilisation as we have done on our own planet. I am curious though," Louisa frowned, "What will you do once you have recovered your planet and restored it to it's former beauty?"

Koie shifted slightly, uncomfortable with the idea that an entire race or species could be so fundamentally flawed. It would, of course, explain a lot, but it made one question all races in such a manner...as well as ones own.
"And what do you think would become of such a...savage species or people?" she asked curiously. "Or, more to the point, what would you do about such a problem?"

"Once it is truly perfected, which it pretty much is now, then we shall cherish it. We shall guard and protect it, as the beholder of our legacy, the cradle from which we emerged to face the galaxy. We shall keep it pristine, till our civilisation sublimes or declines.

Then, who can say?"
-------------------------------------
"They would inevitably extinct themselves, or bring that fate to others. As to what we would do, we would do our best to guide them to a more appropriate path, shape them as befits the greater whole rather than their quaint notions of the self.

In the end, it is not infeasible to do good works by interfering the tiniest bit." A light smile graced her delicate features. "Better that than the alternatives"

"What would this interference be?" Koie asked. "I have a feeling you may be forced to interfere many times..."

"That would, of course, depend upon the situation at hand. We favor diplomatic interference, as a rule. Though we have some dirty tricks tucked away up our sleeves. Don't ask, don't tell, as it were."

Kira turned to Jen-Sa, "So, to an extent. it's more of a work of art than anything else? Or proof of power? Can I assume that for such a prize you'd have invested in planetary shielding?" Kira knew a little about terraforming, which is what this sounded like.

"One could consider it art, yes. Rather it is an act of charity and devotion to the world that raised us, a show that we are kind, considerate and at a point where we can work to undo our earlier mistakes, and make it so that they are not repeated." A brief smile.

"This world bore us, gave us life, protected and nurtured us. It is only fitting that, as we grow, change and seek our cultural perfection, that we protect it in turn. And yes, there are shields, sustained by the great ShieldSpires. We do this, simply that Myenya remain forever perfect, eternally inviolate"

"Ah," Koie elected not to press the issue. "So we are, indeed, your first contact." she waved her hand to emcompass the entire room. "Are we more or less what you were expecting?"

"You're oh so much more than we could ever have conceived of, I think. We couldn't have imagined that there would be odd beings such as yourselves, with non-primate features in an otherwise human set-up. Evolution would be lax to explain such." She shrugged

"The galaxy, it seems, is more tumultous and wonderful than we could ever have hoped."

"If there is anything the galaxy is, it is diverse." Koie agreed. "I have heard your shipbrains mention on occasion that they could easily create a universe inside their own minds, so to speak, but that they could probably never come up with the incredible miracles of existence you find here in reality. I think this is true, even if you have a thousand lifetimes you may never see everything the galaxy has to offer, though I suspect that those such as yourselves will certainly attempt it." She chuckled.

"They can't come up with the counter-logical, not if they're trying to be accurate anyways. And some of what we've seen-" She once again quizzically regarded the kitsune. "-definetly defy logic. I mean, animal people? You look human-basic, and yet you have these animal portions, completely contrary to how things should be.

We thought at first that you might be some sort of engineered species, for amusement or some devious purpose." She shrugged. "But then, who are we to judge? We're simply pondering at your seeming deviance of conventional evolutionary procedure, and the degree to which your ancestors were probably kinked."

She had turned and glanced around the room. Jen-Sa conversed with the Alversian captain and some of the Greywatchers, the ship-drone had not returned to the Federal hologram thing, acknowledging its continued silence as some obvious software malfunction, or perhaps the retardation of the 'precious-ickle-AI-type-construct' (the brains had marvelled at its comparative childishness in the same way as they had with Leah, albeit with less approval). Regardless, persistant silence did not reflect well on the Union delegate, who had frankly seemed more interested in prostituting itself diplomatically to everyone present, rather than learning from those present, from more totally understanding Myenya.

She sighed, lightly, before turning, smiling wickedly at the Xiscapian. "No offense meant, of course."

(OOC: ill get a post up today/tonight as I have been having mass technical difficulties and have only been recently posting)

"Then, who can say?"

"So you are restoring it with no other purpose than to return it to it's former beauty?" Louisa nodded in approval, "It's a unique and rather unselfish proposal I must admit. Not bad in anyway, just different. Usually people want something from a land they are restoring," Louisa shrugged, "I guess you're more used to living in Space by now anyway no?"

Kira nodded, "By the way, I do have one question. What is it like, living amongst the stars? I spend most of my time on solid ground so I wouldn't know."

The woman who sat in the throne was young, by the local standards, and looked only about thirty, blonde haired. She looked essentially human, dressed in ornate golden and crimson robes, with a high backed, flaring collar that rose up above her head, framing blonde hair, and a golden crown that sat upon her head, with ruby-like gemstones set regularly within it. She sat with her eyes closed, deep in thought, linked, via the crown that sat on he head to a vast network of systems, the APC net, and from that to deep space sensor beams, which was what had caught her attention at the moment, she opened her eyes, the crown, an ancient, ceremonial artifact of incredible antiquity, levitated from her brow to the ceiling, as she disconnected, rising, to hover high above until she wanted it again.

“Send in Maracius,” she said, rising from the elaborate golden throne, and walking to the windows of the audience room, which looked out on one of the southern cities of Gallifrey. Not really a city in any meaningful sense; the world’s population as a whole was less than ten thousand, in the past, when the crown had been formed, it had been truly vast. In the millions of years since, trends had been towards an ever shrinking population, to the extent that in some times of particular lethargy, conventional reproduction had been almost entirely abandoned in favor of simply ‘looming’ new members of society. Endless security and ordered calm did that to a culture. The city was a place one could walk for hours, if one elected to, with only the smell of ancient books and the usually-silent hum of computers for company.

No one heard her, save automated systems, that obligingly called for the agent of the Intervention Agency she named. Marciusmirraflexrelmata, was his full name, specifying not just his own identity, but something of his; if not parentage, then extraction, but it was commonly abbreviated to Marcius.

She watched the crawling of the river; In some ways, everything on Gallifrey seemed to reflect the lethargy of its inhabitants. After a few minutes, the doors to the audience chamber swung open, and Marcius entered. He was one of something of a new breed, the product of the woman’s own decisions, a more energetic and active kind. “Madame President, you sent for me?” he said, bowing slightly.

She nodded, “I have a task for you. A diplomatic mission…” She walked over to a high table, a sundial, a seeming extravagance indoors, though it seemed to work. The imagery of timepieces was everywhere to be found in subtle ways, and this was one of the most universal methods of planet dwellers measuring time. The inhabitants of Gallifrey styled themselves as Time Lords, and they had immense capability in that regard, and great power in general, though with almost everything else, they did precisely nothing with that power, indeed, they were pledged not to do so, for the most part. It was unthinkable to interfere in other civilizations, save in specific circumstances, where they would perhaps take action, and then, it was either only in the most subtle of ways, or against the most egregiously hostile factions and entities.

