NationStates Jolt Archive

With a sudden ripple of energy the Cousteau emerged from hyperspace in the target system. Her senses reached out, examining the star and the three planets around it for signs of life. Other sensors were stretching out to find out what minerals could be found. Still others listened for the signs of sentience - radio waves and other forms of communication.

"Captain - I think someone didn't bother to mark a colony for us." Science Officer Cho looked up from his sensor display. "Why's that Cho?" Captain Dolby asked as he looked at the information coming in on the mineral scan. "I've got entertainment programming coming in on the 60-66mhz band..."

"Remind me - what is that?" "Television. Very 21st century Captain." "2 dimensional picture?" "That's the one."

OOC: Next post I'll get to the point.

Captain Dolby watched the show that Cho had managed to bash out a viewer for.

The screen showed a human male standing in front of a map with various meteorological symbols on it. He was wearing a shirt and tie - black on black. It looked very formal, and he moved with a stiff no-nonsense posture.

"The weather today is expected to be the same as yesterday - muggy. Fortunately for the loyal servants of Her Majesty, we will have a nice dry day inside thanks to her benevolance."

The picture shifted to a woman sitting behind a desk. She was quite attractive, but her clothing was the same dull black shirt but with no tie.

"That's todays news. May we thank Her Majesty for allowing this program to air, and for continuing to bring us success."

Commercials, this time a little more upbeat, began to play and the Captain switched the screen off.

"Sounds like they have a monarchy, and a strict one at that. Find out anything else about them Cho?" "Not yet," he said as he walked over. "If we get closer we might be able to pick out more details."

As he said this there was a beep from the communication station and the officer there looked at it in suprise. "No expecting a call were you Captain?"

Dolby looked over. "No... who is is?" "It appears to be from the planet. It's in ASCII, plain text transmitted along a standard 22nd century ship to ship band. And its directed to the Captain."

"Put it on the screen then."

To the Captain of the Unknown Vessel,
You are violating the space of Her Majesty, Empress Katrina Eisenherz. You are ordered to proceed to the second planet of this system where you will turn over your vessel to Her Majesties representatives. If you do not comply when this message is recieved, you will be destroyed.

"Rather direct arn't they? Cho, any weapon systems you can find that can hit us out here?" "None - there are what appear to be a couple killsat's orbiting the planet, but they look to be capable of dealing with 21st century ships and that's about it."

"Bluster, stupidity, or confidence. I'm willing to bet on the second and the first. In that order. Lt. Edwards - take us closer. Put us in a orbit out of line of sight of those killsats."

OOC: Can I join?

OOC: Not yet, but soon.

General Fritzburg stood in the command center of Her Majesties Armed Forces. He was in the center of the raised command area standing ramrod straight, only moving his eyes to look at the displays hung on the ceiling at the front.

When the ship first appeared in the system, there had been a minor panic. He had taken harsh measures to restore calm, and the cleaning person was just now done cleaning up and hauling off the corpse. The officer had suggested a friendly message be sent and Fritzburg had overruled him by blowing his brains all over the consoles.

"Radar Station Officer, what is the status of the target ship?" "Target ship has begun moving towards us, Sir." "Very good. They will either surrender, being weak, or fight and prove they are worthy of contact. Prepare the defense satillites to engage them if they do no transmit a message of surrender."

"Captain - the kill sat's are manuvering. They are moving into threatening positions along our current orbit." Cho was back at the console, looking over the sensor information.

"Let's talk to them. They might be just a little paranoid. Communications - transmit on the same frequency now."

Dolby stood up to project his voice better and began.

"This is Captain Ronald Dolby of the Sunset Defense Force Starship Cousteau. We are on a mission of exploration. Please respond."

"General - we are recieving a radio transmission from the ship." "Pipe it to the intercom. Let us all hear their words." "Yes Sir."

"This is Captain Ronald Dolby of the Sunset Defense Force Starship Cousteau. We are on a mission of exploration. Please respond."

"An explorer. Worthless scrap of humanity." Fritzburg grimaced. "Radio Station Operator, prepare to send a message."

The room grew quite as they waited for Fritzburg to begin.

"This is General Fritzburg of Her Majesties Armed Forces. You have violated the space of Her Majesty Empress Katrina Eisenherz. You will surrender your ship and your crew to us. You have 10 seconds to comply."

The Radio Officer stopped transmitting, and the General turned to one of the aids sitting on the command platform. "Find out which nation this Sunset is. They speak English, thus they must be a nation of Terran origin."

"Yes Sir." The aid scurried off while the General awaited a reply.

"This is General Fritzburg of Her Majesties Armed Forces. You have violated the space of Her Majesty Empress Katrina Eisenherz. You will surrender your ship and your crew to us. You have 10 seconds to comply."

"Nice people." "Captain - the kill sat's are manuvering closer."

The seconds ticked by.

"Full shields. Tactical - what's your take on the threat from the killsats?"

The tactical officer looked up. "We should destroy them now. They are primitive, and my guess is that their primary armament is nuclear rockets or nuclear powered lasers. Neither by themselves are sufficient to damage the ship, but if all three were to hit at once we would likely take some damage."

"Do it."

Fire shot out from the forward, dorsal, and lateral arrays on the Cousteau, detonating the satillites as they approached.

"That's likely got them pissed - Helm, back us off to a million klicks. Let's see what we can learn from there before we get close."

---

After 2 weeks of observation and occasional messages back and forth, the crew has gathered much information on the colony.

They are fiercely militaristic because the planet they inhabit would kill them otherwise. It is a death world, the steaming jungles holding plants and animals that will kill a man in seconds and some that can tear through tanks and armored vehicles.

They are ruled by a queen, fondly called The Iron Bitch by the populace. She is a young queen, barely 25, who acended when her parents were killed by revolutionaries.

Despite many attempts the crew has not learned the origin of the colony. The colonists seem to know, but they are not saying. In the last days a breakthrough was made and the military has agreed that ambassadors from Terran Nations can be sent to meet with the Queen. The word has been spread amoung the known spacefaring nations, and the first question is 'who's colony was it?'

