Extrasolar artifact: S-14 [Archive] - Page 2

Sakkra

24-05-2003, 16:42

To the Scolopendran ship Yamamoto.

it appears that others do not wish to join us, and so it will be our team ourselves. This may be for the best, but results will be the decision-maker on this. We are on our way to the conference room at this moment.
Captain Borodin and Advisor Rijil stand at one end of the conference table, with a third man in a TYCS uniform and a humanoid android standing behind them. A three dimensional representation of the spaceberg slowly rotating from a holoemitter in the center of the table. "Ah, good evening, Sakkran siblings. Welcome to the spaceship Yamato"--he says it with special emphasis, his Russian accent rolling over the phrase.

Rijil points to the display. "A Voyeur spy probe overflight found a hemispherical structure here near what we believe to be the engine assembly. It appears to be a hangar, and by reading the amount of ice condensation on it, it hasn't been used in a while. The transports from S-14 seem to be concentrating on mining the spaceberg. We believe we can use this as a noninvasive insertion point via shuttle."

Borodin nods, then turns as the unidentified man and android step forward. "These will be your liason officers. This,"--putting his hand on the man's shoulder--"is Commander Douglass, my executive officer. He very much wants to be on the first contact team, and he got high marks on the Diplomatic Corps exam."

Commander Douglass bows slightly.

Borodin then slaps a brawny hand on the android's metal hide. The android simply looks at the Russian with its reddish wolf-spider eyes. "This is R-Jane 7692-Alpha-Bravo--"

"7692AD, sir," the android corrects him.

"--check that, Delta. She's--"

"It, sir."

"It is connected with the Zero-One linguistics and biology staff, and it also has experience with mechanical engineering, correct?"

"Yes, Captain."

Borodin nods. "Excellent. If there aren't any questions or additions, we have a window for shuttle launch in one hour. Will you be requiring any equipment other than the standard communications and sensors gear that we will be sending you with?"

Lossa and his team look at each other briefly. "I think that your equipment, combined with our EVA suit sensors should be sufficient. Could an area where the transports are mining be pin-pointed? Is there any data about the transport crafts themselves? A bit of telemetry about these crafts may be helpful. Such as are the crafts organic or otherwise? Self-aware or not? Manned or unmanned?" It seems some manner of a plan is brewing in the Sakkran's scaly head.

24-05-2003, 17:50

My spacefleet has been conducting some resourcing in the rings of saturn, and we found a derelict Olympic-class ship. We are wondering if anyone lost one.

Zero-One

24-05-2003, 18:06

Scolopendra

24-05-2003, 18:17

Lossa and his team look at each other briefly. "I think that your equipment, combined with our EVA suit sensors should be sufficient. Could an area where the transports are mining be pin-pointed? Is there any data about the transport crafts themselves? A bit of telemetry about these crafts may be helpful. Such as are the crafts organic or otherwise? Self-aware or not? Manned or unmanned?" It seems some manner of a plan is brewing in the Sakkran's scaly head.
Borodin nodded. "The transports are mining primarily along the equator and forward areas of the ice sphere, here." Portions of the three-dimensional display well away from the red "X" indicating the insertion point lit up yellow.

"The transports," Rijil added, "seem to be manned. They're chemical powered, and most definitely mechanical. Spectrography indicates a steel hull similar in composition to S-14's. The vehicles being self-aware or not... we don't know. The beings inside possibly are, given current information. Besides, Borodin, what's been happening with that transport we've been watching near the Tahar Joblissan Colony scooter?"

On cue, Borodin's ear communicator buzzed. "Borodin. Well, speak of the Devil. Say again? What? Into the transport? Acknowledged. Out."

He turned to the party. "Well, the good news is that we now know the transports are manned, and the crews are sentient. The bad news is that we only found this out because the crew of the aforementioned scooter has been abducted. My crew has shown wonderful initiative in talking to Sato while I was busy, and she says that we are to continue with our jaunt to the spaceberg while she plans extraction options with the rest of the expedition."

Ma-tek

24-05-2003, 18:19

"SHODAN. The Emperor Himself has just sent us a rather irritated message; it seems our involvement in this whole episode is too slight for His liking. I'm not particuarly pleased at the idea of risking my people on their first deep space mission; but orders are orders. I have a RISE team standing by to board S-14 or one of those ice ships; where do you want them?"
<Communications to Retribution>
{
<< Yamato is organizing an spaceberg expedition and the Snel are currently exploring Rent Echo, so I believe that your team would be best deployed into the rent at <coordinates> in the aft spar of S-14. Most of the neutrino emissions seem to emit from there, so maybe we can get more information about S-14's powerplant.
}

http://www.womengamers.com/dw/sshock2_rev.jpg
S.H.O.D.A.N. v3.0 : MCP, Q01

Rihad taps open the contact again.

"Understood."

And closes it once more.

* * *

Within a few minutes, an iris opens on the hull of the Retribution - just wide enough for a specially built dropship to launch out of - and lo, and behold, a dropship launches. On a slow, graceful arc, it moves towards the designated rent; it has barely any energy output, and so it is quite obvious that it only has enough power to adjust its course minutely - a one-use ship, possibly. On board, just two RISE agents - with scientific training - wait for their arrival at S-14.

S-14

24-05-2003, 18:36

"Oberon, please contact the Durinians and acquire an update on their progress with cracking the alien computers. Ah, I have found something rather interesting here, we may be able to open the airlock." Strange, leaving a key just sitting there like that. Probably not really even a key. But hey, it's worth a try! The Shadowcraft curled a prehensile fingertip around the metal strip, and inserted it into the slot. Afterwards, it tried pressing the button again.
The metal strip fits into the slot almost as if it belongs there. Pushing the (hrm... left or right button... *rolls randomly*) unimpressive metal button on the right side of the control panel, the airlock opens, revealing a hollow utilitarian metal cylinder with enough room to hold about four people. The walls seemed to be covered in a thin layer of well textured insulation that looks like heavy-duty Velcro. Another boxy control panel is apparent inside the lock; it appears identical to the outside panel except it has two additional buttons, colored (one black and one blue), beneath the slot.

While fidgeting with the magnetic strip, the little metal chain detaches from the box, making it portable.

(OOC: What exactly does the Shadowcraft have on it, in terms of equipment and what not?)

Within a few minutes, an iris opens on the hull of the Retribution - just wide enough for a specially built dropship to launch out of - and lo, and behold, a dropship launches. On a slow, graceful arc, it moves towards the designated rent; it has barely any energy output, and so it is quite obvious that it only has enough power to adjust its course minutely - a one-use ship, possibly. On board, just two RISE agents - with scientific training - wait for their arrival at S-14.
The dropship uneventfully passes through S-14's magnetic shield just before hard-docking onto a relatively flat and soft portion inside the rent. If the dropship has breaching tools, they work.

(OOC: I'll need a complete loadout of what the RISE agents are carrying with them. Equipment, communicators, weapons, medical supplies, etc etc etc. The more detail, the better.)

Scolopendra

24-05-2003, 18:45

(OOC: On that note... engage Major Kong voice!)
STANDARD TRIUMVIRATE EXPLORATION KIT

(This is what all NPCs get... your teams can get it too, on request)

* One standard-issue 10mm powergun pistol with five magazines of copper-lattice ammunition
* One standard-issue broad-band communications handset (about the size of a WWII field phone, all functions of a Menelmacari comm but designed for superior range, penetration power, and ability to survive being run over by light armor)
* One standard-issue emergency medical kit
* One standard-issue broadband electromagnetic and optical sensing device

imported_Cetaganda

24-05-2003, 20:17

After she is sedated, a Healing Talent specializing in mental illness peaks into her head.
Her psyche appears to currently be in five fragments, four of a distinctly alien nature, and one that is the closest approximation of human that is availiable.

It currently appears that none is dominant, as her internal monologue is in a psychological fibrillation. (Cardiac fibrillation is when muscle cells in the heart go off randomly, creating a useless muscle tormenting itself like "a fist of worms." Allison's psychological fibrillation is similar, with thoughts from each personality conflicting with each other, creating basically random "noise.") While not life-threatening, it is obviously painful, as evidenced by Allison's mild whimpering.

Aeryn, the Healer, and the drone are outside of the room, where Allison has been left sedated and watched by a medic. "It very similar to possesion, but I don't think Padre Williams would be able to help us. I highly doubt that its deliberate as well, given the number of personalitites present. Its probably closer to a case of schizophrenia or MPD. I have dealt with cases like that before, in many cases resulting from a tramatic experience. I intend to suppress the four non-human personalities using the same empathic techniques I used for the other cases, along with several medications to help keep them suppressed. Its a temporary solution, but given the time and resources I have its the best I can do. Perhaps once she's treated, Allison can give us some some clues as to exactly what happened and I can work from there."

Ma-tek

24-05-2003, 21:12

Within a few minutes, an iris opens on the hull of the Retribution - just wide enough for a specially built dropship to launch out of - and lo, and behold, a dropship launches. On a slow, graceful arc, it moves towards the designated rent; it has barely any energy output, and so it is quite obvious that it only has enough power to adjust its course minutely - a one-use ship, possibly. On board, just two RISE agents - with scientific training - wait for their arrival at S-14.
The dropship uneventfully passes through S-14's magnetic shield just before hard-docking onto a relatively flat and soft portion inside the rent. If the dropship has breaching tools, they work.

(OOC: I'll need a complete loadout of what the RISE agents are carrying with them. Equipment, communicators, weapons, medical supplies, etc etc etc. The more detail, the better.)

[OOC: Usually, RISE agents carry heavy-duty weapons in bulk - but not this time.

Each agent carries the following:

* One superconductive 'battery' recharge pack (compatible with all of their powered equipment, naturally)
* One hand-held PDA and PI (poking implement), with water-and-air-testing kit
* One hand-held laser/ultrasound EM field augmented scanner (works by emitting a laser, then reading the 'results' with a low-gauss EM field; range of 250 metres)
* One 'Silent SCREAM' pack that emits a low-level US pulse (non-harmful to any known organics) designed to alert other RISE agents of an agent in trouble (range of 350 metres)
* A small (minimally stocked) first aid kit
* One rechargable LETHAL/non-lethal EMP/(V)US 'personal' wand (the very small variety, that come with their own internal superconductive 'battery')... VUS stands for Variant Ultrasound
* One 'spread' equipment suit to hold the above, consisting of low-energy-input body armour, and equipment 'slots' and 'packets' spread throughout the body and leg segments
* A short, highly ornate 'shock' sword designed to 'stab, slash and shock' (with superconductive battery)
* One Geiger counter

The team consists of two agents; a heavy-weapons specialist, and a sciences specialist - both have extensive training in basic math, physics, and biology - but the SS (obviously) specialises in physics and chemistry; specifically, the workings of EM fields and MI fields; and metallurgy.

The heavy-weapons specialist has, in addition:

* Several breaching charges
* Two EMP grenades
* Two US grenades

Both agents' PDAs have extensive library files on each of the hard (and some of the 'soft') sciences, as well as incorporated comms units.]

EDIT - Missed whole words out. Duh.

The Snel Race

24-05-2003, 23:21

(OOC: What exactly does the Shadowcraft have on it, in terms of equipment and what not?)

Radio tranciever, 1 variable-power laser (ranging in use from communications to cutting thin metal), compound eye capable of seeing the tip of the microwave band, up through infrared, visible, and ultraviolet. 6 large tentacles covered in tiny hairs so that it can stick to things like a gecko, the front two of which split into two long fingers each. Like any Living Ship, it's capable of re-forming its body at will, but within reasonable limits (for example, it can unravel nerve fibers from its fingers to interface with electronics or other organisms).

IC: "Oberon, we have confirmation of airlock controls. The airlock is open, but is too small for me to enter. Please advise."

"Copy." The Coordinator thought for a moment. It would be best to send in a Snel, but, in the event of contact, they would not be able to effectively communicate. "We will send a Larva. Please return to retreive it."

As the Shadowcraft began to leave the Rent and return to the Oberon, the Coordinator began speaking to the Oberon. "Ship, prepare a Larva. And ensure that it will be able to interpret the alien signals. It's going to be in vacuum a while when it's transported, so you know what to do." Too bad we don't have one of SHODAN's encephalons. It would make the Larva so much more efficient.

"Understood." Deep within the Oberon's central processing region, 3 or 4 large ganglia moved together and formed a shell, within which the Larva would be constructed. Thanks to millions of tiny nanites, the process went a lot faster than it would in a purebred Crana.

About an hour and a half later, the Shadowcraft was on its way back to the airlock, carrying with it a black keratin sphere about 3/4 of a meter in diameter. After placing it in the airlock, the Shadowcraft began pushing buttons again, trying to get the outer door to close again.

S-14

25-05-2003, 02:49

Fourty-Two?
"I intend to suppress the four non-human personalities using the same empathic techniques I used for the other cases, along with several medications to help keep them suppressed. Its a temporary solution, but given the time and resources I have its the best I can do. Perhaps once she's treated, Allison can give us some some clues as to exactly what happened and I can work from there."
The four alien personalities are successfully surpressed, leaving only the almost-human one. When brought out from sedation, Allision's eyes flick open again and dart around the room. "I'm back... but where? So many voices--where did they go? It's so quiet... I am a voice in their chorus, but they no longer sing to me--no discord, but no harmony."

S-14, Aft Spar, Ma-tek Party
(OOC: I forgot to send liason officers with you! Drat. Either they're there or you gave 'em the slip, your call.)
As the RISE agents climb up from the floor-- FLOORPLAN!
http://www.weirdozone.0catch.com/projects/nationstates/s14/mcf3.jpg

A single chamber forms a corridor about four hundred meters across, four hundred meters high, and 2.8 kilometers long with a slightly upward-curving floor. The apparent gravity here is quite low, given the proximity to the axis of S-14's rotation. Huge cube shaped structures 350 meters on a side are placed along the room's floor. The outer surface of the cubes is covered with hexagonal structural supports giving an unusual texture to the immense boxes.

Next to each cube is a gantry of spidery metal trusses and spars. The gantries are mounted on a complicated hinged turntable base. Several small elevators move up and down shafts within the gantry framework. The elevators provide access to hundreds of hexagonal openings in each cube's surface.

Small electrically-powered vehicles move about the bases of the cubes and appear to be hauling different types of cargo. Halfway up the wall of the chamber, similar vehicles move across mesh catwalks to and from hexagonal openings in the sides of the cubes.

There are long ramps down through the floor (currently blocked off), two huge doors at the far end of the room, and several smallish two-meter circular doors in the ceiling.

S-14, Rent Echo Airlock, Snel Party
About an hour and a half later, the Shadowcraft was on its way back to the airlock, carrying with it a black keratin sphere about 3/4 of a meter in diameter. After placing it in the airlock, the Shadowcraft began pushing buttons again, trying to get the outer door to close again.
The left button closes the outer airlock door.

The keratin sphere (assuming it to have sensory organs) would notice that the inside of the lock is completely uninteresting; a tube with doors on either end; save for a single metal control panel with two nondescript metal buttons, a light (which is off) and a slot underneath the light. Underneath the slot are two bar-shaped switches, one black, the other blue.

Scolopendra

25-05-2003, 03:25

"This is Yamato shuttle 'Marie Curie' ready for launch in Bay Two. Ready to transit to Spaceberg Golf whenever you are, Lossa."

The Snel Race

25-05-2003, 04:11

(OOC: I'm assuming that repressurization is automatic- otherwise, the Larva wouldn't be able to do anything but sit there, curled up its protective shell.)

The Larva uncurled, the protective keratin sphere deforming into a structure reminiscent of a pillbug exoskeleton crossed with an ant. Guessing that the two metal buttons must be for opening and closing the outer door, as the outer control panel had them as well, it avoided them. Instead, it flipped the switch (on the right, if they are aligned horizontally) (that's colored blue, otherwise).

OOC:
Description of the larva:

It looks a lot like a 1/2 meter long pillbug, but has definite sections, like an ant. It has 10 legs, and two antennae. It has 2 large, black eyes on opposite sides of its head section, and a jaw like an ant's. Its whole body (excepting the keratin shell) is covered with fuzz, which, on the feet, allows it to stick to things, and is actually made up of partially unraveled nerve and muscle fibers. Normally, it wouldn't have a shell, but this one needed it to survive the vacuum on the way over.

Sakkra

25-05-2003, 04:12

Marie Curie, this is Lossa. We are prepared to disembark. I was wondering if we could take a cursory swipe at the area some the mining is taking place at? I'm hoping to pick up some transmissions and ambient radiation readings to compare with the ones we already have.

S-14

25-05-2003, 04:29

S-14, Inside the Airlock, Snel Party
(OOC: I'm assuming that repressurization is automatic- otherwise, the Larva wouldn't be able to do anything but sit there, curled up its protective shell.)
Heh... it isn't.

Spaceberg "Golf," Sakkran Party plus Dr. Jackson
Marie Curie, this is Lossa. We are prepared to disembark. I was wondering if we could take a cursory swipe at the area some the mining is taking place at? I'm hoping to pick up some transmissions and ambient radiation readings to compare with the ones we already have.
"Sure thing."

The S-7A shuttle makes an overflight over the mining area and radiation. Radiation is unusually low, probably from the water ice absorbing neutron and neutrino radiation from the fusion reactors. Transmissions, as decoded by Jackson, are primarily standard communications between mining parties--at least, that's the sensations he gets--although there are a few exclamations akin to "Damn machine!" Someone must have slipped.

After coasting over these areas, the shuttle lands uncontested on a flat plane of insulation covering the ice next to a large kilometer-wide dome. The doors slide open, allowing the team to get out.

The dome is a metal structure coated in a thick layer of ice with small four-meter wide tubular projections sticking out at ground level. These projections appear to be airlocks, a more permanent version than the ones in Rent Echo. They have control boxes nearby--two nondescript buttons (left and right), a light (off), and a slot.

The Snel Race

25-05-2003, 04:45

Heh... it isn't.

Well, in that case:

Noticing that the airlock didn't repressurize as expected, the larva floated around the airlock, totally inert, until it managed to get within about a centimeter of one of the walls. As soon as it was close enough, it extended a few muscle fibers to grab the wall (OOC: things about the size of a hair wouldn't be affected as much by depressurization), and quickly mushed itself against the fuzzy surface. It then proceeded to crawl along the walls, making sure to keep its shell sealed tight, until it was able to manipulate the controls with its jaw. It was rather difficult, but the larva managed to (do what was described above).

imported_Cetaganda

25-05-2003, 04:47

The four alien personalities are successfully surpressed, leaving only the almost-human one. When brought out from sedation, Allision's eyes flick open again and dart around the room. "I'm back... but where? So many voices--where did they go? It's so quiet... I am a voice in their chorus, but they no longer sing to me--no discord, but no harmony."

Aeryn asks her, "Allison, you're on the ship, in a medical bay. We need you to tell us what happened to you. Who are the other voices? Is there any way for us to contact them without them being overwhelmed as well?" All this is said very calmly, in a friendly but concerned voice. Meanwhile, several other psions, including the Healer, are monitoring her, although not at a level that she should be able to easily detect.

S-14

25-05-2003, 04:59

S-14, Rent Echo Airlock, Snel Party
It then proceeded to crawl along the walls, making sure to keep its shell sealed tight, until it was able to manipulate the controls with its jaw. It was rather difficult, but the larva managed to (do what was described above).
The buttons and switches do not seem to have any effect. The light remains off and the slot is empty.

Fourty-Two?
"Allison, you're on the ship, in a medical bay. We need you to tell us what happened to you. Who are the other voices? Is there any way for us to contact them without them being overwhelmed as well?"
"Allison? Is that me... are that us... no, singular... me, I think. What ship? Is it Alpha, or the swarm-hives, or Fourty-Two (at least I think I remember that name, but from where)? The other voices? Aren't we all the same voice... no, that can't be right"--she shakes her head vigorously--"many doesn't make one. The other voices--they must be other, they aren't me--are... are... not me."

She doesn't seem to notice the contact question as her eyes slow down and her brow furrows in thought. "Not me? But they're in my head... so they must be me..."

imported_Eniqcir

25-05-2003, 05:01

Jackson turned off his implants for a moment, just taking in the wonder. He wandered over (floated, or shoudl there be minimal gravity?) to one of the control panels, and, though he didn't know he was doing it, looked for a key. Just then, he had a strange thought: Wait a minute- these things are primarily ice. And they're being constantly bombarded with radiation. And they aren't anywhere near large enough to contain themselves with a gravitational field. Which means that a lot of their original mass has probably burned off, which in turn means that they used to be larger, and that would suggest that this dome wasn't always this near the surface. Hm. I wonder if they've just repositioned the airlocks, or if there used to be tunnels through the ice to them? He soon put this train of thought out of his mind, however, and continued with the exploration.

imported_Cetaganda

25-05-2003, 05:09

"Allison? Is that me... are that us... no, singular... me, I think. What ship? Is it Alpha, or the swarm-hives, or Fourty-Two (at least I think I remember that name, but from where)? The other voices? Aren't we all the same voice... no, that can't be right"--she shakes her head vigorously--"many doesn't make one. The other voices--they must be other, they aren't me--are... are... not me."

She doesn't seem to notice the contact question as her eyes slow down and her brow furrows in thought. "Not me? But they're in my head... so they must be me..."

"You're onboard the Fourty-Two. You're a telepath, Allison. That means you can hear the thoughts of others. That's why you can hear other voices in your head, but they are not you. You were overwhelmed by the other voices, so we had to sedate you. What can you remember? About yourself, the mission, Alpha, anything at all. We only want to help."

The Snel Race

25-05-2003, 05:11

The larva didn't think in words, but, if it could, it would've thoguht something like "Ye flippin dustpuppies! All that, and I'm missing the key. And I can't repressurize without it. Crap. Oh, come on, float over here!"

It took near on 3 hours, but eventually the key, helpfully left inside by the Shadowcraft, floated within grabbing range.

"Oh. Crap. Now, how am I supposed to use it?"

Yet another half hour went by, when the larva nearly lost the key twice, but was eventually able to shove it into the slot, and sincerely hoped that 1 key fit all.

Sakkra

25-05-2003, 05:23

Spaceberg "Golf," Sakkran Party plus Dr. Jackson
Marie Curie, this is Lossa. We are prepared to disembark. I was wondering if we could take a cursory swipe at the area some the mining is taking place at? I'm hoping to pick up some transmissions and ambient radiation readings to compare with the ones we already have.
"Sure thing."

The S-7A shuttle makes an overflight over the mining area and radiation. Radiation is unusually low, probably from the water ice absorbing neutron and neutrino radiation from the fusion reactors. Transmissions, as decoded by Jackson, are primarily standard communications between mining parties--at least, that's the sensations he gets--although there are a few exclamations akin to "Damn machine!" Someone must have slipped.

After coasting over these areas, the shuttle lands uncontested on a flat plane of insulation covering the ice next to a large kilometer-wide dome. The doors slide open, allowing the team to get out.

The dome is a metal structure coated in a thick layer of ice with small four-meter wide tubular projections sticking out at ground level. These projections appear to be airlocks, a more permanent version than the ones in Rent Echo. They have control boxes nearby--two nondescript buttons (left and right), a light (off), and a slot.

"Okay team. Get the EVA suits UV light sensors up. No need to be surprised by unseen alarm sensors." Lossa looks at the airlock for a moment, and then the control panel. "Griimph. I think this is your field. Take a look here and give me your opinion of this device."

Technician Griimph gives the device a once-over. "If i'm not mistaken, this control needs a key-card to access it. Not certain about the buttons, but I might be able to hack it. Wouldn't place bets on that, though."

Zero-One

25-05-2003, 05:26

Sakkra

25-05-2003, 05:41

R-Jane putters around in the vacuum, then hops back a few meters (low gravity). Balancing on its left foot, it pulls off a weakly magnetic notched metal strip from its right sole. "Well, look at that." It hands the strip to Griimph. "Would this do?"

Griimph looks at the magnetic strip, and equips the broad-head screwdriver on his EVA units right fore-arm. Attaching the magnetic strip to the broad-head, he holds it up to the slot on the control panel. "Hrrrrmmmmm....it just might."

OOC: EVA suit stats.
These units are hermetically sealed, with radiation shielding to protect against cosmic radiation. The stats are for use in space. If used in a gravitic atmosphere, expect performance to be reduced by 3/4.

Speed: 10 mph; with thrusters:150 mph tops.
Weight: 0.75 tons
Battery: Hreer Weapon Works electrical battery. Allows for 12 hours of continuous use before needing a recharge.
Thrusters: Concentrated liquid CO2 jets. 3 hours of use.
Air-recycling system for 12 hours on suit.
Has magnification, ultra-violet, passive nightsight cameras and a wide-band radio receiver/transmitter built into helmet.
Magnetic clamps on foot-sections.
Grasping arm has fully articulated fingers for delicate work, and a series of ratchets, pliers and screwdrivers built into the forearm.

S-14

25-05-2003, 05:48

S-14, Echo Rent Airlock, Snel Party
Yet another half hour went by, when the larva nearly lost the key twice, but was eventually able to shove it into the slot, and sincerely hoped that 1 key fit all.
The key fits, and the panel seems to hum slightly with electricity. (Recap: 2 buttons (outboard and inboard), 1 slot (with key), 1 light (off), 2 levers (blue and black); the outboard door is open.)

Spaceberg "Golf," Outside the Airlock, Sakkran Party
Griimph looks at the magnetic strip, and equips the broad-head screwdriver on his EVA units right fore-arm. Attaching the magnetic strip to the broad-head, he holds it up to the slot on the control panel. "Hrrrrmmmmm....it just might."
The card slips into the slot with a click.

Sakkra

25-05-2003, 06:00

"Hraah! I believe it has worked. Now then, I think these buttons open and close the door here. The left button seems as likely as the other." Griimph presses the left, then jerks his hand back, half expecting a guillotine to drop down.

S-14

25-05-2003, 06:19

Spaceberg "Golf," Airlock, Sakkran Party
"Hraah! I believe it has worked. Now then, I think these buttons open and close the door here. The left button seems as likely as the other." Griimph presses the left, then jerks his hand back, half expecting a guillotine to drop down.
The outer door opens, revealing a utilitarian three-meter diameter metal tube covered in textured insulation. A metal box mounted to the wall on the inside is identical to the one on the outside of the airlock except that it has two bar-shaped levers, one blue and one black.

Spaceberg Field, somewheres around Revenant
Having engaged someone's curiosity with those high-intensity scans, another limpet probe begins speeding towards Revenant.
http://www.weirdozone.0catch.com/projects/nationstates/s14/s14probe.jpg

25-05-2003, 06:35

1115 hours
System Patrol Craft Revenant
Location: 246 Km Galactic West of Object,
Space Berg Field,
2.3 Degrees above object plane, Sol?

"Commander! We're bein' painted and we've got an object closin' in fast to starboard!"

Commander Wilkes of the System Patrol Craft Revenant swore and looked at his tac plot. "We've been spotted. Guns, Kill it, and then start painting the next nearest craft and engage with the ShipKillers.

"Aye, Commander!"

Mounted on the bow of the semi-wedge-like System Patrol Craft was the ship's second most powerful weapon outside it's missile banks. The Beam Cannon was a finesse weapon, capable of tracking a target while emitting a constant beam. The duration was only five seconds, but with a five second recharge time (or ten, if powered up to take on larger ships), but if a fragile craft, such as a starfighter, were hit directly by the beam of energy, it would be torn apart before the pilot registered the green light on his retinas.

It was this weapon the Gunnery Officer chose to fire at the oncoming probe, knowing that, as their weapons were superior to anything made in this pitiful time-period, it would be destroyed shortly--In fact, he had already begun the targeting plot on the next closest ship, aside from the Ulysses

Pressing the firing stud, the Officer smiled in satisifaction as the beam lanced out towards the probe.

S-14

25-05-2003, 06:39

On a collision-intercept vector with Revenant
The beam lances out to the probe, which vanishes. Contact is lost for a full five seconds... and then the probe reappears on screens, as if the beam merely passed through it.

Sakkra

25-05-2003, 06:41

Hrrrrmmmm...okay, I think all of us need to get to the other side of this doorway. Can we all fit? I'll try the pick on the other door way after we're all in."

OOC:It's a bit of a tight squeeze, I bet.

Scolopendra

25-05-2003, 06:49

Commander Douglass reaches out with gloved fingers and extracts the strip from the slot and hands it to the Sakkran. "I don't think a pick will be necessary, Technician Griimph. The lock looks big enough for one of your suits and one of us little people"--he elbows R-Jane in a friendly way, only recieving a stare in return--"at the same time. I'm horrid with these things, so you figure out how this thing works and I'll play Charon the Boatman."

With that, he steps into the airlock. "So, how do you think this dealie works?"

25-05-2003, 07:01

1116 hours
System Patrol Craft Revenant
Location: 246 Km Galactic West of Object,
Space Berg Field,
2.3 Degrees above object plane, Sol?

"What the hell?!"

Commander Wilkes stood straight up and stared at his screen. It was impossible! The craft could NOT have possibly done that...but now, whatever the case, the bogey was getting much closer, rather fast.

"Helm! Evasive manuvers! Guns, open fire with all weapons, but hold the nukes until we're backed off in range!"

The starship slewed to the side and began boosting away from the oncoming probe, it's lighter lasers firing rather futilely at it. Turning to face the probe again, it's launchers belched a single Ship-killer missile at it's 'attacker.' Closing in on the target, the warhead exploded and sent a dozen leathal beams of energy stabbing towards it.

And then Hell's Gates opened wide, swallowing the Revenant and her crew.

1115 hours
System Patrol Craft Ulysses
Location: 250 Km Galactic West of Object,
Space Berg Field,
0 Degrees above object plane, Sol?

"Sir! The Revenant is going hot on targeting, they're painting both an explorer vessel and a probe that was launched at them!"

Benault slammed his fist into the chair arm and cursed. "I could handle exterminating a chance of Spread by killing that deep space expedition, but theres no way in hell I'm going to let that fool kill a ship of innocents AND possibly set off an Ancient Relic and get us all killed!"

"Sir! Revenant is firing!"

Benault cursed as the Beam Cannon fired, but fell silent when the alien craft dissapeared. When it reappeared, he cursed again and the Revenant began dancing away from the probe.

"CONTACTS JUMPING IN!"

Benault's head popped back up to watch the viewscreen in shock as the blue-white energy of a jump bled away from the hulls of two more SPCs.

The Jump engines of the SPCs were very limited-they utilized the gravity of a star system to create a space-wormhole into which the craft jumped, transporting it to a target location near-instantainiously. The energy generated in exit, however, lit up the sensor boards of even a blinded craft within a thousand kilometer radius, thusly negating it's utility if a craft wanted to stay hidden.

Which meant that anyone and everyone in the vicinity could see the two ships which jumped in.

Benault felt his stomach drop between his legs and he supressed a shiver-two ships meant the Resolute must be near, coordinating this operation. That the Captain would order something like this was of no surprise to Benault--indeed, he rather expected this from her.

Which was why his jaw fell to his feet in shock as the two ships each pumped four Ship-Killer Laser Head missiles into the Revenant.

The comm channel still open from the previous conversation with Wilkes, the speakers crackled to life.

"SPCs Glory and Sparrow of the CLF Heavy Cruiser Ptsamtick to SPC Ulysses. You're free to either flee and return to Resolute, or you can drop the charade and come to the Ptsamtick[i], from where we will continue monitoring the [i] Resolute and the Ancient Vessel."

The Tac officer looked back up to the Commander. "Sir, HCR Ptsamtick is jumping in, hundred klicks aft."

Benault nodded. "Helm, take us to them."

Sakkra

25-05-2003, 07:05

"Hrrrmm. If it responds to this magnetic strip, i'm fairly certain that there are something akin to "tumblers" in the mechanism, which activate when a weak magnetic field of a certain strength and pole is inserted."

Griimph is staring at the levers a moment, not sure what they are really for. Pressurizing the chamber maybe. "Hrrrmm. One way to see what these levers are for." With that, the magnetic strip is inserted, and the blue lever is activated.