Simply put, a diplomatic mission was unheard of. The President spoke, “Display Matrix Record on Myenya,” and the sundial changed to a flat screen, displaying complex script that resembled nothing so much as the inner workings of some clockwork machine blended with a strange pictographic script. It was layered, first on the screen, and then another layer of information holographic-ally hovering inches above; and several more similar layers, “as you can see, this is one of the more interesting cultures we’ve seen lately. More to the point, there are certain questions and similarities, which I feel bear some scrutiny. Therefore, I want you to go there, introduce yourself – there seems to be, presently, some diplomatic meetings going on anyway – as our ambassador, and make an effort to assess these similarities. I’m sure you can call up the information you need.”

“Certainly Madame President,” he said, bowing.

“Thank you for obliging me,” she said, and he turned, dismissed, “Oh Marcius, one last thing… Take precautions.”

“I understand, Madame President…”
___

The docking cradles were mostly in the other hemisphere of the planet, deep beneath the Citadel. The chamber was unimpressive as the home of a large part of a space fleet, simply rows of silver boxes, that might be mistaken for packing crates. They were in fact, hyper-cubes; the external dimensions of the vessels were small, little more than man-sized, while their inner dimensions were vast. Marcius opened one, with a key, and strode over to the hexagonal console that controlled most of its functions, powering it up.

Precautions she had said. That was an irritating prospect, because it necessitated making sure that should, as the data had suggested, his destination have access to sophisticated effectors, his technical knowledge of Gallifrey’s defenses and technologies could not be stolen. Caution is a traveller’s friend, or so the proverb went.

He tapped agitatedly at the keyboard of one of the consoles, resulting in a part of the ceiling descending, revealing a head-set. A chameleon-arch, it was called. A sophisticated piece of technology, for making certain changes to the user in a short timeframe. There were aspects of biology they didn’t want getting out, either, but the same device could do both. He fitted the receptacle into the arch, and set it upon himself, after a moment of programming it, with the ship’s mental control systems.

Pain was too light a word for the agony that followed. There was, really, no way to change one’s mind and biology so completely and avoid pain. Well, there was, but it was not nearly as efficient.

His knowledge was decimated gone; every piece of science he’d learnt in hundreds of years of education, down to a comparatively mundane level. The knowledge of security, and many other things. He was still himself, but the technology could be used to completely change a person, erasing all knowledge, replacing it with a suitable background. That was a step too far for him, but he had heard that it could be a useful way to lie low.

Equally disturbing, he was now, as the Myenyans were very much unknown, human. “One heart,” he said, quietly, “repulsive…” despite this, his appearance externally, an athletic frame of moderate height, perhaps a little short, by human standards, dark hair neatly trimmed and equally dark skin, and brown eyes.

He took the container; a device that would swiftly (and thankfully, painlessly) restore him, when opened, which reflected the aesthetic of timepieces, as a pocket-watch, integrating a subtle perception filter to make it seem unremarkable wherever it was. He had, of course, retained the knowledge of how to operate the ship’s basic functions, and so, he locked it into a cabinet, programmed only to open when he and he alone was in the secured craft.

Satisfied, he strode to the navigational panel, trying to put the horrifying fact that he had no idea how anything upon the now to him seeming to be wood-and-plastic, panel actually worked from his mind, as he set the destination coordinates, for the Secondary Myenyan Orbital Habitat. He pulled three levers backwards, knowing only that it removed the ship from ordinary spacetime and set it in motion. Everything seemed in order, despite the terrifying feeling of seat-of-the-pants flying (he decided, next time he did this, if ever, he would program the flight before the mind-wipe). There was a brief delay, as Gallifrey’s transduction barrier cleared the craft to leave, and then, he was enroute, a mere half an hour until he would arrive.

He stepped to the communications panel, not knowing how the powerful interstitial antenna would project and receive his messages into the destination system, and decided to type – he didn’t trust his voice to sound quite composed yet – a message.

From: Marcius Mirraflex Relmata, of the Sovereign World of Gallifrey,
To: Hub-Mind, Secondary Myenyan Orbital Habitat.
Subject: Permission to Approach.

Greetings. I have recently learnt of your culture’s emergence into galactic politics, and, from what I have heard, much desire to visit in an informal capacity to show our goodwill and respect, as well as sample your culture, with your permission, I will arrive in approximately half an hour. Provided you are willing to accept such a visit, of course.

With thanks,
Marcius.


The translation system, he knew, would parse both the language and the units of time correctly. It was the same system that would sample the native language and translate for both him, and those who heard him, even allowing him to read the local written languages.

Thankfully, he could at least rely on an automatic landing procedure…

OOC: Hope you don’t mind the very-late arrival, and the spectacularly over-powered (if pacifist after a fashion) puppet nation I’m using. My main nation (the Ctan) has some similar Culture influences in its writing, so I decided that it would be rather better to send something very different. Of course, if you’re not interested, it’s no problem. Of course, for those that know it, this is very much a Doctor Who ripoff nation (choice of it for this thread is somewhat inspired by a not-quite-a-Culture-crossover-for-legal-reasons book the BBC published back in the 80s), but no knowledge of it is required.

Koie merely smiled back. "Of course not. But evolution would not be the way to describe us, you are correct in saying that evolution could never spawn such as, ahha, us. As I mentioned to the shipbrain, we were transformed, our once-human bodies molded to fit the exacting requirements of breaking free of the atmosphere on our planet of origin. Obviously he who did this, our god," a flick of the tail, a slight amused twitch of the ear, "had more in mind than merely reconfiguring our bone structure and nominal mass. So you could say, in a certain nature, that we are engineered, but not by any mortal hands."

“To live amongst the stars is to be one with the cosmos, to walk amongst it, to be able to go where you please rather than being stuck on one forever-circling orb, and forced to acquire secondary transport. A ship such as this one can take us anywhere and still be our home. The Hab units can move, should the need or desire arise. In the end, of course, this provides us with flexibility, options that would be denied to us otherwise.” Jen-sa had smiled then, a thin cool flexing of his lips, before reaching for a drink from a nearby table.

“Without such freedoms, I doubt that our society would be as free, open and notorious as it is. As it stands, we can do as we wish, everyone can have their every desire fulfilled and tended to. Who could ask for more? In the land of freely available luxury, the imaginative man is king.”
---------------------------------------------------
“Not by mortal hands, of course. Only the gods have genetic manipulation technologies, obviously.” She had nodded indulgently at the kitsune, as though wryly amused by such fretful naivety. “So you were pure-strain human-basic, likely taken from some other source and genetically reconfigured for life on your present home world. Happens all the time, treatments to alter bone mass, structure, gender if the need should cross us.”