OOC: This RP is now open to all space faring nations, or to all nations who have attempted a colonization attempt in the past. Sunset will be stepping out of it, and everything else will happen from The Iron Bitch side.

"Some interesting angles here... population appears baseline human but have been under evolutionary pressure for some time. Possibly enough to be significant. Also, they may be alternate cousins to us."



"Or a bunch of space Austrians with guns, boy."



"Austrians would forget to lock the airlock door, mother."



"There is that. You have authorization to headhunt a team that will establish diplomatic relations with this nation. Make sure you bring some pretty people for this Eisenherz and any young compatriots of hers to ogle. And see what you can find out from Sunset."

"Ja, baas."

In the poorly lit darkness. A hologram stood brightly above a massive projector. The illumination from several screens could be seen marking the edge of the room. Several figures, almost eight feet tall stood looking at the projection.

"It is only 30 Krit from our main route to Herran..." the words seemed to be alien, cold. They came from one of the smaller figures.

"Yes...the Overlord saw that, which is why he directed us to look into this matter..." The central figure responded, it's voice was deeper.

"Should we send a Terran only team, or should we send a SubLord?"
Another figure responded...

"We will send SubLord Terzus of Kain, he has more experience than most of us with outside Terrans..." the central figure stated drly.

"What ship?"

"The Karzar shall be taken out of moth balls. The intelligence shows they like power, we shall show them power."

There was the shaking of heads around the group...(actually an affermitive action)

The PSS Robinson was almost completed when the news of the strange Rogue colony came to the Nodelink. It did not take long for the Wise Counsel to come to a decision...

Captain Trevor Henderson was just finishing the recovery from his operation. The new Node-Mk II was successfully installed to replace his old Node. For the last couple days he was on leave to adjust to the new capabilities of the node. The link to the Wise Counsel's minds came like a shock to him, he had never received information from another with Node-Mk II before that. He could feel the contact more intensely than he ever had before, it was more than a simple access to knowledge and experiances now, he felt connected to the mind of the person. It felt good and more personal than anything he had ever experianced before.
As the Wise counsel contacted him he felt their thoughts and knew what his first mission would be on the Robinson, he was to set out and find out more information about the hostile colony Sunset had discovered. He was also to try and infiltrate their colony and find out about their culture and above all discover who's colony they were. He felt them know that he understood his mission and the gratitude they had for him and the confidence they had in him to fulfill the mission and the contacts dropped.

Another week passed before the Robinson was fully ready to be launched. The ship was fully manned with some of the best Pilon had to offer. Then the ship was launched from the construction yards on the underbelly of the Great Capitol Arcology of New Terra. As the ship flew upwards and finally left the ocean of Sisgardia Robinson linked himself via nodelink to the sensors of the ship and gazed down at Sisgardia. It was such a beautiful planet, he was glad to be part of the WTE and to have a home like Sisgardia. He looked closer at the Underwater Jungles that the Ecobomb project had started and with further cultivation had spread around much of the territory claimed by Pilon. It was so amazing, with the invetion of the Embedded Networks he could feel and see what every living creature in that jungle could feel. It was amazing.
As the ship approached orbit he ordered preparations to jump into hyperspace. The execution was done flawlessly and the ship moved in hyperspace toward the Delta Zeta IV system.

When the ship left hyperspace they immidiately moved in closer and scanned the planet. Using the new integrated Sunsetian Scanners coupled with the MK II nodelink systems Henderson could feel the inhabitants on the planet, even pick up surface thoughts. He moved about from one person to another trying to gain a general opinion of the colonists' attitudes and thoughts as well as find out their capabilities by scanning for technology. Henderson was proud to be part of such an amazing craft and excellant crew, he knew they would succeed.
(edited: added name of system)

The Nahel Argama cruised through space, flying a parabolic orbit out of the moon headed for earth. Its sensors detect the presence of several strange and alien vessels. The Nahel Argama moves closer intent upon investigating the situation.

CAREFULL NOW, this may hurt, place both hands in front of you and push the keyboard away. now turn away from the monitor. blink. look for the nearest door or window. the light may hurt your eyes . now step outside. get a life. :roll:

CAREFULL NOW, this may hurt, place both hands in front of you and push the keyboard away. now turn away from the monitor. blink. look for the nearest door or window. the light may hurt your eyes . now step outside. get a life. :roll:

OOC: Don't thread hijack...

OOC: Someone has clearly never played cops and robbers...

IC:
The audience chamber was mostly empty, except for a couple advisors and General Fritzburg. The queen lounged on her throne, one leg over an arm, while the General waited for her to speak.

This was not a formal audience and she was not dressed for one. She wore a jumpsuit-like outfit that fit her closely and amplified her sculpted body. Some whispered that it was the result of surgery - after all her mother and father had been plain if not ugly to look at. Draped across the arm she was leaning on was a fur and leather cloak with the grim skull on it that her great-grandparents had taken as their symbol.

'How dull...' she thought as she shifted to an upright and poised position.

"General Fritzburg, how go the dealings with the outsiders?"

"They go well. Three nations are sending ships. I have begun plans for a reception in the palace for them - I only await your approval your Majesty."

"Very well. You may tell them that I will await their arrival. They are to send an ambassador and two bodyguards. No more, no less. We want them to trust us, do we not?"

"Yes your Majesty."

"Dismissed, General Fritzburg. Make your preparations."

---

The following message is transmitted to all nations entering the system.

"We welcome you on behalf of Her Majesty Empress Katrina Eisenherz. Please enter orbit of the second planet. We will transmit additional instructions on this channel at that time."

Once the ships have entered orbit they recieve the following.

"We will recieve a single ambassador from each of you, along with two bodyguards. They are to set down at the following coordinates. A audience has been arranged for them with the Empress Eisenherz. Parties of larger and small size will not be allowed.

By order of Her Majesties General Fritzburg."

It was a rush job...the Karzar hadn't been in much more than guard duty since she had arrived to help resettle Herran. But now she had a full crew and was sitting in space. The system was around nothing more than a dying star, no planets were in the system...it was just darkness.