S-14

25-05-2003, 07:12

Spaceberg "Golf," Airlock, Sakkran Party
Griimph is staring at the levers a moment, not sure what they are really for. Pressurizing the chamber maybe. "Hrrrmm. One way to see what these levers are for." With that, the magnetic strip is inserted, and the blue lever is activated.
Nothing happens. The blue lever returns to the inactive position.

Douglass shrugs. "Maybe we need to close the outer door first."

Collision vector towards Revenant's last-known position
The starship slewed to the side and began boosting away from the oncoming probe, it's lighter lasers firing rather futilely at it. Turning to face the probe again, it's launchers belched a single Ship-killer missile at it's 'attacker.' Closing in on the target, the warhead exploded and sent a dozen leathal beams of energy stabbing towards it.
The probe fades away again, then reappears as the missile's effect dissipates. Having lost its target and basically being out of fuel, the probe coasts along at a constant velocity and heading.

25-05-2003, 07:18

(Not going through with all the extra time/position stuff-aboard the Glory)

Commander Valen Ward of the SPC Glory pointed at his tac plot. "Helm, take us to the probe that was zeroing in on the Revenant ." Pressing the com-stud on his chair, he spoke. "Marines, I want a full tactical STARMOR squad waiting in the Capture Bay. We're about to pick up an Ancient."

The SPC swooped down to the alien craft, it's underside bay opening wide to accept the probe.

Karmabaijan

25-05-2003, 09:14

OOC: Sorry I have been out of contact for so long...had some computer trouble that I just fixed. Anyway...

"Captain Sato, Hideki here. Can we get a copy of the translation matrix? It should be compatible with our brainware. We have a KSPA team ready to deploy if you have a place for us....maybe Rent E? Specs transmitting now.....

<<Begin File>>
KSPA Exploration/Contact Team
2 CyberSci's outfitted similarly to Hideki
4 KSPA Operatives: Not as fully equipped, basic datajack, basic rigger deck

All team members are outfitted in a highly modified MI light power armor rig that is certified for EVA and full NBC protection. It has an ample air supply, and a CO2 scrubber system. It is controlled through a neural link. Each suit has a drone controlled through the rigger deck with a full sensor suite. It can be deployed from the backpack area.
Equipent:
Full spectrum snoopers
Ultra-wideband EM/Laser transciever
Sub-to-ultra-sonic auditory recievers
Atmospheric sensors
Toolkit (the magical has everything one might need variety)
Compressed gas thruster system (can be refilled in atmosphere enviro)
10mm gyrojet pistol with 40 rounds

The team takes with them an equipment sled that carries higher resoloution scanners and more miscellaneous equipment/tools/ammo.
<<End File>>

"I also propose that we set up some bigger soft airlocks, to facilitate easier entry and exit of personnel and equipment on our part. Let us know when you have an objective."

Scolopendra

25-05-2003, 09:30

S-14

25-05-2003, 10:06

Fourty-Two?
"You're onboard the Fourty-Two. You're a telepath, Allison. That means you can hear the thoughts of others. That's why you can hear other voices in your head, but they are not you. You were overwhelmed by the other voices, so we had to sedate you. What can you remember? About yourself, the mission, Alpha, anything at all. We only want to help."
"I... are you sure I'm singular, we could have sworn... I remember a seat, and not light, but thought-light, a burst... maybe thought shining brightly? Far too brightly, and pain...

"One time... when I was six, we remember my mother told me not to stare at the sun, so I did... it was like that--thought overwhelming, bright, so bright that thought ended. Like the sun--light so bright that light ends. Do you understand?"

Ma-tek

25-05-2003, 14:56

S-14, Aft Spar, Ma-tek Party
(OOC: I forgot to send liason officers with you! Drat. Either they're there or you gave 'em the slip, your call.)
As the RISE agents climb up from the floor-- FLOORPLAN!
http://www.weirdozone.0catch.com/projects/nationstates/s14/mcf3.jpg

A single chamber forms a corridor about four hundred meters across, four hundred meters high, and 2.8 kilometers long with a slightly upward-curving floor. The apparent gravity here is quite low, given the proximity to the axis of S-14's rotation. Huge cube shaped structures 350 meters on a side are placed along the room's floor. The outer surface of the cubes is covered with hexagonal structural supports giving an unusual texture to the immense boxes.

Next to each cube is a gantry of spidery metal trusses and spars. The gantries are mounted on a complicated hinged turntable base. Several small elevators move up and down shafts within the gantry framework. The elevators provide access to hundreds of hexagonal openings in each cube's surface.

Small electrically-powered vehicles move about the bases of the cubes and appear to be hauling different types of cargo. Halfway up the wall of the chamber, similar vehicles move across mesh catwalks to and from hexagonal openings in the sides of the cubes.

There are long ramps down through the floor (currently blocked off), two huge doors at the far end of the room, and several smallish two-meter circular doors in the ceiling.

[OOC: I forgot to mention their LSRs (laser-lip-readers).]

Sefrin ux-Rihad, otherwise known as S-14, Scientific Specialist Alpha, inside RISE - an appropriate number, considering - had lived his whole life for this moment; of that he was certain. Wonder-filled eyes took in the visage around him, even as he concentrated fiercley on Drawing the Shadows around his figure - an easy task at the best of times, but incredibly difficult when one is full of wonder at finally gaining the goal that one has set for their life.

An odd goal, to be sure. But Sefrin had always dreamed of meeting an 'alien' intelligence - and perchance, perhaps, it might just happen.

If the all-too-visible liason officer didn't get them killed, that is. He had low hopes for the liason; he could not, to his knowledge, make himself exceptionally hard to see: and that, as far as Sefrin was concerned, was a problem.

[OOC: Assuming a he, don't know why. Will edit if she isn't.]

IC:

A shrug drove the thoughts away, as the highly disciplined man exerted a fierce amount of will in the appropriate 'direction'. Flicking the smudge on his chin, Sefrin activated his LSR.

"S-12, will you look at that..."

A hand flickers towards the elevators.

"Eh. Well, didn't expect to see those," S-12, Heavy Weapons Specialist Beta, otherwise known as Millet Rani Menjda replied, also utilizing her LSR. Few Menjda's were Nenyan-born - but this one was, and was an exception to the 'whining, irritating Menjda' stereotype.

Sefrin shrugged. "It is surprising. I would've thought they'd have some fancy-exotic-type lift system, maybe using anti-grav. I'm frankly disappointed," he half-joked - something which RISE agents are very prone to doing, especially when frightened. Apparently its part of the training.

"Mmm," Millet replied absently, her own eyes equally full of wonder for a few moments.

Sefrin let out a sigh - a definite Nenyan trait - and ceased 'Drawing the Shadows', in order to speak to the liason.

Having not moved an inch from their current position, a hand flicks the LSR off. "Any favoured spot you want to see?" Sefrin asks in his silky-smooth accent, mostly politely.

An odd bunch, for sure, these RISE people.

Sakkra

25-05-2003, 17:18

S-14

25-05-2003, 19:21

imported_Cetaganda

25-05-2003, 19:36

"I... are you sure I'm singular, we could have sworn... I remember a seat, and not light, but thought-light, a burst... maybe thought shining brightly? Far too brightly, and pain...

"One time... when I was six, we remember my mother told me not to stare at the sun, so I did... it was like that--thought overwhelming, bright, so bright that thought ended. Like the sun--light so bright that light ends. Do you understand?"

"Such a powerful mind or group of minds that it overwhelmed you. Is that what you're saying?"

S-14

25-05-2003, 19:41

imported_Cetaganda

25-05-2003, 19:50

Fourty-Two?
"Such a powerful mind or group of minds that it overwhelmed you. Is that what you're saying?"
"I--we?--I think so. So many voices, so loud, the chorus drowning out the actors. Like opening a door in a submarine two thousand feet underwater--where am I getting the idea of 'submarine...' we don't have any--do we?--the sea rushes in, the pressure so great. Not good for you, but the sea doesn't notice."

"Thank you, Allison. I'm going to leave for a moment, but I'll be right outside." Aeryn leaves the room, and speaks with those outside.
"I don't think its worth the risk to try a second attempt at telepathic contact right now."
The Healer adds, "I don't think there's anything I can do by myself. Even at home, it could take months to repair the damage. Unless we get help from the aliens..."
"Which might be possible, if we could get to them," says Sauscony. "They don't seem to be hostile towards the other teams. Could it be possible she could help us do so?"
"I'll ask her." Aeryn returns to Allison's room. "Allison, I know this is asking alot from you, but do you think you can get us into Alpha safely? We want to make contact with the ones inside, the Mothers, I believe."

imported_Eniqcir

25-05-2003, 20:03

Spaceberg "Golf," Airlock, Sakkran Party
Griimph is staring at the levers a moment, not sure what they are really for. Pressurizing the chamber maybe. "Hrrrmm. One way to see what these levers are for." With that, the magnetic strip is inserted, and the blue lever is activated.
Nothing happens. The blue lever returns to the inactive position.

Douglass shrugs. "Maybe we need to close the outer door first."

"Hrar! That would be obvious, if this wasn't so distracting. Very well." Griimph pushes the outboard button, to close the door.

Dr. Jackson stayed outside, waiting for the first group to go through before him. He absent-mindedly turned the implants back on, just to see if he could pick up anything interesting. If the aliens noticed them entering the spaceberg, there could be some informative chatter going on.

the outboard door is open.
OOC: Nyet. I quote-
The left button closes the outer airlock door.

Letting out a mental sigh of relief, the Larva tries the levers again. Holding itself to the wall was getting tiring, and it was only made worse by the fact that S-14's artificial gravity had been acting on it ever since it touched the wall.

S-14

25-05-2003, 20:04

Fourty-Two?
"Allison, I know this is asking alot from you, but do you think you can get us into Alpha safely? We want to make contact with the ones inside, the Mothers, I believe."
"I... remember seeing rings upon rings of green, of a giant plain that curves into the sky--gaps of black and gaps of green--a long tunnel lit along the sides and giant forests... I remember a sea... but not a flat one... a rounded one...

"The Mothers--the Mother--no, there were several who thought they were one--are also curious about you. Still, cautious--so cautious--can't risk resources."

She doesn't seem to know any specific information, only generalities. Her psychic powers are currently inactive, probably from the unsteady state of her mind.

Spaceberg "Golf," Outside the Airlock, Dr. Jackson
He absent-mindedly turned the implants back on, just to see if he could pick up anything interesting. If the aliens noticed them entering the spaceberg, there could be some informative chatter going on.
Mostly he gets impressions of work as usual, but there are also signs of mild curiosity. "Contact lost. Where? Unknown."

S-14, Rent Echo Airlock, Snel Party
Letting out a mental sigh of relief, the Larva tries the levers again. Holding itself to the wall was getting tiring, and it was only made worse by the fact that S-14's artificial gravity had been acting on it ever since it touched the wall.
The black lever, pulled first, has no effect. As the blue lever is pulled, it locks into place and a nitrogen/oxygen atmosphere hisses into the room. The lights on the control panels (both inside and outside the lock) turn on.

Ma-tek

25-05-2003, 21:47

S-14, Room of Large Cubes in Aft Spar, Ma-tek Party
Having not moved an inch from their current position, a hand flicks the LSR off. "Any favoured spot you want to see?" Sefrin asks in his silky-smooth accent, mostly politely.
Lieutenant Karina zan Tashimé simply raises an eyebrow as the RISE agents appear from the dark. Looks like they are making an effort to not be seen. I will have to follow suit. Slinging her advanced medical kit, she shakes her head. "No, it's your party. I'm just the people-fixer."
The Zero-One liason officer, a dark visored hood upon a charcoal-cloaked suit, merely blended into the shadows.

(OOC: Heh... you wanna be sneaky... I will oblige.)

Sefrin smiles as the liason blends into the shadows. "Technology imitates nature yet again," he notes wryly, as he Draws the Shadows himself - a somewhat erroneous term, really, as he remains quite visible... if you happen to be looking right at him, that is.

Taking a step, Sefrin muttered an all-too-audible oath at the "Damned gravity" - clearly, not entirely used to a low-g environment. The Retribution had been bad enough, kept at a comfortable-ish 0.914gs - slightly below normal Arda-gravity, but not everything is perfect... and close to ten percent weight loss isn't something to be sniffed at. Sighed at, sure. But not sniffed at.

Rummaging in one of his pockets for a moment, Sefrin brings out his scanner and a LSR - and hands the LSR to the Lieutenant. "Here," he mutters, "this will make it easier. And quieter. They're quite safe, although they can make your lips tingle a little. But I find it quite pleasurable, actually."

Perhaps too much info.

Sefrin doesn't seem to think so, though - RISE units spend months, sometimes years, cooped up together, and so they tend to be... very frank.

Without wasting any time, Sefrin brings his scanner to bear, flicking contacts open and prodding nibbins - complicated-to-use machinery seems to be something that EOTED likes - before frowning slightly. A shrug, and he flicks the US scanner on; a small, mounted lens-like object makes itself known from the top of the box-like scanner... and slowly swivels, releasing low-level ultrasound as it does so.

The Snel Race

25-05-2003, 22:17

(OOC: Yay! No more chance of violent decompression and splattered guts!) It would make sense for the blue lever to serve the purpose of both pressurizing in one position, and depressurizing in the other, but the purpose of the black lever was still totally unknown, and it could have the unpleasant effect of depressurizing the airlock again. Consequently, the black lever was avoided for the time being, and the inboard button was pushed.

S-14

25-05-2003, 22:29

S-14, Room of Giant Cubes in Aft Spar, Ma-tek Party
Without wasting any time, Sefrin brings his scanner to bear, flicking contacts open and prodding nibbins - complicated-to-use machinery seems to be something that EOTED likes - before frowning slightly. A shrug, and he flicks the US scanner on; a small, mounted lens-like object makes itself known from the top of the box-like scanner... and slowly swivels, releasing low-level ultrasound as it does so.
The Zero-One shadow merely brightens its visor, a reddish slit, and nods, immediately dimming the photosensor afterwards. The lieutenant accepts the lip reader and adjusts it with unusual familiarity after looking at it for a moment. "Thank you, sir. Silence is golden."

The sensor reveals that the cubes are hollow in places, segmented with hexagonal cubby holes. There are only about 31 motion contacts in the room, scattered about and apparently paying each other no mind. The vehicles are like over-powered golf carts, open topped with decidedly non-human occupants, although there are none close enough to get a very good look at. The carts tow standard-sized hexagonal boxes that are eventually loaded into cargo doors at the far end of the room. Sometimes an alien will skitter up to the side, take up a smaller package or two, then clamber up the walls or gantries to the ceiling and pass through the circular doors.

The pattern of activity resembles something vaguely familiar, all the aliens skittering around ignoring each other except for quick, almost instantaneous contacts with waving arms and antennae that quickly break off when packages are exchanged and the two aliens go on their way.

S-14, Rent Echo Airlock, Snel Party
Consequently, the black lever was avoided for the time being, and the inboard button was pushed.
The inner door opens into a dimly lit tunnel. Heavy electrical cables are coiled and twisted on the floor of the tunnel like a nest of giant snakes. Littering the area around the airlock are large metal plates, rectangular boxes, what appear to be cylindrical pressure bottles, modular components, and trusses. Further down in the tunnel, vague, massive shapes loom in the darkness, their outlines undefined in the tenuous green light.

The area appears uninhabited currently.

imported_Cetaganda

25-05-2003, 22:44

As Aeryn listens to Allison talk, she sends to the healer, 'I don't think we're getting anywhere. Maybe we could learn something from on of the other personalities. Please do a surface scan of them.'
The healer hesitates, but he then begins a surface scan of the other four personalities, trying to get a feel of what each of them is like, looking for one that seems like it would be open to conversing with them.

Ma-tek

25-05-2003, 22:46

S-14, Room of Giant Cubes in Aft Spar, Ma-tek Party
Without wasting any time, Sefrin brings his scanner to bear, flicking contacts open and prodding nibbins - complicated-to-use machinery seems to be something that EOTED likes - before frowning slightly. A shrug, and he flicks the US scanner on; a small, mounted lens-like object makes itself known from the top of the box-like scanner... and slowly swivels, releasing low-level ultrasound as it does so.
The Zero-One shadow merely brightens its visor, a reddish slit, and nods, immediately dimming the photosensor afterwards. The lieutenant accepts the lip reader and adjusts it with unusual familiarity after looking at it for a moment. "Thank you, sir. Silence is golden."

The sensor reveals that the cubes are hollow in places, segmented with hexagonal cubby holes. There are only about 31 motion contacts in the room, scattered about and apparently paying each other no mind. The vehicles are like over-powered golf carts, open topped with decidedly non-human occupants, although there are none close enough to get a very good look at. The carts tow standard-sized hexagonal boxes that are eventually loaded into cargo doors at the far end of the room. Sometimes an alien will skitter up to the side, take up a smaller package or two, then clamber up the walls or gantries to the ceiling and pass through the circular doors.

The pattern of activity resembles something vaguely familiar, all the aliens skittering around ignoring each other except for quick, almost instantaneous contacts with waving arms and antennae that quickly break off when packages are exchanged and the two aliens go on their way.

Sefrin responded to the liason with a small smile, "We generally say 'silence is platinum'."

"Motion," reports Sefrin, a few moments later, probably needlessly. He considers for a few moments, then lifts a hand to point vaguely in the direction of one of the carts. "Damn. Now why the hell didn't we think to bring IR equipment?"

Millet shrugged. "Not worth mentioning now," she notes with a wry smile.

Sefrin nods, moving forward - towards a random 'cart' - far more cautiously than before - and not suffering quite so much at the hands of the low-g as a result.

As they move forward, Millet grunts. "Huh. Somehow, this place reminds me of a Post Office..."

[OOC: Almost typed golf carts, you git. ;)]

The Snel Race

25-05-2003, 23:21

The larva began skittering down the tunnel, taking the key with it, and relying on implanted memories of the sonar maps to guide itself.

It ignored most of the junk littering the tunnel, but, before going off exploring and attempting to find an inhabited area, it decided to investigate the vague, massive shapes looming in the darkness in the tenuous green light.

S-14

26-05-2003, 00:00

S-14, Room of Giant (Hollow) Cubes in Aft Spar, Ma-tek Party
Sefrin nods, moving forward - towards a random 'cart' - far more cautiously than before - and not suffering quite so much at the hands of the low-g as a result.

As they move forward, Millet grunts. "Huh. Somehow, this place reminds me of a Post Office..."
Getting closer, they get a really good look at an alien as it skitters out no more than eight meters in front of them and goes off in a dead four-legged sprint carrying a largish rectangular box, never seeming to notice them.
http://www.weirdozone.0catch.com/projects/nationstates/s14/redbug.jpg
They are large two-meter-long insectoids (obviously) with heavy red chitin armor plates covering its body and black highlights around the joints and seams. It has a broad, heavy head sporting formidible looking mandibles and equally bulky maxillae (the little grindy-teeth-bits). The surprisingly slender legs (seemingly in violation of the square-cube law) end in furry pads, and the arms end in powerful but stubby four-fingered manipulators with two opposable thumbs.

S-14, Past Rent Echo Airlock, Snel Party
It ignored most of the junk littering the tunnel, but, before going off exploring and attempting to find an inhabited area, it decided to investigate the vague, massive shapes looming in the darkness in the tenuous green light.
Most of the vague, massive shapes turn out to be boxy maintenance vehicles that ride on six pneumatic tires. Each vehicle has a unique set of articulated mechanical arms and special tools placed around its fram.

One cylindrical shape about three meters long and one meter wide rests in a large wheeled cart. It has a glass bubble nose, small bulbous ports of some kind scattered across the sides, and several articulated mechanical arms on a gondola underneath the bubble nose. A long, narrow hatch graces its dorsal side.

The Snel Race

26-05-2003, 00:08

The larva decided to ignore the vehicles, and continued relying on its memory maps to navigate into higher regions. Even if it never found anything particularly interesting, this might be a good area to lock down in. The primary function of a larva, is, after all, to find a good place for a new Crana to grow. But for now, it would stick to its assigned mission of making contact. So far, no radio voices.

Ma-tek

26-05-2003, 00:35

S-14, Room of Giant (Hollow) Cubes in Aft Spar, Ma-tek Party
Sefrin nods, moving forward - towards a random 'cart' - far more cautiously than before - and not suffering quite so much at the hands of the low-g as a result.

As they move forward, Millet grunts. "Huh. Somehow, this place reminds me of a Post Office..."
Getting closer, they get a really good look at an alien as it skitters out no more than eight meters in front of them and goes off in a dead four-legged sprint carrying a largish rectangular box, never seeming to notice them.
http://www.weirdozone.0catch.com/projects/nationstates/s14/redbug.jpg
They are large two-meter-long insectoids (obviously) with heavy red chitin armor plates covering its body and black highlights around the joints and seams. It has a broad, heavy head sporting formidible looking mandibles and equally bulky maxillae (the little grindy-teeth-bits). The surprisingly slender legs (seemingly in violation of the square-cube law) end in furry pads, and the arms end in powerful but stubby four-fingered manipulators with two opposable thumbs.

Ants, Sefrin thought to himself, we came heaven-knows-how-many-miles to see... intelligent (they had better be, at any rate), space-faring ants. I do not believe it. The Stars clearly have something of a sense of humour, at least.

"Insectoids," Sefrin said out loud, calmly, "interesting. You think they'd notice if we scanned them with thoroughly with a laser or ultrasound, Lieutenant?"

"Now it definitley reminds me of a Post Office," quipped Millet, drawing a sharp glance from Sefrin.

S-14

26-05-2003, 00:47

Fourty-Two?, Inside Allison's Head
The healer hesitates, but he then begins a surface scan of the other four personalities, trying to get a feel of what each of them is like, looking for one that seems like it would be open to conversing with them.
The first personality (A) is extremely curious and very haughty. It seems highly intelligent and empathic, but it thinks with an overarching ego.

The second personality (B) seems, at first glance, to be friendly but relatively simple... not simple in terms of substandard intelligence, but simple in thought patterns. Far more humble than personality A, it also seems far less curious. It resembles... serenity.

The third personality (C) would probably best be described as seething. It is more afraid than curious, and it paces like a tiger in a cage. It is thoroughly confused, but is keeping a cool (if not calm) head. Its thought patterns seem almost scientific... stimulus, hypothesis, analysis of effect, estimation of cause, conclusion of action.

The fourth personality (D) seems to be the simplest and most varied, more of an aggregate itself than a single mind. It thinks almost mechanistically, like a very complex biological code. B.F. Skinner, were he available, would probably use it as proof that organic intelligence is no more than the result of exceptionally complex cause-effect behavior patterning.

S-14, Room of Scattered Equipment, Leading Edge of Torus, Snel Party
The larva decided to ignore the vehicles, and continued relying on its memory maps to navigate into higher regions... But for now, it would stick to its assigned mission of making contact. So far, no radio voices.
The tunnel ends against a metal bulkhead with a large hexagonal hatch that opens into a small hexagonal room. Two circular hatches with unusual latches are in the center of the room, one in the floor (blocked off with brightly-colored tape), and one in the ceiling. The hatch leads into a small, boxy room.
http://www.weirdozone.0catch.com/projects/nationstates/s14/s14tc.jpg
This boxy room also has two circular hatches with odd latches, also in the center of the floor and one in the center of the ceiling. A tubular ladded stretches between both openings. The lower hatch mechanism is housed in a hexagonal dais in the center of the floor. A small hexagonal pedestal is mounted on the south edge of the dais. A small screen, displaying a horribly complex diagram, is sunk into the top of the pedestal. Tethered to the pedestal by a small cord is a pen.

The room is coated in the Velcro-like insulation, but also has six very thick circular pads on the floor that resembles heavy-duty shag carpeting.

S-14, Room of Giant (Hollow) Cubes, Aft Spar, Ma-tek
"Insectoids," Sefrin said out loud, calmly, "interesting. You think they'd notice if we scanned them with thoroughly with a laser or ultrasound, Lieutenant?"
Karina shrugs as she pulls out her electromagnetic spectrum scanner. "How the hell should I know?"--remaining silent--"Well, their IR reads as alive, but the pattern doesn't look anything like insect organ placement, much less ants..."

The giant red ant-beings don't seem to notice Sefrin's voice, as they are chattering to each other in their staccato language "Clickityclickclokityclokityclickclick" while they wave their antennae in patterns. The Shadow (the Zero-One liason) waves its head slightly, then looks at the RISE agents and taps the middle of its hooded face, where the nose would be.

imported_Eniqcir

26-05-2003, 01:01

OOC: Playing two at a time, here....
IC:

The Larva attempted to open the hatch in the ceiling, guessing that it would lead further upward and into areas more likely to be inhabited.

Meanwhile, the Shadowcraft had sent another mission report to the Oberon, which, in turn, relayed the data to Dr. Jackson and the Farspace Horizon.

The second of the Horizon's three shuttles launched, carrying Dr. Berata. As the alien airlock was incompatible for docking, Dr. Berata brought along a short stretch of boarding tube. After donning EVA gear, he exited the shuttle and flimsily attached the boarding tube to the shuttle's airlock, to keep it steady. He then got inside the flexible plastic tube, and proceeded with trying to bolt the other end to the alien airlock. Now, if only we had another one of those keys.... A craft with only one airlock wouldn't be much good for getting people in an out, so he detached the tubing from the shuttle, and started back out of the rent, signalling the Horizon to move in.

Scolopendra

26-05-2003, 01:34

A craft with only one airlock wouldn't be much good for getting people in an out, so he detached the tubing from the shuttle, and started back out of the rent, signalling the Horizon to move in.
That will not be necessary, Eniqciri party. A Karmabaijani shuttle will be arriving shortly, and they have portable airlocks.

Flag Captain Sato
CO, TY RCS Bravo
TYWS-MCR Hornet
Military Director, S-14 Expedition

S-14

26-05-2003, 01:34

S-14, Odd Boxy Room, Leading Edge of Torus, Snel Party
The Larva attempted to open the hatch in the ceiling, guessing that it would lead further upward and into areas more likely to be inhabited.
The ceiling hatch is currently locked. Upon further inspection, a track light recessed around the perimeter of the hatch is off. An identical track light around the floor hatch (which leads back to the room with the equipment) is on, putting a blue glow into the room.

imported_Eniqcir

26-05-2003, 01:46

That will not be necessary, Eniqciri party. A Karmabaijani shuttle will be arriving shortly, and they have portable airlocks.

That's basically what a boarding tube is. And you still have to get past the native airlock.

The Horizon pulled in as close as possible, before a suited figure emerged and puttered over to the boarding tube. The figure grabbed the edge of the tube, and began pulling it back towards the Horizon. Eventually, the figure managed to manuever the tube into one of the empty shuttle docking ports, and proceeded to securely bolt it to the doorway.

The Larva began fooling around with the pedestal, display, and pen thingy.

imported_Cetaganda

26-05-2003, 01:59

Medical Bay 3
IEV Fourty-Two?
Deep Space, S-14 Security Zone

[b]
The first personality (A) is extremely curious and very haughty. It seems highly intelligent and empathic, but it thinks with an overarching ego.

The second personality (B) seems, at first glance, to be friendly but relatively simple... not simple in terms of substandard intelligence, but simple in thought patterns. Far more humble than personality A, it also seems far less curious. It resembles... serenity.

Aeryn turns to the healer, and says, "Would it be possible to suppress the current personality and awaken Personality A?"
The man looks shocked. "Possible? Yes, but why would you-"
"Do it. My authority as the local PsiOps commander. I'm sure Sauscony will confirm my decision if you ask her."
The healer looks very troubled, but goes about the task assigned to him.

S-14

26-05-2003, 02:01

S-14, Rent Echo, Leading Edge of Torus, Eniqcir Party
The torn chimney leading down to the airlock is unconducive to deploying a boarding tube. There isn't quite enough room, and if it does work, the pointy bits of the debris jabs holes into it.

Also, "That will not be necessary" is military-speak for "Stop what you're doing and don't do it." Also, the Karmabaijani have a plan for getting through the native airlock--just like you'd have to.

S-14, Odd Boxy Room, Leading Edge of Torus, Snel Party
The Larva began fooling around with the pedestal, display, and pen thingy.
Could you be more specific? The pen seems to have a very low-power light at the base. The pedestal is a pedestal. The display has an astoundingly complicated multicolor diagram on it that resembles schematics of some type.

S-14

26-05-2003, 02:07

Medical Bay 3, Fourty-Two?
Aeryn turns to the healer, and says, "Would it be possible to suppress the current personality and awaken Personality A?"
The man looks shocked. "Possible? Yes, but why would you-"
"Do it. My authority as the local PsiOps commander. I'm sure Sauscony will confirm my decision if you ask her."
The healer looks very troubled, but goes about the task assigned to him.
Allison twitches, then looks around curiously at the Healer and Aeryn. "Ah, hello again, female mammal. I get the feeling that I've been away for a few moments... and being in a different room seems to confirm that. Still, I remember you. Did you bring your leader as I requested earlier? I do remember hearing about the probe... it has transmitted its data?"

The Snel Race

26-05-2003, 02:15

"Berata, we're recieving orders from someone with bigger guns. Detach the boarding tube, and forget using explosives or acquiring another key. Apparently, the Karmabaijanis have something better up their sleeves."

"What? I just went to all that trouble, and you just want me to-"

"Now, Berata. Not next week. Chalk it up to EVA experience towards your next promotion."

"Whatever. This had better be good."

After detaching the boarding tube, Berata headed back to his shuttle. He was planning on sticking around in the Grok in Fullness, while the mothership, Farspace Horizon, decided to revisit the hangar, exploration of which seemed to have stagnated.

Could you be more specific?

It generally just felt around the whole area, looking for any little details it might have missed. It began studying the diagram, trying to match it up with some part of its memory maps, and then picked up the pen and started poking the display, thinking it might be something like a touch screen.

imported_Cetaganda

26-05-2003, 02:26

Medical Bay 3, Fourty-Two?

Allison twitches, then looks around curiously at the Healer and Aeryn. "Ah, hello again, female mammal. I get the feeling that I've been away for a few moments... and being in a different room seems to confirm that. Still, I remember you. Did you bring your leader as I requested earlier? I do remember hearing about the probe... it has transmitted its data?"

Aeryn sighs internally, thinking, 'It would be this one.'
"Yes, you have been 'away' for some time. I am Commander Aeryn Fletcher of the Cetagandan Space Service. I am in command, along with Sauscony, who commands this vessel. I can see to it that any requests you have are met. The information you wanted has been made available," Aeryn points at the screen."

Karmabaijan

26-05-2003, 02:39

"Captain Sato, Hideki here. Can we get a copy of the translation matrix? It should be compatible with our brainware. We have a KSPA team ready to deploy if you have a place for us....maybe Rent E? Specs transmitting now.....

"I also propose that we set up some bigger soft airlocks, to facilitate easier entry and exit of personnel and equipment on our part. Let us know when you have an objective."
You are clear for insertion into Rent Echo via the airlock there. There appears to be a flat area nearby that will work as a landing platform. Also, the translation matrix seems to be more of a Warneekee's Area concept-translation or something... whatever S.H.O.D.A.N. was saying... so just route your rigs correctly and it should be automatic. Also, feel free to use portable airlocks.

We're sending over our liason officers: Civilian xenobiologist Ivar Thorvald of Advisor Rijil's science staff and R-Kilroy D5AB90 of Zero-One's mechanical engineering section. They will meet you aboard Asgard.

Flag Captain Hideki Sato
CO, TY RCS Bravo
TYWS-MCR Hornet
Military Director, S-14 Expedition

(OOC: Feel free to deploy at any time. I have some interesting stuff about Thorvald, but it can wait.)

Hideki addresses the KSPA team and technical crew.
"All right, quiet down. Time hack, 0245, 3, 2, 1, hack. Here is the plan. KSPA-1 with our Trium guests Ivar Thorvald and R-Kilroy D5AB90, will transition to Rent E from -05. We will install a high capacity protable airlock to facilitate future ease of entry/exit. Next objective will be a general survey of the area immediatley surrounding the airlock. Tech, I want an up to the second map compiled with the scanning data you recieve. The Loki should be close enough to recieve transmissions, but if we get into any comm grey outs, the Ferret can relay, and we can set up portable repeaters if necessary. Once the primary objectives are complete, we have the option of continuing on, maybe making contact, or more general exploration, we will leave that up to Sato. The techs tell me that the firmware upgrade to me and Dochan's encaphalons have been successful, so communication might be possible. If there are no questions, lets get this party started!"