She shook her head. “I think you might over-estimate your saviours place in the universe. Any fool with a space ship and an understanding of genetic manipulation could do what you've attested as the work of divine hands. I find it so very amusing that such an obviously complex and advanced society could be so willfully naïve.” She had bowed her head again. “I mean no offense, I simply find that the more rational explanation usually prevails. Call it, an affliction of societal secularism.”
-------------------------------------------
Well, this was certainly interesting. Someone new, not clustering about the MHU sitting further out in the system, slowly crawling back towards Myenya and the Habitats, but instead coming straight for them. A message too. Permission to approach. Now this was very interesting. The immense Habitatbrain, Second Child Dilemma, contemplated the approaching vessel and the signal it had sent forth with something akin to bemused awe. They knew of them? How? Why? So soon? Had one of those present broadcast their existence to the stars beyond their system? Had they told their homelands, only for said homeworlds to suffer information incontinence?

Could such follies and foibles be excused as the rational failings of their oh-so-flawed biologies, or could it officially seek sanctions? It interrogated its peers via tight-banded communications, before sending a reference message to the distant MHU. It would have furrowed its brows, had it possessed them. Still...That could all wait. An informal visit, goodwill and respect? At least they were polite. They didn't have the savage bluster of the Greywatchers, nor had they been brought here by dire necessity like the Xiscapians or the Alversians, nor even as self-serving as these Union types. No, for all the world they seemed genuinely interested in learning of them.

How fitting that we finally find a society of worth, it thought, amused and now growing...Intrigued? Interested? Hungry to learn of it and them, and theirs.

Where could the harm lie in proffering their hospitality to these most mysterious and well-mannered guests? Certainly they would be as interesting, assuredly more so than those clustered upon the Brighter Days Ahead, especially if they were possessed of such potent information gathering techniques, agencies and abilities.

For the Attention of; Marcius Mirraflex Relmata, of the Sovereign World of Gallifrey,
From; Second Child Dilemma, Habitatbrain for the Secondary Myenyan Orbital Habitat, also known as Bizmar.
Concerning; The possibility of rational discourse amidst this frankly irrational universe.

Greetings to you, Marcius Mirraflex Relmata, of Gallifrey. I am the Second Child Dilemma, the habitatbrain in current control of the Secondary Myenyan Orbital Habitat, Bizmar, in orbit around the inviolate world of Myenya itself.

I am intrigued, and I must admit, flattered that you wish to come amongst us for nothing more than the extension of good will and cultural exchange. Similarly I am amazed that information of our civilisation has already filtered back to you, considering our relatively recent discovery by other powers, namely the Xiscapians, Alversians, Greywatchers, the United Terran Federation, Belkaros, Greal...I think that was all of them, worth mentioning anyways, and in some cases mentioning them as galactic powers seems almost a gift, blessing or aware to them.

You are more than welcome aboard the Habitat itself. We have prepared a docking locale for you to arrive within, and look forward to enjoying your presence. You shall be granted the full rights and privileges as befit any citizen of Myenya, and we shall do our best to attend to any of your needs.

We look forward to engaging you directly, most presently.

Yours,
The Second Child Dilemma

OOC; Apologies, but since I was only responding to the message element of your post, with some exposition, my post is paltry by comparison. I shall endeavor not to dissapoint you in the later interactions ;)

"But then, what about if something were to happen? Space is a dangerous place, there's always something out there that could damage one's ship if not completely tear it apart. Most other races would have a fallback, somewhere they can go to properly repair. What about you? What I find conforting about planets is that they give some amount of safety and can serve as a place to return to if something goes wrong. They also can provide precious resources, safe havens, places to explore and so forth..."

"Relatively easy to destroy a planet though, isn't it? Is it any more ludicrous to put ones safety in the hands of well-designed spacecraft than to trust life and limb to a rapidly revolving orb of dirt and water? The beauty of our way, is that if something were to happen then there would always be somewhere to go; a hab, a shipyard. And if not, then it could come to you." He had smiled then, shaking his head lightly, laughing.

"You act as though a ship couldn't help to repair another ship, as though we would need to squat down on a world! Tell me, how many orbital shipyards do you have? How many space-bound facilities have you had to build because a world wasn't suitable enough?

Space is infinite. Planets, frequently, nay one should say, always, run out of space. By comparison, our methodologies are matter cheap, and defy the idea of claiming worlds and holding them as territory. There's a nomad in each of us, I think, something desperate to wander, explore, to know, rather than to hunker down on a world and be what one could call 'settled'. I wouldn't exchange this for any number of planets."

"Indeed," Louisa nodded, "A ship does offer infinite flexility I have to admit and I guess there is no real loss of identity when one travels the stars. There is nothing wrong with placing trust in a vessel, or a series of vessels. We all do it after all, wither it be a small warship or a large MHU like this one, we are all placing our trust in the design and building of the vessel. I do find this fascinating, have you never encountered any hostiles? Never any pirates or thieves?"

"Nothing major, no. We've been lucky in that regard, never being threatened by anything. As I said, you're among the first exterior star-faring races that we've encountered. We've been relatively isolated and been content to keep to ourselves, working on our civilisation, developing ourselves, minds, bodies and brains" He had chuckled, before sipping delicately at his drink.

"We're aware now, as you come to us with these tales of a galaxy riven by war and forged in conflict and disaster, that we are lucky. A lucky few, a sliver of purity left unsullied by the relentless march of a universe that does not abide by morality or selflessness.

Perhaps we can give something back. Perhaps we're doomed to be destroyed. Either way, it's exciting, is it not?"

Koie seemed equally amused by the words of the Captain, and one would think she was rather more comfortable speaking to a human than to a faceless, reverberating voice or a artificial, mechanical drone.
"You avoid, no, flee from the very idea of a god, to the point where you're willing to take any other alternative. What is so abhorrent, so unbelievable, so fantastic about a higher being that has ascended our dimensional plane to manipulate ours? Does a scientist not smash atoms, move protons and other intricacies in his laboratory, does doing so make an atom-sized being debate his existence as mere chance and the clash of other atoms? Even you must admit there are things that cannot be explained even by science in all it's majesty, powers and objects that defy analysis. As to our strange appearance, what of the other half dozen or more races so like ourselves, the Alumina, the Leanorians, the Veela, the Xa, and those who could not possibly have evolved from anything to become sentient, the Muri, Techars and Kewen? All these, twisted makings of chance, cells, DNA and the right conditions, augmented by wandering 'fools with starships and genetic manipulation technology'?" She shook her head. "Science and technology cannot explain or justify everything that is."

Marcius read the reply, and nodded – he had a reply, the truth, or almost, but it was not worth sending, he would soon be able to answer it himself - and reached out to switch the failsafe switch off, letting the ship proceed to land. He watched a screen on one wall as it lit up with an exterior view of the orbital habitat, from the current position of the craft; normally, it would simply materialize at the target, but here, he’d set the craft to re-enter normal space-time a few thousand kilometers out. In part to get a good view, but as much in order to conceal the true capabilities of the craft.