In his new black uniform, the captain admired the veiw out of her ready room window. The Karzar was old, but a frigate was still a premier post for a terran. She watched the tell tales and waited...then it happened, another ship came out of sidereel space and entered the system. The Earth transport, they were going to save some time after all...

****************
OOC: I have a pic of the Karzar and her fellow class ships but I dont' want to cause problems for people with dial-up.

The Shroud class starship Dead Air decellerated from hyperspeed on the fringe of the system, immediately becoming an inert rock, seeming like a small asteroid, only for an instant observable as anything else. Activating a battery of passive sensors, the ship watched.

Although these humans were unlikely to have anything to do with the necrons, the ship had nothing better to investigate and so it remained, cold and inert, drifting through space, listening, it's mechanical occupants untrobled by the cold or the vacuum. Perhaps they would gain information on human colonisation programmes, which would be useful at some point.
________________

OOC: Why not just link them without the img tags?

The feelings of the populace came to Captain Henderson as clearly as the message came. He pulls back his long brown hair and played with the points of his ears, as he often did when contemplating difficult decisions.
There were so many options, they would have to try out one of the new aspects of their nodelink for this mission, the projected mental imaging system. With it they would create a representation of themselves like a hologram however a scan would reveal substance to the form though it would not register as human. If it was a trap with a thought they could return to the ship and no harm would be done.
He made preparations for the projection and summoned to Marines to escort him to the planet...

The feelings of the populace came to Captain Henderson as clearly as the message came. He pulls back his long brown hair and played with the points of his ears, as he often did when contemplating difficult decisions.
There were so many options, they would have to try out one of the new aspects of their nodelink for this mission, the projected mental imaging system. With it they would create a representation of themselves like a hologram however a scan would reveal substance to the form though it would not register as human. If it was a trap with a thought they could return to the ship and no harm would be done.
He made preparations for the projection and summoned to Marines to escort him to the planet...

At a point somewhere in side the system, at one moment there was nothing...then a mass release of radiation and IR waves expanding outwards...a grave wave also emminated from the point.

Where there had been nothing was a massive ship. It was moving, only about 0.5 Ls but it started to accelerate on an intercept course to the second planet.

On board, the captain looked at the SubLord who seemed to tower above the crew. Like most ships, the terminals had long been rebuilt for human frames, but the doors, passages, seemed scaled to the larger creature. It turned it's cloaked head towards the communications console. "Did I hear correctly? We shall only be allowed to have two escorts?"

The comm officer shook her head, the Var looked at her and then sighed, if it could be called that. "I see, we must consider who to send with me. Is there anything of weapons in their requirements?....No, it is good that CaLord Izzra of Brac has come here on her training."

He turned to the captain.

"Captain Ralsa, you shall now be known as 'Commadore Ralsa of the House of Kain, you shall be my voice to these people. I do not trust Terrans, let alone their foolish lost whelps."

Her eyes almost bulged at the anouncement, but then she couldn't complain..."Ah yes sir, I'll tell Commader Trilx immediatly that he will be in charge..."

The Var interupted her..."Set the Landsmen at ready stations as well as both of the heavy shuttles. I want the Lorgoth's kept in the hanger...and the weapon systems on stand-by..."

"Ah yes my Lord..."

The ship settled into orbit over the planet. It was a monster, almost a half mile long. Of course a good deal of it was nothing more than cargo space that was filled with supplementary fullerene tanks of hydrogen*

OOC: stupid me, here is the
I Class Frigate (www.eng.auburn.edu/users/donatgw/Lords/IDA_Frigate(800x600).jpg) in orbit

At a point somewhere in side the system, at one moment there was nothing...then a mass release of radiation and IR waves expanding outwards...a grave wave also emminated from the point.

Where there had been nothing was a massive ship. It was moving, only about 0.5 Ls but it started to accelerate on an intercept course to the second planet.

On board, the captain looked at the SubLord who seemed to tower above the crew. Like most ships, the terminals had long been rebuilt for human frames, but the doors, passages, seemed scaled to the larger creature. It turned it's cloaked head towards the communications console. "Did I hear correctly? We shall only be allowed to have two escorts?"

The comm officer shook her head, the Var looked at her and then sighed, if it could be called that. "I see, we must consider who to send with me. Is there anything of weapons in their requirements?....No, it is good that CaLord Izzra of Brac has come here on her training."

He turned to the captain.

"Captain Ralsa, you shall now be known as 'Commadore Ralsa of the House of Kain, you shall be my voice to these people. I do not trust Terrans, let alone their foolish lost whelps."

Her eyes almost bulged at the anouncement, but then she couldn't complain..."Ah yes sir, I'll tell Commader Trilx immediatly that he will be in charge..."

The Var interupted her..."Set the Landsmen at ready stations as well as both of the heavy shuttles. I want the Lorgoth's kept in the hanger...and the weapon systems on stand-by..."

"Ah yes my Lord..."

The ship settled into orbit over the planet. It was a monster, almost a half mile long. Of course a good deal of it was nothing more than cargo space that was filled with supplementary fullerene tanks of hydrogen*

OOC: stupid me, here is the
I Class Frigate (www.eng.auburn.edu/users/donatgw/Lords/IDA_Frigate(800x600).jpg) in orbit

Commander Jeras Touraine felt the presence of the massive ship as it appeared. He stretched out through the nodelink to touch the minds of those onboard the ship. He was curious to learn who was on this mysterious ship and what their intentions were. Through the nodelink he hoped to feel the surface thoughts of the individuals onboard the ship and feel their emotions as well. He would find out whether this massive ship was hostile or friendly, and also if their intentions in this area were similar to their own...

The CVL Burgundy Wings is suddenly no longer in the Sol Kuiper but the Eisenherz Kuiper, moving insystem system at just over .03c. The large craft separates several lesser, insystem vessels held in cradles to exploit his powerful SAT drive.