A tech runs up.

"Sir! Here, you might need these!"

"Hmm?"

"They are replicas, or near as we can make them, of the magnetic keys that control the airlocks. We got scan data on them from Server and made up a batch."

"Ahh! Thanks! Hopefully we wont have to cut in now!"

The Loki approaches rent E and takes up stationkeeping. The team gets into their power suits (Thorvald in a more standard EVA suit I assume) and moves into the cargo airlock. A portable airlock is already inside, along with the equipment sled, which the airlock is clipped too. The depress sequence activates and the team spaces, clinging to the sled as Hideki uses its thrusters to move over to the airlock and position the porta-lock.

S-14

26-05-2003, 02:42

S-14, Rent Echo Airlock, Leading Edge of Torus, Karmabaijani Party
The portalock, being smaller and self powered, is easily coasted the last few meters onto the lock. Still, in the process, Thorvald manages to nick his suit, causing a slow leak. A quickly applied 100MPHT patch later, and the problem is solved. "Be careful, people... the edges are sharp."

From the Snel's fiddling you know the left button opens the door and the right button closes it. The light is on, and one of the keys fits into the slot with the click of mechanical tumblers.

S-14, Odd Boxy Room, ???, Snel Party
It generally just felt around the whole area, looking for any little details it might have missed. It began studying the diagram, trying to match it up with some part of its memory maps, and then picked up the pen and started poking the display, thinking it might be something like a touch screen.
The blue light around the floor hatch turns off as the room begins to accelerate. It accelerates harder and harder, eventually reaching almost three gravities, and it moves seemingly erratically, eventually coming to rest after a very hectic ride.

The track lighting on the ceiling hatch activates, glowing green.

Medical Bay 3, Fourty-Two?
I am Commander Aeryn Fletcher of the Cetagandan Space Service. I am in command, along with Sauscony, who commands this vessel. I can see to it that any requests you have are met. The information you wanted has been made available."
Allison brings her head back in disbelief, a disgusted grimace covering her face. "You? In command? No exoskeletal above you? Disgusting! Still, it is possible..."--she seems to become more thoughtful, her visage turning more investigative than disgusted--"...and I mustn't let the horrid thought of your disgusting jiggling flesh hanging off of your skeletal structure keep me from thinking.

"Thank you for informing me of my probe's success, Commander Aeryn Fletcher of the Cetagandan Space Service, it honestly eases my mind... it explains how we are communicating. Such a simple language, hardly classifies as syntactic communciation at all! The only other possibility would be that you're reading my mind... how queer!"

imported_Eniqcir

26-05-2003, 03:34

(OOC: Quick question- Just how did Server get the data needed to make copies of the key?)

The shuttle Grok in Fullness attempted to open a comm channel to the Karmabaijanis. "This is Dr. Berata, I have something that you may find useful. Remember those sonar maps?"

Meanwhile, the Larva was becoming very confused, wondering how the heck an internal room managed to move around. But it soon put these thoguhts out of its mind, after it managed to peel itself off of the floor, anyway, as they were irrelevant to the task at hand, and tried to open the hatch again.

S-14

26-05-2003, 03:51

(OOC: Telemetry data from the Sakkran party. The keys are, oddly enough, identical. Not much use for security, now is it? Would you like to share a glass of water?)

S-14, Room that Moves, ???, Snel Party
Meanwhile, the Larva was becoming very confused, wondering how the heck an internal room managed to move around. But it soon put these thoguhts out of its mind, after it managed to peel itself off of the floor, anyway, as they were irrelevant to the task at hand, and tried to open the hatch again.
http://www.weirdozone.0catch.com/projects/nationstates/s14/fp4.jpg
Climbing up through the hatch onto the floor of the next deck, the larva finds itself in a central hexagonal cell with two bowl-shaped depressions in opposite ends. An archway in each wall leads into a ring of connected outer cells, identical in every way with hexagonal tables and black columns that reach from the floor to the ceiling.

http://www.weirdozone.0catch.com/projects/nationstates/s14/redbug.jpg
There are fifteen of the two-meter red "ants" in the room. The instant one sees the larvae waddling about, it jumps back a few meters and lets off a rapid series of clicks, translating to something between "Danger!" and "What the?!" Plastic utensils and trays fly, scattering food everywhere, as ten of the insects immediately run off for the hatches. The remaining five grab tubular mechanisms and edge carefully towards the larvae.

Sakkra

26-05-2003, 04:00

Spaceberg "Golf," Airlock, Sakkran Party
"Hrar! That would be obvious, if this wasn't so distracting. Very well." Griimph pushes the outboard button, to close the door.
The outboard door closes, and the Commander nods. "Okay, so the plain metal buttons correspond to doors; the inboard one probably opens the inner door, but it probably won't work, because the chamber isn't pressurized. That leaves the levers..."

"Perhaps the blue lever will pressurize this area. Black rarely bodes well." Griimph activates his reciever/transmitter, looking to see if he can catch any 'chatter', and pulls the blue lever.

S-14

26-05-2003, 04:06

Sakkra

26-05-2003, 04:10

Spaceberg "Golf," Airlock, Sakkran Party
"Perhaps the blue lever will pressurize this area. Black rarely bodes well." Griimph activates his reciever/transmitter, looking to see if he can catch any 'chatter', and pulls the blue lever.
Air hisses into the room. The lights on the inside and outside panels light up.

Commander Douglass smiles inside his suit. "Well, I think we have this thing beat. All we have to do is open the inside door, and I can ferry everyone in. Simple enough."

"It is good. Take the magnetic key. If we can make copies of it, we can separate into groups and cover a bigger area." Griimph looks about his location, letting dreams of technological marvels to be discovered dance in his head.

The Gurlanai Race

26-05-2003, 04:13

(OOC: Hope jumping in midway is OK...)

Aboard the Carrier that first detected the Object-

"Overlord, several vessels from the native entities of this system have apparently come to investigate the Object. Apparently, they are as baffled as we were."

"And still are. You mean it's not one of theirs?"

"Most definitely not, sir. We've had time to check its trajectory, and it is definitely from another system, perhaps even another galaxy. And it hasn't displayed any signs of hostility, as of yet."

"Interesting. This may be our chance to gain favor with the major powers in this sytem, although we must be careful to keep avenues of attack open to our enemies. Deploy a light cruiser."

The Snel Race

26-05-2003, 04:22

(OOC: Telemetry data from the Sakkran party. The keys are, oddly enough, identical. Not much use for security, now is it? Would you like to share a glass of water?)

I see. Methinks its not so much for security as for making sure no one accidentally depressurizes when they're not ready, which would cause some pretty nasty splatterings.

S-14, Room that Moves, ???, Snel Party
Meanwhile, the Larva was becoming very confused, wondering how the heck an internal room managed to move around. But it soon put these thoguhts out of its mind, after it managed to peel itself off of the floor, anyway, as they were irrelevant to the task at hand, and tried to open the hatch again.
http://www.weirdozone.0catch.com/projects/nationstates/s14/fp4.jpg
Climbing up through the hatch onto the floor of the next deck, the larva finds itself in a central hexagonal cell with two bowl-shaped depressions in opposite ends. An archway in each wall leads into a ring of connected outer cells, identical in every way with hexagonal tables and black columns that reach from the floor to the ceiling.

http://www.weirdozone.0catch.com/projects/nationstates/s14/redbug.jpg
There are fifteen of the two-meter red "ants" in the room. The instant one sees the larva waddling about, it jumps back a few meters and lets off a rapid series of clicks, translating to something between "Danger!" and "What the?!" Plastic utensils and trays fly, scattering food everywhere, as ten of the insects immediately run off for the hatches. The remaining five grab tubular mechanisms and edge carefully towards the larvae.

The larva, temporarily stunned, rolled itself back into a sphere, while broadcasting the following message: "Please, do not hurt me! I am not dangerous, I come from the Outside! We have been investigating your entry into our system, I only wish to make contact!" It repeated this over and over, obviously distressed, and rolled about a bit. As it did so, it thought, privately, aha, that room must've been some sort of elevator or other transport. I suppose the display was for selecting a destination. I seem to be in a cafeteria area.

Griimph activates his reciever/transmitter, looking to see if he can catch any 'chatter'

OOC: I was unaware that the Sakkrans got those implants, isn't that why Dr. Jackson came along?

imported_Cetaganda

26-05-2003, 04:25

Medical Bay 3, Fourty-Two?

Allison brings her head back in disbelief, a disgusted grimace covering her face. "You? In command? No exoskeletal above you? Disgusting! Still, it is possible..."--she seems to become more thoughtful, her visage turning more investigative than disgusted--"...and I mustn't let the horrid thought of your disgusting jiggling flesh hanging off of your skeletal structure keep me from thinking.

"Thank you for informing me of my probe's success, Commander Aeryn Fletcher of the Cetagandan Space Service, it honestly eases my mind... it explains how we are communicating. Such a simple language, hardly classifies as syntactic communciation at all! The only other possibility would be that you're reading my mind... how queer!"

"I assure, I am not reading you mind at the moment. From what we have learned, your language is significantly more complex than ours is. As for my physical form, its simply that we have been shaped. The only one of us who has anything like an exoskeleton would be Sauscony, who is connected to this vessel. Now, you are no doubt wondering how you arrived on our ship. I will attempt to summurize."
"You are onboard the Cetagandan vessel Fourty-Two, currently five hundred kilometers from the artifact you call Alpha. {OOC: Or further, if the ship isn't that close}. This ship is part of a fleet of <number} other major vessels that were dispatched to study Alpha when it was detected approaching our stellar system."
"We were attempting to make contact with the intelligences on Alpha using telepathy, that is, mind-to-mind contact. Unfortuantly, the one who was doing so became overwhelmed by the strength of the thoughts of those she contacted. That is how you came to be in the body you currently inhabit."
"We still wish to make contact with those inside, but we hope to do so in a way that will not injure other members of our team. We also want to help you return to where you properly belong so that the one who you inhabit can be returned to normal. We would - greatly appreciate any assistance you could give us in achieving our goals."

S-14

26-05-2003, 04:40

Spaceberg "Golf," Airlock, Sakkran Party
"It is good. Take the magnetic key. If we can make copies of it, we can separate into groups and cover a bigger area." Griimph looks about his location, letting dreams of technological marvels to be discovered dance in his head.
Everyone is eventually ferried into...
http://www.weirdozone.0catch.com/projects/nationstates/s14/fp19.jpg
Coming into the lock (the north cell) reveals cylindrical interairlocks with openings _just_ large enough for a Sakkran to fit in. From the central cell, one can see two shallow bowl-like depressions; two large hexagonal doors in the northwest and southeast that lead to what appear to be prep rooms, with counters, racks, and lockers; and two smaller hexagonal doors in the southwest and northeast which leads to rooms full of complex machinery.

S-14, Dining Room (?), ???, Snel Party
"Please, do not hurt me! I am not dangerous, I come from the Outside! We have been investigating your entry into our system, I only wish to make contact!"
The Reds raise the tubular things up in a ready position. One chatters to the other, with the accompanying concept of "Subintelligent?" One which seems to take the role of leader chatters vocally to the larvae, while projecting the idea "From outside? How speak language? Are you child?"

Medical Bay 3, Fourty-Two?
The flaccid being with... soft skin... eww... opened its sound-hole and said, "I assure, I am not reading you mind at the moment... etc.
"Are you saying you can read minds? How queer. I thought I was the only one that could do that. Sauscony... how is she connected to this vessel?

"Body I currently inhabit? What are you talking about?"

Sakkra

26-05-2003, 05:08

OOC: To the Snel race. We don't have the implants. Our EVA suits have wide band receiver/transmitters built into the helmets. The stats on our EVA suits are posted on page 14 (http://www.nationstates.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=29373&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=260), I think.

Spaceberg "Golf," Airlock, Sakkran Party
"It is good. Take the magnetic key. If we can make copies of it, we can separate into groups and cover a bigger area." Griimph looks about his location, letting dreams of technological marvels to be discovered dance in his head.
Everyone is eventually ferried into...
http://www.weirdozone.0catch.com/projects/nationstates/s14/fp19.jpg
Coming into the lock (the north cell) reveals cylindrical interairlocks with openings _just_ large enough for a Sakkran to fit in. From the central cell, one can see two shallow bowl-like depressions; two large hexagonal doors in the northwest and southeast that lead to what appear to be prep rooms, with counters, racks, and lockers; and two smaller hexagonal doors in the southwest and northeast which leads to rooms full of complex machinery.

Griimph looks about the area. "What fascinating technology. Is the air safe?"

Lossa looks around, inspecting the machinery visually. "There is only one way to find out if we can breathe the air, since these suits don't have compatibilty guages built in to them." Lossa lifts the visor on his EVA suit.

S-14

26-05-2003, 05:25

imported_Eniqcir

26-05-2003, 05:36

(OOC: Feel free. Do anything naughty though, and you will be smote.)

Smitten. Not smote.

OOC: To the Snel race. We don't have the implants. Our EVA suits have wide band receiver/transmitters built into the helmets. The stats on our EVA suits are posted on page 14, I think.

Oh, yes, I'm aware of that. But, without implants, how would you be able to understand anything? You'd just pick up clicks like everyone else.

IC stuff:

One chatters to the other, with the accompanying concept of "Subintelligent?" One which seems to take the role of leader chatters vocally to the larvae, while projecting the idea "From outside? How speak language? Are you child?"

Regaining its wits, the larva uncurled itself, and raised itself to its full height of 3 feet, looking the leader right in the eyes.

"Excuse me! I am a fully intelligent being, thankyouverymuch. In terms of time, yes, this is a child's body, but my mind has existed for several decades in one form or another. Your form of communication was decoded by one of our linguists, and my neocortex suitably constructed to understand and synthesize it." I certainly didn't intend to make first contact this way, but take it as it comes, I guess.

Meanwhile, having already launched all three of its shuttles, the Farspace Horizon began approaching the hangar section all by itself, with only two crewmembers still aboard, the mechanic and comm officer, as Dr.s Berata, Gawain, and Jackson were off doing other stuff, with the three shuttles.

Sakkra

26-05-2003, 05:37

Spaceberg "Golf," Airlock, Sakkran Party
Griimph looks about the area. "What fascinating technology. Is the air safe?"

Lossa looks around, inspecting the machinery visually. "There is only one way to find out if we can breathe the air, since these suits don't have compatibilty guages built in to them." Lossa lifts the visor on his EVA suit.
It smells... like rotting meat... ahh... NO!

No, Bowman jettisoned the people in cryo before he went to...

Sorry, couldn't resist. It's air. It's clean. And, most importantly, breathable.

The technology is suitably complex, but some of the components seem impossibly small, almost like minaturized forms of the larger components.

Lossa took a deep whiff of the air. "It is breathable. Remove helmets so we conserve power on the battery."

Griimph is looking over the various devices in the room. "Oh, if I only brought my diagnostic scanner with me. The miniaturization technology here would be of immense benefit to the Empire. Emperor Kraah would even award us Gorrm's Claws."

Lossa continues his visual inspection. All this equipment, and in good shape. Who maintains it?

S-14

26-05-2003, 05:47

Spaceberg "Golf," Airlock, Sakkran Party

Lossa took a deep whiff of the air. "It is breathable. Remove helmets so we conserve power on the battery."

Griimph is looking over the various devices in the room. "Oh, if I only brought my diagnostic scanner with me. The miniaturization technology here would be of immense benefit to the Empire. Emperor Kraah would even award us Gorrm's Claws."

Lossa continues his visual inspection. All this equipment, and in good shape. Who maintains it?
Commander Douglass twists off the seal on his helmet and stows it under his arm. "Hmm... it's going to be troublesome getting around with these suits on."

R-Jane shrugs, and peers at the machinery as well. "How quaint. I'm sure we can... liberate some on the way out. Lead on, Lossa."

imported_Eniqcir

26-05-2003, 05:58

Dr. Jackson spoke up as he removed his helmet. "Liberate? You mean steal? I don't think that's such a good idea."

A ways away in the general direction of S-14, coming in on a course from Ganymede, is the surprisingly late Rama. Despite being 2.5 kilometers long, and 1 kilometer in diameter, the generational ship is still dwarfed by S-14. Its Odin escort emerged from the Iris nearest S-14, and began moving towards the Farspace Horizon, while at the same time initiating a link with the Oberon. Soon after its initial moves towards the Horizon, however, the Odin changes course for the much more interesting Detail Bravo. Envoy (OOC: who I've been neglecting for a while) was busy exploring Detail Hotel.

S-14

26-05-2003, 06:24

S-14, Dining Room, ???, Snel Party
"Excuse me! I am a fully intelligent being, thankyouverymuch. In terms of time, yes, this is a child's body, but my mind has existed for several decades in one form or another. Your form of communication was decoded by one of our linguists, and my neocortex suitably constructed to understand and synthesize it."
"Insult unintended. You communicate simply." From the antennae waving and the odd smells coming from the ants, it would seem that the bug is correct.

"Join us." The five get in a group around the larvae, not giving it much of a choice, and begin moving back towards the center hatch.

Approach vector to S-14 Hangar
Meanwhile, having already launched all three of its shuttles, the Farspace Horizon began approaching the hangar section all by itself, with only two crewmembers still aboard, the mechanic and comm officer, as Dr.s Berata, Gawain, and Jackson were off doing other stuff, with the three shuttles.
<<TARGETING RADAR PAINT WARNING>>
http://www.weirdozone.0catch.com/projects/nationstates/s14/s14turret.jpg

On the expedition channel: "Farspace Horizon, Hornet. Your vessel has entered the unsafe zone. Do you require assistance?"

On the S-14 comms channel: "Unidentified. Identify immediately."

Rent Bravo
Soon after its initial moves towards the Horizon, however, the Odin changes course for the much more interesting Detail Bravo.
(OOC: What are these Odins and Oberons, anyhoo?)

It looks like a torn-apart metal honeycomb, with layer after layer of latticed hexagonal cells exposed to vacuumed.

Rent Hotel
Envoy was busy exploring Detail Hotel.
There is a long strip of water ice at bottom. Envoy begins attracting the attention of some of the maintenance vehicles working on the higher levels of damage.

Sakkra

26-05-2003, 06:35

OOC: Snel Race. Lossa is a liguist. Even though he can't understand the clicks, he can detect a pattern, and when it chamges.
Spaceberg "Golf," Airlock, Sakkran Party

Lossa took a deep whiff of the air. "It is breathable. Remove helmets so we conserve power on the battery."

Griimph is looking over the various devices in the room. "Oh, if I only brought my diagnostic scanner with me. The miniaturization technology here would be of immense benefit to the Empire. Emperor Kraah would even award us Gorrm's Claws."

Lossa continues his visual inspection. All this equipment, and in good shape. Who maintains it?
Commander Douglass twists off the seal on his helmet and stows it under his arm. "Hmm... it's going to be troublesome getting around with these suits on."

R-Jane shrugs, and peers at the machinery as well. "How quaint. I'm sure we can... liberate some on the way out. Lead on, Lossa."

Lossa shuttered his two sets of eyelids. "No, we will not 'liberate' anything here. Not only would this be poor form, but could also get undue attention drawn to us. No, we will proceed....to the southwest chamber. I want a close look at this technology.

imported_Eniqcir

26-05-2003, 06:37

"Join us." The five get in a group around the larva, not giving it much of a choice, and begin moving back towards the center hatch.

Obviously, the larva follows.

On the expedition channel: "Farspace Horizon, Hornet. Your vessel has entered the unsafe zone. Do you require assistance?"

On the S-14 comms channel: "Unidentified. Identify immediately."

"Negative, Hornet. Just testing a theory."

"Hey, Finn! We're getting some wierd signals from S-14."
"Dang. Too bad we don't have Dr. Jackson, or a Crana, or something to decode it for us. Proceed."

With those words, the Telvirdis generator was brought online. A wave of blackness engulfed the ship, leaving a speck no bigger than a few bumblebees intersecting normal space. It would normally be reduced to near atomic size, but that wouldn't allow for any intelligence gathering.

(OOC: What are these Odins and Oberons, anyhoo?)

Odin: Imagine a 200-meter long cross between an SR-71 and a stickbug, but with the wings of the SR-71 reduced to large struts.
Oberon: Imagine 400-meter long scarab beetle, with the shell curved back behind it, and the edges of the shell extended to form a complete dome. Then, imagine the head fused to the reast of the body, and the eyes and antennae removed. Reduce the abdomen to a large tube down the center, and you've got an image of an Oberon.

There is a long strip of water ice at bottom. Envoy begins attracting the attention of some of the maintenance vehicles working on the higher levels of damage.

Envoy went deeper, attempting to determine the source of the ice. When it noticed the maintenance vehicles coming towards it, it hailed the Oberon for information on how to communicate.

Karmabaijan

26-05-2003, 06:49

"No time like...now."

Hideki ushers everyone inside the expanded airlock and cycles it. He opens the far door, and the KSPA team moves out and begins scanning, saving the data to internal sensor logs, a back up on the sled, and transmitting it live to the Loki.

imported_Eniqcir

26-05-2003, 06:52

(OOC: You can tell I'm just sitting here refreshing the page, can't you?)

Dr. Berata watched the action from the Grok in Fullness (OOC: Yes, I would like to share a glass of water...).

"Um, excuse me, Karma people? What's going on? Did you get my earlier message?"

Karmabaijan

26-05-2003, 07:05

imported_Eniqcir

26-05-2003, 07:10

"Yeah, good. Ah, it seems like you're just going in blind right now, did Server relay those maps to you already? 'Cuz, otherwise, I've got 'em all right here in my computer. Raw sonar data as well as processed maps."

S-14

26-05-2003, 07:22

Spaceberg "Golf," Airlock, Sakkran Party
Lossa shuttered his two sets of eyelids. "No, we will not 'liberate' anything here. Not only would this be poor form, but could also get undue attention drawn to us. No, we will proceed....to the southwest chamber. I want a close look at this technology.
R-Jane nods. "Consider the suggestion retracted."

The technology is rather well-refined airlock equipment: atmosphere scrubbers, pressurization pumps, sanitizer tanks, sensor equipment. The control computers (or at least what R-Jane points out as potentially control computers) appear to be closed systems. The only means of access into them are small hexagonal ports.

S-14, ???, ???, Snel Party
Obviously, the larva follows.
The Reds lead the larva back into the transport car, where four hunker down on the furry pads (tubes still pointed at the larva) and one operates the console. As the transport car begins to move, the operator also hunkers on a pad and levels its tube towards the larva, balancing it with a grim familiarity.

The larva detects some RF chatter similar to the translated language, but much more complex. The guards neither speak to each other, nor to the larva.

Approach vector to S-14 Hangar
(BY ORDER OF THE SOURCE. ENGAGING PLOT DEVICE.)
With those words, the Telvirdis generator was brought online. A wave of blackness engulfed the ship, leaving a speck no bigger than a few bumblebees intersecting normal space. It would normally be reduced to near atomic size, but that wouldn't allow for any intelligence gathering.
(OOC: 1D20 batteries, 5% chance to hit per (natural 20).)
"Contact lost. Blue trick. Fire."
Eighteen brute-force lightspeed particle cannon lance out from hardpoints scattered across the leading edge of S-14's central torus, using known position-velocity data.
(To-Hit Rolls: 3, 19, 10, 9, 19, 1, 9, 14, 14, 17, 19, 9, 15, 10, 20, 9, 14, 12)
One slams into the speck, overloading the Telvirdis engine and crippling maneuvering power.

Damage report: Telvirdis out. Maneuver critical. Enough delta-V to abort to safe zone or continue on present course. Abort (y/n)?

S-14, Rent Hotel, Torus side, Envoy
Envoy went deeper, attempting to determine the source of the ice. When it noticed the maintenance vehicles coming towards it, it hailed the Oberon for information on how to communicate.
The ice has to be at least a kilometer deep. From spectrographic analysis, it has an high amount of particulate matter and organic chemicals.

One of the maintenance vehicles break off and vectors towards Envoy. "Unidentified. Identify."

S-14, Past Rent Echo Airlock, Leading Edge of Torus, Karmabaijani Party
Everyone cycles through with fuzzy sensor maps. They also see:

The inner door opens into a dimly lit tunnel. Heavy electrical cables are coiled and twisted on the floor of the tunnel like a nest of giant snakes. Littering the area around the airlock are large metal plates, rectangular boxes, what appear to be cylindrical pressure bottles, modular components, and trusses. Further down in the tunnel, vague, massive shapes loom in the darkness, their outlines undefined in the tenuous green light.

Karmabaijan

26-05-2003, 07:25

Yes, the sonar data was redistributed amongst the Trium vessels. We have a constant data link.

imported_Eniqcir

26-05-2003, 07:31

Damage report: Telvirdis out. Maneuver critical. Enough delta-V to abort to safe zone or continue on present course. Abort (y/n)?

"Egads! Finn, what the heck was that?"

"No clue. If we were outside the bubble, though, it probably would've punched a hole in the hull. As it is, the particle beam seems to have spread out pretty harmlessly, but the radiation's damaged the generator. I'm afraid we're stuck in the bubble."

"Can we at least get out of the way of those things? I don't want to risk another hit, no matter how slim the chance."

"Just a minute- yep, we can't go to hyperlight, but we do have enough to bumb us into the safe zone. All the computers seem to be intact. Good, we've got all the sensor logs. Initiating burn." He punches the "y" key.

One of the maintenance vehicles break off and vectors towards Envoy. "Unidentified. Identify."

Envoy paused a moment, still attempting to reconfigure its brain to accpet the alien signals. Eventually, it returned the message with "I am designated Envoy. I come peacefully. Can I offer assistance? Can you provide me with information?"

Yes, the sonar data was redistributed amongst the Trium vessels. We have a constant data link.

"Oh. OK. Never mind, then. I'd like it if you'd keep me up-to-date, though. Berata out."

Sakkra

26-05-2003, 07:38

Scolopendra

26-05-2003, 07:53

Hauling Ass Away from S-14 Hangar
"Just a minute- yep, we can't go to hyperlight, but we do have enough to bumb us into the safe zone. All the computers seem to be intact. Good, we've got all the sensor logs. Initiating burn." He punches the "y" key.
The battered Farspace Horizon leaves the danger zone.

"All expeditionary forces lock down! Farspace Horizon, Hornet. They lit up on you, what is your status?"

S-14, Rent Hotel, Torus side, Envoy
Envoy paused a moment, still attempting to reconfigure its brain to accpet the alien signals. Eventually, it returned the message with "I am designated Envoy. I come peacefully. Can I offer assistance? Can you provide me with information?"
The maintenance vehicle backs up slightly and transmits. "Hold. Percieve attack. On guard. Hold."

Spaceberg "Golf," Airlock, Sakkran Party
Lossa looks over the equipment, and fingers the hexagonal access ports. "Griimph, take what notes you can get on these atmosphere scrubber devices, airlock ports and anything else of interest. Without opening the devices. I'd like us to remain undetected as long as we can."

Lossa then looks over the displays from the sensor equipment, wondering if he could make heads or tails of it.
Griimph plays photojournalist. The screens Lossa observes are simple diagrams of the airlocks, pressure statuses, systems checkouts, et cetera. The information is primarily color-coded and annotated with a very fine script.

R-Jane looks at the strange latches on the strange hatch in the floor.

imported_Eniqcir

26-05-2003, 15:01

"All expeditionary forces lock down! Farspace Horizon, Hornet. They lit up on you, what is your status?"

"Most everything seems to be OK, except the Telvirdis engine. Residual ions seem to be interfering with the EK cells, too, but that should pass. As it is, that shot was a lot more powerful than should've been possible. We have no idea what's wrong with the Telvirdis, but, until we do, we're kinda stuck this size. Stand by."

OOC: Scolo der GM, choose something to have gone wrong:
1. Failure of Casimir negative-energy plates.
2. Failure of gravity wave projectors.
3. Random and very unlucky burnout of just those few circuits that control the darn thing.
4. Something else justifiable.

The Snel Race

26-05-2003, 16:30

The Reds lead the larva back into the transport car, where four hunker down on the furry pads (tubes still pointed at the larva) and one operates the console. As the transport car begins to move, the operator also hunkers on a pad and levels its tube towards the larva, balancing it with a grim familiarity.

The larva detects some RF chatter similar to the translated language, but much more complex. The guards neither speak to each other, nor to the larva.

"So... Where are we going? I hope you don't consider me a threat. I am quite devoid of weapons."

The maintenance vehicle backs up slightly and transmits. "Hold. Percieve attack. On guard. Hold."

"Attack? What sort of attack? Are we in danger?"

imported_Cetaganda

26-05-2003, 17:57

Medical Bay 3, Fourty-Two?
"Are you saying you can read minds? How queer. I thought I was the only one that could do that. Sauscony... how is she connected to this vessel?

"Body I currently inhabit? What are you talking about?"

"A few of us can read minds, yes. That is why we were selected to attempt contact. Others are trying more standard methods."
Sauscony's face appears on a screen, and she replies to the question about her.
"I was injured early in her life in a way that would have left my body crippled. Rather than let a perfectly good mind go to waste, my parents chose to allow me to undergo a surgery that linked my brain to electronic systems. A high-level artificial intelligence known as an alpha synth is part of this system, and allows me to easily process the incredible amount of information that flows into me. The synth is an extension of my own mind, created by cetacean specialists to mesh perfectly with my existing personality. After a great deal of schooling and training, I choose to be installed into a spacecraft. The ship effectively became my body."

Aeryn continues. "And your body...Sauscony, could you switch the screen to mirror mode." The largest screen now shows the room, in which there is just Aeryn, Allison, and the medic off the to side. "As you can see, your personality is currently inside a human body. We hope to correct that, but it would likely require getting close to your natural body."

{OOC: Appologies to to Anne McCaffery and David Weber for dirty-snatching some of their ideas.}

S-14

26-05-2003, 19:22

S-14SECZONE, Farspace Horizon
"Most everything seems to be OK, except the Telvirdis engine. Residual ions seem to be interfering with the EK cells, too, but that should pass. As it is, that shot was a lot more powerful than should've been possible. We have no idea what's wrong with the Telvirdis, but, until we do, we're kinda stuck this size. Stand by."
The gravity wave projectors have failed.

S-14, Transport Car, ???, Snel Party
"So... Where are we going? I hope you don't consider me a threat. I am quite devoid of weapons."
The leader clicks. "We go to Mother of us All." After a pause to tap its mandibles a few times, it continues: "Always threat."

The car eventually comes to a stop, and the Reds escort the larva out into what appears to be a clearing in a low-gravity forest. A relatively largish paved area dominates it, ringed with flashing lights and having a small electronics shed at one end.

With four of the guards grasping the larva gently but firmly, the leader produces some sort of medical instrument, inserts it inbetween some plates, and extracts a small sample (with accompanying discomfort) which it then places in a small boxy device. Reading the display, it chatters to one of the other guards, who pulls out a small cylinder from a tool belt and hands it to the leader as a bulbous helicopter appears from over the treeline and lands on the pavement behind it.
http://www.weirdozone.0catch.com/projects/nationstates/s14/redheli.jpg

The leader snaps the cylinder into its medical sampling tool and approaches the larva again. "Destination classified. Be unconscious now."

S-14, Rent Hotel, Side of Torus, Envoy
"Attack? What sort of attack? Are we in danger?"
The maintenance vehicle continues to back up. "Hangar attack. Hold. Presume threat. Hold."

Medical Bay 3, Fourty-Two?
A high-level artificial intelligence known as an alpha synth is part of this system, and allows me to easily process the incredible amount of information that flows into me. The synth is an extension of my own mind, created by cetacean specialists to mesh perfectly with my existing personality. After a great deal of schooling and training, I choose to be installed into a spacecraft. The ship effectively became my body.
"Ahh, then you are the equivalent of Alpha. How pleasant, to meet another artificial intelligence. I am the tender of Alpha, so maybe we can exchange information on data structures and behavioral attractors to increase operational efficiency."
"As you can see, your personality is currently inside a human body. We hope to correct that, but it would likely require getting close to your natural body."
Allison's face goes from curious through confused to absolutely horrified. "I'm in... that... thing?" Deciding to actually look at herself for the first time, she notices that yes, she is in an endoskeletal body. After retching a few times, she passes out. Again.

imported_Cetaganda

26-05-2003, 19:36

Medical Bay 3, Fourty-Two?