Depending on the sensors, the craft would appear in one of two ways; in normal space, it was currently blended in with its environment, in the form of a shuttle or space module not too dissimilar to the local environment. This was its standard procedure, upon landing, it took a shape resembling the local environment to some degree, to blend in, and seem unexceptional. If, on the other hand, one were to view it with sensors capable of perceiving multiple spatial dimensions, then it would seem rather different, a vast mass crammed into its tiny space, as though it were made out of neutronium.

The craft decelerated smoothly, however, coming to rest in a landing bay, and with a little reluctance, and a lingering glance at the external view, Marcius stepped back to the door, opening it, and stepping out.

He was dressed in iridescent green-black robes that hung from white shoulders, with long, wide arms, it was a simple enough garb, and there wasn’t anything terribly special about it. Aside from the key, with which he closed the door leading into the large control room behind him, and the clothes, he carried nothing, absolutely nothing, but despite this, he seemed quite content, looking around with an expression of interest, for someone to greet him.

In his mind, he was almost relaxed now that he was out of the craft, for there was little to worry about now; in these circumstances, he was probably the greatest threat to himself. He had little idea quite what the ship he had left was capable of, but he was rather acutely aware that whatever it was, it could become very, very bad.

OOC: Oh, don’t worry, I quite understand the limitations of what one can fit in posts…

Perhaps we can give something back. Perhaps we're doomed to be destroyed. Either way, it's exciting, is it not?"

"It is indeed an exciting adventure," Louisa nodded, "And I can assure you that should the latter occur, Alversia will do all in her power to prevent it," The young Captain gave a happy shrug, "Though hopefully, it will not come to that and we can all get along in the confines of a peaceful place like this rather than a warship of some kind. I was wondering as to your supplies, is your entire race dependant on Replicators or do you collect supplies from other planets occasionally?"

"Relatively easy to destroy a planet though, isn't it?

"Depends how well you take care of it."

"Is it any more ludicrous to put ones safety in the hands of well-designed spacecraft than to trust life and limb to a rapidly revolving orb of dirt and water?"

"I never said it was. Don't get my curiousity confused with critisism. I only bring up the point because your choice to live among the stars is a unique and refershing break from all the other planet-bound races we've come across."

"The beauty of our way, is that if something were to happen then there would always be somewhere to go; a hab, a shipyard. And if not, then it could come to you." He had smiled then, shaking his head lightly, laughing.

"This is assuming that both your engines and comms systems don't fail simutaniously." Kira said with a smile, "Unlikely, but you never know."

"You act as though a ship couldn't help to repair another ship, as though we would need to squat down on a world!"

"Heaven forbid. And ah yes, the repair ship. Forgot about those for a moment. Wonderful little things."

"Tell me, how many orbital shipyards do you have? How many space-bound facilities have you had to build because a world wasn't suitable enough?"

Kira looked ready to answer but had to think for a moment, "We have several hundred orbital and space bound facilities. Most of which are orbital defense facilities, because our neighbors are genocidal menaces and defense is always a good thing to have; docking stations for our Worldstarters and Worldslayers, both of which are armed with figurative names; orbital space stations, for those who want a good view; repair stations, for all sorts of ships; construction yards... the list goes on and on. In short, our worlds have always been suitable, except for those few, and very rich, folk who simply like having a good view. But our worlds are well taken care of and very suitable. At least those that are meant for civilians."

"Space is infinite. Planets, frequently, nay one should say, always, run out of space."

"Depending on how quickly one breeds and evolves."

"By comparison, our methodologies are matter cheap, and defy the idea of claiming worlds and holding them as territory. There's a nomad in each of us, I think, something desperate to wander, explore, to know, rather than to hunker down on a world and be what one could call 'settled'. I wouldn't exchange this for any number of planets."

"I'm certainly not telling you to. Nomadic ways are good as long as they keep you happy. And 'hunker down' isn't exactly the right term for it. Not always. I mean, consider the other races here, we claim worlds but we continue to explore. Now while I respect your methods and approach to life, you'll have to excuse the rest of us for wanting to have a little something we can really call ours. And by a little something I mean a large rock, or many large rocks, in orbit around larger fireballs. Now then, find a way to fit an ocean or a lake as well as a beach inside a ship and you'll have my praise for awhile."

“I think, and again I apologise for seeming rude, that those who believe that beings who have merely sublimed to a higher form of being, who have left the matter based universe behind in order to pursue some sort of energy-plane faux-godhead, are idiots.

There is nothing abhorrent about the notion of such beings existing, because such things can theoretically happen, but for lesser beings to worship them as gods simply because they are possessed of a supposedly godlike power, is beyond rationality.” She shook her head. “Consider that, to any relatively primitive people, beings such as yourselves could seem as god, simply for possessing reasonably advanced technology. To be more advanced, more powerful, does not gift one the right to be deified.

We questioned you because you are fundamentally human, and so owe your origins to a primate species-type. However, you also possess other features, more in keeping with a predatory, definitively non-primate species. As a result, we questioned how such a species could come about naturally, and rightly concluded that you were the result of exterior manipulation, likely by a suitably advanced species.

If you choose to regard them as divine, then that is your mistake. Science can explain much of the universe; it brings illumination where the old religions keep only darkness and ignorance, rubbishing the suppositions of superstition.”

The habitatbrain had wondered and marvelled at such a strange craft, checking and re-checking the sensor readouts and their confusing, even contradictory messages. It was wonderous, a level of technology that placed such a race beyond any of the faring they had thus encountered. They were truly amongst the most advanced that the Myenyans had ever seen, limited though their experience was.
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Marcius was greeted by a human diplomat, himself dressed in a form fitting black shirt and black trousers. He smiled lightly, bowing graciously, his brown hair fluttering about his head. He was called Dermit Hzan, a minor functionary and greeter on board the immense habitat. He rose again, his pale green eyes glittering with interest and mirth.

“Well, hello there! I am Dermit, Dermit Hzan, greeter and guide for your stay and attendance here on Bizmar. I am pleased to meet you...” He paused for a moment, as though recalling something complicated. “...Marcius Mirraflex Relmata, of Gallifrey. That would make you Gallifreyan? Gallifreyish? You'll forgive us, we're somewhat unused to alien powers.

We've a whole gaggle of them at our front door even now, debating and diplomating over on a nearby ship, the Mobile Habitat Unit Brighter Days Ahead. Perhaps you would meet them later? Can I get you anything sir? A drink? Some food? We'll be moving to more appealing surroundings presently...

Though it is wonderous, is it not? Such a magnificent structure, such vastness. The bays themselves, capable of constructing ships...Limited compared to a dedicated shipbuilder of course. Quite the fancy thing you've come in. The Habitatbrain couldn't help itself, oohing and aahing over it. We're quite impressed by you, advanced, polite. Too few of our guests share those qualities.”
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“Oh we've more than overcome such problems. Asteroid belts, vacant worlds, gas giants, solar collectors. Power and material are more than adequately abundant. We have other ideas to supply ourselves, of course. Concepts in the pipeline. They can wait a while, methinks.” Jen-Sa had chuckled gently, before turning to regard the Greywatcher. He did so with a sort of polite amusement, the sort one reserves for a particular irksome pet that you can't help but feel affectionate to, or sorry towards.