Three frigates and a dozen pickets take up station as he boosts toward Beta intercept. A destroyer-sized object falls inward, going for stellar intercept - a logistic support module, Bussard jet active in the stellar wind. Well inside Beta's orbit, it begins a braking maneuver lethal to organics.

And a last object takes its clamps with it as Burgundy Wingsbegins to repair any traces of having carried it along. Not just destroyer sized but an actual destroyer, the DD Memories of Thera skims through the system dark as the grave and cold as the Universe, only glimmering when she would occult a star. She will only power up well into the Kuiper, and lurk in the Oort. This craft actually carries a SAT drive, and since she didn't use her own she will be able to easily jump ot as soon as she reaches flat space.

The ramcraft and the boxy warships move insystem, ramcraft preceded by a great fusion spike and warships visible to well-pointed telescopes from their powerful thermal dumps. All radiate with active sensors and communications.

The other craft communicates only by the squadron's far more discreet quantum entanglement comms systems.

OOC: The Pilon captain will find feelings of confusion, lust, hate, love, a ship with just under 425 crewmen and 130 Landsmen are a small community. If he touched a Lord, they are Alien, emotions and concepts that don't even mesh with any terran society. The Var are not human, are not even from the planet earth. What they intend, or desire here, he's not going to be able to tell...but they seemed to be the ones in control...but to understand them? It should take a great deal of time...

IC:
Commadore Ralsa was notified of the incomming fleet. "Hmm, someone sent an entire taskforce...tac, I want you to keep a track on those ships for a full spread if we need to. And don't use the nukes, use the stand-off x-ray heads"

The tactical officer began to program a set routine to keep the targeting computers ready to lock on and fire on the new arrivals if they decided to be nasty about things...

The Commadore walked into her ready room. The two large, cloaked figures stood with cermimonial vartar, large bladed weapons that were only used in House Duals anymore. She stopped and looked at the SubLord...

"We will be using the light shuttle to drop to the surface. Our goal is to determine the threat that these terran whelps present to maininaing access to Herran. You must act as the part of an Entath that you now are.."

She nodded and then walked out the side door into her personal lift to the shuttlebay. The unit was being fueled ,and most of the bay crew were shocked to see a terran have two Var guards. It was unheard of...

She stepped onto the shuttle, with the Var following. The shuttle door closed and the small, bulky unit waited for the clearing of the bay to leave the ship and decend to the surface coordinates.

"Excellent - they are beginning to arrive." General Fritzburg was watching the RADAR in the command center, watching as each ship dropped their ambassadors by shuttle.

"Inform Her Majesty our guests are arriving."

Each of the ships had been given different landing locations in the city. There was only one city, though it was more like a fortress. Radiating outward from the vast palace-castle were roads that crossed deep trenches filled with water or passed through various walls with towers and battlements on them. Open squares were found along the roads, invariably with a large fortress-like barracks on one side of the square.

As the shuttles circled in to land defense turrets could be seen, all facing out into the jungle. Crews stood at attention though their gaze fell toward the forest beyond the walls.

A brief scan of the forest shows life in abundance - both large and small. IR sweeps show 20-30 meter hot spots moving under the canopy, and occasionally packs of 2-3 meter creatures can be seen as well. The blocky shapes of vehicles can be spotted on micro-meter radar and similar, moving in convoys both toward and away from the fortress-city.

As each shuttle lands a squad of officers is there to greet them. All are dressed in solid black with stiff collars and cuffs. The leader of each squad has silver piping on his uniform, as well as silver buttons and insignia. On their collar they all wear a grim skull - a blocky skull with no lower jaw. The skull matches their piping in color. All seem to be forged - they bear the marks of a hammer on closer inspection. All are armed with circle shaped sidearms worn on the lower right leg in leather holsters.

As soon as the door on the shuttles pops open the lead officer steps forward, though he offers no salute.

---

Inside the palace preparations are still underway. Fresh flowering plants are placed in vases and guards drill in presentation. In the throne room the empress herself waited.

The L.O.W. shuttle door didn't pop open as much as lower. The shuttle itself stood up in the air on several pylon like structures. The woman that appeared at the doorway seemed small in such a opening.

Her uniform was also black, but with a high red collar with a pair of silver planets. It didn't seem to have buttons or any indication of where it opened. She didn't seem all that intrested in the jungle. Her green eyes were scaning the walls of the city around her. The brown hair was in a short pony tail to the back, with a white pillbox hat adorning her head. It had a small red visor with a stylized symbol above.

As she walked down the steps from the shuttle, a dark cloaked figure appeared, and another followed. Both seemed to fill the shuttle door. They were eight feet tall, and the only thing that could be made out from their shape was it was not huminoid, and they had dark black claws gripping a large double ended sword. The edges twisted, and runes of some unknown language that was visibly etched out in gold along their length.

The woman stopped before the man and breifly bowed, "Commadore Ralsa of the House of Kain. I am here to make first contact with the Emperess. These are my escorts Izzra and Terzus" She indicated the two figures now flanking her. Behind one of the creatures three long green boxes about 2 meters in length seemed to hover, just above the ground.

The Captain and his escorts didn't use shuttles, instead they simply projected their images as soon as the first shuttle landed.
As the projections started, an image of the person projecting himself appeared on the surface, it was completely solid. They took a few moments to get their bearings before approaching those that would greet them...

The officer walked to Commodore Ralsa and stopped a precise six feet away.

"I greet you and give you welcome in the name of Her Majesty the Empress Katarine Eisenherz. I must insist on some knowledge of the objects behind you before we can proceed to the palace."

He stated this in the haughty tone that said that in least this one area he alone would make the decision.

---

With the sudden appearance of the Pilon delegation the officer in charge allowed his jaw to drop slightly, then snapped it shut. With a slight pause he walked forward to the requisite six feet. Then he stopped. Something was clearly on his mind, but his surface thoughts were confused, a mixture of disbelief and anxiety.

This pause continued for five seconds, then one of the other officers stepped smoothly forward. The head officer looked over at him, thoughts still tulmultuous, as the other officer smoothly drew his sidearm.