"Ahh, then you are the equivalent of Alpha. How pleasant, to meet another artificial intelligence. I am the tender of Alpha, so maybe we can exchange information on data structures and behavioral attractors to increase operational efficiency."

...

Allison's face goes from curious through confused to absolutely horrified. "I'm in... that... thing?" Deciding to actually look at herself for the first time, she notices that yes, she is in an endoskeletal body. After retching a few times, she passes out. Again.

Aeryn sighs and shakes her head. "Gods, what did I do to offend you? Doctor, I'm going to take a nap outside. Let me know when she wakes up. If she doesn't, I'll be back in twelve hours or so." She leaves the room muttering to herself.

imported_Eniqcir

26-05-2003, 20:10

"Destination classified. Be unconscious now."

"Very well. No need to sedate me, if that's what you're thinking." The larva rolled up into its shell again, exposing only a smooth, black keratin sphere.

The gravity wave projectors have failed.

"Finn! I think I've found the problem!" David, the mechanic, climbed back onto the bridge. "I've been running diagnostics on all the systems. Exotic matter generation is fine, which, of course, means that the Casimir Plates are fine. We should be getting EK cells back any minute now. It's the gravity wave projectors that failed. No idea why, they just stopped working, and it'll be a heckuva job to fix 'em out here."

"You say the Casimir negative-energy plates are still working?"

"Yup."

"Good. It was a mistake going in their without reducing our intersection to atomic size. Besides being detected, it used up a heckuvalot more energy to keep the larger bubble stable. If we reduce our intersection, we've got a few possibilities. First, we can attempt a quantum leap past the defense grid. Second... uh, well, there is no second, never mind. Without the gravity wave projectors, the only way out is a quantum jump, no matter where it's to."

"Farspace Horizon to Server, we need your advice. We've lost gravity wave generators, which means the only way out of this mess is a quantum leap. It's risky, but we have to do it anyway, so would you like us to try infiltration of S-14, or just get the heck away? Whatever your decision, we can't generate enough power for a leap on our own, so we'll need someone to direct an energy beam to these coordinates: <coordinates>."

Zero-One

26-05-2003, 20:31

Farspace Horizon to Server, we need your advice. We've lost gravity wave generators, which means the only way out of this mess is a quantum leap. It's risky, but we have to do it anyway, so would you like us to try infiltration of S-14, or just get the heck away? Whatever your decision, we can't generate enough power for a leap on our own, so we'll need someone to direct an energy beam to these coordinates: <coordinates>."
<Conference Communications to Farspace Horizon>
{
<< Farspace Horizon, S.H.O.D.A.N.. Acknowledge and understand your last transmission, masers prepared. I have Advisor Rijil and Flag Captain Sato here to discuss your situation.

<< I think that they might as well try an insertion into S-14 now. There is a large null-gravity open area within range of their position, and the worst they could do is get themselves stuck in a wall.

<< [Sato] I don't think it's wise, S.H.O.D.A.N.. Just imagine someone popping into the middle of your networks. What would your reaction be?

<< [S.H.O.D.A.N.] Rather violent, I'm afraid. Still, I doubt they have ship-killers aboard, and it would give us another viewpoint on S-14.

<< [Rijil] I agree with S.H.O.D.A.N.. We don't know if Farspace Horizon can be repaired, and we can't just pass up this opportunity.

<< [Sato] Goodness, surrounded by scientists.

<< [S.H.O.D.A.N.] It's ultimately your call, Farspace Horizon, but two out of three directors say go for it.
}

S.H.O.D.A.N. v3.0, Political Director
Advisor Al Rijil, Scientific Director
Flag Captain Hitome Sato, Military Director

imported_Eniqcir

26-05-2003, 20:38

"Copy. We're preparing for a quantum leap to the interior of S-14. Hopefully, we won't die in the process. Well, time to see if it's worth building the E.S.V. Quantum Leap or not! Calculations should complete within another half hour. Readying for charge-up...."

OOC:
Engaging time dilation, because I can!

6-sided dice, 1 or 2 they blow up, 3 or 4 they get inside just fine, 5 or 6 they get in side with complications. And the roll is... 5. I guess part of the ship DID get stuck in a wall, or something like that.

S-14

26-05-2003, 21:15

Medical Bay 3, Fourty-Two?
Aeryn sighs and shakes her head. "Gods, what did I do to offend you? Doctor, I'm going to take a nap outside. Let me know when she wakes up. If she doesn't, I'll be back in twelve hours or so." She leaves the room muttering to herself.
(OOC: The gods are not offended. Working with alien intelligences is inherently difficult.)

Allison mutters a little bit during her periods of Rapid Eye Movement, which last unnaturally long times--nearly 120 minutes per cycle. Also, delta-wave deep sleep is almost completely non-extant, lasting for maybe 10 minutes at most. It is as if her mind is on overdrive, thinking and collating even while asleep.

Psychics watching her mind will note that Personality A is shaken, but still stable. Suppressed personalities B through D are untouched and remain in their previous state. The near-human personality (which appears to be Allison, but in a very bad way), also suppressed, is still arguing with itself.

S-14, Helipad, ???, Snel Party
"Very well. No need to sedate me, if that's what you're thinking." The larva rolled up into its shell again, exposing only a smooth, black keratin sphere.
"Always caution." Click. The larva is getting sleepy... very sleepy... it feels itself being gently hoisted and carried, the sound of the helo's rotors slowing down unnaturally... whoofwhoofwhoof... whoof... whoooof... whooooof...

Silence and darkness.

S-14, ???, Central Core, Eniqciri Party
6-sided dice, 1 or 2 they blow up, 3 or 4 they get inside just fine, 5 or 6 they get in side with complications. And the roll is... 5. I guess part of the ship DID get stuck in a wall, or something like that.*rolls on Simple Starship Hit Location Table*
The ship shudders back into reality with a massive WHOOMP! as displaced air rebounds down the massive central void. There is a groan of metal as the Van der Walls forces of the atoms in Farscape Horizon's primary reactors and engines get aquainted with their opposite numbers of the structural spar the ship that pierces the ship like a butterfly in a display case. Feedback causes consoles to burn out, capacitors to explode like firecrackers, and things to go pretty much to hell pretty quickly. Shrapnel flies across the crew compartment (11% casualties) and the noise is almost deafening.

Still, it ends. The first person to look out the window sees:
http://www.weirdozone.0catch.com/projects/nationstates/s14/s14core.jpg
A cylinder approximately thirty kilometers across stretches out of sight forewards and aftwards makes up the central core of S-14. A strange, cylindrical, segmented stalk forms the central column of the cylinder and appears to travel its entire length... or at least to the limits of sight. The inner wall of the core is lined with fluorescent lights that illuminate the central cylinder in alternating bands of light. The bands of light and dark shift as they are watched.

The sense of vertigo this unbelievably vast open area creates is almost overwhelming. Within the core, growing on frames mounted at intervals on the central stalk are jumbles of thick-leafed densely-packed green plants. One of these null-gravity jungles is nearby.

Railcars line the inner wall of the central core, and far in the distance are massive propellor-powered airships.

The place is teeming with plant and animal life--large schools of shrimp- and fish-like adaptations swim and jet around the axis feeding on clouds of aeroplankton. There are larger organisms that seem to predate on the smaller organisms, and even some massive leviathans in the distance.

imported_Eniqcir

26-05-2003, 21:34

Shrapnel flies across the crew compartment (11% casualties) and the noise is almost deafening.

Unfortunately, the only crew left onboard are David and Finn. I'll take that to mean one of them got injured...

Finn jumped out of his seat in triumph, forgetting the fact that he was in null-gee, and hitting his head on the ceiling. "Ow! Hey, David, check this out! It's an incredible sight out there! I guess we can recommend continuing with construction of the E.S.V. Quantum Leap, eh? David?"

David was floating at the back of the bridge, over the entry hatch.

"David, are you alright?"

"Eh? I think I my leg is broken... And I have the WORST headache. It's like there's a chainsaw in my leg, and a sledgehammer slamming into my skull."

"OK, OK, don't panic, at least we're both alive. Computer systems are shot, but there's supposed to be a breathable atmosphere out there, and all of the doors are manual, so let's get you to the med bay."

Approximately 2 hours later, Finn emerged from one of the airlocks, riding an EVA unit, but skipping the spacesuit. David was asleep in the Horizon's medical bay, which, along with the bridge, had barely missed being completely destroyed. The corridors along one side of each had been fairly well obliterated by the spar. Finn, with a short burst of the manuevering thrusters, started off towards the null-gravity jungle, while looking for some sort of doorway into the central stalk.

imported_Berserker

26-05-2003, 22:13

Having fanned out across the surface of S-14, one of the twelve remaining probes comes across one of the particle cannons. It stops, flattening itself against the hull of S-14, waiting.
During the wait, a small energy signature prompts the cannons to open fire.
Using this moment as a distraction, the probe pushes off with it's manipulators along the surface towards the cannon.
It reaches the base and relatches onto the hull.

A small bublous shape on it's topside rotates and fires off a laser transmission to a ship in the distance.

Sakkra

26-05-2003, 22:24

Spaceberg "Golf," Airlock, Sakkran Party
Lossa looks over the equipment, and fingers the hexagonal access ports. "Griimph, take what notes you can get on these atmosphere scrubber devices, airlock ports and anything else of interest. Without opening the devices. I'd like us to remain undetected as long as we can."

Lossa then looks over the displays from the sensor equipment, wondering if he could make heads or tails of it.
Griimph plays photojournalist. The screens Lossa observes are simple diagrams of the airlocks, pressure statuses, systems checkouts, et cetera. The information is primarily color-coded and annotated with a very fine script.

R-Jane looks at the strange latches on the strange hatch in the floor.

Lossa notes that the R-Jane unit is looking at the latches on a hatch in the floor. "Hrrrrmmm. This could be of interest." Lossa grabs the latches and lifts.

Ma-tek

26-05-2003, 22:31

S-14, Room of Giant (Hollow) Cubes, Aft Spar, Ma-tek
"Insectoids," Sefrin said out loud, calmly, "interesting. You think they'd notice if we scanned them with thoroughly with a laser or ultrasound, Lieutenant?"
Karina shrugs as she pulls out her electromagnetic spectrum scanner. "How the hell should I know?"--remaining silent--"Well, their IR reads as alive, but the pattern doesn't look anything like insect organ placement, much less ants..."

The giant red ant-beings don't seem to notice Sefrin's voice, as they are chattering to each other in their staccato language "Clickityclickclokityclokityclickclick" while they wave their antennae in patterns. The Shadow (the Zero-One liason) waves its head slightly, then looks at the RISE agents and taps the middle of its hooded face, where the nose would be.

Sefrin scowls a moment, and then shrugs. "I thought you might have an opinion," he remarks.

He fumbles slightly as he clicks the contact open - CLICK! - and then halts, even as the device fires the laser scanner, and a soft green light pulses (for a brief moment) outwards in a 250 metre area. Sefrin freezes in place, except for a hand reaching for his wand-

-and Millet similarily freezes, her own hand already on her wand.

S-14

26-05-2003, 23:58

S-14, A Null-Gravity Jungle, Central Core, Finn
Finn, with a short burst of the manuevering thrusters, started off towards the null-gravity jungle, while looking for some sort of doorway into the central stalk.
Suddenly, ten dark specks come out of the damaged portions of the forest, quickly turning out to be massive multicolored green-tone beetle-like organisms about seventy centimeters long.
http://www.weirdozone.0catch.com/projects/nationstates/s14/zg2.jpg
It has powerful forelimbs that end in pincers, the head is flat, broad, and on the end of a long neck-stalk. Its legs have adapted into paddle-like limbs that propel the creature like a fish. They are primarily fighting amongst themselves, apparently confused by the shockwave caused by Farspace Horizon's appearance, but four break off towards Finn.

S-14, Wreck of the Farscape Horizon, Central Core, David
David was asleep in the Horizon's medical bay, which, along with the bridge, had barely missed being completely destroyed.
Eight foot-long mammals creep into Farscape Horizon through several of its new flow-through ventilation ducts. As David sleeps peacefully, they poke around the ship, some eventually finding a ruptured food vessel and nibbling on it.

S-14, Some Defensive Turret, Leading Edge of Torus, Berserker Probe

The turret doesn't seem to notice.

Spaceberg "Golf," Airlock, Sakkran Party
Lossa notes that the R-Jane unit is looking at the latches on a hatch in the floor. "Hrrrrmmm. This could be of interest." Lossa grabs the latches and lifts.
The hatch reveals a long tunnel of ice maybe six hundred meters deep that ends in a circular hatch in a metal bulkhead. The ice is quite solid, but there appears to be pipes about ten centimeters in diameter embedded a few inches underneath the surface, along with a moderately sized sphere maybe two meters in diameter underneath the ice just next to the metal floor of the airlock. R-Jane hops down first, and after gripping into the ice with its hands, peers into the ice, wolf-spider visual array almost against the surface. "Interesting. Large amounts of carbon compounds, and... let's see... prokaryotic bacteria... simple eukaryotes, diatoms resembling plankton. They have quite a bit of biomass in here, but it's all dormant."

S-14, "Post Office," Aft Spar, Ma-tek Party
Sefrin scowls a moment, and then shrugs. "I thought you might have an opinion," he remarks.

He fumbles slightly as he clicks the contact open - CLICK! - and then halts, even as the device fires the laser scanner, and a soft green light pulses (for a brief moment) outwards in a 250 metre area. Sefrin freezes in place, except for a hand reaching for his wand-

-and Millet similarily freezes, her own hand already on her wand.
The driver of the nearest cart, as well as the package carrier, both freeze and turn towards the party. They appear somewhat surprised, with attentive antennae. Clicking a bit on radio frequencies, work in the room seems to halt suddenly and all the Reds in the gantries begin to converge on the parties' position. The driver reaches into the back of the cart and pulls out a tubular device with a blocky end and several grips.

The Shadow seems to reach behind itself to scratch its back as Karina drums her fingers softly on the ribbed black case she is carrying. "Maybe," she mouths, "running may not be such a bad idea."

imported_Cetaganda

27-05-2003, 00:00

Medical Bay 3, Fourty-Two?

Allison mutters a little bit during her periods of Rapid Eye Movement, which last unnaturally long times--nearly 120 minutes per cycle. Also, delta-wave deep sleep is almost completely non-extant, lasting for maybe 10 minutes at most. It is as if her mind is on overdrive, thinking and collating even while asleep.

Psychics watching her mind will note that Personality A is shaken, but still stable. Suppressed personalities B through D are untouched and remain in their previous state. The near-human personality (which appears to be Allison, but in a very bad way), also suppressed, is still arguing with itself.

Later than day, Aeryn and the Healer are having a confernce. The Healer says worriedly, "If this goes on too long, it could be detrimental to her health."
Aeryn sighs, and says, "I know. However, I think that contacting the ones inside will be our best shot at helping her. If we can't, then we may have to simply stick her in stasis and let the folks back home help her."
Aeryn then sits down inside Allison's room to wait for her to wake.

imported_Eniqcir

27-05-2003, 00:21

It has powerful forelimbs that end in pincers, the head is flat, broad, and on the end of a long neck-stalk. Its legs have adapted into paddle-like limbs that propel the creature like a fish. They are primarily fighting amongst themselves, apparently confused by the shockwave caused by Farspace Horizon's appearance, but four break off towards Finn.

Finn, although interested in the creatures, didn't like the looks of those pincers. He began moving away from the central stalk, towards the outer wall. He could come back to investigate the central stalk later, if needed. Those railcars looked interesting, and perhaps a trip over to the airships would be enlightening- but he couldn't go too far, and leave David alone.

David, meanwhile, was drifting in and out of consciousness as the sedative wore off. He thoguht he heard something else moving in the ship, but passed it off as a hallucination.

"Interesting. Large amounts of carbon compounds, and... let's see... prokaryotic bacteria... simple eukaryotes, diatoms resembling plankton. They have quite a bit of biomass in here, but it's all dormant."

Arthur peered down the tunnel. "Do you think that's on purpose, perhaps to assist in terraforming a planet? Or maybe it just couldn't be avoided. This much water probably came from an ocean, and such things are bound to be caught up in it. Can we get down to that other hatch?"

After so much time, Dr. Gawain began to get worried. "Ship, open a public channel. The whole fleet. *ahem* This is Dr. Gawain, aboard the Oberon. We've been out of contact with the Farspace Horizon for some time now, can anyone enlighten us as to what the heck happened? I hope it didn't get shot down."

At Rent Bravo, the Odin continued surveying the damage, looking for exposed doors or airlocks, or other means of entry.

Ma-tek

27-05-2003, 00:47

S-14, "Post Office," Aft Spar, Ma-tek Party
Sefrin scowls a moment, and then shrugs. "I thought you might have an opinion," he remarks.

He fumbles slightly as he clicks the contact open - CLICK! - and then halts, even as the device fires the laser scanner, and a soft green light pulses (for a brief moment) outwards in a 250 metre area. Sefrin freezes in place, except for a hand reaching for his wand-

-and Millet similarily freezes, her own hand already on her wand.
The driver of the nearest cart, as well as the package carrier, both freeze and turn towards the party. They appear somewhat surprised, with attentive antennae. Clicking a bit on radio frequencies, work in the room seems to halt suddenly and all the Reds in the gantries begin to converge on the parties' position. The driver reaches into the back of the cart and pulls out a tubular device with a blocky end and several grips.

The Shadow seems to reach behind itself to scratch its back as Karina drums her fingers softly on the ribbed black case she is carrying. "Maybe," she mouths, "running may not be such a bad idea."

"I concur," Millet mouths into her LSR, even as her wand silently spits ultrasonic unconsciousness - or, at least, hopefully unconsciousness - at the oncoming insectoids. Who knows. Maybe they can hear it. If they can, it is no doubt at the least a very irritating sound, as the actual frequency wobbles back and forth throughout a preset range - a range designed to knock out even the most stubborn of Earth-born organics, if not deafen them permanently.

The RISE pair back up slowly at first (quite akin to the manner one does when proclaiming 'nice doggie'), fierce concentration falling away in the face of... ant-thingies... converging on them. They are suddenly very visible - to anyone - even if only for a few moments, as the lapse in concentration is not a permanent one.

S-14

27-05-2003, 01:15

Medical Bay 3, Fourty-Two?
Aeryn then sits down inside Allison's room to wait for her to wake.
Allison eventually wakes up, but obviously isn't too happy about it. After swallowing a few times in a vain attempt to moisten a dry mouth, she looks over to Aeryn with terrified eyes but a modulated voice, desperately trying to stay rational. "Oh, not you again. That means everything I just experienced was a dream state. I think I prefer my nightmares to this."

S-14, Middle of Nowhere, Central Spar, Finn
Finn, although interested in the creatures, didn't like the looks of those pincers. He began moving away from the central stalk, towards the outer wall.
Three of the beetle-things give up the chase, but one continues and starts paddling through the air faster. The outer wall is fifteen kilometers away, and the beetle-thing is gaining... a quick bit of mental estimation leaves one result: Not going to make it.

Still, there are some wispy fronds of the null-gravity jungle nearby that Finn should pass before the beetle-thing intercepts him...

S-14, Wreck of Farspace Horizon, Central Core, David
David, meanwhile, was drifting in and out of consciousness as the sedative wore off. He thoguht he heard something else moving in the ship, but passed it off as a hallucination.
He feels something furry poking at his lips and several fingernail-sharp things rasping against his cheek.

Spaceberg "Golf," Ice Tunnel, Sakkran Party
Arthur peered down the tunnel. "Do you think that's on purpose, perhaps to assist in terraforming a planet? Or maybe it just couldn't be avoided. This much water probably came from an ocean, and such things are bound to be caught up in it. Can we get down to that other hatch?"
R-Jane shrugs. "All I know is that there's life in this ice. As for the other hatch, the gravity is so low..." R-Jane casts off the rock and... hits the opposite wall, the acceleration due to gravity being so low. Spinning around, it finds a ladder carved into the ice. "Umm... yes, I believe we can get down."

Rent Bravo, Leading Edge of Torus, Odin
At Rent Bravo, the Odin continued surveying the damage, looking for exposed doors or airlocks, or other means of entry.
There has been almost no repair work done to Bravo except to seal it off from the rest of the ship. Some hatches in bulkheads remain, but most have been welded shut, awaiting future repair efforts.

S-14, "Post Office," Aft Spar, Ma-tek Party
The RISE pair back up slowly at first (quite akin to the manner one does when proclaiming 'nice doggie'), fierce concentration falling away in the face of... ant-thingies... converging on them. They are suddenly very visible - to anyone - even if only for a few moments, as the lapse in concentration is not a permanent one.
It seems to take a small amount of time on target, but several of the Reds fall. At the sight of their comrades falling, the others pull out small canister launchers akin to pistols and line up on the party before the Nenyans lose their concentration.

Suddenly, a Red drops down on the Shadow, grabbing it around the waist. Whipping around in a smooth motion, the Shadow pulls out a laser rapier from a scabbard on his back and swings it as it lifts up the Red's head by the mandibles. The energy-enfused composite lattice of the rapier distorts upon contact with the chitinous hide, making a distinctive CRACK as the distortion releases energy until the lattice reorganizes itself on the opposite end of the Red's neck. Kicking the bisected corpse away, the Shadow points towards the hatches in the ceiling and leaps onto the girders (the effective gravity is about .1g).

Karena slings her black case, pulls her 10mm powergun pistol, and leaps up to follow the Zero-One agent. "Move it or lose it, friends," she mouthed.

Zero-One

27-05-2003, 01:32

After so much time, Dr. Gawain began to get worried. "Ship, open a public channel. The whole fleet. *ahem* This is Dr. Gawain, aboard the Oberon. We've been out of contact with the Farspace Horizon for some time now, can anyone enlighten us as to what the heck happened? I hope it didn't get shot down."
<Communications to Oberon>
}
<<Farspace Horizon jumped into the central core of S-14 after being attacked by hangar point defenses. We have not been able to make contact since they jumped.
}

http://www.womengamers.com/dw/sshock2_rev.jpg
S.H.O.D.A.N. v3.0 : MCP, Q01

27-05-2003, 01:59

Back a little ways...

"Jacque, come in. Jacque, come in."

A pause.

"Jacque, this isn't funny. Jacque, do you read me?"

A pause.

"Jacque?"

A long pause.

"This is Tahar Joblissan vessel to all craft around bogey, can you tell me anything about why Jacque isn't responding? He should have responded by now."

imported_Cetaganda

27-05-2003, 02:05

imported_Eniqcir

27-05-2003, 02:43

Three of the beetle-things give up the chase, but one continues and starts paddling through the air faster. The outer wall is fifteen kilometers away, and the beetle-thing is gaining... a quick bit of mental estimation leaves one result: Not going to make it.

Still, there are some wispy fronds of the null-gravity jungle nearby that Finn should pass before the beetle-thing intercepts him...

OOC: I suppose that's a hint?
IC:

Freaked out and not thinking straight, Finn headed for the jungle, completely forgetting that nastier things could be waiting there.

He feels something furry poking at his lips and several fingernail-sharp things rasping against his cheek.

At this, he jerked awake, thinking THAT was no hallucination! He opened his eyes, and, though he couldn't move, he yelled "Finn! Where the heck are you and what is this thing!" 'Twas a few moments before he remembered that Finn was out exploring. David scooted back a bit, trying to be as non-threatening as possible, although that initial outburst certainly wouldn't help matters any.

R-Jane shrugs. "All I know is that there's life in this ice. As for the other hatch, the gravity is so low..." R-Jane casts off the rock and... hits the opposite wall, the acceleration due to gravity being so low. Spinning around, it finds a ladder carved into the ice. "Umm... yes, I believe we can get down."

"Oh good." Arthur stepped into the hole, and began floating slowly downwards.

<Communications to Oberon>
}
<<Farspace Horizon jumped into the central core of S-14 after being attacked by hangar point defenses. We have not been able to make contact since they jumped.
}

"Jumped? What do you mean, jumped? Oh, no... they didn't try dimensional transpositioning, did they?"

(OOC: The correct answer is "no, quantum leap". Or an equivalent phrase.)

Meanwhile, the Crana Larva, having been artificially sedated instead of simply let sleep, lost muscular control and flopped open, unable to hold itself into a sphere.

Karmabaijan

27-05-2003, 04:11

S-14, Past Rent Echo Airlock, Leading Edge of Torus, Karmabaijani Party
Everyone cycles through with fuzzy sensor maps. They also see:

The inner door opens into a dimly lit tunnel. Heavy electrical cables are coiled and twisted on the floor of the tunnel like a nest of giant snakes. Littering the area around the airlock are large metal plates, rectangular boxes, what appear to be cylindrical pressure bottles, modular components, and trusses. Further down in the tunnel, vague, massive shapes loom in the darkness, their outlines undefined in the tenuous green light.

The team begins to move off down the tunnel, scanning the assembleage of things, with non-rf frequency scanning devices(so as not to interfere with spacedy ant communications). The sled follows the team about 2 meters behind.

Sakkra

27-05-2003, 04:25

R-Jane shrugs. "All I know is that there's life in this ice. As for the other hatch, the gravity is so low..." R-Jane casts off the rock and... hits the opposite wall, the acceleration due to gravity being so low. Spinning around, it finds a ladder carved into the ice. "Umm... yes, I believe we can get down."

"Oh good." Arthur stepped into the hole, and began floating slowly downwards.

Lossa and Griimph both look at the life-forms in the ice, attempting to discern their nature. Griimph taps the ice. "I don't think they're going anywhere soon." Lossa casts him a look, one saying 'that was obvious'.

"Bah, we are no biologists. Krenn. Shuuta. Would you like to look into these frozen life-forms, and report your findings? Griimph and I will go with the R-Jane unit and Arthur (?) to the next hatch."

imported_Berserker

27-05-2003, 05:21

The probe fires off another communique which is auto-relayed to the other probes.
This probe lacks the sophisticated sensor packages of the other probes, since this probe carries the command package. The probes stop for the moment, where they are.

This probe begins to move again, slowly searching around the cannon.
Searching for seems, seals, latches, anything that may signal a hatch or a viewport.

Scolopendra

27-05-2003, 05:39

"This is Tahar Joblissan vessel to all craft around bogey, can you tell me anything about why Jacque isn't responding? He should have responded by now."
We think he's been abducted by the inhabitants of S-14. We are thinking of extraction options now.

Flag Captain Hitome Sato
CO, TY RCS Bravo
TYWS-MCR Hornet
Military Director, S-14 Expedition

***

"Jumped? What do you mean, jumped? Oh, no... they didn't try dimensional transpositioning, did they?"
No... I think I heard some old sci-fi show title, "quantum leap" or something.

Flag Captain Hitome Sato
CO, TY RCS Bravo
TYWS-MCR Hornet
Military Director, S-14 Expedition

S-14

27-05-2003, 05:46

Medical Bay 3, Fourty-Two?
Aeryn hands Allison a glass of water. "Here, have something to drink. Are you hungry?" Aeryn is sending out waves of calmness in an attempt to sooth Allison(A) a bit. "I realize this must be very frightening for you. Believe me, we want to help get you back where you belong."
Allison timidly takes the water and looks at her reflection in it. After closing her eyes... "My eyes close... that's new..." ...she takes a hesitant sip. "Now that... didn't feel right at all. Thank you for the offer of food, but I don't think it's for the best. One must be able to keep food down to digest it.

"Still... all right... I'm in the worm-body of some psychic... so, am I the only one so crudely ripped from my oh-so-constant-volume carapace?"

S-14, Null-Gravity Jungle, Central Core, Finn
Freaked out and not thinking straight, Finn headed for the jungle, completely forgetting that nastier things could be waiting there.
(OOC: Always give PCs a chance to escape. Of some sort.)
Diving into the twisted plants and fronds of the null-gravity jungle is like falling into a horticulturists's nightmare. Ivy, trees, fronds, and other flora twist around each other in parodies of woven strands, Gordian knots of green with no gravity to bind them and give them reason. The inside becomes surprisingly dark surprisingly quickly, with the chattering of insects and the odd noises of unseen flora filling the place.

Great, the beetle is still on the chase. Whipping his head back to the front, David sees...
http://www.weirdozone.0catch.com/projects/nationstates/s14/zg3.jpg
This golden-furred creature has the chest, forelimbs, and head of something definitely felinid, the forelimbs ending in flexible paws with non-retractable razor-sharp claws. Two large air bladders in the place of hind legs thrust hair out of vents, propelling the beast foreward, using its tail as a rudder. It opens its mouth full of sharp incisors as it extends its clawed paws in pounce.

S-14, Wreck of Farspace Horizon, Central Core, David
At this, he jerked awake, thinking THAT was no hallucination! He opened his eyes, and, though he couldn't move, he yelled "Finn! Where the heck are you and what is this thing!" 'Twas a few moments before he remembered that Finn was out exploring. David scooted back a bit, trying to be as non-threatening as possible, although that initial outburst certainly wouldn't help matters any.
http://www.weirdozone.0catch.com/projects/nationstates/s14/zg9.jpg
A thirty-centimeter long rat hops back and the noise and swims off, its dorsal and ventral fins undulating like a cuttlefish. This one is a brown color. Several of its kin poking around in the room also swim off and hide by the quickest route available.

S-14, Access Tunnel, Inside Rent Echo, Karmabaijani Party
The team begins to move off down the tunnel, scanning the assembleage of things, with non-rf frequency scanning devices(so as not to interfere with spacedy ant communications). The sled follows the team about 2 meters behind.
The things are primarily exactly what they appear: Jumbles of equipment. Also, in the back, lay boxy maintenance vehicles that ride on six pneumatic tires. Each vehicle has a unique set of articulated mechanical arms and special tools placed around its frame.

One cylindrical shape about three meters long and one meter wide rests in a large wheeled cart. It has a glass bubble nose, small bulbous ports of some kind scattered across the sides, and several articulated mechanical arms on a gondola underneath the bubble nose. A long, narrow hatch graces its dorsal side.

The end of the tunnel ends in an open hatch in a hexagonal bulkhead. Through the door the party sees a hexagonal room with two doors, one in the ceiling and one in the floor with a cylindrical ladder connecting them. A light rimming the ceiling door glows green.

Spaceberg "Golf," Ice Tunnel, Sakkran Party
"Bah, we are no biologists. Krenn. Shuuta. Would you like to look into these frozen life-forms, and report your findings? Griimph and I will go with the R-Jane unit and Arthur (?) to the next hatch."
(OOC: Krenn... sounds familiar... do you deny the existance of the khomerex zha?)
Griimph meets up with R-Jane and Arthur at the bottom. The hatch opens to reveal
http://www.weirdozone.0catch.com/projects/nationstates/s14/s14tc.jpg
a boxy room sporting two circular hatches with odd latches, with one in the center of the floor and one in the center of the ceiling. A tubular ladded stretches between both openings. The lower hatch mechanism is housed in a hexagonal dais in the center of the floor. A small hexagonal pedestal is mounted on the south edge of the dais. A small screen, displaying a horribly complex diagram, is sunk into the top of the pedestal. Tethered to the pedestal by a small cord is a pen.

Commander Douglass stays with Krenn and Shuuta, thrusting a vibroblade into the ice and using it to balance himself. "Hopefully I won't be in the way. So, how do we want to go about examine these things in the ice?"

S-14, Some Random Turret, Leading Edge of Torus, Berserker Probe
This probe begins to move again, slowly searching around the cannon.
Searching for seams, seals, latches, anything that may signal a hatch or a viewport.
The turret does not appear to be manned, but it does have small equipment access panels scattered across it.

Sakkra

27-05-2003, 06:06

OOC: Khomerex zha? Whuzzat?

Griimph stands upon the dais. "Hrrrmmm. Unless this is some form of 'You are here' map, I believe this is a transport of some manner. Lossa, R-Jane, Arthur. You may want to keep close. If this is a transport, we don't want to get separated." Griimph picks up the pen-like object and presses a part of the diagram.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Krenn looks into the ice. "Hrrmmm...proto-life perhaps? It will be a small matter to get a sample. Shuuta...."