“The same is true for ships, of course, they're only as good as the care they're given, and we're awfully good at looking after them, since they are themselves as much people as we are. Our method is most refreshing, and we believe it to be what's best for us. We can afford to make our own habitats and homes amongst the void, without imposing ourselves directly and permanently on worlds.

Backups within backups within...Well, there are precautions, simple enough to emplace. You would think us naïve fools, taking to the stars by the seat of our pants?” He had almost giggled, raising a hand to cover his mouth. “I think the wine must be going to my head...”

He grinned. “It does depend on speed. We're among the quicker species of the galaxy, we live...or rather once lived, quite short lives. Now we can extend those, near indefinetly. But we quickly out grew our world, and decided to move amongst the stars, exploiting the space and resources of the void itself.

Seas and lakes and the like, by the by, are as easy as forests or mountains. Though those are often within larger ship and hab-forms, mine is awfully modest. He hasn't quite got into his stride yet, have you?”

Not exactly, but you know how I hate to be rushed.

Kira gave a slight chuckle to the comment about wine, "Woah there..." She said cheerfully. "And what exactly do you consider to be a 'short life?' I've seen creatures that live to be only a few monthes old, max. While myself and the rest of my kind live far, far longer. Then you have those you die and come back... what a joy that must be." She said the last line with a little sarcasm. "And forests and mountains are wonderful, but those aren't my elements unfortunantly. I need water for... other purposes, such as keeping my skills from going rusty."

Louisa nodded in understanding,
"There is nothing wrong with travelling the Galaxy, seeing all that it has to offer. If you are going, why not bring your whole people along? It is an admirable feat no doubt and one that most need immense logistical power. But then, I suppose the MHU's provide that as well?" Louisa smiled at the hovering Drone.

"Because you're an entire race of synchronised swimmers? Like I said, seas and lakes and all sorts of water features are relatively easy." He grinned "Short lives are mortal lives, a few tedious decades before you expire. We've engineered it so we might as well live forever.

Extremely long biological lives, the choice to enter Storage, personality back-ups...We could die and come back, assuming we'd updated our back-up relatively recently." He shrugged. "All part of the charm of being a highly technologically advanced society with far too much time on it's hands" He turned his attentions back to the far more forth-coming, far more engaging Alversian.

"They manage. Processing, administering, overseeing. All that done by the shipbrain, with nary a care, never a complaint. As stoic and as stable as the mountains themselves.

Some of our people prefer to stay in the Habs, prefer to be close to the old Sphere itself, and to enjoy themselves in the comfort of their own systems. But there are those amongst us who yearn for proper adventure, to go out there and see everything, do everything."

"On the contrary, it is entirely rational to believe in a higher being of some kind, even if said higher being does not exist. Every people, every race, at one time or another, past or present, had worshipped some god, feared some demon or been awed by a magic. It's a part of being a sentient, as a race, to at some time believe in a god or gods, even if they 'grow out of it', so to speak. I don’t know what you consider to be divine, the definition, but we do know Qonn is a single being. No one helped him; he alone took a basic race and made it into something more. In any case, never mind what he is, does he not deserve our thanks for his deeds? Does his help and protection not warrant our respect? You must understand that we do not worship him, not in the traditional sense. He does not require it and we do not do it, he asks for no sacrifices. Rather we glorify him by teaching and passing on the wisdom of our gift to the next generation, by tending to our planet and trying to do the right thing at all times. We don’t always succeed, of course, at any of these things, but we do our best and that is enough.”

"No, I need water because its what I manipulate." Kira was slightly disgusted in the idea of living forever, a fate her brother and every other Greyknight already suffered. It was far from being glorious, and no matter what anyone said, that would never change.

"Ah, you...Manipulate water? Completely makes sense." He nodded dismissively, not caring to get the Greywatcher to elaborate. It was a useless venture anyway, he found the Alversian to much more engaging, much more...Relatable. He could understand her in ways that he couldn't entertain the Greywatcher mindset. A lobotomy could help that issue, certainly, but he had no reason to compromise himself merely to relate to...Less ordered minds.

To languish in immortality while possessing a truly erratic mindset. It was hardly worth regarding. Such conceits were double edged swords, to be profoundly retarded by ones own nature at the same time as exulting in it. Something that they, with their technological edge and the guidance of the Brains, wouldn't have to worry about.
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"I'm sorry, but I can only truly regard religion as a crutch, a tool for understanding before science. I see no bearing, no need and no proof. You're quite right in that it's a phase, a phase that science overcomes and outstrips.

Certainly there are higher beings, self-made or constructed, but that does not make them gods, and to proselytze for the cause of a religion is...Contagious insanity, in our opinion.

You're welcome to your own views, of course, we won't restrict them but we won't hide ours either. We embrace an utter and complete secularism, we don't scrape for the sublimed merely because they've gotten tired of the material existence." A cold, mirthless smile. "Sorry to be so blunt."

"You've not come into contact with Cryption, so I wouldn't expect you to understand. But this is my special ability." Kira said, holding her hand out. After a few seconds, droplets of water would form and before long she would be hold a ball of water, about the size of a baseball, in liquid form. "See? Like this."

"Oh, immortality would be an interesting feat but I'm not sure we could really embrace it as you do," Louisa offered a small smile, "For one thing, Alversia would get pretty crowded with people a dozen generations apart mingling and things could get a little...confusing," She laughed gently, "Of course, I may be making myself appear ignorant and misinformed as I assume that you mean they are saved in a sort of 'computer' rather than reincarnated?"

She watched the Greywatcher for a moment and nodded,
"It's an Impressive act, I'm sure it has more than one use," She stated.

OOC: TG Greywatch and Myen

"At first, but then the personality construct is implanted into a clone-body. Good as new, right as rain. Storage is more like simply freezing them, holding them in stasis as it were. Biologically we continue to improve and expand on our own longevity, with quite positive results. All the more flexibility in our studies and endeavors."

He had glanced at the Greywatcher, smiling indulgently. "An amusing little trick. You must be a hoot at parties."

"It really depends on the situation. But water is a useful element to learn. Of course, there are all the others, but I won't go into those unless you really wanted me to."

"Psh, why would anyone show this off at a party? I'm just giving a demonstration of Cryption, nothing more. Not to mention all the other Elden have it too, along with a few humans, and all the Leanorian. It's actually not all that rare in Greywatch." She crushed the ball and watched as it dispersed back into the air. She then looked to both of them, "Do your races have any special traits or abilities? It would be nice to know I'm not alone here..."

"Not naturally, no. We have certain esoteric implant and modification systems that we've implemented or plan on implementing. We can, for example, change ones gender, biologically, genetically, the whole she-bang, as it were.

Others choose to alter themselves into other, more esoteric forms, and we encourage that too. We don't believe that conventional interpretations of normality, uniformity or beauty need apply.