*Crack*

The officer slumped as the bullet pierced the bridge of his nose and vacated his brains on the ground behind him. Careful not to step on the body or the blood that was pooling the new head officer hostered his firearm.

"I greet you and give you welcome in the name of Her Majesty the Empress Katarine Eisenherz. If you will follow me, transportation has been arranged to the palace."

He turned and pointed to an open ground vehicle standing 40 feet away. A driver sat at the wheel, and there were 2 seats behind and 1 seat ahead.

KG Eisenherz mindscape



It's brief - just a runthrough of responsibilities. Dietrich von Saucken of the Territory to act as ambassador for the Co-Prosperity Sphere, assisted by Belisarius André of the Black and Julia Flying Sparks of the Tigra Blanca tribes. Final runthrough of contingencies. Boarding.



Surface



The dropship is a simple and reasonably streamlined shape, not marred by weapons that look heavier than what would shred a major predator. It lands gracefully, thermal dumps shrilling.



The rear ramp drops, showing three people in the uniform of the TCPS' armed forces - simply cut, practical khakis with some equipment, a sidearm and a serious knife. At the head, a startlingly handsome Eurasian man. Behind him a part-African man and a mostly-Hispanic woman. They look young and obscenely healthy, compactly muscular and incongrously dark of skin. A closer look will show that they carry different insignia, all with a feline motif. Leopard skull, a subtle shadow on a dark blue field, a white tiger.



They walk down, relaxedly alert.



"Dietrich von Saucken, Deputy Advisor for Security, assigned to represent the Territory Co-Prosperity Sphere. Belisarius Andre and Julia Flying Sparks."

[OOC: Back Sunday]

The Nahel Argama moved into orbit around the Earth, avoiding the many kill sats. The Nahel Argama began preparations to enter the atmosphere...

OOC: 5 civilizied nations what planet are you near? Earth? Herran? here???

IC: One of the cloaked figures at first though that the whelp terran had refered to himself. Then noted the three hovering crates. "Ah, Commadore, I believe that Izzra inadvertantly brought our cases along. We shall return them to the shuttle."

"Yes, have the suttle crew recall them..." She turns her gaze back to the man before her and says, "I'm sorry for the trouble, an inadvertant slip up."

The cases float back to the shuttle and then stop next to the open door. The drop to the tarmac and wait.

************ In the orbit above the planet, the bored tactical officer beings to work out plotting firing solutions on some of the gates of the city. He had nothing better to do...

OOC: Can somebody tell me what system we are in!?! Anyways...the Nahel Argama is holding orbit around the planet away from the kill sats...

OOC: I think we've stared to call it the Eisenherz system

OOC: Okay... Then my vessel, the Nahel Argama is orbiting the chief inhabited planet in the system...

Captain Henderson took no real notice of the fallen Officer, such things were expected on this planet. He followed them into the vehicle.

The vehicle rolled slowly up the road toward the palace. At each wall it stopped while heavy metal doors covered with barbed spikes swung aside and closed after it.

Unknown, or perhaps known, to the passengers microphones transmitted what was said. The listeners transcribed everything for relay to both intelligence and Her Majesty. Sitting in windows next to the route artists sat watching the vehicle through magnifiers. They sketched out the uniforms and looks of those below, and again these were relayed to intelligence and Her Majesty.

In the basement of the palace a large group of people went to work on part of their plans. Machines clattered to life, and they began to work and shape the materials to their desired appearance.

---

As each group enters the vehicle the soldiers jog alongside of it. The driver finally speaks as they approach the first gate.

"I have been ordered by Her Majesties General Fritzburg to give you the following information.

He says all this while looking carefully at the road ahead, never making eye contact.

"The walls and defenses of our city are designed to keep out the predators beyond. The jungle is filled with predators of many kinds. Almost all can kill an armed man without pause, and some can destroy heavy armored vehicles.

You will be shown a selection of these animal after the audience. Be aware that while they are restrained they are still dangerous. This is why you have been requested to bring bodyguards."

OOC: Yes - we will call the system Eisenherz. There are three planets, one mercury-like world, Eisenherz, and a gas giant further out.

IC Again:
The following message is transmitted to all nations entering the system.

"We welcome you on behalf of Her Majesty Empress Katrina Eisenherz. Please enter orbit of the second planet. We will transmit additional instructions on this channel at that time."

Once the ships have entered orbit they recieve the following.

"We will recieve a single ambassador from each of you, along with two bodyguards. They are to set down at the following coordinates. A audience has been arranged for them with the Empress Eisenherz. Parties of larger and smaller size will not be allowed.

By order of Her Majesties General Fritzburg."

The Pilonese delegation took in everything they saw but said nothing as they observed and listened collecting information.

OOC: Very cunning little Iron B***
(I assume I have been allowed onto a car, but I wonder how you are going to reproduce two beings that are eight feet tall?)

IC: The L.O.W group said nothing. The Commadore occasionally coughed. Although her thoughts were, They say in the old land of men that their were such creatures, She had been born on Herran and had little actual experience with 'Terran' construction. She might have known about the poltical reasons for the 100 years war, but she didn't understand how these compared to the walls of Europe or China. She had never been there. She was a child of a world covered in rock, trees, and water. Where people lived in the massive, ancient structures that they more rattled around in than ever felt at 'home' in.

OOC: *Whistles Innocently*

IC:
There are only four squares along the major roads, so some are used twice as more shuttles arrive. As soon as the parties leave for the palace guards are posted, and the people of the city begin to come out and look at the craft the outsiders arrived in.

Some of the people loudly deride the craft. "Look how small it is! You would think a great nation would arrive in a vessel the size of the palace!" Others simply look, and one or two get an odd gleam in their eye.

One such person edges slowly closer to a shuttle, looking at the doorway. The guards are busy warning others away, and he runs for it. Someone in the crowd gasps and points, and the guards wheel around.

*BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM*

The sound is that of a large caliber round at a low rate of fire, perhaps 180 rounds per minute. The runner explodes forward as shots tear him apart. His arm and head are almost detached from the body from the kinetic energy transfer. The guards quickly turn back to the crowd, but not before certain people have pressed back into it and away from the guards watchful eyes.