Shuuta ambles up to the ice-wall. She lifts the right fore-arm of her EVA suit and opens it up. Placing the open panel against the ice, she lifts her left arm and points a clawed finger directly at the ice. A swift jab with the claw penetrates the ice, leaving a small hole.

27-05-2003, 06:08

"Abducted? How? I thought you folks were keeping an eye on things over there!" Susie spat causticly into the mic, apparently offended by the fact that Jacque had gone missing.

"Incompetent idiots."

One vacation trip, ruined. Coming right up.

"We're diverting course to meet you in several hours. If Jacque hasn't showed up by then..." She paused, looking at Mary, who was already stripping down, tiger stripes rolling across her skin. Mary didn't say a word.

Well, Mary is really pissed off. She usually sticks to natural skin tones... and hasn't spoken yet.

"If he hasn't showed up by then, Mary will be going in to pick him up. Don't get in her way."

She cut the transmission. "Mary?"

Mary paused, reflective protective covers for her eyes in hand, and looked at Susie. She nodded once, then carefully placed the covers over her eyes. She quietly loaded and checked the smartlink contacts on a machine pistol, placing spare clips to the side.

"Mary, I'm sure he'll be alright..."

Scolopendra

27-05-2003, 06:15

"Abducted? How? I thought you folks were keeping an eye on things over there!" Susie spat causticly into the mic, apparently offended by the fact that Jacque had gone missing.

"Incompetent idiots."

"We're diverting course to meet you in several hours. If Jacque hasn't showed up by then...if he hasn't showed up by then, Mary will be going in to pick him up. Don't get in her way."
"Sorry for the slipup but our telescopes were on the artifact and not on your friend. He wouldn't have some sort of tracking device on his suit that we could use to locate him? S-14 is huge, and he could be almost anywhere in it."

27-05-2003, 06:22

"Sorry for the slipup but our telescopes were on the artifact and not on your friend. He wouldn't have some sort of tracking device on his suit that we could use to locate him? S-14 is huge, and he could be almost anywhere in it."

Susie tapped back on the mic. "No, no tracking devices... just his suit radio and internal headware. If he's conscious and either of those works, he should be able to send and receive radio signals. Admittedly, neither of those is a very powerful transmitter..."

Mary donned a stiff vest, still silent.

S-14

27-05-2003, 06:25

(OOC: Denying the existence of the khomerex zha is also a perfectly acceptable strategy.)

Spaceberg "Golf," Transport Car, Sakkra Party 1 (Lossa, Griimph, Arthur, R-Jane)
Griimph picks up the pen-like object and presses a part of the diagram.
The room slowly accelerates like a highspeed elevator, slowly increasing in acceleration to three gravities in one direction. In an almost bored tone, R-Jane reads off the results from its inertial motion sensors. "100 kilometers... 200 kilometers... 250 kilometers..." The car begins accelerating in the opposite direction (which causes everyone to fall two meters onto the "ceiling") "300 kilometers, 400 kilometers, 500 kilometers."

The transport car decelerates and slows to a stop. A track light around the bottom hatch glows blue. "Well, ground floor." The gravity here is truly negligible.

Spaceberg "Golf," Ice Tunnel, Sakkra Party 2 (Krenn, Shuuta, Douglass)
Shuuta ambles up to the ice-wall. She lifts the right fore-arm of her EVA suit and opens it up. Placing the open panel against the ice, she lifts her left arm and points a clawed finger directly at the ice. A swift jab with the claw penetrates the ice, leaving a small hole.
"Niice. Houston, we have ice." He taps a gloved finger against the ice. "I wonder what these pipes do..."

Communications, Sato -> Susie
"No, no tracking devices... just his suit radio and internal headware. If he's conscious and either of those works, he should be able to send and receive radio signals. Admittedly, neither of those is a very powerful transmitter..."
"Could you give us operating frequencies? Maybe we can contact him and he'll find a way to get in touch."

Sakkra

27-05-2003, 06:55

(OOC: Denying the existence of the khomerex zha is also a perfectly acceptable strategy.)

Spaceberg "Golf," Transport Car, Sakkra Party 1 (Lossa, Griimph, Arthur, R-Jane)
Griimph picks up the pen-like object and presses a part of the diagram.
The room slowly accelerates like a highspeed elevator, slowly increasing in acceleration to three gravities in one direction. In an almost bored tone, R-Jane reads off the results from its inertial motion sensors. "100 kilometers... 200 kilometers... 250 kilometers..." The car begins accelerating in the opposite direction (which causes everyone to fall two meters onto the "ceiling") "300 kilometers, 400 kilometers, 500 kilometers."

The transport car decelerates and slows to a stop. A track light around the bottom hatch glows blue. "Well, ground floor." The gravity here is truly negligible.

Spaceberg "Golf," Ice Tunnel, Sakkra Party 2 (Krenn, Shuuta, Douglass)
Shuuta ambles up to the ice-wall. She lifts the right fore-arm of her EVA suit and opens it up. Placing the open panel against the ice, she lifts her left arm and points a clawed finger directly at the ice. A swift jab with the claw penetrates the ice, leaving a small hole.
"Niice. Houston, we have ice." He taps a gloved finger against the ice. "I wonder what these pipes do..."

Lossa and Griimph activate the magnetized foot-units on their suits, so they don't 'leap' to the ceiling accidentally. "Such velocity! Incredible!" Plodding to the hatch, Griimph pulls at it.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Shuuta looks at the ice resting on the open casing of her EVA unit's forearm. "If I had a microscope, I could begin analysis. The suit's telescopic lens is not strong enough for that purpose." Shuuta puts the ice in an airtight container, and places it in her forearm casing. She then begins looking at the pipe. "Indeed. Perhaps we should look for a valve or something?"

Karmabaijan

27-05-2003, 07:04

The team proceeds carefully up the ladder and attempts to open the door. If successful, one of the operators probes would be the first through the door.

S-14

27-05-2003, 07:19

Spaceberg "Golf," Central Core, Sakkran Party 1
Lossa and Griimph activate the magnetized foot-units on their suits, so they don't 'leap' to the ceiling accidentally. "Such velocity! Incredible!" Plodding to the hatch, Griimph pulls at it.
The hatch opens up to a metal cylinder maybe 100 meters across with a series of six rails around its circumference. Around the hatches are cagelike climb-through trusses that meet in the middle, that split the cylinder into six congruent "slices" with one rail on the inner edge of the cylinder in the middle of each slice. Just past the hatch are gates that seem to lead to the rails, and each gate has a box next to it with a large square metal button and a small black round plastic button.

Spaceberg "Golf," Ice Tunnel, Sakkran Party 2
She then begins looking at the pipe. "Indeed. Perhaps we should look for a valve or something?"
The pipe seems to be regular along its length, which extends the entire length of the tunnel. There is a T-shaped intersection though that leads into the large metal sphere inside the ice.

S-14, Transport Car, Just Past Rent Echo, Karmabaijani Party
The team proceeds carefully up the ladder and attempts to open the door. If successful, one of the operators probes would be the first through the door.
It's a transport car as described just above. Boxy room, furry pads, doors top and botttom, pedestal w/ display and pen.

Karmabaijan

27-05-2003, 07:41

Hideki motions an all clear, and the team proceeds into the room-come-transport-innaminute. He approaches the pedastal and studies the display.

S-14

27-05-2003, 07:46

S-14, Transport Car, Just Past Rent Echo, Karmabaijani Party
Hideki motions an all clear, and the team proceeds into the room-come-transport-innaminute. He approaches the pedastal and studies the display.
The display is a plasma screen filled with a ludicrously complex diagram that resembles schematics of multiple forms of equipment overlaid on top of each other and then projected in four dimensions.

Karmabaijan

27-05-2003, 07:58

Hediki stares at the screen, slightly perplexed.

"Well, it seems to be a transport mechanism of some kind, judging by the acceleration couches. I can't make heads or tails of this control though."

"Maybe you use this stylus," Dochan said.

Thorvald comes up the ladder and begins wandering around, looking at the chamber. He approaches the platform, and the assembled team, but as he does, the bulky boots of his EVA suit get caught on each other and he sends himself sprawling into Dochan. Dochan catches himself, with the stylus firmly pressing an area of the control. The dispaly seems to react to the touch.

"Well, I guess we're going somewhere now. I suggest trying on the couches. Anchor the sled. I think we may be going for a ride."

Sakkra

27-05-2003, 17:38

Spaceberg "Golf," Central Core, Sakkran Party 1

The hatch opens up to a metal cylinder maybe 100 meters across with a series of six rails around its circumference. Around the hatches are cagelike climb-through trusses that meet in the middle, that split the cylinder into six congruent "slices" with one rail on the inner edge of the cylinder in the middle of each slice. Just past the hatch are gates that seem to lead to the rails, and each gate has a box next to it with a large square metal button and a small black round plastic button.

Spaceberg "Golf," Ice Tunnel, Sakkran Party 2

The pipe seems to be regular along its length, which extends the entire length of the tunnel. There is a T-shaped intersection though that leads into the large metal sphere inside the ice.

Lossa climbs the rails to one of the 'slices'. He then goes through the hatch to the gate, and looks at the metal and plastic buttons individually. "What do you think, Arthur? Metal square or round plastic?"
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Krenn looks down the length of the pipe, at the metal sphere. "What do you think, Shuuta? Could that sphere be a heating unit that thaws the ice and awakens the life-forms trapped within?"

Shuuta looks at the sphere. "The only way we will know is to go to the sphere and investigate it. I would like to know what these forms trapped in the ice are for, if anything."

imported_Cetaganda

27-05-2003, 17:50

Medical Bay 3, Fourty-Two?
Allison timidly takes the water and looks at her reflection in it. After closing her eyes... "My eyes close... that's new..." ...she takes a hesitant sip. "Now that... didn't feel right at all. Thank you for the offer of food, but I don't think it's for the best. One must be able to keep food down to digest it.

"Still... all right... I'm in the worm-body of some psychic... so, am I the only one so crudely ripped from my oh-so-constant-volume carapace?"

Aeryn shakes her head. "There are actually three other personalities within the body, plus the original. We haven't tried awakening any of the others yet. While we're talking about this, I'm still not entirely sure who you are. Do you have a name? What is your role on your ship?"

imported_Eniqcir

27-05-2003, 21:01

No... I think I heard some old sci-fi show title, "quantum leap" or something.

Crap. We weren't scheduled to test that for another 2 months. I sure hope they got some telemetry data.... "Gawain out."

This golden-furred creature has the chest, forelimbs, and head of something definitely felinid, the forelimbs ending in flexible paws with non-retractable razor-sharp claws. Two large air bladders in the place of hind legs thrust hair out of vents, propelling the beast foreward, using its tail as a rudder. It opens its mouth full of sharp incisors as it extends its clawed paws in pounce.

Finn spun around, presenting the hard back of the EVA unit to the creature, he then moved quickly backwards, or what used to be forwards, and down deeper into the jungle.

"What do you think, Arthur? Metal square or round plastic?"

"Got a coin to flip? Hm... Eenie, meenie, miney, moe... Metal one."

Ma-tek

27-05-2003, 22:28

S-14, "Post Office," Aft Spar, Ma-tek Party
The RISE pair back up slowly at first (quite akin to the manner one does when proclaiming 'nice doggie'), fierce concentration falling away in the face of... ant-thingies... converging on them. They are suddenly very visible - to anyone - even if only for a few moments, as the lapse in concentration is not a permanent one.
It seems to take a small amount of time on target, but several of the Reds fall. At the sight of their comrades falling, the others pull out small canister launchers akin to pistols and line up on the party before the Nenyans lose their concentration.

Suddenly, a Red drops down on the Shadow, grabbing it around the waist. Whipping around in a smooth motion, the Shadow pulls out a laser rapier from a scabbard on his back and swings it as it lifts up the Red's head by the mandibles. The energy-enfused composite lattice of the rapier distorts upon contact with the chitinous hide, making a distinctive CRACK as the distortion releases energy until the lattice reorganizes itself on the opposite end of the Red's neck. Kicking the bisected corpse away, the Shadow points towards the hatches in the ceiling and leaps onto the girders (the effective gravity is about .1g).

Karena slings her black case, pulls her 10mm powergun pistol, and leaps up to follow the Zero-One agent. "Move it or lose it, friends," she mouthed.

Millet adapts. Fast. Danger is a tonic to the soul, the saying goes in the Empire - and the point is proven. With a deft leap, the agent follows the Shadow upwards - she overshoots, slightly, and bangs against a girder... but Nenyan dexterity is akin to Elven dexterity, and regaining balance isn't too much of a problem. "At least the US weapons actually work on them... I hope they aren't dead, though," Millet mouths with regret... before realizing that Sefrin hasn't followed her.

Sefrin is down below, still - and is in the process of laying his US wand down, projecting thoughts of peaceful calmness for all he is worth... which isn't much, as he is not exactly a powerful projecting psi, even by EOTED standards. But he tries. And provides a distraction, at the very least.

Or an easy target.

S-14

27-05-2003, 22:47

S-14, ???, ???, Karmabaijani Party
"Well, I guess we're going somewhere now. I suggest trying on the couches. Anchor the sled. I think we may be going for a ride."
And what a ride it is. Imagine a cross between a high-speed express elevator, a roller coaster, and a paint mixer. When the car stops, the bottom hatch glows blue.

Going through the hatch reveals a cylindrical ladder that leads down into a central hexagonal cell. The walls, floor, and ceiling of the cell are made of a shiny white ceramic that is spotlessly clean. Two shallow depressions are in the northeast and southwest corners. All six walls have hexagonal openings.
http://www.weirdozone.0catch.com/projects/nationstates/s14/fp6.jpg
The open north doorway leads into a room containing electrical equipment and a centrally-placed console with hexagonal screens. Standing at the console is
http://www.weirdozone.0catch.com/projects/nationstates/s14/bluebug.jpg
a blue ant-like insectoid, green around the joints, with a bulbous head. Its four-fingered manipulators are long and delicate. It does not appear to be aware of the Karmabaijani presence, as it is busy cleaning its antennae.

Spaceberg "Golf," Ice Tunnel near the Top, Sakkran Party 2
Shuuta looks at the sphere. "The only way we will know is to go to the sphere and investigate it. I would like to know what these forms trapped in the ice are for, if anything."
The pipes are about five centimeters deep into the ice; the sphere is about thirty centimeters deep.

Medical Bay 3, Fourty-Two?
Aeryn shakes her head. "There are actually three other personalities within the body, plus the original. We haven't tried awakening any of the others yet. While we're talking about this, I'm still not entirely sure who you are. Do you have a name? What is your role on your ship?"
"Great. Not only am I in this putrid mass of flesh but I have to share it too. I'm tired of sharing.

"As for me, I am..." Allison blinks for a few moments, looking through the glass of water in thought. "I am the... concept of the Mother of Us All, the true heir to Alpha and the true Norm. Seeing how I'm not quite me, at least not how I remember myself, I think I'm more of an abstraction of myself. Myself-plus, if that makes any sense. Anyway, my purpose and the purpose of my children is to maintain the computer systems of the vessel and control Alpha's functions. I am the coordinator, making it possible for the vessel to traverse intergalactic space. Everyone aboard the vessel owes their lives to me and me alone."

S-14, Inside a Null-Gravity Jungle, Central Core, Finn
Finn spun around, presenting the hard back of the EVA unit to the creature, he then moved quickly backwards, or what used to be forwards, and down deeper into the jungle.
Unfortunately, that is the direction of the lion-thing. The beetle-thing catches up first, and the pincers do hurt, but not half as much as the lion-thing's claws digging into various vitals below Finn's ribcage. The good news is the pain is cut short when the lion-thing snaps his neck with its jaws.
http://www.weirdozone.0catch.com/projects/nationstates/s14/death-lion.gif
If it makes anyone feel better, the lion-thing got the wind knocked out of it by getting hit in the chest with a bulky MMU. Gasping and wheezing for air, it doesn't decide to wait to catch its breath before eating and eventually chokes itself on a bit of flesh. The beetle escapes relatively unscathed.

Spaceberg "Golf," Grand Central Station, Sakkran Party 2
"Got a coin to flip? Hm... Eenie, meenie, miney, moe... Metal one."
After pushing the metal button, there is a buzzing sound as a large cylindrical "train" riding the track pulls up and stops next to the gantry, hexagonal door lined up with the gate. The gate automatically opens as the door slides into the train's hull.

The train compartment is just large enough to fit the party, and has a centrally located column. There are furry pads both on the ceiling and the floor. On the port side of column is a three-position switch with a position towards each end of the train (left and right) and one central position. The switch is currently in the central position.

S-14 (?), ???, ???, Snel Party
The larva feels itself hit something relatively hard and quite flat.

S-14, "Post Office," Aft Spar, Ma-tek Party
Sefrin is down below, still - and is in the process of laying his US wand down, projecting thoughts of peaceful calmness for all he is worth... which isn't much, as he is not exactly a powerful projecting psi, even by EOTED standards. But he tries. And provides a distraction, at the very least.

Or an easy target.
Very easy target indeed. Leveling their weapons, several Reds fire salvoes of three strung-together needles that impact Sefrin in various places, injecting paralysis drugs.

Led by the Shadow, who slices through any Red stupid enough to get in its way, the escapees make it to the hatch. Karina opens the strange latches (it leads to a transport car) and the Shadow throws out its current occupants. Karina mouths "On the bounce, people!"

Ma-tek

27-05-2003, 23:18

S-14, "Post Office," Aft Spar, Ma-tek Party
Sefrin is down below, still - and is in the process of laying his US wand down, projecting thoughts of peaceful calmness for all he is worth... which isn't much, as he is not exactly a powerful projecting psi, even by EOTED standards. But he tries. And provides a distraction, at the very least.

Or an easy target.
Very easy target indeed. Leveling their weapons, several Reds fire salvoes of three strung-together needles that impact Sefrin in various places, injecting paralysis drugs.

Led by the Shadow, who slices through any Red stupid enough to get in its way, the escapees make it to the hatch. Karina opens the strange latches (it leads to a transport car) and the Shadow throws out its current occupants. Karina mouths "On the bounce, people!"

Sefrin is blasted backwards in the low-g environment by the impacts - he never quite got the hang of the g, anyway - twitching fiercley as he does so - which, really, doesn't help, and the poor man turns slightly as he 'flies'. Despite his motion, he does manage to slap a small brown patch on his upper shoulder (a training-provoked reaction) - which activates a self-destruct sequence on his US wand. Unfortunatley, though, his unexpected motion provokes an all-too-natural response in those not entirely used to a low-g environment: he vomits.

Which is rarely good.

The wand begins to squeal, although it is 'only' audible in a five metre radius; not a pleasant noise, for anyone: it grates on the very mind, and threatens to bring on unconsciousness... but it doesn't. Oh, no. That would be too kind. Instead, it whines louder... and louder... and louder...

And then vapourizes itself, in a tiny flash of light and sound that really does not exhibit the kind of power that most would expect from such a noisy little machine. But, then, it is meant to be a non-lethal device, primarily.

Above, Millet curses - loudly. She calls out (perhaps foolishly), "Go!" - and, indeed, makes a start at moving in the right direction.

But doesn't. A deep breath as she Draws the Shadows around her, her mind whispering to the universe at large 'I do not exist... you cannot see me, for I am not here', and then she drops back the way she came - her weapon screaming a silent fury as she does so.

A mere falling blur, spitting non-lethal venom.

Despite her obvious anger, however, she has not reset the wand to its lethal setting - perhaps a small point in her favour, at least morally. Although... admittedly, perhaps morals aren't too important in the face of hostile ant-like aliens on a starship in 'deep space'.

imported_Cetaganda

28-05-2003, 03:29

Medical Bay 3, Fourty-Two?

"Great. Not only am I in this putrid mass of flesh but I have to share it too. I'm tired of sharing.

"As for me, I am..." Allison blinks for a few moments, looking through the glass of water in thought. "I am the... concept of the Mother of Us All, the true heir to Alpha and the true Norm. Seeing how I'm not quite me, at least not how I remember myself, I think I'm more of an abstraction of myself. Myself-plus, if that makes any sense. Anyway, my purpose and the purpose of my children is to maintain the computer systems of the vessel and control Alpha's functions. I am the coordinator, making it possible for the vessel to traverse intergalactic space. Everyone aboard the vessel owes their lives to me and me alone."

"Fascinating. You mean you've covered intergalactic distances? We knew your vessel was effectively a self-contained world, but this is incredible." Aeryn paused, then went on. "Surely you didn't cover that kind of distance in a single lifetime. Did you?"

imported_Eniqcir

28-05-2003, 04:00

If it makes anyone feel better, the lion-thing got the wind knocked out of it by getting hit in the chest with a bulky MMU. Gasping and wheezing for air, it doesn't decide to wait to catch its breath before eating and eventually chokes itself on a bit of flesh. The beetle escapes relatively unscathed.

It does make me feel better, except for the fact that Finn couldn't have died the way you described. You can kill him off later, if you so choose. I'll TG you about it. Anyway, he may not be in a spacesuit, but he is in a flightsuit and EVA unit, which, unlike a NASA-type MMU, is pretty much a complete mini-spacecraft. If anything, Finn could get badly mauled, but he's not quite dead yet. Arms ripped off, bad facial scratches, perhaps his nose has been severed....

The larva feels itself hit something relatively hard and quite flat.

Prompting it to roll over onto its tummy, and look around. It skips the whole slightly-drowsy, eyes just coming into focus thing because its eyes don't have adjustable lenses.

S-14

28-05-2003, 04:39

S-14, "Post Office," Aft Spar, Ma-tek Party
But doesn't. A deep breath as she Draws the Shadows around her, her mind whispering to the universe at large 'I do not exist... you cannot see me, for I am not here', and then she drops back the way she came - her weapon screaming a silent fury as she does so.
Karena curses, then drops in after her. The Shadow merely shakes its head, shrugs, and follows.

Reds fall like wheat before the scythe, but there are just too many of them. Eventually, several come up with large canister launchers that fire webs of sticky composite polymers, eventually binding the entire party. After making sure that Sefrin is still alive (he is), they drag everyone off.

Medical Bay 3, Fourty Two?
"Fascinating. You mean you've covered intergalactic distances? We knew your vessel was effectively a self-contained world, but this is incredible." Aeryn paused, then went on. "Surely you didn't cover that kind of distance in a single lifetime. Did you?"
"But of course. I would not have said 'intergalactic' if I had not meant it. However, I take your reaction as a compliment. Thank you.

"It has been many, many lifetimes... there would be no other way for the apostate mutants to appear."

S-14, Inside a Null-Gravity Jungle, Finn's Corpse
but he's not quite dead yet.
*pokes with GM stick* Well, he is now. However, his screams of agony via slow death (I was gonna be nice) does warn David that the situation had gone from bad to worse.

Rapido o despacio, muerto es muerto.

Moral of the story: Whenever it might count, be specific. And pack heat.

imported_Eniqcir

28-05-2003, 04:52

OOC: Oh, all right. Expect some cool use of technology to remedy the situation. (No, I'm not going to magically ressurect him.... Er, well, it depends on your point of view, actually.)

IC: David, hearing the screams, pulled himself out of bed, wondering what the heck the noise was and very concerned for Finn's safety. Careful to avoid damaging the splint on his leg, he awkwardly gets suited up in the EVA unit, Kevlar flight suit having never been removed, and is very careful to make sure he has a laser pulse rifle and a low-tech, very sharp, knife, just in case.

OOC: Description of EVA unit-

First, take a NASA MMU. Then, get rid of the sissy outer cover and replace it with 1/4 inch thick aluminum. Add a large section across the front, covering the persons abdomen and lower chest, containing a complete flight computer. There's armor plating covering the sides, as well, leaving just two holes for arms. The headrest has forehead straps to keep the pilot facing forward. Containers are on the sides of the seat for holding samples and tools and whatnot, and there's a bracket near the right shoulder to hold a pulse-laser rifle.

Methinks he finds the body by following a trail of blood floating out of the jungle....

Karmabaijan

28-05-2003, 05:03

"Well, isnt that special. Space Ants. Cool."

"Shut it Dochan. Team, non-threatining posture, hands visible. Lets see if the firmware flash worked."

Hideki makes a mental connection in his Encephalon and fires up his built in RF tranciever.

"Hello."

Sakkra

28-05-2003, 05:06

Lossa and Griimph look into the train. Lossa enters the train, feels the furry pad, and tucks his tail around his waist, taking a seat. "These pads are familiar. I suggest we seat ourselves this time on them." Griimph takes the hint and seats himself.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OOC: Are you sure the sphere is 5 centimeters in? That's not very deep.

Shuuta prepares to use her claws on the ice again, this time with all four fingers. "Wait, Shuuta. Let me try for a spell. We need your fingers in full working order." With this Krenn takes both sets of claws, and plunges them into the ice.

Konania

28-05-2003, 05:11

[OOC: This is good... keep up the good work :D ]

S-14

28-05-2003, 05:30

(OOC: I'm not keen on resurrection, this ain't D&D... still, depends on how you do it and how complete the "resurrection" is. Also, I'll warn you now *holds up Giant Sourcebook* these encounters are randomized... so I'm really not trying to kill you... heh heh heh)

S-14, Null-Grav Jungle, Central Core, Eniqciri Party
Well, there's Finn... or what's left of him. Front plate of the suit ripped right off (yes, it was a big strong lion-thing) with definite signs of clawage. Bits of Finn (must... not... be... overly... graphic...) float about, predated on by various scavengers that swim off upon David's arrival. To be sufficiently descriptive, the only bit of Finn still in the suit is the torso, and even then it's a crude parody of one. The rest of Flinn has taken various different vectors away from the suit. Must've been a hungry lion.

David can hear something coughing and gagging in the brush.

S-14, White Ceramic Room, ???, Karmabaijani Party
"Hello."
The Blue whips around, almost ripping its antennae off in the process. At seeing the strange suited mammals, it looks around wildly for a moment, then grabs a cubical object and slams it into its maxillae.

"*bzz* Hello," it says in a very Stephen Hawkings-esque synthesized English, "*bzzz* how can I *bzzz* help you?"

Spaceberg "Golf," Train, Sakkran Party 2
The train does nothing. R-Jane taps a nonchalant tune on its myomer-covered knee-plate.

Spaceberg "Golf," Ice Tunnel, Sakkran Party 1
The surface of the sphere is thirty centimeters deep. The pipe is five centimeters deep.
With this Krenn takes both sets of claws, and plunges them into the ice.
Within no time, the T-joint in the pipe is exposed. It appears to be of modular construction, with hairline seams between it and the other pipe sections.

S-14, ???, ???, Snel Party
http://www.weirdozone.0catch.com/projects/nationstates/s14/a29.jpg
Through a thick hexagonal window, a truly massive red insectoid clacks its mandibles and waves its antennae. A small speaker grille underneath the window transmits the chatter... still, the meaning is simple enough to comprehend.

"Who are you?"

Karmabaijan

28-05-2003, 05:40

"I am an explorer, from the star-system that you are passing through. We have come to learn about you and your grand vessel. Would you like me to continue in your language, or in my own?

Sakkra

28-05-2003, 05:46

Lossa looks around the train-device. "Is there some manner of control for this thing? I would like to see this transport in action." Griimph chuckles lowly to himself. "Hrrm hrrm hrrm hrrm."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Krenn feels the T-joint, wondering if the material it's made of is synthetic, organic or what. "Krenn, do you think it's safe to be handling strange materials? I haven't tested it to make sure it's not radioactive."

28-05-2003, 06:01

The Tahar Joblissan vessel slowly brakes into the area.

"Has Jacque been recovered yet? If not, we seek some help sedning Mary in to recover. At the least, we'll need someone to tow the scooter up to us and a map... although I'd prefer more." Susie paused. Mary was not going to take no for an answer.

With the scooter out. their docking facilities were rather limited, and it would prove difficult to board without it. On the other hand, if someone else had a docking vessel to send with an expedition, it would probably make things easier. Susie considered this. Safer, too, as little as Mary was thinking of dangers to herself. It also might be worth checking what others had found out so far.

Mary waited impatiently. Jacque would be retrieved.

S-14

28-05-2003, 06:06

S-14, White Ceramic Room, ???, Karmabaijani Party
"I am an explorer, from the star-system that you are passing through. We have come to learn about you and your grand vessel. Would you like me to continue in your language, or in my own?"
The Blue seems to calm down, at least from the reduction of buzzing in its synthesized voice. By its standing still, you can tell it has something painted on its carapace. "We have detected your transmissions in an attempt of our language... the Mother of Us All has learned your language and believes that using it would be more conducive to communication.

"You are obviously well equipped. The Mother of Us All wishes to discuss *bzzz* mutual technology exchange."

Turning to its console, the Blue clicks into a speaker and releases a button. "Do not be alarmed, I am calling more to escort you to the Mother of Us All. I would do so myself, but my post is vitally important. They shall arrive shortly; feel free to look around a bit until they do."

Spaceberg "Golf," Train, Sakkran Party 2
"Is there some manner of control for this thing? I would like to see this transport in action."On the port side of the central column is a three-position switch with a position towards each end of the train (left and right) and one central position. The switch is currently in the central position.
R-Jane looks at the switch. "Well, there is that."

Spaceberg "Golf," Ice Tunnel, Sakkran Party 1
Krenn feels the T-joint, wondering if the material it's made of is synthetic, organic or what. "Krenn, do you think it's safe to be handling strange materials? I haven't tested it to make sure it's not radioactive."
The pipe is made out of a composite plastic similar to PVC. However, it has to be at least slightly magnetic, because that appears to be how it is connected together. It has that traditional magnetic attractive "give."

S-14SECZONE
"Fleet, this is Flag Captain Sato aboard Hornet. Is anyone willing to give the Tahar Joblissan party a ride? We think there might be a way to exploit the ice in Rent Hotel... Rijil thinks it might be the bottom of a sea."

Karmabaijan

28-05-2003, 06:27

Hideki de-activates his transciever.

"Very well. We would love to meet..Mother of All, was it?"

Hideki motions for the team to look around their current location.

"Excuse me for a minute, I must contact my vessel." Hideki turns to his suits comm panel and activates a voice channel. The comm takes a minute to sync up, probably due to the large position change. "-05, this is KSPA-Six, how copy?"

"-Six, this is -05, read you 5 by."

"Established contact with sentient. Non-hostile. Log dump in progress. Pass on to Sato. -Six out."

Hideki returns his attention to "Blue."

"May I ask what your name and function are within your vessel?"

Sakkra

28-05-2003, 06:42

Griimph takes hold of the switch. "Hold on to your seats." He flips the switch to the right.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Should I remove the pipe from the sphere? I have the feeling it is removable." Shuuta looks at the pipe. "I'm unsure. This is a strange construct."

S-14

28-05-2003, 07:21

S-14, White Ceramic Room, ???, Karmabaijani Party
"May I ask what your name and function are within your vessel?"
"Name?" The Blue tapped its mandibles together a few times. "There is no need for 'names' or personal designations in our culture. If anything, I could be called Healer. I run this medical bay and watch the patients using this monitoring station."

Showing the party into the northern cell, the Blue steps back. Several boxes are located against the northern wall. Two cylindrical electronic units with clear transparent tops are located to the right of the boxes. In the center of the room is a console with ten hexagonal screens equally spaced along its length and identical controls for each screen. This console also seems to have a slide-out keyboard in the center of the console, facing the electronic units. All units and controls are interconnected by fiber optic cables and conventional wire bundles.

Spaceberg "Golf," Train, Sakkran Party 2
Griimph takes hold of the switch. "Hold on to your seats." He flips the switch to the right.
The train speeds aftwards towards the drive section.

Spaceberg "Golf," Ice Tunnel, Sakkran Party 1
"Should I remove the pipe from the sphere? I have the feeling it is removable." Shuuta looks at the pipe. "I'm unsure. This is a strange construct."
Douglass shrugs. "Your call, I guess." Pulling out his scanner, he pokes a few buttons. "It's emitting a small amount of heat, but no EM. Vibrations aren't fluidic, so it's not carrying anything liquid."