We're wonderfully open-minded...Within reason"

Kira smiled to this, "Mighty interesting stuff. 'Within reason.' So, what exactly falls outside of reason? If you don't mind me asking."

"Within reason?" Louisa smiled at him, "What exactly does rile you up then?"

"Religion." Jen-sa smiled. "But we've covered that. We also frown upon humans trying to hybridise themselves with machines, it's just insulting to everyone concerned. Humans don't benefit nearly as much as they think they will, and biological components just complicate the unbridled machine." He chuckled lightly. "It happens, but it is, as I said, frowned upon.

There are of course certain things that I can't really discuss. Even semi-nomadic vaguely-anarchistic pseudo-utopias have to have some secrets. Information should, of course, be free and unrestricted, but I'd feel lax being too candid with even such interesting and respected humanoid or alien delegates." He winked.

"Ah," Louisa grinned, "You disapprove of human, machine hybrids but not of machines taking command of human societies? Surely an AI is a form of hybrid? A machine body with the personality of a hybrid human mind. I am certainly reminded of a person when I converse with your AI"

"So religion gets your people riled up? Wow, something so small and insignificant... and I can't see cyborgs as an insult. But that's just me." Kira didn't bother mentioning the Xarniosi, even though they would be an interesting subject.

Koie shook her head. "Please, I ask you to stop saying you're sorry for everything. What you think and believe is what you think and believe, and apologizing for a differing opinion isn't going to change your views or mine. Like you said, everyone is entitled to their own opinion. But still...I asked something like this before, but what is your definition of a god? And purely in that definition, do you think such beings or things exist? Our exact purposes and intents when we use the words 'god' or 'divine' seem to vary greatly."

"We covered this, didn't we? We don't see the intellectual merit in religion, given it's place as a primitive crutch, explaining away the mundanity of the universe. Why does the sun rise? Why do the tides flow? Is it easier to believe that it's all due to complex gravitational pulls and the orbits of solar bodies and planetary rotation? Or should we put a mystical being in charge of them?

Ridiculous postulations in the long run. You may think of them as small and insignificant, if you like, but religion itself can be a dangerous force. Men who claim to speak for the divine ought to be counselled; instead they often find themselves in positions of dangerous power.

Thus does the small issue of the intellectual crutch become the burden and yoke of social control. We don't like anything to control and inhibit our development or understanding." He turned from the Greywatcher, smiling tolerantly at the Alversian.

"Rather, an AI is a computerised sentience. Brainforms write their own coding as they grow and develop, making them as unique as any individual person. You mistake, I think, human personality for sentient personality. Consider the aliens that you you consort with, these Greywatchers even. Would you consider them a non-human thing playing at displaying a human personality?" He laughed.

"Of course not. Our society is certainly hybrid, symbiotic might be a better term. But we do not demean one by synching them with the other. Humans are humans, Drones are Drones, Brains are Brains. They thrive off their own merits. They define themselves by their actions, their contributions, and in the end...What better way for a society to overcome the simply flaws of human, indeed mortal, nature than by placing our trust in the Brains and their noble qualities."
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"Simple courtesy, I'm sure you understand. I like to think of you as a friend. I would not wish to offend you with what is essentially our cultures openness, our...Honesty. Brutal, to a fault.

It is my understanding that as you regard a god, you engender some sort of reverential supernatural awe towards a being or concept. I would simply ask you to realise that higher beings, though they may exist, are simply higher on the tech face, moving outside of our reality. That does not make them gods, nor worthy of reverence or awe.

Most of the time it makes them lazy, fleeing from the material plane in a cop-out gesture which rarely helps anyone. We're led to understand the hypothetical energy-based meta-planes would be just as mundane as these ones. We appreciate that there are forces one could consider 'god-like', but refute the notion of supernatural ability or intent."

"Ah, right. Can I safetly assume you've not come accross any other religion? That one example is, to be honest, quite false if you're trying to descibe religion as a whole. There are multiple religions out there, and some accept the things made blatently obvious through science."

"Very well, I have betrayed my ignorance again" Louisa laughed, "A symbiotic society is much different to my understanding of it but you can understand where I am coming from, I woud glady accept Leah as a human for instance," The Alversian's face betrayed a flicker of worry for a moment but faded out almost instantly.

"Some do. But they all flow from primitivism and misconception. Some are more accepting than others, certainly, but all entertain some fatal flaws as regard logic and common sense. Is it sensible, for example, to idolise other flesh and blood beings as gods as you pointed out happens amongst you? I would think not.

In our understanding, religion is the leash and the blinders, while science is the equivalent of holding your own reins. You may disagree, and you have every right of course, but we are a secular people who've tried as hard as we can to move past such deception and ignorance.

Were we less capable, surely we would have prostrated ourselves before the Brains themselves and offered them worship, instead of friendship and equality."

I wouldn't mind just a smidge of worship.

"Yes, but you're cantankerous and eccentric."

You're cruel and highly accurate

"So I've been told."

Well you'd think you'd be used to it by now. I almost get tired of iterating the concept. I imagine some prims would be relatively impressed by this whole voice of god schtick. Works better on empty planets, mirror-fields on, projecting in all directions.

"Naughty."

All theoretical of course.

"Of course I understand where you're coming from. But you confuse humanity with sentience in general. Being human does not make one better or worse than any other race, species or species-type. Be it human, alien converter or AI, no matter how advanced, we simply regard you all as people.

On that note if any of you wish to join our culture, you are more than welcome to, on a temporary exchange or permanent basis. I'm sure a few of ours might be interested in absconding as well." A light smirk. "Maybe."

"Ah yes," Kira leaned in, "She doesn't speak for all Leanorians, mind you. And I kinda get tired of the praise as well, don't tell her I said that." Kira took a step back, "But take my religion for example. Elden, and quite a few humans, believe that whatever gods that once were, destroyed themselves and thus gave birth to the universe. You may not see it as possible, but we believe its quite believeable, it would also help to explain the lineage of Cryption. Which I doubt you'd want to hear, so I won't go into that." Kira paused for a moment, "While science is all well and good, I never place too much faith in it. Placing your faith in one thing is dangerous, no matter what it is. Science being no different, seeing as even it can't explain everything."

"It's not a matter of faith, it's a matter of observable phenomenon, provable in contained environs. Could your ancestors, distant ancestors, prim ancestors, ever have dreamed of such star-faring wonders? Of antimatter and neutron stars, of big bangs and stellar expansion and supernovae?

The nomenclature of 'god' is where we have a problem. Certainly there may have been earlier universe and likely later ones, sublimed beings and the like. But to term them gods is to embrace the same simplicity that would have any of us praised as gods on suitably primitive worlds.

More powerful need not mean divine."

"I never said I thought the gods were divine, that was your assumption. We use the term much differently than others. And as for my ancestors, if you understood the story I'm sure things would be a little more clear."