The L.O.W. shuttle's limited A.I. decided that the door shouldn't be open anymore, the humdity has risen too much for the electronics, and the air conditioning was fighting a losing battle.
A pump starts, and The door hinges back into it's closed postion The hiss of the enclosed hydrolics and the cluck of the locks taking hold are the only sounds.

However, this still leaves the three long boxes laying on the ground outside the shuttle.

The cars finally reach the palace - the arrivals of the shuttles were staggered, thus the arrival of the cars is staggered.

The L.O.W. contingent is taken into the palace, and through a series of hallways filled with examples of Eisenherz art. It followed a very martial pattern, with a large amount of weapons and armor displayed alongside portraits of kings, queens, and generals. There are flowers from the jungle everywhere, cut and potted. The party passes through a chamber with psuedo-trees lining both sides. Beautiful flowers form a ceiling above the party. They are led into an antichamber then immediatly to the queen.

In the room already are three delegates from the nation of Pilon, guessing by their uniforms. A female officer nods to the L.O.W. contengent as they are shown forward.

"Greetings," she stands. "I am Her Majesty, Empress Katarine Eisenherz. I thank you for coming, though I am afraid our needs have changed. You see, we have just signed an agreement with these people here. They will defend our system from outsiders. Now, if you will excuse me..."

She decends from the throne, followed by her retinue. She begins heading for a side door, followed by the Pilon delegation...

OOC: The plants are very poisonous - there are few guards, and none near the plants. Microscopic pollen fills the air - It is up to you whether your characters are affected by it. These are 'death world' plants, but I cannot judge your level of hardyness or origins.

---

The Pilon delegation entered the palace through another set of doors, massive affairs again studded with spikes and rimmed with weapon emplacements.

The walk through the palace towards the audience chamber takes about 10 minutes, but when they reach the audience chamber a chamberlain is there to greet them. "Excuse me. Her Majesty is not yet ready to recieve you. I can bring you some refreshments while you wait..."

In the room already are three delegates from the nation of Pilon, guessing by their uniforms. A female officer nods to the L.O.W. contengent as they are shown forward.

"Greetings," she stands. "I am Her Majesty, Empress Katarine Eisenherz. I thank you for coming, though I am afraid our needs have changed. You see, we have just signed an agreement with these people here. They will defend our system from outsiders. Now, if you will excuse me..."

She decends from the throne, followed by her retinue. She begins heading for a side door, followed by the Pilon delegation...


The Commadore says states "how rude.." before the pollen begins to act on her. She falls to her knees gasping as the poison starts to take effect on her system. The two large figures are also finding the pollen an irratant, but training takes over. They pull her up and walk back towards the entrance they came in through. There strides are much shorter than one would expect but (assuming that no one attemps to stop them..) they are outside next to the car a few moments later.

As they leave the larger creature states to the room..."When the Empress has finally decided to talk with us, we shall be waiting outside, the commadore has found this room stiffling..." The voice is low and booming. And somehow all the humans want some asprin after it speaks...

OOC: They don't know a Pilon uniform.
Any posion is really a factor of dosage, tolerance, and size. Enough water will kill you (no not drowning) if you have enough. But then size also matters so the commadore may die, but trying to poisin the Var was a bad tactical move. Also I'm assuming that this has an alkaloi material like most low dosage bio-toxins.

As the LOW delegation turns to leave the Pilon representatives stop. With a sneer the one in the lead speaks. "This system is now under the protection of Pilon. You have 1 hour to leave the system before we destroy your ship."

OOC: I would assume it would - its a routine plant toxin, at least around here.

Commander Dysaryn Stark lounged in his command chair, his Bridge Crew was silent around him. The whole ship was silent. They had slipped stealthily through the warp point, and immediately engaged their 3rd Generation Cloaking ECM.

The propulsion systems were kept to a minimum, the high drive was barely detectable as is, but still...they were more or less drifting. Passive scanners were operational, active scans were done by drone only. Data was collected, returned.

Data was processed. Vek enjoyed Processing Data. She devoted her existence to it. Well, it and Dys, but...she need not go into that. She took control of the Commander's viewscreen, and fed the results of the processing onto his screen.

She was rather pleased with herself, now, if only He would be pleased with her as well. SI's didn't have emotions, but she -wasn't- an SI, now was she.

Commander Stark studied his viewscreen, nodding faintly to himself, when he spoke, his voice was quiet, but commanding.
"We will continue observation, and choose the best possible moment to reveal ourselves. All crew may stand down for the moment, But I want everyone to be ready for action in a hearbeat. Stark Out."

And with that, the Renegade drifted on, as it's occupants settled in, it's AI analyzed, and it's captain plotted. Yes, time would tell. Time...would tell.

~Stark Out.
That is all.

Bump for any car rides with microphones, where Eisenherz architecture and people are discussed in a close descendant of English.

At the door to the palace. The lager creature takes the now-uncontious Commadore and orders the driver, in the same deep voice..."Take us to our shuttle, Now...your empress is now the client of Pilon..." There are some strange noises exchanged between the two creatures and one stands looking on.

The larger creature then just rasies a claw to the back of it's hood, then begins to (or at least to any listening driver and mikes sounds like wispers, but in a non-human language)

[Transmission, surface to ship, security level 8, encryption type Tango0]
(OOC: translated for understanding and story)
Terzus speaks...Do you read me? We order you to contact the Pilon ship about meeting to deal with the insults their new clients have spoken to our diplomatic delegation's ears...and of what will occur when their clients begin piracy operations....Terzus out
[End Transmission]

The smaller turns and proclaims loudly, "I stand and wait to deliver a message from the Lords of War to the Empress of World, so that she shall know the consequences of her future actions"

OOC: By this time I assume the driver, car, commadore and Terzus are returning to the shuttle.

*****************
On board the L.O.W Frigate.......

The Lt. Commander is summoned to the secure communications room.

"Sir, SubLord Terzus sent in this communication to you..."

The young man reads the document and turns...