Karmabaijan

28-05-2003, 16:32

Hideki addresses "Blue."

"Are you the only species aboard, or are their other intelligent beings? Also, this "Mother of All," can you explain what function she serves? Please forgive all the questions, we are simply curious."

S-14

28-05-2003, 16:54

S-14, Medical Bay, ???, Karmabaijani Party
"Are you the only species aboard, or are their other intelligent beings? Also, this "Mother of All," can you explain what function she serves? Please forgive all the questions, we are simply curious."
The Blue holds a manipulator to its chest. "Oh, we are the only true species on board, but there are several other apostate sentients and many nonsentient speicies.

"The Mother of Us All is the true heir of this vessel. She tends Alpha and guides this ship through intergalactic space to our new home. She keeps the Prime Edict and the Mission."

There is a whirr and click as the upper hatch to the transport car opens and another Blue pokes its head out. "Hello. Please come with us."

imported_Cetaganda

28-05-2003, 17:04

Medical Bay 3, Fourty Two?

"But of course. I would not have said 'intergalactic' if I had not meant it. However, I take your reaction as a compliment. Thank you.

"It has been many, many lifetimes... there would be no other way for the apostate mutants to appear."

Sauscony asks, "What apostates? You said something about this before. Does this have to do with the different color insectoids onboard Alpha? We've gotten reports of at least two distinct groups."
As she says this, pictures come up on the screen of the two colors.

(OOC: I'm assuming we've gotten pictures back from those (few) of you who have reported back.)

S-14

28-05-2003, 17:26

Medical Bay 3, Fourty Two?

Sauscony asks, "What apostates? You said something about this before. Does this have to do with the different color insectoids onboard Alpha? We've gotten reports of at least two distinct groups."
As she says this, pictures come up on the screen of the two colors.
Allison points to the Reds and looks like she would spit at the screen if she knew how. "Those genetic mutants, bastards of the engine, have caused us nothing but trouble over our entire journey. We have been forced to deal with them for too long. Now that our destination is at hand, we will tolerate their apostasy no longer. We have the skills and technology to survive, we are the Norm."

imported_Cetaganda

28-05-2003, 17:40

Medical Bay 3, Fourty Two?

Allison points to the Reds and looks like she would spit at the screen if she knew how. "Those genetic mutants, bastards of the engine, have caused us nothing but trouble over our entire journey. We have been forced to deal with them for too long. Now that our destination is at hand, we will tolerate their apostasy no longer. We have the skills and technology to survive, we are the Norm."

"What is the difference between Blue and Red? I'm sorry if this offends you, but I am not familiar your kind. Perhaps a history of your vessel would assist us in understanding."

S-14

28-05-2003, 18:00

Medical Bay 3, Fourty Two?
"What is the difference between Blue and Red? I'm sorry if this offends you, but I am not familiar your kind. Perhaps a history of your vessel would assist us in understanding."
"We Blues are the True People. We are the Norm, the original species that set out from our home galaxy to this one. We are the makers of the Prime Edict, the only genetically pure species, and keepers of the Mission.

"The Reds, on the other hand, are despicable mutants of the Norm, result of our seed and our sin. Our fore-Mothers did not keep the Prime Edict, allowing their genetic heresy to go unchecked; so we must pay for their transgressions, dealing with these... vermin."

Allison yawns. "Gads, do you mammals always tire so easily? And what did I just do?" She yawns again, but more experimentally this time. "How queer."

imported_Cetaganda

28-05-2003, 18:04

Medical Bay 3, Fourty Two?

"We Blues are the True People. We are the Norm, the original species that set out from our home galaxy to this one. We are the makers of the Prime Edict, the only genetically pure species, and keepers of the Mission."

Allison yawns. "Gads, do you mammals always tire so easily? And what did I just do?" She yawns again, but more experimentally this time. "How queer."

"Prime Edict? What is that? And what is the mission?"

S-14

28-05-2003, 18:28

Medical Bay 3, Fourty Two?
"Prime Edict? What is that? And what is the mission?"
The posessed woman takes on the bearing of a priest. "The Prime Edict was the brilliance of Our Most Ancient Mother. She realized that evolutionary pressures would cause our race to diverge from the Norm, causing them to be an entirely different species upon arrival. This is unaccpetable! Thus, only uniformity could be tolerated, mutants could not be accepted by the True People.

"The Prime Edict is the rule by which all True People live. It states, 'All deviations from the Norm are abominations, and must be destroyed.'"

Allison merely shakes her head and smirks. "The Mission... that's relatively obvious. Colonize a new world." Blinking a few times, she shakes her head. "I am so tired... excuse me, but I must sleep. Staying awake too long harms the thought processes of the mind." She rolls over on the cot and promptly falls asleep.

imported_Eniqcir

28-05-2003, 21:07

David puttered out of the airlock, sealing it behind him. He then set out in search of Finn. As he drifted over to the other side of the stalk, he noticed an area of the jungle where leaves and vines had been ruffled, crumpled, and broken away. Upon closer inspection, drops of blood could be seen floating about. Now more worried than before, David began his descent, laser rifle at the ready.

Well, there's Finn... or what's left of him. Front plate of the suit ripped right off (yes, it was a big strong lion-thing) with definite signs of clawage. Bits of Finn (must... not... be... overly... graphic...) float about, predated on by various scavengers that swim off upon David's arrival. To be sufficiently descriptive, the only bit of Finn still in the suit is the torso, and even then it's a crude parody of one. The rest of Flinn has taken various different vectors away from the suit. Must've been a hungry lion.

David can hear something coughing and gagging in the brush.

Upon seeing his friend's mangled body, David froze with shock, unable even to cry. Always practical, though, he tried to put his feelings aside for the time being, and began to pull the remains free. Thinking fast, he begins looking for a head... what he finds doesn't look much like a head anymore, which is probably a good thing, as it otherwise would've caused unrepairable psychological trauma, but a bit of brain can be seen through a hole in the bone. I guess this is really all I need of him, but no use letting all that machinery and organic compounds go to waste, I guess. Just remember, it's not Finn, it's only his body, it's not Finn, it's only his body, it's not Finn, it's only... (OOC: If the coughing thing comes out, can we assume that a thrown knife and a few nad burns from the laser rifle keep it at bay?)

Upon returning to the ship, David took the body parts to the med bay. Well, now it's the mechanic treating the doctor, instead of the other way around. And to think at the time I thought secondary training as a nurse was wasted time. Knowing that brain cells would die quickly, David had to work faster. Even now, it might be too late. It would be nice to have state-o-the-art stuff, but I don't. I'll just have to do this the old-fashioned way. Relatively speaking, anyway.

(OOC: That's all for now, I've got the rest written, and I beleive it will be acceptable [Finn is still out of the main story, for the time beign, at least, and doesn't get his body back], but I'll wait to post it until I've made sure I have all my neural anatomy right.)

"Who are you?"

"I have no individual designation. I currently act as 1 of 1, primary contact vector for the mind of 2 of 3, secondary adjunct of engineering node 5, submatrix designation Oberon. My purpose is to initiate peaceful communication between the inhabitants of this vessel, and the investigative teams from this star system. May I ask who you are?"

Ma-tek

28-05-2003, 21:20

The Snel Race

28-05-2003, 21:28

S-14SECZONE
"Fleet, this is Flag Captain Sato aboard Hornet. Is anyone willing to give the Tahar Joblissan party a ride? We think there might be a way to exploit the ice in Rent Hotel... Rijil thinks it might be the bottom of a sea."

"This is Dr. Gawain aboard the Snel Oberon. I'd be happy to offer the services of my shuttle, but I'm not sure about getting through that ice. I'll see what Envoy can do about it."

A few laser transmissions back and forth, and then:

Envoy spoke to the maintenance craft again. "What is the origin of that ice sheet? And, if you know, how thick is it?"

S-14

28-05-2003, 21:50

S-14, Wreck of Farspace Horizon, Central Core, Eniqciri Party
(OOC: If the coughing thing comes out, can we assume that a thrown knife and a few nad burns from the laser rifle keep it at bay?)
The coughing and gagging thing eventually gives off a death rattle.

The gooey insides of Finn's head are still viable.

S-14, ???, ???, Ma-tek Party.
Millet, for her part, spends the journey directing foul glances in Sefrin's direction. She remains silent, however; perhaps even sullen. Sulky. Decidedly not in a pleasant mood, at any rate; RISE have never had an agent captured. Until now.
Karena looks over at Millet and reads her face. "Hey... I know what you're thinking. Triumvirate of Yut Special Services. I won't tell if you won't."
The party is dragged into a transport car, blindfolded, thrown around a bit, dropped on... grass? The blindfolds fall off, but the Red guards either don't notice or don't care. A helicopter shows up; the party is thrown in the back with two guards to watch them.
http://www.weirdozone.0catch.com/projects/nationstates/s14/redheli.jpg
As the blades of the helicopter drone on, the Shadow curses quietly to itself in an unknown language. As the guards seem to doze off from the gentle rocking of the helo (well, their heads nod back but their eyes can't close), the Shadow works one arm loose and palms a vial of green liquid out of a small receptacle on the side of the stickynet canister launchers. Breaking it open, he pours it on Millet's bonds, which suddenly dissolve.

Karena simply stares at the Shadow and mouths: "How did you know?" The Shadow shrugs in its bonds and taps the middle of its cloaked face, where the nose would be.

S-14, Viewing Room, ???, Snel Party
"May I ask who you are?"
The Red insectoid clicks. "Yes. I am the Mother of Us All.

"Why have your vessels intercepted our world and what are your intentions?"

(OOC: Is the Larva transmitting back any of this?)

Rent Hotel, Side of Torus, Envoy
"What is the origin of that ice sheet? And, if you know, how thick is it?"
"It bottom sea. Ice <distance> thick. Sea <more distance> thick."

Hmm... that's odd. It isn't translating distances...

imported_Eniqcir

28-05-2003, 22:50

The gooey insides of Finn's head are still viable.

That's good, because:

Finding nanites would be no problem, there was already a colony working on his broken leg, and more could be acquired simply by going outside, finding a damaged area (which wasn't too hard), and wiping around with a cotton swab. Not quite medical grade, but they could do the job if the right program could be found. Finn, being a geek like the rest of them, had a stash of programs for just about everything, whether they were needed on board or not, quote "Just in case they ever come in handy." Well, now his quirkiness was easily seen instead as foresight, because, after a bit of searching through the medical computers, helpfully on an independant power supply, and Finn's personal files, a suitable one was found. Aha! Nerve activity monitor. Not quite perfect, but it'll do. Wonder if he ever thought a program to supplement MRIs would be preserving his memories someday. Wonder if he's still thinking.... David replaced the ship maintenance procedures with the new medical program on one of his nanite controllers (OOC: reminiscent of a StarTrek tricorder in looks), and injected a batch of nanites into Finn's memory centers, hping the residual charges wouldn't be too degraded yet. He emptied a few incubation tanks of the experiments growing in them, thinking that Finn would much prefer ressurection than preserving his specimens, and proceeded to extract what he hoped were Finn's Broca's and Wernicke's areas, as well as skill/longterm memory centers. The, after extracting several stem cells from Finn's cerebrospinal fluid, he placed the bits in the empty incubation tanks, all the time saying "ew, gross, ew, gross, icky, ew, gross, yeck..." and trying to avoid throwing up in zero-gee. Now that that was done, he could take it slower. He made a trip to the engineering section to scavenge a terabyte holographic memory crystal, onto which he downloaded all retreivable data from the nanites in Finn's memory centers. "Gotcha! Finn, you've been promoted to just 'Mostly Dead'." David made sure the lab was free of furries, sealed it, and went back to what was left of the engineering section to rebuild his EVA unit. Specifically, to remove the propellant tanks and rig the pumps to blow air instead. He also finally had the chance to engage in a good loud sob.

imported_Eniqcir

28-05-2003, 22:50

*Darn double post...*

The Snel Race

28-05-2003, 23:19

S-14, Viewing Room, ???, Snel Party
"May I ask who you are?"
The Red insectoid clicks. "Yes. I am the Mother of Us All.

"Why have your vessels intercepted our world and what are your intentions?"

"We are curious. It would be imprudent to allow an alien vessel, especially one of this size, to enter our territory without investigating it. In addition, we seek peaceful exchange between all cultures. Our intentions are simple- to initiate peaceful communication. To evaluate whether or not you pose a threat, and, if you do, defend ourselves. To gain further knowledge of the Universe. The Pursuit of Knowledge is the Prime Directive."

(OOC: Is the Larva transmitting back any of this?)

It's trying. Your call as to whether or not the transmission gets through. It *does* have to go through several kilometers of metal, after all....

Rent Hotel, Side of Torus, Envoy
"What is the origin of that ice sheet? And, if you know, how thick is it?"
"It bottom sea. Ice <distance> thick. Sea <more distance> thick."

Hmm... that's odd. It isn't translating distances...

That is, unfortunately, to be expected, given the nature of the translation method. Names and other arbitrary designations, like units of measure, wouldn't easily map between different brains.

"That is what we assumed. Is it possible to drill through it? Why didn't it all drain out when the rent was formed?"

<<Public Transmission to the Fleet: "We have confirmation of the 'sea theory'. If we can drill or melt through the ice, we may have another means of entry.">>

Ma-tek

28-05-2003, 23:30

S-14, ???, ???, Ma-tek Party.
Millet, for her part, spends the journey directing foul glances in Sefrin's direction. She remains silent, however; perhaps even sullen. Sulky. Decidedly not in a pleasant mood, at any rate; RISE have never had an agent captured. Until now.
Karena looks over at Millet and reads her face. "Hey... I know what you're thinking. Triumvirate of Yut Special Services. I won't tell if you won't."
The party is dragged into a transport car, blindfolded, thrown around a bit, dropped on... grass? The blindfolds fall off, but the Red guards either don't notice or don't care. A helicopter shows up; the party is thrown in the back with two guards to watch them.
http://www.weirdozone.0catch.com/projects/nationstates/s14/redheli.jpg
As the blades of the helicopter drone on, the Shadow curses quietly to itself in an unknown language. As the guards seem to doze off from the gentle rocking of the helo (well, their heads nod back but their eyes can't close), the Shadow works one arm loose and palms a vial of green liquid out of a small receptacle on the side of the stickynet canister launchers. Breaking it open, he pours it on Millet's bonds, which suddenly dissolve.

Karena simply stares at the Shadow and mouths: "How did you know?" The Shadow shrugs in its bonds and taps the middle of its cloaked face, where the nose would be.

Millet's hands quickly part, for the obvious reason: if it burns through the bonds...

She mouths, "A shame the bonds dissolved. If they had remained part intact, we might've been able to trick them."

[OOC: Quick pause, please. A question: does Millet still have her equipment, or was she thoroughly searched and it all removed? Sorry if I missed it somehow.]

S-14

29-05-2003, 01:02

The Snel Race

29-05-2003, 03:39

S-14, Audience Room, ???, Snel Party
"We are curious. It would be imprudent to allow an alien vessel, especially one of this size, to enter our territory without investigating it. In addition, we seek peaceful exchange between all cultures. Our intentions are simple- to initiate peaceful communication. To evaluate whether or not you pose a threat, and, if you do, defend ourselves. To gain further knowledge of the Universe. The Pursuit of Knowledge is the Prime Directive."
"These vessels are swarming with bipedal mammalian lifeforms. I suppose that you, as an exoskeletal, are their natural superior being and direct their movements?"

"That is a very arthropomorphic point of view. Every type of sentient lifeform is equal here, whether mechnoid, organic, exoskeletal, or endoskeletal. Truthfully, most of those bipedal mammalians are my superiors in the chain of command, and I am at the lowest level, although my direct superiors have partial exoskeletons. It may also interest you to know that this is not my usual form. The body you see before you now is in a larval state, such that I am mobile. It is my destiny to either rejoin my collective, or to find a suitable nesting place and resume my adult form, that being a skeletonless and immobile web of muscle and nerve fibers. Actually, even a normal larva carries only a very thin exoskeleton, more akin to skin, really. I was created with a complete keratin shell for the sole purpose of allowing me to endure the vacuum on the way here."

Odd... it's easier to communicate with this one, as if its concentrating harder, or better at communicating through RF telepathy. Also, concerning contact, it now takes conscious effort to communicate, similar to a cel phone finding a signal--especially after being knocked out. Still, consider the previous data transmitted.

And that would be because it was specifically engineered for that purpose, radio tranciever built right into its nervous system.

<<Public Transmission to the Fleet: "We have been keeping tabs on the progress of our larva. It seems that It/I has/have been able to make contact with the commanding officer of S-14. Relaying data feed....">>

Rent Hotel, Side of Torus
"That is what we assumed. Is it possible to drill through it? Why didn't it all drain out when the rent was formed?"
"Yes. It froze."

"Well, that much is obvious. How did it freeze fast enough to prevent a majority of its volume from escaping? In addition, what caused the rent in the first place?"

S-14SECZONE
<<Public Transmission to the Fleet: "We have confirmation of the 'sea theory'. If we can drill or melt through the ice, we may have another means of entry.">>
Envoy, Sato aboard Hornet here. Good work; get on it.

"I/we am/are formulating a plan of action currently."

S-14

29-05-2003, 03:58

S-14, Audience Room, ???, Snel Party
"That is a very arthropomorphic point of view. Every type of sentient lifeform is equal here, whether mechnoid, organic, exoskeletal, or endoskeletal. Truthfully, most of those bipedal mammalians are my superiors in the chain of command, and I am at the lowest level, although my direct superiors have partial exoskeletons. It may also interest you to know that this is not my usual form. The body you see before you now is in a larval state, such that I am mobile. It is my destiny to either rejoin my collective, or to find a suitable nesting place and resume my adult form, that being a skeletonless and immobile web of muscle and nerve fibers. Actually, even a normal larva carries only a very thin exoskeleton, more akin to skin, really. I was created with a complete keratin shell for the sole purpose of allowing me to endure the vacuum on the way here."
"So... the mammals are your superiors? Disgusting. Still, you have no reason to lie.

"Your technology is different from our own. It is much more advanced in some areas, particularly propulsion. What method do you use for extended spaceflight... we do not detect fusion engines."

S-14SECZONE
<<Public Transmission to the Fleet: "We have been keeping tabs on the progress of our larva. It seems that It/I has/have been able to make contact with the commanding officer of S-14. Relaying data feed....">>
"Snel party, Rijil aboard Yamato. You have contacted the Reds peacefully? Gain as much information as possible but proceed with caution... we lost communications with the Ma-tek party shortly after they made contact with the Reds."

Rent Hotel, Side of Torus
"Well, that much is obvious. How did it freeze fast enough to prevent a majority of its volume from escaping? In addition, what caused the rent in the first place?"
"Explosion. We repair. Not theorize. Pardon." The maintenance vessel returns to work.

S-14SECZONE
"I/we am/are formulating a plan of action currently."
"Hornet here. Acknowledged."

The Snel Race

29-05-2003, 04:22

"Your technology is different from our own. It is much more advanced in some areas, particularly propulsion. What method do you use for extended spaceflight... we do not detect fusion engines."

"Some of us do use fusion power. My own ship runs on bioelectricity. However, the most advanced ships use direct quantum foam tap. As for the propulsion units themselves, several large ships use what is known as VASIMR, a type of plasma drive. Electrokinetic transducer cells are often used in conjunction with other forms of propulsion. Our most advanced forms of propulsion include various forms of gravity projectors, spacebenders, wormhole generators, and spatial bubble generators, also known as Telvirdises, for Travel Exceeding Luminal Velocity Independant of Relative Dimensions in Space. But that designation only makes sense in our own auditory language. I'm afraid it does not translate well into a thought-map structure. Ah, a moment, please, I am recieving updated information from my ship... It seems that one of our vessels has crashed inside this one. It should be found near the core."

"Snel party, Rijil aboard Yamato. You have contacted the Reds peacefully? Gain as much information as possible but proceed with caution... we lost communications with the Ma-tek party shortly after they made contact with the Reds."

"Understood. We are currently monitoring communications with one who calls itself "Mother of Us All".

imported_Cetaganda

29-05-2003, 04:25

Medical Bay 3, Fourty Two?
"Prime Edict? What is that? And what is the mission?"
<various babblings by Allison (Blue)>

...She rolls over on the cot and promptly falls asleep.

"This is getting interesting," Aeryn says.
She turns to the Healer, saying, "Suppress current personality, and bring up the B. But wait a while before unsuppressing the B, I want to make sure she's rested. Give her a sedative if you think it would help."
As she leaves the room and walks down the hall, she says, "Sauscony, with any luck, we'll be getting a Red personality. Maybe it we get a better idea of what's going on inside. Some of the internal teams may be in danger if they get caught in the middle."

Karmabaijan

29-05-2003, 04:39

The team begins to follow the newly arrived Blue.

"Thank you for your time, you have been very helpful. I hope that we can speak again in the future."

Hideki regards the new Blue

"Greetings, I am Hideki, my I ask your function?"

S-14

29-05-2003, 04:56

S-14, Audience Room, The Mother of Us All's Quarters, Snel Party
"Some of us do use fusion power. My own ship runs on <technobabble>."
"Do you know where this crashed ship is? Will you give this technology to us, as well as your powerful directed energy weapons?"

Medical Bay 3, Fourty-Two?
She turns to the Healer, saying, "Suppress current personality, and bring up the B. But wait a while before unsuppressing the B, I want to make sure she's rested. Give her a sedative if you think it would help."
That sleeping carcass needs a sedative like the United States Tax Code needs another few million pages.

After a good rest, Personality B comes to the fore. Allison twitches, and then her face spreads into the sort of serenity only found terrestrially on Buddhist monks. Turning slowly, she looks at Aeryn with a well-practiced benign intensity. "Ah, sentient spacefaring mammals... the Universe never ceases to amaze. Hello, Commander Aeryn of the Cetagandan Space Service. I know I am aboard the ship Fourty-Two? and that I am in a... fleshy body." She doesn't sound too happy about it, but she isn't going into dry heaves either. "I do not know how I know this, but"--she smiles--"I am sure it will all be addressed with time, if it is important."

S-14, Transport Car, ???, Karmabaijani Party
"Greetings, I am Hideki, my I ask your function?"
"I am a Coordinator."

The Blue helps the Karmabaijani with their gear. Inside the transport car are two other Blues, each with something different painted on their carapaces. Once everyone is situated, one of the Blues work the console and the transport car begins to move.

"Do you have any questions?"

29-05-2003, 05:01

"This is Susie the Free... can anyone tow our scooter to us?" Susie glared impatiently at the speaker. Mary was getting very impatient.

imported_Berserker

29-05-2003, 05:11

The probe bounces yet another signal off the far ship, communicating with the two electronics package probes.

The probes also hug the surface of the vessel and slip over to the turret. The probes open a few of the hatches and tap into what seem to be data cables. They reroute the data through memory banks and analysis computers before sending it along its original path.

29-05-2003, 05:19

OOC: Sorry. G-friend didn't log out her nation. Whoops!
Sakkra wrote:
Griimph takes hold of the switch. "Hold on to your seats." He flips the switch to the right.

The train speeds aftwards towards the drive section.

"Hmmm." Griimph then switches the lever full to the left.

Spaceberg "Golf," Ice Tunnel, Sakkran Party 1
Sakkra wrote:
"Should I remove the pipe from the sphere? I have the feeling it is removable." Shuuta looks at the pipe. "I'm unsure. This is a strange construct."

Douglass shrugs. "Your call, I guess." Pulling out his scanner, he pokes a few buttons. "It's emitting a small amount of heat, but no EM. Vibrations aren't fluidic, so it's not carrying anything liquid."

Krenn is feeling slightly adventurous. "Then out the pipe shall come." He gives a hefty tug on the pipe.

S-14

29-05-2003, 05:45

S-14SECZONE
"This is Susie the Free... can anyone tow our scooter to us?" Susie glared impatiently at the speaker. Mary was getting very impatient.
(OOC: Seeing how everyone else is just leaving you stranded)
"This is Hornet. We are dispatching a Loki."

Consider it done.

S-14, Some Random Turret, Leading Edge of Torus, Berserker Probes
The probes open a few of the hatches and tap into what seem to be data cables. They reroute the data through memory banks and analysis computers before sending it along its original path.
The probes detect that, when they make connect, the turret sends a short message back to wherever it is controlled from. Other than that, they get very basic data... primarily targeting and motor control.

Spaceberg "Golf," Train, Sakkran Party 2
"Hmmm." Griimph then switches the lever full to the left.
The train slows, stops, and begins accelerating forewards towards the spherical module in the front of the spaceberg. Eventually, it arrives at a station practically identical to the one it left from, except that not only are there hatches leading out along the circumference of the cylinder but there is also a tube where all the trusses meet that leads foreward into the center of the fore bulkhead.

Spaceberg "Golf," Ice Tunnel, Sakkran Party 1
"Then out the pipe shall come." He gives a hefty tug on the pipe.
The T-joint comes out quite easily, being affixed only by a magnetic ring. There are blurs of motion as bugs skitter into the pipes, like roaches from the light. The pipe is completely hollow and lined with a thin layer of very finely textured insulation. Inside the T-joint are four ant-like insects of varying colors about seven and a half centimeters long. Hunkered down as close to the walls of the tube as possible, they cautiously wave their antennae and chatter softly to each other.

Karmabaijan

29-05-2003, 06:00

"Yes. The people on our ship tell us that another explorer from a different ship has made contact with a red "Mother-of-All." Is this the same Mother-of-All we are going to?

Sakkra

29-05-2003, 06:21

Spaceberg "Golf," Train, Sakkran Party 2
"Hmmm." Griimph then switches the lever full to the left.
The train slows, stops, and begins accelerating forewards towards the spherical module in the front of the spaceberg. Eventually, it arrives at a station practically identical to the one it left from, except that not only are there hatches leading out along the circumference of the cylinder but there is also a tube where all the trusses meet that leads foreward into the center of the fore bulkhead.

Spaceberg "Golf," Ice Tunnel, Sakkran Party 1
"Then out the pipe shall come." He gives a hefty tug on the pipe.
The T-joint comes out quite easily, being affixed only by a magnetic ring. There are blurs of motion as bugs skitter into the pipes, like roaches from the light. The pipe is completely hollow and lined with a thin layer of very finely textured insulation. Inside the T-joint are four ant-like insects of varying colors about seven and a half centimeters long. Hunkered down as close to the walls of the tube as possible, they cautiously wave their antennae and chatter softly to each other.

Team 2.

As the group exits the train, Lossa takes note of the trusses, and where they lead. "Hrrmmm. It seems we should head throught that tube." He starts walking in that direction.

Griimph is following behind, looking all about. "Is this place abandoned? All this traveling and not a soul to be seen. Kinda creepy!"

Team 1.

Shuuta looks down the pipe at the ant-like insects. Hearing the chattering of the insects, she raises up. "Krenn. Be very careful with that pipe. We seem to have come upon life-forms."

Krenn looks into the pipe, and places it down as gently as possible. While doing this, he hums in the sub-sonic range a tune.

imported_Berserker

29-05-2003, 06:43

The probes open a few of the hatches and tap into what seem to be data cables. They reroute the data through memory banks and analysis computers before sending it along its original path.
The probes detect that, when they make connect, the turret sends a short message back to wherever it is controlled from. Other than that, they get very basic data... primarily targeting and motor control.

The probes attempt to monitor the time it takes for communication between the turret and "control", in an attempt to gauge where the control could lay.

S-14

29-05-2003, 06:43

S-14, Transport Car, ???, Karmabaijani Party
"Yes. The people on our ship tell us that another explorer from a different ship has made contact with a red "Mother-of-All." Is this the same Mother-of-All we are going to?
The Blue rears back and doesn't look at all amused. "Blasphemy! We are taking you to the true Mother of Us All. Warn your friend that she is in danger if she is speaking to the Red Demon."

Suddenly the room comes to a jarring halt, throwing everyone to the floor. One of the Blue drones pulls a device from her toolbelt and touches a flat plate on it to her antenna. Clicking their mandibles at each other excitedly, all three drones pull projectile weapons from their toolbelts. The weapons appear to be the equivalent of machine pistols. "Do not draw your weapons."

Spaceberg "Golf," Forward Section, Sakkran Party 2
The tube extends for about fifty meters, with open pressure doors every ten meters. As the party climbs up a cylindrical ladder against the weak gravity, they note that spaced around the circumference every so often are circular hatches similar in size to the ones they have been seeing. They seem to be locked. The tube ends at a closed, unlocked pressure door that leads into a wedge-shaped pod that seems to be at the front of the forward spherical module. The room is filled with closed-system computer equipment, all with the ten-centimeter hexagonal ports, and a console at the front with a small truncated spherical open-topped pod sitting atop it. A window about ten centimeters square in front of the pod gives a very modest view into space.

Spaceberg "Golf," Ice Tunnel, Sakkran Party 1
Krenn looks into the pipe, and places it down as gently as possible. While doing this, he hums in the sub-sonic range a tune.
There really isn't much of a place to put the pipe down except back where it belongs. Looking at the insects harder, it is apparent that they are wearing bandoliers filled with equipment of various types as well as hard plastic "backpacks" with tiny wires coming out. They freeze when watched closely, although they wave their antennae slightly when Krenn hums.

"Now this," mutters Douglass, "is just weird."

S-14

29-05-2003, 06:45

S-14, Some Random Turret, Leading Edge of Torus, Berserker Probe
The probes attempt to monitor the time it takes for communication between the turret and "control", in an attempt to gauge where the control could lay.
The time between signal output and acknowledgement signal appears to estimate around seven to ten kilometers, depending on the physical mode of transmission.

Karmabaijan

29-05-2003, 06:52

Hideki keeps his cool.

"I apologize. I meant no disrespect. We are simply unfamiliar with your social structure here. May I ask what the weapons are for?"

Over his internal transmitter, relayed through the equipment sled.

<<Message:Priority:Alpha1>>
BLU ANT ADVS RED MTHR ALL DNGRS. ADVZ CNTCT. KSPA-SIX OUT.
<<End Transmission>>

29-05-2003, 07:03

Spaceberg "Golf," Forward Section, Sakkran Party 2
The tube extends for about fifty meters, with open pressure doors every ten meters. As the party climbs up a cylindrical ladder against the weak gravity, they note that spaced around the circumference every so often are circular hatches similar in size to the ones they have been seeing. They seem to be locked. The tube ends at a closed, unlocked pressure door that leads into a wedge-shaped pod that seems to be at the front of the forward spherical module. The room is filled with closed-system computer equipment, all with the ten-centimeter hexagonal ports, and a console at the front with a small truncated spherical open-topped pod sitting atop it. A window about ten centimeters square in front of the pod gives a very modest view into space.

Spaceberg "Golf," Ice Tunnel, Sakkran Party 1
Krenn looks into the pipe, and places it down as gently as possible. While doing this, he hums in the sub-sonic range a tune.
There really isn't much of a place to put the pipe down except back where it belongs. Looking at the insects harder, it is apparent that they are wearing bandoliers filled with equipment of various types as well as hard plastic "backpacks" with tiny wires coming out. They freeze when watched closely, although they wave their antennae slightly when Krenn hums.

"Now this," mutters Douglass, "is just weird."

Team 2

Lossa goes to the truncated pod, and takes a look out the window. "Griimph. Can you make any sense of the computers?"

Griimph is scratching his head and peering around the computers from all angles possible. "Hrrmmm. If I could find one of these hexagonal 'keys', I may be able to activate one of these systems and see what's going on."

Team 1

Shuuta is observing the antennae movements of what one can only assume are labor units of some sort. "Krenn, maybe you should put the pipe back. I think we're disrupting some of the beings that live here. Can we get a match of their chatter and the transmission we received earlier? I have a hunch."

Krenn starts placing the pipe back into the magnetic ring, still humming a sub-sonic song. A faint smell of cinnamon starts wafting through the air near him. "Hrr, I love that song."