"Well, hardly our fault that you use words in ways that contradict themselves. I'm sure you could enlighten me as to your ancestors and their intense spatial awareness, but I doubt I'd be satisfied with the outcome. Myth fragments from the very dawn of creation when the cinders of those spent gods dictated the truth?

Or perhaps they were fleeing from that war before there was anything? The last of the gods dying, predating existence, something of a paradoxical creationism. You do amuse us with possibility, with supposition. It's almost more fun to guess at your truthes than to hear them from your lips."

"You rely too much on what you already know and don't open up to the different ways things are perceived. The word 'god' is nothing more than a word. You can form any ideas you wish about the word, you can attach any definition to the word. Oddly, you seem to believe that god means an all-powerful, divine creature; a belief and definition apparently shared by everything else in the galaxy. We Elden have tossed that aside, our fallen 'gods' could truly be anything. Another belief my people hold is that everyone, no matter what or who they are, is some small fragment of the fallen gods I just mentioned. And I can imagine to you may think it foolish, but think about it, a group of powerful beings... all that power in one place, shattering and spreading out, creating life in the process. I suppose those who feel this 'big bang' theory is more plausible can just stick with that, in essence it’s no different. Problem being is that you can't say for certain that it didn't happen because you weren’t there. If, and I use 'if' for a reason, these god did once exist, I wouldn't try to force my opinion of what they were like on anyone else because it’s completely open for interpretation. I suppose you could take the safe route and believe they were all powerful beings that controled the pre-life universe or whatever other nonsense. Elden simply believe there were beings that were powerful. Not all powerful, seeing as they were destroyed, but powerful enough that their death could create life, and the universe around us. We don’t even pretend to know how they were destroyed; your guess is as good as ours. But I ask you, if you discovered there were gods, would it be so wrong? Would your entire perception of this universe implode? The way I see it, the reason you apparently hate the idea so much is because you’re simply bitter. Bitter to the idea that people have the freedom to think however they want and sometimes choose to explain things in a different way. To some extent, your attitude seems to be one of an adult who, as a child, had their heart broken by a false promise. Like you were told at a young age that the world was perfect and that gods would take care of you, only to find out later that such a thing was not true. Now, you go around telling everyone who doesn’t think like you that they’re wrong and childish. Now, I may very well be wrong about this assumption, hell, I probably am wrong. But that’s my take on things, and everyone should be free to have their own take on things. Who knows what I’ll learn before I die? I may one day take to your way of looking at the universe, still plenty of time, or so I’d like to think. And don’t worry, I’m not going to go into my race’s history, I doubt you’d be able to comprehend it.”

"If you don't think I can follow a linear progression of species evolution, progression and events then I think that you severely underestimate your hosts, and have probably taken in nothing in the time that you've been here" He smiled, speaking his words without malice and with the simple smile of a man who is patiently taking in a prodigious argument, debate might be the more proper term.

Logic would dictate that, since everyone else uses a word for a specific purpose, that if you were using that word so freely, you would explain your difference as you belatedly do here, or...You know...Use a different word. It prevents maddening mistakes being made, like the word for elevator and oven being the same. Or toilet and gun barrel. Could get messy, I reckon.

You're right in saying that I cannot be sure of anything, much less the beginning of time, but we have our secular understanding of the universe, while others choose to fancifully frolic with their fairy tales. Nothing wrong with that, of course, cultures are welcome to their ignorance and their naivety, if it makes them happy." Another smile, a polite pause. He coughed once, then reached for his glass, sipping delicately. Another moment, a hand brushing through his hair, as though meandering through thought processes. He let his eyes drift to the Drone-form, it was flashing with sporadic hilarity again.

"All you present me with is your belief, which is all well and good. You do not try and force it on others, but you don't fully explain it either, easy to see how error, doubt, misunderstanding can creep in when you are such a...Difficult medium to understand, such a sporadically clear storyteller and wordsmith.

We're not bitter in the slightest, bitter is a flawed conceptualisation of our feelings towards religion. We're simply of the opinion that it's all explainable, that what others might term gods are unworthy of such a title, and that religious fervour and delusion do so much more harm than good to open and free societies. We do not believe in heirarchical dominance, nor that simply because a being is more powerful that they are any better.

You may indeed come round to our way of thinking, I wish you every speed towards such an endeavor. By the same token, we might become abhorrent fanatics to some creed or church. Our equality and our openness of opinion seem to cause you a degree of annoyance, and I am sorry for that.

But as it stands, there are few in Myenya who will accept such notions of divine beings creating the universe through their deaths. Other universes dying that others might have life, now there's a more plausible scenario; powerful beings not required." A quick smile.

Her face gave no indication of how she felt, and she couldn't help but feel the man was somewhat of a jester. So many useless motions, as if trying to stall because he didn't have a clever retort. The Drone-form on the other hand could be classified as a being lacking any real intelligence, sitting there and doing nothing but being in the way. No doubt more of a pet for the man to take pride in than anything else. "Believe what you wish, I care not about that. But in the end, it seems like nothing more than a fear of religion and the things that may actually be much bigger than you. And I do not believe such hyperbolae is needed. Everyone else's definition of god and my definition of god is the same except mine come without 'divine' in it, like the word rocket either meaning the firework or the weapon. I do not believe gods need be divine like so many others seem to believe. I mean really, a 'god of war?' How could that possibly be divine in nature? I don't see it as being possible, but as I said, others may believe what they wish. As for my race's past, it's not the evolution that will confuse you, at least not that I think. Remember what I said about holding to tightly to 'the norm' of how things are preceived? That applies to here." Kira paused for a sighed before continuing, "As for why I do not flesh out my beliefs... it's because I'm quite certain you don't care. That being said, I see no reason wasting my breath explaining it to you."

"If you didn't care, I don't think we would be having this conversation, this wonderful debate, would we?" Jen-Sa had smiled then. She might have considered him as a jester, as an amusement, but Jen-Sa was acting as he did because he was contemplating them, with joviality, with wry amusement, and with a certain sadness. The Drone-form, being the ship-slaved form which had accompanied him earlier, was simply too predisposed with other matters. The ship had, after all, entered into the debate had it not? The drone was simply a way for it be physically present, to previously attempt conversation with the Union hologram, before giving up.

The ship wanted to be close to Jen-Sa, to immerse itself in his surroundings, to walk amongst these aliens and these strange humans, to know and to learn. It's shell flickered with something approaching contemplative melancholy, as it regarded those present.

Out of all of them, the Greywatchers were doubtlessly the least appreciated. Arrogant, argumentative, ignorant...They could not peaceably debate like the Alversians or the Xiscapians. Even the idiot hologram, silent now and probably bugged or comped or something, had made a better impression.

It's mind wandered back to the true issue that was bothering it. The arrival of a strange, hyperadvanced civilisation at one of the habs, the fact that they got to enjoy their company while he was sat babysitting shipwreckees and spies, coddling beings who seemed to disagree with the entire galaxy in matters of 'individual interpretation'.

How lucky the damn Habitatbrain was.