"Bittle, send out a spectrum burst that the Confederacy of Lords would like to speak to Pilon about events on the surface in regards to the client status of this world."

[Burst Transmission, All frequencies, security level 0]
Requesting that craft of the nation Pilon, please contact the CNW Kazar about your client system.
[end transmission]

OOC: The Pilonese Uniform is a sky blue base with black borders and golden insignia on the chest. They also wear sky blue Berrets with black bordering and golden rank on the front.

IC: The true Pilonese delegation still waits in the side door they were led to, awaiting an audience. As the poison fills the air the Delegation does not even notice, it is only a representation of the true people with a bit of mass added to the projection, if the rooms fills up to a very high degree they will start to feel the pollen as it collects on their representations and the biofeedback sends back impulses of the pollen to their bodies back on the ship.

At the door to the palace. The lager creature takes the now-uncontious Commadore and orders the driver, in the same deep voice..."Take us to our shuttle, Now...your empress is now the client of Pilon..." There are some strange noises exchanged between the two creatures and one stands looking on.

The larger creature then just rasies a claw to the back of it's hood, then begins to (or at least to any listening driver and mikes sounds like wispers, but in a non-human language)

[Transmission, surface to ship, security level 8, encryption type Tango0]
(OOC: translated for understanding and story)
Terzus speaks...Do you read me? We order you to contact the Pilon ship about meeting to deal with the insults their new clients have spoken to our diplomatic delegation's ears...and of what will occur when their clients begin piracy operations....Terzus out
[End Transmission]

The smaller turns and proclaims loudly, "I stand and wait to deliver a message from the Lords of War to the Empress of World, so that she shall know the consequences of her future actions"

OOC: By this time I assume the driver, car, commadore and Terzus are returning to the shuttle.

*****************
On board the L.O.W Frigate.......

The Lt. Commander is summoned to the secure communications room.

"Sir, SubLord Terzus sent in this communication to you..."

The young man reads the document and turns...

"Bittle, send out a spectrum burst that the Confederacy of Lords would like to speak to Pilon about events on the surface in regards to the client status of this world."

[Burst Transmission, All frequencies, security level 0]
Requesting that craft of the nation Pilon, please contact the CNW Kazar about your client system.
[end transmission]

The Pilonese ship recieved the message and after discussing it rather headedly on the Nodelink and scanning the surface thoughts of those sending the messages they send the following reply. "This is Pilonese Ship Robinson. We have received your message but do not understand the meaning of it. What client system is it your refer to?"

The Lt. Commander has returned to the bridge when he get's Pilon's reply...

His thoughts are What are the playing at? Do they really want a SubLord pissed off at them

He sits for a moment, and then composes a message on the key screen next to him. He looks is over and attempts to be reasonable but firm. He sends it off to the Pilon ship.

[Transmission]
Pilon vessel Robinson, it is our understanding that your clients on the surface have insulted our diplomatic delegation. Our message from the delegation implies that your diplomatic team has acquired a 'new' client system. Unless you are in negotiations with others present than those of this system, one would say that we are refering to this system. The Eisenherz system, the system we are currently in.
Attempting to shelter them by claming ignorance of your protectionist postion to this planet shall do neither of us any good.
[End]

edit OOC: I don't think your in the anti-chamber with flowers...

The Lt. Commander has returned to the bridge when he get's Pilon's reply...

His thoughts are What are the playing at? Do they really want a SubLord pissed off at them

He sits for a moment, and then composes a message on the key screen next to him. He looks is over and attempts to be reasonable but firm. He sends it off to the Pilon ship.

[Transmission]
Pilon vessel Robinson, it is our understanding that your clients on the surface have insulted our diplomatic delegation. Our message from the delegation implies that your diplomatic team has acquired a 'new' client system. Unless you are in negotiations with others present than those of this system, one would say that we are refering to this system. The Eisenherz system, the system we are currently in.
Attempting to shelter them by claming ignorance of your protectionist postion to this planet shall do neither of us any good.
[End]

edit OOC: I don't think your in the anti-chamber with flowers...

ooc: I was informed that I was also being attacked by poisonous flowers.

ic: Finally it all made sense, with a brief moment of clarification from the Pilonese delegation and a surface scan of the minds of those on the surface they put the final pieces of the puzzle together. Soon after they replied. "We believe there has been some sort of misunderstanding currently going on involving these people on the surface. We seem to be the subjects of a covert attempt to play one side against another in order to gain dominance over the whole. Our people have been left in a room all by themselves and have not met with anyone, these people, according to our scans of the surface, have the capability of impersonating us. We believe you should call down to your delegation on the surface and request to speak with our delegation down there. Tell them to inform you of a password, we will send your the encrypted password. If the delegation below does not supply it then you will know that they are not us. Does this sound reasonable?"

On the surface the Pilonese delegation began to grow tired of waiting. They reached our for the presence of any minds in the immediate vicinity.

The Nahel Argama flew closer to the planet and opened a planet-wide transmission...

This is Captain Bright Noa of the Five Civilized Nations. I have orders from the King of the Five Civilized Nations to communicate with the leader of this system. If these diplomatic overtures are accepted, the Nahel Argama will power down its shields and weaponry and descend through the atmosphere to the capital. Any hostile actions taken by you will be considered as an act of war, and will cause an immediate blockade of this system... Please respond...

ooc: I was informed that I was also being attacked by poisonous flowers.

ic: Finally it all made sense, with a brief moment of clarification from the Pilonese delegation and a surface scan of the minds of those on the surface they put the final pieces of the puzzle together. Soon after they replied. "We believe there has been some sort of misunderstanding currently going on involving these people on the surface. We seem to be the subjects of a covert attempt to play one side against another in order to gain dominance over the whole. Our people have been left in a room all by themselves and have not met with anyone, these people, according to our scans of the surface, have the capability of impersonating us. We believe you should call down to your delegation on the surface and request to speak with our delegation down there. Tell them to inform you of a password, we will send your the encrypted password. If the delegation below does not supply it then you will know that they are not us. Does this sound reasonable?"