Sakkra

29-05-2003, 07:08

OOC: So now i'm an ex-nation? What is with this forum? :roll:

imported_Berserker

29-05-2003, 07:33

"This is Susie the Free... can anyone tow our scooter to us?" Susie glared impatiently at the speaker. Mary was getting very impatient.
"This is Loki Moya, over."
"We read you"

With that a Loki glides past Suzie and Mary, off into the distance.
Once it nears the scooter, it yaws left, opening a side bay door, and captures the scooter. They bay closes, and the Lokie zips back to Suzie. It slows to a halt a few hundred meters from Suzie, from which they can see a small bay open and people jetting out to retreive them.

Another bay is opened, and Suzie is given the scooter.

Once Mary is brought onboard she is greeted by a small boarding expedition party consisting of:
CO: Commander John Crichton
Comms: Willis "Sputnik" Russo
Medics: Leutenant Kerrigan, Leutenant Suun
Sci: Cindy Matias-Larson (xenoethnology), R-Daina FC0471 (concentration in biology), Jeffery Cobbler (nexialism), Smith Hill (mathematician), Justine Sahara (applied electronics and computer applications)
Eng: Shalid Raab, Philip Watts
"Red-shirts": Private Jenkins, Private Williams
Other: Mary

Crichton approaches Mary and shakes her hand.
"I'm Commander John Crichton, and we're here to help and do a fair share of exploring. While our primary objective was originally exploration, we understand that you have missing personnel, so we will help you attemp retreival."

"Would you have an idea as to the whereabouts of the person in question.?"

S-14

29-05-2003, 07:39

S-14, Transport Car, ???, Karmabaijani Party
"I apologize. I meant no disrespect. We are simply unfamiliar with your social structure here. May I ask what the weapons are for?"
"We are being ambushed."

One of the drones throws open the upper hatch. "Please to get out through the hatch quickly." The hatch opens into a chilly, cavernous room about one kilometer wide, 2.6 kilometers long, and 400 meters high. The floor has a barely noticable upward curve. Huge spherical tanks 400 meters in diameter line the long walls of the chamber, held in position with a webbing of steel supports, trusses, and cables. The spheres and their supporting framework are covered by a light covering of frost. There are about sixteen of these spheres and four 300 by 150 by 200 meter buildings, all connected by a maze of conduits, pipes, and valves.

The drones look anxiously about the huge chamber and motion towards the base of a nearby spherical tank, the closest cover. As the party rushes for the base, they hear the rattle of heavy-bore automatic weapon fire as one of the Blues are ripped apart, ichor spraying. The two other drones fire bursts from their pistols; a large hulking shape in the shadows bursts into flames and flails around a bit before the magnesium burns finally make it fall. A second burst of gunfire shatters the last two drones.

http://www.weirdozone.0catch.com/projects/nationstates/s14/redbug.jpg
The party is now surrounded by ten heavily armed Reds, far bulkier than what what the Blues looked like before they were torn to shreds. Their leader gracefully swoops down and grabs one of the vocoders from a dead Blue and places it up to its maxillae. "Drop your weapons, soft-skins."

R-Kilroy raises his metal arms. "Well, this sucks."

Spaceberg "Golf," Forward Pod, Sakkran Party 2
Lossa goes to the truncated pod, and takes a look out the window. "Griimph. Can you make any sense of the computers?"

Griimph is scratching his head and peering around the computers from all angles possible. "Hrrmmm. If I could find one of these hexagonal 'keys', I may be able to activate one of these systems and see what's going on."
Leaning over the pod to look through the small window, Lossa hears some chattering. Arthur, hearing it, hears in his head "What, attack lock four habitat? Lizards? Alpha say only mammals." Then there is a rather shrill squeak which can easily be translated by anyone to mean the equivalent of somewhere between "Ahh!" and "Holy Jeebus H Hyskos!" The chattering becomes louder. "They're here too!"

As Griimph watches, several of these small insects poke their heads out of the hexagonal ports. Seeing him, and realizing that they really didn't want to, they skitter back inside.

Spaceberg "Golf," Ice Tunnel, Sakkran Party 1
Krenn starts placing the pipe back into the magnetic ring, still humming a sub-sonic song. A faint smell of cinnamon starts wafting through the air near him. "Hrr, I love that song."
The T-joint goes back where it belongs quite easily. The magnets pull it the last few centimeters, affixing it in place.

Spaceberg "Golf," Ice Tunnel, Sakkran Party 2
The voice from the small pod keeps going. "Not attack? No harm? Access replaced? What?"

29-05-2003, 07:45

"No, alll I know is what we've heard over the radio from here - namely, that he was taken into that thing over there."

The petite brunette straightened her jacket.

"I've set one of the two headsets in this helmet-" She held it up. "-to recieve on the frequency we were using to communicate and the one he uses to call the modified wind spider. If you'll tell me what frequency and code to put in the other headset in case we get separated, I'd appreciate it."

With that, she pulled on the helmet (visor up) and shouldered the small bag she'd brought with her.

"Anything you'd care to brief me on about S-14?" She pulled a stick of chapstick out of a pocket and ran it over her lips.

Sakkra

29-05-2003, 08:00

Spaceberg "Golf," Forward Pod, Sakkran Party 2
Lossa goes to the truncated pod, and takes a look out the window. "Griimph. Can you make any sense of the computers?"

Griimph is scratching his head and peering around the computers from all angles possible. "Hrrmmm. If I could find one of these hexagonal 'keys', I may be able to activate one of these systems and see what's going on."
Leaning over the pod to look through the small window, Lossa hears some chattering. Arthur, hearing it, hears in his head "What, attack lock four habitat? Lizards? Alpha say only mammals." Then there is a rather shrill squeak which can easily be translated by anyone to mean the equivalent of somewhere between "Ahh!" and "Holy Jeebus H Hyskos!" The chattering becomes louder. "They're here too!"

As Griimph watches, several of these small insects poke their heads out of the hexagonal ports. Seeing him, and realizing that they really didn't want to, they skitter back inside.

Spaceberg "Golf," Ice Tunnel, Sakkran Party 1
Krenn starts placing the pipe back into the magnetic ring, still humming a sub-sonic song. A faint smell of cinnamon starts wafting through the air near him. "Hrr, I love that song."
The T-joint goes back where it belongs quite easily. The magnets pull it the last few centimeters, affixing it in place.

Spaceberg "Golf," Ice Tunnel, Sakkran Party 2
The voice from the small pod keeps going. "Not attack? No harm? Access replaced? What?"

Team 2
Lossa starts looking around the console at hearing the sound of chatter. Griimph sees the insects peek out of the hexagonal port. "Lossa, I think we have life-forms here."

"Yes, I heard them. It seems to fit with the transmission from earlier. Perhaps we should try communication?"

Griimph raises up, looking down on the console and at the port. "Sounds fine to me. Your the linguist. Can you make any headway?"

Lossa walks to where Griimph is, and hunkers down to get a look at the port. "It's worth a try. Perhaps the ancient tongue of Ghouu will be good for this."

OOC: This >>>>> means subsonic range, with a small amount of pheremones thrown in.

Lossa clears his throat. "Hwooouur hroouee >>> grouuu >> ?"

Team 1

After the pipe fits into place, Krenn brushes of his claws. "Interesting. I wonder what those little fellows were up to?"

Shuuta looks into the pipe once more, attempting to discern the nature of the insulation around the pipe. "I'm assuming they're workers. Do you remember basic ecological systems theory? If these creatures are anything like ants back in Sakkra, there should be a great many of them communicating through pheremone trails and such. Be wary of your glands. Our pheremones may mean different to them than it does to us."

Karmabaijan

29-05-2003, 08:09

"Allright, allright. Take it easy. We are simple explorers. These," gestures to the dead blues, "were the first contact we made here. Team, put 'em down."

Slowly, each team memeber pulls out their gyrojet pistols and places them on the ground.

<<Head Tranciever>>
No hostile action, unless I say so, or start something myself. Keep the cyberware hidden.
<<Break>>

<<MESSAGE:PRI:ALPHA ZERO>>
ESCRT KLLD BY REDS NO CASLTYS US. AT GUNPOINT. STANDBY.
<<End>>

"Would someone please explain what is going on?"

S-14

29-05-2003, 08:31

Spaceberg "Golf," Forward Pod, Sakkran Party One
Lossa starts looking around the console at hearing the sound of chatter. Griimph sees the insects peek out of the hexagonal port. "Lossa, I think we have life-forms here."
Inside the open-topped truncated sphere is a nine-centimeter long ant-like insectoid with a mottled white-brown carapace looking straight up at Lossa. Its actions makes one think that if it were human and in a bad Toho Company live-action monster movie, it would screaming "Ahh! Godzirra!" at the top of its lungs. It is pointing straight up at Lossa.
Lossa clears his throat.
The insect squeals again.
"Hwooouur hroouee >>> grouuu >> ?"
The insect drops its tiny manipulator and instead waves its antennae. Suddenly remembering something--Arthur would hear it squeaking "Maybe thing Alpha taught helps"--it grabs a small cube-shaped device with a conical horn on one end, like a megaphone, and puts it to its maxillae. Feedback noises result. "*bweeeEEEEOOOP* AHHHHHHHHH! Sorry," it says in English, "so very sorry. Are you trying to communicate? Does this even make any sense at all?"

Spaceberg "Golf," Ice Tunnel, Sakkran Party 1
Shuuta looks into the pipe once more, attempting to discern the nature of the insulation around the pipe.
It appears to serve the purpose of thermal insulation. How such a thin material could keep out the freezing cold of the ice is anyone's guess.

S-14, Chilly Room of Spherical Tanks, ???, Karmabaijani Party
Slowly, each team memeber pulls out their gyrojet pistols and places them on the ground.
One of the Reds quickly grabs the pistols and tosses them into a large bag. It also, in a bit of foresight, commandeers the sled. Yes, it's a soldier--it isn't going to carry anything it doesn't have to.
"Would someone please explain what is going on?"
"You are being protected."

Another Red begins binding each member of the party in turn--being rush jobs, it isn't too tight. When it comes to R-Kilroy, who is staring at the corpses of the Blues (and thus suffering several internal Three Laws of Robotics conflicts), the android seems to faint. This elicits clicks of safeties from the Reds weapons, but seeing the machine on the ground and motionless, they simply heft it onto the cart as well. Thorvald curses rather fluently as the Reds twist his left arm in ways it doesn't want to go when they bind him.

Having everyone bound by the wrists, the Reds usher the party through a large airlock in the bulkhead opposite their entry point. It opens into another large, hangar-like area filled with a framework of metal struts, pipes, cables, and hexagonal frames. The framework forms almost unbelievably large racks that support immense rectangular boxes in stacks of six from the floor to the ceiling of the chamber. Each box is 50 meters wide, 50 meters high, and 500 meters long. The chamber has 24 stacks with a total of 144 boxes, seperated into two sections of 12 stacks each. A cylindrical housing is mounted on one short side of each box, with large electrical cables connecting these housings. Large pipes exit the boxes on the ends opposite the housings, connecting to form a manifold that combines the output of 72 boxes into one giant pipe. The giant pipes exit through an opening in the rear bulkhead.

As the party clears the lock the first few Red soldiers are mowed down by bursts of incendiary rounds. The smell of burning chitin reminds one of burning hair and the sound is like nails on a chalkboard. The Reds in the rear push the party behind several crates, take up positions, and return fire with their heavy machine guns. The sled coasts up and lands right next to the party.

Hideki notices a hatch about five meters from their position behind the Reds.

Karmabaijan

29-05-2003, 08:44

The team dives for cover, Dochan collecting the sled and their weapons.

"SCHEISS! What the hell is going on here?

<<MSG:PRI:ALPHAZERO>>
UNDR ATCK. REDS TKING FIRE. GNG FOR CVR. RLY SATO. STBY.
<<End>

OK, through the door! On the bouce! DO NOT FIRE AT ANYTHING! WE CANT TAKE SIDES HERE!"

Getting a collective "Yes, SIR!" The team breaks for the door, Dochan remote piloting the sled behind them.

S-14

29-05-2003, 09:01

Getting a collective "Yes, SIR!" The team breaks for the door, Dochan remote piloting the sled behind them.
Thorvald flings the hatch open and the party dives into a transport car. One of the Reds, noticing, skitters over. Leveling its weapon, it sprays the inside with heavy machine gun fire, hitting Hideki pretty well across the back with three rounds, piercing the drones he's carrying as well as some other equipment. Wearing powered armor is useful, his lower back only gets a very pretty bruise and an effect similar to being kicked in the kidney... still, beats the alternative.

More bullets spray through the door, smashing in the display on the pedestal. With some electric sparks emitting from the pedestal, the transport car shudders and begins to move. R-Kilroy rolls off the cart and falls to the ground with a thud but otherwise remains motionless. Leaving the guard far behind, the car stops accelerating after three minutes and coasts along.

Scolopendra

29-05-2003, 20:59

<<MSG:PRI:ALPHAZERO>>
UNDR ATCK. REDS TKING FIRE. GNG FOR CVR. RLY SATO. STBY.
<<End>>
<<MSG:PRI:ALPHAZERO>>
SATO HERE. ND SITREP IMDTLY.
<<End>>

Scolopendra

29-05-2003, 21:06

"Anything you'd care to brief me on about S-14?" She pulled a stick of chapstick out of a pocket and ran it over her lips.
(Basic S-14 information briefing)
(Basic situation report:
There are two dominant sentiences, both insectoid, one Blue one Red; they seem to be engaged in conflict. They don't seem to be immediately hostile, but we are recieving conflicting reports. We don't know what side Jacque was taken by. We have lost contact with the Eniqcir party and only have touch-and-go contact with the others.)
(Basic intel report:
We know they're armed and they fight. Technology level seems to vary widely.)

Karmabaijan

29-05-2003, 21:07

<<VoiceLink:Sato>>
"Hideki here, we got out ok. Took a few rounds to the back, armor stopped them ok. We are currently in a malfunctioning transport car, just coasting along. The Reds seem less than friendly at this point. Any suggestions?"
<<Over>>

Hideki reaches around and unclips his pack. He grimaces at the damage. Pulling off the slagged drone and a water container with a hole through it, he puts the pack back on, wincing at the slight pain in his back.

Scolopendra

29-05-2003, 21:21

<<VoiceLink:Hideki>>
"Hideki, Sato. We're only getting fragmented reports back here; sorry, but you're still on your own initiative... do what you have to. Try to avoid conflict, at any. Good to hear that you'll live, what is the status of your party?"
<<Over>>

imported_Cetaganda

29-05-2003, 21:45

Medical Bay 3, Fourty-Two?

That sleeping carcass needs a sedative like the United States Tax Code needs another few million pages.

After a good rest, Personality B comes to the fore. Allison twitches, and then her face spreads into the sort of serenity only found terrestrially on Buddhist monks. Turning slowly, she looks at Aeryn with a well-practiced benign intensity. "Ah, sentient spacefaring mammals... the Universe never ceases to amaze. Hello, Commander Aeryn of the Cetagandan Space Service. I know I am aboard the ship Fourty-Two? and that I am in a... fleshy body." She doesn't sound too happy about it, but she isn't going into dry heaves either. "I do not know how I know this, but"--she smiles--"I am sure it will all be addressed with time, if it is important."

Aeryn smiles. "Yes, you are correct of all counts. We are part of an exploration team investigating your colonization ship. The telepath who's body your mind is in attempted to contact the intelligences inside, but instead, you and a few other personalities accidently entered her head. We're currently investigating ways to a solution to get you back where you belong."
"Meanwhile, we're quite curious about you. Would you mind if we ask you some questions? And please, if you are need anything or have questions yourself, feel free to ask."

S-14

29-05-2003, 21:48

Medical Bay 3, Fourty-Two?
Aeryn smiles. "Yes, you are correct of all counts. We are part of an exploration team investigating your colonization ship. The telepath who's body your mind is in attempted to contact the intelligences inside, but instead, you and a few other personalities accidently entered her head. We're currently investigating ways to a solution to get you back where you belong."
"Meanwhile, we're quite curious about you. Would you mind if we ask you some questions? And please, if you are need anything or have questions yourself, please ask."
"Ahh, minds sharing a body," Allison says in a very calmly metered tone of amusement, "that does sound familiar metaphorically, yes. I do not mind being questioned; it is through asking that one learns. I shall begin--why are you curious?"

imported_Cetaganda

29-05-2003, 22:16

Medical Bay 3, Fourty-Two?

"Ahh, minds sharing a body," Allison says in a very calmly metered tone of amusement, "that does sound familiar metaphorically, yes. I do not mind being questioned; it is through asking that one learns. I shall begin--why are you curious?"

"Well, wouldn't you be curious if a vessel the size of Alpha was approaching your stellar system?" Aeryn says. "Now, first let me introduce Sauscony, the commander of this vessel."
Aeryn gestures to a screen, where Sauscony's face appears. "A pleasure to meet you."
Aeryn continues, "So, do you have a name? And could you tell us what role you play onboard your ship?"

Ma-tek

29-05-2003, 23:14

S-14, Aboard a Helicopter, In the Air, Ma-tek Party
She mouths, "A shame the bonds dissolved. If they had remained part intact, we might've been able to trick them."
The Shadow shrugs. The Reds only bound the team and, other than what they may have dropped, they still have all their gear. The Shadow is out one laser rapier, which seems to make it somewhat unhappy.

Millet eyes the sleeping Reds, and the thought occurs to her that they may not be that way for very long. So. A single course of action presents itself in her mind: shoot them.

So she does. A lift of a hand, a flick of a contact, and ultrasonic waves bombard the Reds - deepening their sleep at best, and making them rather unwell (read: possible internal bleeding inside the exo-cranium - I'm assuming they have an exo-skeletal structure) due to close proximity at worst.

Millet does not care either way: so long as they don't get up anytime soon.

Quietly, she mouths, "I think, in the interest of continued survival, it might be wise to allow them to take us wherever they wish." She doesn't, of course, mention her curiousity.

S-14

29-05-2003, 23:34

Medical Bay 3, Fourty-Two?
"Well, wouldn't you be curious if a vessel the size of Alpha was approaching your stellar system?" Aeryn says.
"Good point. I suppose I meant intention, but... oh well."
"Now, first let me introduce Sauscony, the commander of this vessel." Aeryn gestures to a screen, where Sauscony's face appears. "A pleasure to meet you."
"Hello, ship-mind Sauscony. I have the feeling that we... or, at least, this body and you... have already been introduced."
Aeryn continues, "So, do you have a name? And could you tell us what role you play onboard your ship?"
Allison smiles serenely. "Oh, I only continue the rememberance of the true Norm. I am the Mother of Us All."

S-14, Helicopter Cargo Bay, In the Air, Ma-tek Party
Quietly, she mouths, "I think, in the interest of continued survival, it might be wise to allow them to take us wherever they wish." She doesn't, of course, mention her curiousity.
Karena mouths words silently. "Do you think that's wise? We might be able to escape now... and if we were just going to sit and wait, why frag the guards?"

imported_Cetaganda

29-05-2003, 23:53

Medical Bay 3, Fourty-Two?
"Well, wouldn't you be curious if a vessel the size of Alpha was approaching your stellar system?" Aeryn says.
"Good point. I suppose I meant intention, but... oh well."
"Now, first let me introduce Sauscony, the commander of this vessel." Aeryn gestures to a screen, where Sauscony's face appears. "A pleasure to meet you."
"Hello, ship-mind Sauscony. I have the feeling that we... or, at least, this body and you... have already been introduced."
Aeryn continues, "So, do you have a name? And could you tell us what role you play onboard your ship?"
Allison smiles serenely. "Oh, I only continue the rememberance of the true Norm. I am the Mother of Us All."

"Yes, you have been introduced before, in a way. You see, you're the second personality we've spoken with. Oddly enough, she called herself 'Mother of Us All' as well."
Sauscony brings up the two ant [ooc: which certainly aren't spacedy] images. She says, "Teams inside your vessel have spotted two distinct colors of your species. There have been at least one report of the two groups fighting with each other. Can you tell us more?"

S-14

30-05-2003, 00:05

(OOC: Cute. :) )

Medical Bay 3, Fourty-Two?
"Yes, you have been introduced before, in a way. You see, you're the second personality we've spoken with. Oddly enough, she called herself 'Mother of Us All' as well."
Allison shakes her head, smiling. "Apparently she was mistaken."
Sauscony brings up the two spacedy ant images. She says, "Teams inside your vessel have spotted two distinct colors of your species. There have been at least one report of the two groups fighting with each other. Can you tell us more?"
"Oh, you mean the deformed." She says the word with special care, much like someone would speak of the mentally handicapped. "Oh, they've been fighting on and off for a great deal of time.

"Once we get to our new world, it will be good to be rid of their meddling."

The Snel Race

30-05-2003, 00:07

"Do you know where this crashed ship is? Will you give this technology to us, as well as your powerful directed energy weapons?"

"To which technology do you refer? As for weapons... that is knowledge to be handled with care. There is some knowledge which is gathered to disperse, and other knowledge that is gathered to protect. The Symbiotic Masters would not approve of spreading tools of death.

Arthur, hearing it, hears in his head "What, attack lock four habitat? Lizards? Alpha say only mammals." ... "Maybe thing Alpha taught helps" ... "so very sorry. Are you trying to communicate? Does this even make any sense at all?"

Arthur, lagging behind a little, and slightly amused at the Sakkran's attempts at communication, though "Your device is working. Continue using it for the others, but you may communicate with me using your native method. I heard some chatter from the others around here. Lizards aren't your only surprise. There are also exoskeletal amphibians and shape-shifters, to put it simply."

imported_Cetaganda

30-05-2003, 00:17

(OOC: Cute. :) )

Medical Bay 3, Fourty-Two?

<blah blah, Blues must die, blah blah>

"Once we get to our new world, it will be good to be rid of their meddling."

Aeryn keeps a straight face. "That does explain some things. Well, could you tell me where you're from, and what your destination is?

---Meanwhile---

{Priority Broadcast: IEV Fourty-Two => Fleet & Parties Inside Alien Craft}
x Sauscony (ASCC, IEV Fourty-Two?)

We have learned that there appears to be a civil war occuring between the Red and Blue insectoids. Suggest using extreme caution when dealing with both. Conflict may have racial and semi-religious origins. Will update as soon as possible.

Ma-tek

30-05-2003, 00:29

S-14, Helicopter Cargo Bay, In the Air, Ma-tek Party
Quietly, she mouths, "I think, in the interest of continued survival, it might be wise to allow them to take us wherever they wish." She doesn't, of course, mention her curiousity.
Karena mouths words silently. "Do you think that's wise? We might be able to escape now... and if we were just going to sit and wait, why frag the guards?"

Millet shrugs slightly, mouthing in return, "Firstly: if the guards were to awake, they would alert the pilot that we had loosed our bonds... if there is one, that is. Secondly: escape to where? We have to wait for the helicopter to land, as far as I can tell. I certainly wouldn't be able to fly a helicopter built by an alien species. Or at least I would guess so. And it might be hazardous to ones health to try. Plus... if they think we're still in bondage, then whatever 'greeting' party that meets us on the 'ground' will be more relaxed - and thus not expecting to find us awake and quite ready for them."

Millet doesn't add her thoughts: I hope.

Nontheless, the words seem to hang in the air, implied, somehow.

imported_Eniqcir

30-05-2003, 00:42

Part II:

David re-entered the lab. This would be so much easier if I had some of those new DNA-based nanites. And what I wouldn't give for a Crana right now... but, I've gotta use what I've got. David first removed several more nanites from his broken leg, which was healing rapidly, and set them to work on what was left of Finn's body, hoping that he could save some organs for transplant or something, although he knew intellectually that it was a lost cause. After a bit more casual browsing through Finn's personnal files, David found a primitive LC program, one of those designed for the old nanite/organic hybrids. Aha! Maybe I can get you a mechnoid body, Finn. After that, David gave himself an injection of nerve-monitor nanites, thinking fresh data would be much better than any neural maps stored in the ships medical database. While waiting for them to take effect, he retrieved a universal constructor from engineering, and hooked it up to the med bay computers. A few button taps on a nanite-controller, and David's brain, or, more accurately, a map or blueprint of David's brain, was ready to be fed into the nanoconstructor. But building a cop of his own brain wasn't going to help one bit. He removed all but the edges of the Wernicke's and Broca's areas, and several other bits he had saved in the incubation tanks, from the computer model, and replaced the short-temr memory centers with blank ones from the neural maps in the medical database, and deleted the long-term memory where possible. And now, it was nearly finished. Just a bit of optimising to do, as a sort of re-birthday present. He removed from the model all of the sections for which artificial replacements existed, and inserted instructions for said replacements, among them an artificial hippocampus and occular interface. A bit of house-cleaming to make it look nice, as there was no body to go with it, and... Well, this hardly looks like may brain at all anymore. But, it is finished! I hope it works. He turned on the constructor, and waited.

[skip a while]

Once it was completed, David removed the new prosthetic brain, a shiny elongated spheroid with several sections missing. Preserved Wernicke's area here, Broca's area there, arcuate fasciculus in between, memory centers, cauterize the joints, and back into an incubation tank you go, along with plenty of neural stem cells.

Well, now I've just got to wait for that to finish growing together, and put back his memories.

S-14

30-05-2003, 00:54

S-14, Audience Chamber, Not Too Sure, Snel Party
To which technology do you refer? As for weapons... that is knowledge to be handled with care. There is some knowledge which is gathered to disperse, and other knowledge that is gathered to protect. The Symbiotic Masters would not approve of spreading tools of death.
The Red insectoid hisses in spite. "You must help us! The hated Blues have dominated us for years, controlling the sentient computer. They determine this ship's course. They control the Shrine of the Ancients and repress the truth, that WE," it slams one large fisted manipulator into the open palm of the other "yes, WE are the TRUE Norm!" Her mental 'voice' returns to its original seething quality. "They deny us our right to rule.

"Them, and all the other mutants, they have forced this upon us over the voyage. The end of the voyage is near, and we need not rely on their 'help' any longer. We can finally honor the Prime Edict.

"You will be assisting a repressed, an enslaved people! We are fighting for our freedom, for our birthright! Please, help us topple the dominion of the Blues. Free the knowledge locked away in the Shrine of the Ancients to all so they must admit that we are right. Provide us with your weapons so we may protect ourselves and crush our enemies."

"Your device is working. Continue using it for the others, but you may communicate with me using your native method."
The mottled white-brown insect doesn't notice Arthur, it has God-fragging-Zilla hovering over it. Still, another small insect, black with yellow highlights around the joints, peers out from a hexagonal port. "Really?"
Lizards aren't your only surprise. There are also exoskeletal amphibians and shape-shifters, to put it simply."
The uncannily brave black insect taps its antennae together. "You surprise too."

Medical Bay 3, Fourty-Two?
Aeryn keeps a straight face. "That does explain some things. Well, could you tell me where you're from, and what your destination is?
"We are from our homeworlds, not too far from here in terms of all"--she makes an understated expansive motion with her hands, like holding the sides of a large globe--"but very far in terms of here," bringing her hands together and looking around the room. "The computer tells us many things, but not so much of them are important. It tells us we are nearly at the end of our journey, that we are approaching an inhabitable world. It has told us this before, but those worlds could not be homes. Maybe this one can be."

S-14SECZONE
{Priority Broadcast: IEV Fourty-Two => Fleet & Parties Inside Alien Craft}
x Sauscony (ASCC, IEV Fourty-Two?)

We have learned that there appears to be a civil war occuring between the Red and Blue insectoids. Suggest using extreme caution when dealing with both. Conflict may have racial and semi-religious origins. Will update as soon as possible.
"Sauscony, Sato aboard Hornet. Acknowledged, but we figured as much from the Karmabaijani party... they've already been stuck in two firefights in this civil war. How is interrogation of your psychic coming?"

S-14, Helicopter Cargo Bay, In the Air, Ma-tek Party
"Firstly: if the guards were to awake, they would alert the pilot that we had loosed our bonds... if there is one, that is. Secondly: escape to where? We have to wait for the helicopter to land, as far as I can tell. I certainly wouldn't be able to fly a helicopter built by an alien species. Or at least I would guess so. And it might be hazardous to ones health to try. Plus... if they think we're still in bondage, then whatever 'greeting' party that meets us on the 'ground' will be more relaxed - and thus not expecting to find us awake and quite ready for them."
"Okay, but I'd grab more of that green stuff Mister Shadow here found in case we have to make a break for it."

The helicopter appears to be split into three sections: An aft cargo section containing the guards and the party with circular portholes and webbing placed along the sides and a large cargo door in the rear; a closed door in the forward bulkhead leads to a middle compartment filled with more guards, and in front of that is (probably) the cockpit.

Apparent gravity slowly increases as the helicopter falls towards a long strip of land that curves up into the sky. Sefrin wakes up and, his head against the metal side of the helicopter, hears something that sounds vaguely like a jet engine far away.

BAM!

The helo shudders as a string of small explosions line the fuselage. There is a commotion in the crew compartment but the cargo hold is still intact.

Ma-tek

30-05-2003, 01:01

S-14, Helicopter Cargo Bay, In the Air, Ma-tek Party
"Firstly: if the guards were to awake, they would alert the pilot that we had loosed our bonds... if there is one, that is. Secondly: escape to where? We have to wait for the helicopter to land, as far as I can tell. I certainly wouldn't be able to fly a helicopter built by an alien species. Or at least I would guess so. And it might be hazardous to ones health to try. Plus... if they think we're still in bondage, then whatever 'greeting' party that meets us on the 'ground' will be more relaxed - and thus not expecting to find us awake and quite ready for them."
"Okay, but I'd grab more of that green stuff Mister Shadow here found in case we have to make a break for it."

The helicopter appears to be split into three sections: An aft cargo section containing the guards and the party with circular portholes and webbing placed along the sides and a large cargo door in the rear; a closed door in the forward bulkhead leads to a middle compartment filled with more guards, and in front of that is (probably) the cockpit.

Apparent gravity slowly increases as the helicopter falls towards a long strip of land that curves up into the sky. Sefrin wakes up and, his head against the metal side of the helicopter, hears something that sounds vaguely like a jet engine far away.

BAM!

The helo shudders as a string of small explosions line the fuselage. There is a commotion in the crew compartment but the cargo hold is still intact.

Sefrin jumps slightly at the BAM! - although slightly is an understatement. When one is just gaining consciousness back, one does not particuarly enjoy a large BAM! in close proximity. Not one bit.

Millet casts an eye at Sefrin, scooping up some of the 'green stuff' and dissolving the bonds... Sefrin jumps again, parting his hands quickly in a near-identical manner to Millet.

"That was unpleasant," he mouths, slightly drowsily.

Millet offers him only a scowl. Mouthing, "I don't like the sound of that," the RISE woman rises to her feet, eyeing the walls of the cargo compartment before flipping out her scanner and clicking - quietly - contacts open and shut.

The soft green light emits again, quickly followed this time by the inaudible ultrasonic scan.

Sefrin begins to busy himself by searching for his US wand... which he promptly remembers is gone. "Stars," he mutters - out loud. He slips out his shock short sword instead, eyeing its gleaming length with fondness.

The Snel Race

30-05-2003, 03:42

imported_Eniqcir

30-05-2003, 03:59

Karmabaijan

30-05-2003, 04:09

"Ok guys, take a look around, see if you can find a way to stop this thing."

Sakkra

30-05-2003, 04:25

"Your device is working. Continue using it for the others, but you may communicate with me using your native method."
The mottled white-brown insect doesn't notice Arthur, it has God-fragging-Zilla hovering over it. Still, another small insect, black with yellow highlights around the joints, peers out from a hexagonal port. "Really?"

"Yes, really. It should be obvious. I am communicating with you, am I not?"

Lizards aren't your only surprise. There are also exoskeletal amphibians and shape-shifters, to put it simply."
The uncannily brave black insect taps its antennae together. "You surprise too."

"I do? In what way? Oh! I see. You didn't expect me to be able to talk to you. I must say, your species did present quite a challenge, but it was so was so simple, once I finally realized that the radio waves you've been emitting are your natural form of communication. One of those flashes of inspiration that one wonders why one didn't think of before. We have to use artificial means, as our only natural form of communication is by sound."

Arthur tapped the Sakkran on the shoulder. Hard, since his suit was in the way. "I think you're scaring it. And the rest of them, too. Only two others have been brave enough to communicate with me."