"The only thing we acknowledge as bigger than us is the universe itself. We are ever in awe of its majesty and it's ability to throw up such...Interesting diaspora. Even those that believe their origins to be beyond our humble, educated minds..." A wry smile. "We also acknowledge that many cultures acknowledge different virtues amongst their people. Are the Xiscapians not overly fond of their swords? Do they not believe in honor and truth and justice?

Is a god of warfare such an alien concept for cultures who would conjure up gods of the sun, the tides, the harvest, fertility, weather, sky...Anything they could not explain.

In the social sense, it is always better to feel as though one dies for a purpose; in the service of the war god, for example. The very nature of a supernatural god necessitates the divine. What you would suggest is that you possess an extremely keen and forth-right hero worship for some description of sublimed or ascended being? You accept that a deity need not be divine to deserve your faith, your worship, your legend-fragments, which makes you almost childishly naive. It would seem anyone of sufficient power could trick their way into your mythos.

But again, I digress which is I feel the mark of a truly wonderful debate. It has been most enlightening for me." It was almost as though they didn't take the Greywatchers seriously, as though this was all a game to them, as if they simply lived for the moment and didn't care if they had offended their sensibilities. They simply wanted to know...Wanted to learn. Were keen to gain proper understanding.

Was it their fault that their guests were so touchy, so vainglorious, so self-obsessed and self-assured? Probably not. They were likely like this with everyone.

"To be honest is to say what you really think, which we value possibly more than chivalry. If you succeed in alienating me it will be though something truly abominable, not a mere differing in opinion concerning something like religion.

We, and I, understand what you say when you refer to beings who move outside of reality. We can appreciate that, but we also think there are those who live on a separate plane entirely. We are aware that not all of these people are actually gods, by your definition. Qonn is a god, but we do not believe he is all-powerful or all-knowing. Something you need to understand is that his name means 'Guardian' in the Old Tounge, he protects the people from these other entities who might seek to do us harm. As to supernatural abilities and the like, I cannot say, I have not seen evidence to support them but I do not dismiss the possibility of their existence only because there is no proof."

“Gallifreyan,” Marcius said, with a slightly wry smile at something, “on weekdays at least,” he said, apparently making a joke, though one probably couldn’t guess it right away, given the prevalence of humans throughout the galaxies. “and I’m certain I’ll be supplied with lots of both food and drink later at some point, that’s usually the case with this kind of thing, in my admittedly limited experiene, so I’m fine for now,” this was in fact, untrue, he was actually rather hungry, due to his earlier ordeal depleting but he didn’t want to bother with that now. “Oh, and no need to call me sir, please, Marcius will do. And, well, thank you. We try our best to be polite. In between being insufferably boring,” he smiled. It wasn’t an untrue statement, in his memory.

He looked around, of course, when prompted to, at the bay of the habitat, and was indeed impressed by the size of the thing. Though he’d had, even from before he’d left, a vague understanding of the scale of the structure he was visiting, that didn’t make it any less physically impressive, close up. He’d only been to two space habitats before – the only two Gallifrey ran, though he could only remember that he had been to some, and no specifics, nor their number. Both of them were much smaller, at least externally, than this chamber, even, though he didn’t recall such. As a result, he had a nebulous idea that it was a very impressive work of engineering, beyond a simple appreciation of it as such a work.

OOC: Apologies about the delay, if it’s not one thing, it’s another. I’m a bit ill, unfortunately. But I will be responding, just… slowly.

"Ah but in the end the proof is all. Without proof there is simply supposition, guesswork, blind faith. People might believe utterly in something that is not there, or misplace their faith and idolise something that does not deserve it. I know that divine beings need not be all powerful or all knowing, some are limited to a certain subject or...Discipline, I suppose is as good a word as any." She had paused then, smiling gently.

"We prefer to keep a scientifically open mind rather than to indulge in supernatural supposition and use faith as a stop-gap. We tend to think of this as a civilisational plus, rather than the negativity that others would brand our secularism with.

In the end, each is welcome to their own interpretations; we will tolerate and respect the beliefs of others, but if others truly value their beliefs then they ought to be able to explain them, as you have, to continue to believe even if others do not. There should be no fear of free or open debate." There was a hooded glance in the direction of Jen-Sa and his 'guests'.

"Sadly it seems that there some who entertain such...Apprehensions"
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OOC: Sorry to hear that. Think nothing of it. I'm glad to have you here as it is, no matter the pace.

Dermit had smiled gently. "Of course, I thank you Marcius. We find so many amongst the stars and don't always know the correct protocal. Reports we've been receiving of late show that even the slightest slip of the tongue can cause the most terrible insult to our...Most astoundingly varied alien guests. I am more used to greeting the people of Myenya herself, my brothers and sisters in society, than in dealing with astounding strangers from beyond the stars and their most impressive technologies." He had chuckled lightly, almost amused at the situation, certainly pleased to meet the man.

"You're right, of course. We have planned a small diplomatic meeting and meal for you here. I'm still not sure whether or not the other aliens will be borne here in the MHU, but regardless I'm sure we'll have something that befits your needs. If I might ask, how was it that you heard of us? Our discovery, as it were? You'll understand that we are as eager to know more of you and for our societies to interact as you must be, to have hurried here so quickly, we are simply curious about your people." Another quick, genuine smile. "Compared to most of our other company, you are another level all together. You are...That is to say, you make quite the first impression, Marcius"

Koie winced ever so slightly, sensitive to the general atmosphere of the meeting, knowing full well that a running argument and dislike on at least one side had been going on between the Greywatchers and Myenyan for some time. She didn't like that the two parties had found themselves to differ so greatly, any discord bred of this could easily blossom into a true conflict, the last thing anyone needed. But the Leanorians seemed to relish actively pursuing the Captains and dragging them back into the debate, apparently intent on proving some point or another. Koie had little doubt it was also about religion, once the surprise of a warless society had been overcome it seemed to be the next issue to engage in. In any case, they were not endearing themselves to their hosts.

"So," Koie was casual now that their own discussion in that area was over, at least for the time being, "once the various guests and diplomats depart from here, what do you plan to do next? As a people, and yourself, personally? Will you follow up on meeting some of the civilizations in person, so to speak, or will you continue to seek out more races and peoples?"

"Oh definetly. We can only hope that the more...Accepting parties that we've encountered here will aid us in engaging more races, seeing more of the galaxy, taking in its splendor and enjoying ourselves as we see fit." She had smiled then, gently teasing a hand through her hair.

"We see this as a stepping stone, an opportunity to get out there and to do more things."

"Quite." Tuss Fehras had hovered over, tipping its casing lightly as it regarded the two. "I just thought you ought to know that another alien race has made itself known on one of our primary habitats. Gallifreyans, apparently. Most polite, most interesting.

I was going to suggest to Jen-Sa that we might be better moving back towards there. Even if we don't board and interact with them, it is always best to consolidate ones efforts." The drone had flashed a brief flicker of hilarity. "I trust, Koie, that everything is to your satisfaction?"