Team 2

Lossa looks at Arthur, and at the two insectoids. "Hrrmm. I suppose that would be the case, wouldn't it? Griimph, let us retreat a bit and give these peoples some 'breathing room', as the soft-skins would say." With that, Lossa stands and walks a few yards away.

"Arthur, out of curiosity, could you ask them what my attempts to communicate translated into?"
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Team 2

Shuuta decides to take a small sample of the insulation from the pipe. It could be quite useful if such a thin layer can protect from such cold. She places it in the fore-arm casing of her suit to protect it. "Krenn, would you stop humming that hatchling's song? This is serious business here. Your pheremones could be a combat signal to these beings."

Krenn shakes his head as if in a daze. "Hrrr? Oh, yes. Sorry. I do like to sing, though. And music is considered a universal ....lan ..guage...I have an idea!" With that Krenn starts tapping a light, staccato rhythm on the pipe. "Maybe they can understand a universal code?"

S-14

30-05-2003, 04:37

S-14, Helicopter Cargo Bay, In the Air, Ma-tek Party
The soft green light emits again, quickly followed this time by the inaudible ultrasonic scan.
Looking out a window, the agents see:
http://www.weirdozone.0catch.com/projects/nationstates/s14/a25.jpg
A squadron of six of these tiny meter-long jet-powered deltawing fighters fly in; weapons pods slung under the fuselage spitting flame.

*chakachakachaka* Karena grimaces, fighting against her bonds. "This is not good!"

Looking through the window in the forward bulkhead door, Red soldiers use a heavy-caliber chaingun mounted in the door to return fire, spewing cartridges at an impressive rate. Glowing tracer fire arc towards the planes as one of the fighters explodes in a bright flash and the wing is torn from another, spiraling out of control past the 'copter. The lead fighter, still on target, pickles a needle-like missile from its forward rack. The missile flies inbound, trailing white smoke.

Spaceberg "Golf," Forward Pod, Sakkran Party 2
Arthur tapped the Sakkran on the shoulder. Hard, since his suit was in the way. "I think you're scaring it. And the rest of them, too. Only two others have been brave enough to communicate with me."
One, actually. The one in the pod appears to be trying to talk to Lossa and still hasn't noticed Arthur's presence... line of sight is blocked a) by the pod and b) by Lossa himself. The one in the hexagonal port, after being handed a megaphone from someone else, says, "Well, you're relatively frightening too..."
With that, Lossa stands and walks a few yards away.
The white-brown insect stands up and leans over the aft wall of the pod, the megaphone humming in English. "Hey... that mammal-thing spoke this language, and you're listening to it, but what about me?"

(OOC: Two people to talk to, two players... hey, there's enough talking bugs to go around.)
"Hrrr? Oh, yes. Sorry. I do like to sing, though. And music is considered a universal ....lan ..guage...I have an idea!" With that Krenn starts tapping a light, staccato rhythm on the pipe. "Maybe they can understand a universal code?"
The white-brown insect disappears for a moment then pops back up. "Could you please tell your friends by Airlock Four Habitat to please stop bothering with the access tunnel? I guess they mean no harm, but they're still frightening a lot of people over there..."

S-14, Audience Chamber, Somewhere on the Ring Plain, Snel Party
"I am afraid you are being swayed too far by emotions. It is not our place to judge who is in the right in your conflict, and to give assistance to either side would alienate us from the other- it is too risky. Aside, I could not help you even if I wanted to. The Symbiotic Masters would not allow it."
"How do you want us to think? We have been oppressed over an intergalactic journey... still, it is no matter. My children have captured more of your explorers--putrid mammals, actually--and as you have said that you are the lowest in the command structure, maybe they outrank you. If you will not help me, I see no need to keep you. Still, maybe you will change your mind."

With a nod, three Red soldiers carrying long tubular objects enter the audience chamber, one brandishing another utilitarian-looking all-purpose medical tool.

S-14, Transport Car, ???, Karmabaijani Party
The slagged pedestal was the car's only controls. There are no access panels nor anything else.

"Guess we're in for the ride," Thorvald mutters. He eyes the motionless android. "Think we should fix 'im?"

imported_Eniqcir

30-05-2003, 04:38

"Arthur, out of curiosity, could you ask them what my attempts to communicate translated into?"

"Certainly."

"Lossa, the lizard, wants to know what you all thought about his attempts to communicate. I thought it somewhat humorous, although a good try. And if you reply to him directly, please try not to sound insulting. I'd rather not have him mad at me. Oh, and why do you find me scary? I suppose I do look a bit strange to you, but, believe me, you look just as strange to me."

S-14

30-05-2003, 04:43

Spaceberg "Golf," Forward Pod, Sakkran Party 2 plus Arthur
"Lossa, the lizard, wants to know what you all thought about his attempts to communicate. I thought it somewhat humorous, although a good try. And if you reply to him directly, please try not to sound insulting. I'd rather not have him mad at me. Oh, and why do you find me scary? I suppose I do look a bit strange to you, but, believe me, you look just as strange to me."
Black insect: "Well, I'm tiny compared to you, and you're huge. We don't have a good history with huge organisms. And your friend is just scary... although, in hindsight, I guess it might be kinda funny."

The Snel Race

30-05-2003, 04:45

"How do you want us to think? We have been oppressed over an intergalactic journey... still, it is no matter. My children have captured more of your explorers--putrid mammals, actually--and as you have said that you are the lowest in the command structure, maybe they outrank you. If you will not help me, I see no need to keep you. Still, maybe you will change your mind."

With a nod, three Red soldiers carrying long tubular objects enter the audience chamber, one brandishing another utilitarian-looking all-purpose medical tool.

"I do not want you to think in any particular way. It is more informative to see you naturally. However, your strong emotions make discussion difficult. I can say with absolute confidence that you have not captured any of my people, and no one who could hold command over me. Before you come closer with those instruments, perhaps you would like to talk to a superior? You are welcome to visit my ship. Otherwise, I shall be going now."

And the larva once again curled up into a sphere. It rolled a bit, and then began to get fuzzy, ready to revert to larval form if its offer was accepted, and ready to lock down and defend itself otherwise.

S-14

30-05-2003, 04:59

S-14, Audience Chamber, Definitely Inside the Torus, Snel Race
"I do not want you to think in any particular way. It is more informative to see you naturally. However, your strong emotions make discussion difficult. I can say with absolute confidence that you have not captured any of my people, and no one who could hold command over me. Before you come closer with those instruments, perhaps you would like to talk to a superior? You are welcome to visit my ship. Otherwise, I shall be going now."
Not having any idea what the larva is doing but knowing that it was doing something odd, the Red Mother indicated to her thugs to lower their arms. "Yes, I would very much wish to speak with a superior. However, I must rest for right now. If you would be so kind as to follow my guards, they will escort you to some quarters."

The three Reds back off slightly and, looking at each other, open the door. One of them makes an expansive gesture with its arm. "After you."

Sakkra

30-05-2003, 05:12

Lossa gets the message about the other members of the team. He puts on his helmet, and activates the wide-band receiver/transmitter. "Krenn. Shuuta. This is Lossa. Apparently you are scaring some beings there. I suggest you meet up with us. Griimph can give you the directions, if he remembers them." Lossa then decides to conserve some of the suit's power. He turns off all functions except the radio, and the suit's servo-motors.

Griimph looks upon the insectoid with the megaphone. "We can hear you well with the device you have. Could you tell your compatriots we mean no harm? Lossa and I will sit here, so that we may not hurt anyone."

imported_Cetaganda

30-05-2003, 05:21

Medical Bay 3, Fourty-Two?
Aeryn keeps a straight face. "That does explain some things. Well, could you tell me where you're from, and what your destination is?
"We are from our homeworlds, not too far from here in terms of all"--she makes an understated expansive motion with her hands, like holding the sides of a large globe--"but very far in terms of here," bringing her hands together and looking around the room. "The computer tells us many things, but not so much of them are important. It tells us we are nearly at the end of our journey, that we are approaching an inhabitable world. It has told us this before, but those worlds could not be homes. Maybe this one can be."

Sauscony asks, "Do you mean to say that your vessel uses some type of faster-than-light travel? A fold-space system, perhaps?"
"Obviously, there is a habitable planet in this system." Aeryn says cautiously. "However, we're not really high enough ranked to discuss anything about it being a home."

----
x Sauscony (ASCC, IEV Fourty-Two?)

Did I mention yet that Alpha (the gigantic ship) is a colony vessel that is looking for a habitable planet, and that the central computer is telling everyone inside its found one here? Might be important once communications with the people inside get opened up more.

S-14

30-05-2003, 05:30

Spaceberg "Golf," Forward Pod, Sakkran Party 2
Griimph looks upon the insectoid with the megaphone. "We can hear you well with the device you have. Could you tell your compatriots we mean no harm? Lossa and I will sit here, so that we may not hurt anyone."
White-Brown insect: "Consider it done." Popping down in the pod, it reappears after a moment. "So... if you aren't here to eat us, what are you here for?"

Medical Bay, Fourty-Two?
Sauscony asks, "Do you mean to say that your vessel uses some type of faster-than-light travel? A fold-space system, perhaps?"
Allison shrugs. "I do not know... the means are, in the end, unimportant, as long as we reach our new world."
"Obviously, there is a habitable planet in this system." Aeryn says cautiously. "However, we're not really high enough ranked to discuss anything about it being a home."
"Oh, dear. This has happened before. I had hoped that this world would not be like the ones of legend where we came and were turned away. Still, maybe this will be our new home... and maybe it will not. We will continue the Norm either way."

Karmabaijan

30-05-2003, 05:32

"Ya, see what you can do with him, contact SHODAN if you need too..wonder where we are heading?"

Sakkra

30-05-2003, 05:37

imported_Cetaganda

30-05-2003, 05:40

Medical Bay, Fourty-Two?

Allison shrugs. "I do not know... the means are, in the end, unimportant, as long as we reach our new world."

"Oh, dear. This has happened before. I had hoped that this world would not be like the ones of legend where we came and were turned away. Still, maybe this will be our new home... and maybe it will not. We will continue the Norm either way."

Aeryn shrugs. "Well, I'm certainly not saying no. I'm just saying that we don't have authority to negotiate. Its quite possible there could be plenty of room." Aeryn continues in her head, 'If not, well, I can think of some regions no one would mind being replaced with big bugs."
Sauscony then asks, "About the conflict inside Alpha. Could you give us a history of it? And are there more factions than just Red and Blue? I ask because we wish to insure the safety of our people inside, and to insure we talk with the ones who are truely in charge."

Zero-One

30-05-2003, 05:42

S-14SECZONE
x Sauscony (ASCC, IEV Fourty-Two?)

Did I mention yet that Alpha (the gigantic ship) is a colony vessel that is looking for a habitable planet, and that the central computer is telling everyone inside its found one here? Might be important once communications with the people inside get opened up more.
<Communications to Fleet, Conference Mode>
{
<< [Sato] Great... the bugs want Earth? Just wonderful. I don't think our few thousand marines can take on an entire worldship.

<< [Rijil] I don't think fighting them should be an option, Flag Captain.

<< [Sato] With all due respect, Advisor, this thing has a fifty kilometer long railgun, estimated impact yield of two gigatons trinitrotoulene. S-14 could rape Earth, orbit it for a few more hundred years--hell, they're from the Magellanic Clouds, so a few more centuries won't faze 'em--then colonize on the ashes of humanity! They've already shown hostility, and the Snel's recordings show them to not only be bigoted but genocidally so.

<< [SHODAN] Well, it is only Earth. Let 'em ha--

<< [Sato] Don't even think about completing that sentence, ma'am.

<< [SHODAN] Sorry, just trying to lighten the mood. Still, it can't just be us or them... if we kill them, then we lose their knowledge.
}

imported_Cetaganda

30-05-2003, 05:56

{Tightbeam transmission: IEV Fourty-Two? => Flagship}
x Sauscony (ASCC, IEV Fourty-Two?)
o SHODAN

SHODAN, I'd like some quick advice. Does this:

"We are from our homeworlds, not too far from here in terms of all"--she makes an understated expansive motion with her hands, like holding the sides of a large globe- -"but very far in terms of here," bringing her hands together and looking around the room.

seem to you like a description of FTL engine to you? It does to me, but that seems to clash with what technology we've seen so far. I'm re-running my analysis of the internal structure again, using data that's been collected as the sensor net has had more time to do refined scans. I'd appreciate it if you could give me anything the Triumvirate has on FTL technology so I know what to look for.

S-14

30-05-2003, 06:11

S-14, Transport Car, ???, Karmabaijani Party
"Ya, see what you can do with him, contact SHODAN if you need too..wonder where we are heading?"
Thorvald shrugs. "Hell, I'm a biologist. All I can do is this--" he kneels over and shakes the android's shoulder "--wake up, Mister Roboto."

R-Kilroy's microwave antenna twitches, and it almost painfully picks itself off the floor. Looking into its wolf-spider eyes, one can see its metal irises blinking. "Gah... sorry, I've never been one for blood, no matter what color it is." It chuckles weakly. "I'm off of Shodey's network, so she can't turn off the TLR... so I might be something of a..." It waves its hand in a circle as it searches for a word, "...liability."

The car keeps going for three hours non-stop. Anything in particular you'd like to do?

Spaceberg "Golf," Forward Pod, Sakkran Party 2
Griimph chuckles slightly. "Hrr hrr hrr. We are here to explore this craft. When it was first spotted, some thought it was abandoned. Then we saw it was not. But we like to see new things and meet new peoples. It keeps life interesting. So we came to see what was occuring and to ask where you are going?"
White-brown insect: "Curiosity... isn't my people's strong suit. Still... we've been watching the situation of your swarm-hives using taps we put on Alpha... also, Alpha likes us for the work we do. I personally fly this vessel--if staring at a monitor classifies as "flying"--to keep up with Alpha over there." The insect points to S-14 through the window. "According to the navigational computer, we're heading for the third planet in this system after a few wide and easily-left orbits to make sure it's inhabitable. If it is colonizable, then we will colonize it.

"I am not high enough, being a member of a sub-hive, to tell you much. However, I can refer you to the upper hive... I'd write a note, but I think you'd probably lose it."

Medical Bay 3, Fourty-Two
"About the conflict inside Alpha. Could you give us a history of it? And are there more factions than just Red and Blue? I ask because we wish to insure the safety of our people inside, and to insure we talk with the ones who are truely in charge."
Allison motions to the screen. "Well, they are the most violent factions, along with the Small Ones. They all believe themselves to be the Norm... how foolish they are in their myopia. They cannot see the whole picture," Allison spreads her hands again, "and see who they owe their lives to."

S-14SECZONE
Does this <stuff> seem to you like a description of FTL engine to you?
<Communications to Fourty-Two?>
{
<< I guess it could be, or maybe it is merely speaking poetically. As for the sensor scans, S-14 definitely has a fusion engine, although I am getting very odd readings from just forward of the fusion engine core. I say odd because I have no idea what it is. It doesn't look like anything the Eniqciri or we have, but it's got a rather powerful and distinctive energy signature.
}

S.H.O.D.A.N. v3.0 : MCP, Q01
Political Director, S-14 Expedition

Sakkra

30-05-2003, 06:21

Spaceberg "Golf," Forward Pod, Sakkran Party 2
Sakkra wrote:
Griimph chuckles slightly. "Hrr hrr hrr. We are here to explore this craft. When it was first spotted, some thought it was abandoned. Then we saw it was not. But we like to see new things and meet new peoples. It keeps life interesting. So we came to see what was occuring and to ask where you are going?"

White-brown insect: "Curiosity... isn't my people's strong suit. Still... we've been watching the situation of your swarm-hives using taps we put on Alpha... also, Alpha likes us for the work we do. I personally fly this vessel--if staring at a monitor classifies as "flying"--to keep up with Alpha over there." The insect points to S-14 through the window. "According to the navigational computer, we're heading for the third planet in this system after a few wide and easily-left orbits to make sure it's inhabitable. If it is colonizable, then we will colonize it.

"I am not high enough, being a member of a sub-hive, to tell you much. However, I can refer you to the upper hive... I'd write a note, but I think you'd probably lose it."

It takes two seconds for the realization of what that statement meant to hit Lossa. "You do know that the planet you're heading for is populated. Densely. It's one of the reasons that our Empire is preparing to leave it. It's ridiculously crowded." He then shifts his bulk slightly, pondering what would happen if these crafts arrived in Earth's orbit. It didn't look pretty.

Griimph looked at the console, and then at the white-brown ant. "What do you mean we'd lose the note?"

imported_Berserker

30-05-2003, 06:29

Loki Dropship Moya

Willis "Sputnik" Russo gives Mary comm frequencies to use in her helmet.
He then asks Mary for Jaques frequency. Once he recieves it, he punches it into a pad attached to his backpack. A holo display is brought up, and quickly zooms into a detail on S-14's hull.
Commander Crichton explains:
"We will dock here at this point, from there, "Sputnik" will attempt to track Jaques via Jaques' radio. We will proceed in toward Jaques if we can get a fix on him, doing out exploration along the way. If we cannot get a fix on him, we will attempt to locate him via contact with the inhabitants."
"Keep in mind that the inhabitants have been showing aggresive behavior and open hostilities, so we must be cautious."
"Any questions?"

TDF Titan Class-RR(research retrofit) DÆMON
A group of commanders debate the situation.

<Officer 1> "What should we do about the hostile actions of the residents of S-14?"

<Officer 2> "Not much we can do with this retro-fit, I mean look at that thing, scars from multiple nukes. We won't stop it with just this."

<Officer 3> "They haven't been openly hostile to the surrounding ships yet."

<Officer 4> "I suggest we contact Iapetus and tell them what we know."

<Officer 2> "I concure, that would be most wise."

<Officer 1> "What do we do about the rail gun?"

<Officer 4> "Not much we can do now, I suggest we talk to Dr. Cobbler."
And with that, the four officers march off to find Dr. Cobbler and send a message to TDF command."

S-14

30-05-2003, 06:40

Spaceberg "Golf," Forward Pod, Sakkran Party 2
"You do know that the planet you're heading for is populated. Densely. It's one of the reasons that our Empire is preparing to leave it. It's ridiculously crowded."
White-brown insect: "Oh... no, I didn't know, but I do now. Well, if populated, check for hostility. Is it hostile as well?"
Griimph looked at the console, and then at the yellow-brown ant. "What do you mean we'd lose the note?"
White-brown insect: It holds out its tiny hands. "These are my manipulators." Disappearing into the pod for a moment, then reappears holding a tiny green square of paper that is, at best, only a few millimeters on a side. "This is my notepaper."

S-14, Some Random Turret, Leading edge of Torus, Berserker
The probes see a light rail car sliding up towards the turret.

Sakkra

30-05-2003, 06:48

Lossa ponders the white-brown ant's question. Are they hostile? Indeed! He lifts his head up. "As a whole, it's difficult to say. Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Usually, I find that the soft-skins need little reason to beat each other senseless. And sometimes they like to drag others in with them. It's a tough call. The there are other times that they actually go out of their way to be peaceful. They're quite unpredictable, and in some cases, irrational."

S-14

30-05-2003, 07:01

Spaceberg "Golf," Command Pod, Sakkran Party 2
"As a whole, it's difficult to say. Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Usually, I find that the soft-skins need little reason to beat each other senseless. And sometimes they like to drag others in with them. It's a tough call. The there are other times that they actually go out of their way to be peaceful. They're quite unpredictable, and in some cases, irrational."
White-brown insect: "Hmm... if hostile, prepare Fist of Alpha. Good thing we've maintained it for so long. Hopefully we won't need it, but if they're hostile...

"You wouldn't happen to have anything to take notes on, would you? I really think you should talk to my superiors back on Alpha."

R-Jane speaks up. "I can probably help with that. Eiditic memory."

The white-brown insect taps its antennae together. "Hmm... I could tell you, but then you wouldn't have my signature, which in your case would be conducive to your health."

Sakkra

30-05-2003, 07:07

Griimph feels several areas on his suit. After a time, he opens the chest-plating, and feels his skin underneath. "Ah! Here we are. This may suffice." With that, he removes a piece of shed skin, and closes his chest-plate. The texture is akin to rice-paper, in that it could tear quite easily, but is sufficient for writing on.

Lossa looks at the white-brown ant with both eyes. Fist of Alpha? What is this?"

S-14

30-05-2003, 07:37

30-05-2003, 10:09

"We will dock here at this point, from there, "Sputnik" will attempt to track Jaques via Jaques' radio. We will proceed in toward Jaques if we can get a fix on him, doing out exploration along the way. If we cannot get a fix on him, we will attempt to locate him via contact with the inhabitants."
"Keep in mind that the inhabitants have been showing aggresive behavior and open hostilities, so we must be cautious."
"Any questions?"

Mary shook her head lightly.

Aggressive behavior suits me just fine. The weight of her small bag hung reassuringly on her back, although she doubted she would need the contents. She preferred to use her more selective weapons in case Jacque proved nearby.

"Let's roll."

She wiped down her hands with an alcohol wipe. Always start offf with nice clean contacts on the electrodes.

imported_Cetaganda

30-05-2003, 16:57

Medical Bay 3, Fourty-Two
Allison motions to the screen. "Well, they are the most violent factions, along with the Small Ones. They all believe themselves to be the Norm... how foolish they are in their myopia. They cannot see the whole picture," Allison spreads her hands again, "and see who they owe their lives to."

Aeryn nods. "I see. We'll try to keep that in mind." Realising she wouldn't get anywhere on that topic, she switches gear. "Well, perhaps you could tell us some things about the workings of Alpha. For example, what is the purpose of the large spar on the front of the ship. It appears to be a linear accelerator of some kind, but we don't understand what it could be used for."

S-14SECZONE
<Communications to Fourty-Two?>
{
<< I guess it could be, or maybe it is merely speaking poetically. As for the sensor scans, S-14 definitely has a fusion engine, although I am getting very odd readings from just forward of the fusion engine core. I say odd because I have no idea what it is. It doesn't look like anything the Eniqciri or we have, but it's got a rather powerful and distinctive energy signature.
}

S.H.O.D.A.N. v3.0 : MCP, Q01
Political Director, S-14 Expedition

x Sauscony (ASCC, IEV Fourty-Two)

Does it look like there's any kind of entry port near there? If so, does it look like its well-covered by the turrets?

Sakkra

30-05-2003, 17:30

Spaceberg "Golf," Command Pod, Sakkran Party 2
Griimph feels several areas on his suit. After a time, he opens the chest-plating, and feels his skin underneath. "Ah! Here we are. This may suffice." With that, he removes a piece of shed skin, and closes his chest-plate. The texture is akin to rice-paper, in that it could tear quite easily, but is sufficient for writing on.
The brown-white creature shudders. "That's just... sick... but still, I guess it works." It shudders some more to get it out of its system.

(OOC: Bonus points for creativity!)

"Alright. Using the tallest peak on Ring Plain as a reference, go thirty kilometers foreward and three hundred and seven kilometers antispinward. You will see a swarm-hive. Keep your arms in the air and don't make any sudden movements. Do you have that?

"Now I have to... sign... that..." The insect shudders again, then reaches into its pod and gets an astoundingly small writing utensil.
Lossa looks at the white-brown ant with both eyes. Fist of Alpha? What is this?"
The insect then looks up. "You haven't seen it? It's the most prominent thing on the front of Alpha. Our Most Ancient Mother thought we may need to clear the way for habitation; the Fist is our broom."

(Let's zoom along a bit in time, so Shuuta and Krenn can catch up with Griimph and Lossa.)

Krenn arrives at the area first. "That transport has incredible velocity!" Krenn spots the tiny white-brown creature at the 'console'. "Ooh. More of them. Fascinating!" He is obviously quite giddy at all the new life forms around.

Shuuta enters the area next. "Krenn, you're being ridiculous. Please contain yourself." She extends her dewlap, displaying purple. "Greetings Linguist Lossa. How is your progress?"

As Griimph puts the note into a compartment, Lossa stands and bows towards Shuuta. "Greetings Researcher. We have conducted dialogue with this representative of the species here. It has been decided that our next course should be the main craft they call Alpha. Talks should be conducted informing them as to the status of their destination, which is Earth."

Griimph continues talking with the white-brown insectoid. "To speak of this Fist of Alpha as a broom does not bode well for the peoples there. But we shall attempt to come to some manner of agreement. We thank you for your time, and I have recorded your directions." Griimph stands and bows. "May you walk on warm sands."

Ma-tek

30-05-2003, 19:43

S-14

30-05-2003, 20:44

Medical Bay 3, Fourty-Two?
"Well, perhaps you could tell us some things about the workings of Alpha. For example, what is the purpose of the large spar on the front of the ship. It appears to be a linear accelerator of some kind, but we don't understand what it could be used for."
"The front of the ship? That is the domain of the Blues... and we do not know of what you speak. The computer may have told us, but it is not so important."

S-14SECZONE
x Sauscony (ASCC, IEV Fourty-Two)

Does it look like there's any kind of entry port near there? If so, does it look like its well-covered by the turrets?
<Communications to Fourty-Two?>
{
<< There does seem to be small personnel airlocks and large cargo airlocks nearby, but that is also close to where we lost contact with the Ma-tek party.
}

S.H.O.D.A.N. v3.0 : MCP, Q01
Political Director, S-14 Expedition

Spaceberg "Golf," Forward Command Pod, Sakkran Party
"May you walk on warm sands."
The white-brown insect, apparently getting used to the thought of four massive reptilians, two squishy mammals, and some sort of thinking robot in the room, copies the bow. "May you do so as well. My signature should be able to keep the defenses off your back."

S-14, Cargo Helicopter, In the Air (and getting shot at), Ma-tek Party
[OOC: I confess. Now I'm confused. I thought the bonds were all loosed, already?]
:: *pokes with GM stick* Okay, they are now if they weren't before. It's kinda difficult to keep track of what... four? five? simultaneous plotlines; the Giant Sourcebook of S-14 was originally written for a single party. ::

Karena looks out the window then ducks. "Missile inbound!"

Ma-tek

30-05-2003, 20:56

S-14, Cargo Helicopter, In the Air (and getting shot at), Ma-tek Party
[OOC: I confess. Now I'm confused. I thought the bonds were all loosed, already?]
:: *pokes with GM stick* Okay, they are now if they weren't before. It's kinda difficult to keep track of what... four? five? simultaneous plotlines; the Giant Sourcebook of S-14 was originally written for a single party. ::

Karena looks out the window then ducks. "Missile inbound!"

[OOC: ::bleeds due to poking with presumably point-ed GM stick:: Rightyho. Heard and understood. And so on.]

Millet pulls Sefrin away from the 'wall', and - perhaps surprisingly, considering whom got them into this mess in the first place - throws herself over his drowsy figure protectivley.

Sefrin manages to mouth a slightly confused, "Wha-?"

imported_Eniqcir

30-05-2003, 21:08

Black insect: "Well, I'm tiny compared to you, and you're huge. We don't have a good history with huge organisms. And your friend is just scary... although, in hindsight, I guess it might be kinda funny."

"I suppose so. The Snel are even larger, though. No need to be afraid of us."

"He thinks it was funny. I doubt it translated into anything."

"According to the navigational computer, we're heading for the third planet in this system after a few wide and easily-left orbits to make sure it's inhabitable. If it is colonizable, then we will colonize it."

"Excuse me, did you say the third planet? Counting from which direction? If counting outward from the sun, you may want to consider the second or fourth instead. As Lossa said, Earth is already overcrowded. And there are several factions that would be quite hostile. And if, by Fist of Alpha, you mean that 50k long railgun, I'd be grateful if your people didn't destroy my home with it. Anyway, I guess we'll be going now?"

David left the wreck of the Horizon a second time, making sure to clear out any furries from the medical section, and sealing it as best he could. He'd never get out of this mess without help, so he jetted off towards the 'ground' to investigate the railcars. As before, he took along a laser rifle and knife, just in case.

The Snel Race

30-05-2003, 21:21

Not having any idea what the larva is doing but knowing that it was doing something odd, the Red Mother indicated to her thugs to lower their arms. "Yes, I would very much wish to speak with a superior. However, I must rest for right now. If you would be so kind as to follow my guards, they will escort you to some quarters."

The three Reds back off slightly and, looking at each other, open the door. One of them makes an expansive gesture with its arm. "After you."

The fuzz was retracted, and, as the larva began re-solidifying its exoskeleton and unrolling, it said "Very well", and then proceeded to walk through the door.

S-14

30-05-2003, 21:53

S-14, Cargo Helicopter, In the Air (and getting shot at), Ma-tek Party
Millet pulls Sefrin away from the 'wall', and - perhaps surprisingly, considering whom got them into this mess in the first place - throws herself over his drowsy figure protectivley.

Sefrin manages to mouth a slightly confused, "Wha-?"
The missile flies into the weapon hardpoint in the crew section, blasting the weapon and the Reds manning it into oblivion. A second missile streaks into the cockpit, causing the helo to yaw and pitch erratically.

The forward bulkhead door slides open as a Red marches in. Practically not noticing that everyone is lose and caring even less, she picks up Karena (who is nearest the door) and slams her into a crash harness and affixes it. The Shadow decides to sit in a harness by its own volition and is quickly strapped in. The Red then leans over and grabs Millet and Sefrin both with one hand each.

Spaceberg "Golf," Forward Command Pod, Sakkran Party + Arthur
"Excuse me, did you say the third planet? Counting from which direction? If counting outward from the sun, you may want to consider the second or fourth instead. As Lossa said, Earth is already overcrowded. And there are several factions that would be quite hostile. And if, by Fist of Alpha, you mean that 50k long railgun, I'd be grateful if your people didn't destroy my home with it. Anyway, I guess we'll be going now?"
The white-brown insect chatters. "Well, three planets counting from the outside in would land us on the sideways gas giant... and if not inhabitable, then do not colonize. As for the Fist, that is not my decision. If indigenous population is hostile and defeatable, then use the Fist.

"Go if you want... I'll make sure no one from the drive section pesters you."

(OOC: I haven't forgotten about David and the Larva, I just need to get on my other computer for pictures.)

imported_Eniqcir

30-05-2003, 22:54

The white-brown insect chatters. "Well, three planets counting from the outside in would land us on the sideways gas giant... and if not inhabitable, then do not colonize. As for the Fist, that is not my decision. If indigenous population is hostile and defeatable, then use the Fist."

"That depends on your definition of what a planet is. Depending on whether you count Pluto/Charon or Quaoar, it could mean any of the three smaller gas giants. I will be sure to advise whoever is in charge not to use the Fist. No matter the circumstances, it would not be advisable, as nearly all of the spacefarers would get quite pissed off. And, frankly, I don't think Alpha could stand up against a full-on assault, even being as large as it is."

Ma-tek

30-05-2003, 23:05

S-14, Cargo Helicopter, In the Air (and getting shot at), Ma-tek Party
Millet pulls Sefrin away from the 'wall', and - perhaps surprisingly, considering whom got them into this mess in the first place - throws herself over his drowsy figure protectivley.

Sefrin manages to mouth a slightly confused, "Wha-?"
The missile flies into the weapon hardpoint in the crew section, blasting the weapon and the Reds manning it into oblivion. A second missile streaks into the cockpit, causing the helo to yaw and pitch erratically.

The forward bulkhead door slides open as a Red marches in. Practically not noticing that everyone is lose and caring even less, she picks up Karena (who is nearest the door) and slams her into a crash harness and affixes it. The Shadow decides to sit in a harness by its own volition and is quickly strapped in. The Red then leans over and grabs Millet and Sefrin both with one hand each.

Millet, being Millet, posesses the intelligence to stay still, and NOT cut off the arm holding her. She allows the Red - although she has this niggling feeling that she couldn't have stopped it if she tried - to strap her in. Which, presumably, is what it's going to do. If that thing throws me out the door, I'll kill it, she thinks, somewhat amusingly. Although not to her.

Sefrin also does not cut off the arm holding him - but he would have, if Millet had not mouthed anxiously, "Sefrin! No!"

Thankfully, Sefrin lets go of the hilt of his shock-sword. That wouldn't have been pretty, at the very least.

And you don't cut off the arm that straps you into a protective harness.

[OOC: Which, when you think about it, is startleingly similar to 'bite the hand that feeds you'. Hmm.]

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Extrasolar artifact: S-14 - Page 2