On the surface the Pilonese delegation began to grow tired of waiting. They reached our for the presence of any minds in the immediate vicinity.

OOC: Personally that was a bit 'fast' for my taste...but I'll roll with it...

The Lt. Commander looked at the message.
How in the hell did they figure out this so fast? And how in the hell can these people on the planet copy their uniforms?...this is over my pay grade...

He returns to the communcation room and makes a call.

A loud buzz is heard by those around Tarzus (I don't know exactly if he is moving this second or what...) He again places his claw at the back of his hood and then appears to wisper...

[Transmission, encrypted, Translated for story]
Terzus speaks as desired.......I see they do not claim that this planet is their client....What? How should these terran whelps copy their uniforms in the space of a few minutes...And how would these Pilonese know of such things?....They say that their people have not spoken to anyone?...hmm perhaps we are witnesses to a game that we do not see...Tell them that we wish to discuss things, but circumstances have forced us back to our shuttle...we will open a secure channel to their ship from there.....Ah that my terran is simple...
[end]

A bit later
[Transmission]
Vessel of the Pilon Robinson, due to other circumstances most of our delegation will be returning to our shuttle. It is desired that they use secure communications with your vessel from there or have such communcations with your delegation routed through your vessel. It is desired to know if your ship can broadcast and receive a tight beam communication laser since it is unlikely that our encryption techniques are compatable.
If this is unsutiable we have a remaining messanger outside the palace. Your delegation could meet her if you desire.

We do not believe that these communcations are secure from the surface.

ooc: I was informed that I was also being attacked by poisonous flowers.

ic: Finally it all made sense, with a brief moment of clarification from the Pilonese delegation and a surface scan of the minds of those on the surface they put the final pieces of the puzzle together. Soon after they replied. "We believe there has been some sort of misunderstanding currently going on involving these people on the surface. We seem to be the subjects of a covert attempt to play one side against another in order to gain dominance over the whole. Our people have been left in a room all by themselves and have not met with anyone, these people, according to our scans of the surface, have the capability of impersonating us. We believe you should call down to your delegation on the surface and request to speak with our delegation down there. Tell them to inform you of a password, we will send your the encrypted password. If the delegation below does not supply it then you will know that they are not us. Does this sound reasonable?"

On the surface the Pilonese delegation began to grow tired of waiting. They reached our for the presence of any minds in the immediate vicinity.

OOC: Personally that was a bit 'fast' for my taste...but I'll roll with it...

The Lt. Commander looked at the message.
How in the hell did they figure out this so fast? And how in the hell can these people on the planet copy their uniforms?...this is over my pay grade...

He returns to the communcation room and makes a call.

A loud buzz is heard by those around Tarzus (I don't know exactly if he is moving this second or what...) He again places his claw at the back of his hood and then appears to wisper...

[Transmission, encrypted, Translated for story]
Terzus speaks as desired.......I see they do not claim that this planet is their client....What? How should these terran whelps copy their uniforms in the space of a few minutes...And how would these Pilonese know of such things?....They say that their people have not spoken to anyone?...hmm perhaps we are witnesses to a game that we do not see...Tell them that we wish to discuss things, but circumstances have forced us back to our shuttle...we will open a secure channel to their ship from there.....Ah that my terran is simple...
[end]

A bit later
[Transmission]
Vessel of the Pilon Robinson, due to other circumstances most of our delegation will be returning to our shuttle. It is desired that they use secure communications with your vessel from there or have such communcations with your delegation routed through your vessel. It is desired to know if your ship can broadcast and receive a tight beam communication laser since it is unlikely that our encryption techniques are compatable.
If this is unsutiable we have a remaining messanger outside the palace. Your delegation could meet her if you desire.

We do not believe that these communcations are secure from the surface.

ooc: This is just the tip of the iceberg, I wanted to get the story moving along and as our people are obsessed with instantaneous communication they would have figured it out like that. Now back to the story...

ic: There were five ships, all of them top of the line and ready for action. The new Destroyers were well armed and full of brand new technology that Pilon had been testing since the end of the war. They all carried proud names as well: Oberon, Jupiter, Odin, Osiris, and Anu. Fleet Admiral Yevates walked along to construction bay admiring the first ships to be completed. They were such marvels. He felt a transmission in the nodelink from the Robinson, it seemed that they were outgunned and would possibly need their help. They would be there, standing by in hyperspace if things went badly. Within a few hours time the fleet would be ready to launch...

The Robinson secondary sensor monitor watched and felt the Nahel Argama as it approached the planet. He sent the details through the nodelink to the rest of the ship, he received orders, watch and observe but take no action until needed.

The communications officer rolled his eyes after the transmission from the Lords of war. A tightbeam laser? Why wouldn't they have such equipment? Oh well. "Lords of War vessel, this is the Pilonese vessel Robinson, we do indeed have laser communications capability."

[Transmission]
Then begin using it, we will set same frequency and respond
[end]

OOC: FTL inter-system communciations is likely going to get this nation very intrested in yours.

The same message is transmitted to the Nahel Argama, with an afterthough.

"There is no space for landing a vessel of that size on this world. A shuttle with an ambassador and a delegate is all we require."

OOC: I don't know how big it is, but there is not a lot of clear space - even the squares have monuments (no fountains) or similar presenting an obstacle to landing. You could land in the jungle, but I wouldn't advise it.

IC:
The Pilon delegate senses someone coming in - her surface thoughts are haugty and arrogant. Three others are with her, all who seem to have thoughts of treachery and guile on their minds.

The doors to the entrance chamber are thrown open, and they see the queen sitting on a throne. The chamberlain steps up. "Her Majesty will see you now."

The other three people are nowhere to be seen, though their thoughts are nearby.

OOC: A little planning and some fast hands on a sewing machine. They had about 15 minutes - the copies were crude, but as you hadn't seen them yet quite effective.

transmission commencing...

OOC: I.B. I'm assuming that my characters have been allowed to return to their shuttle. And I would also say that they still don't trust Pilon but your stock is going down fast.

Tarzus mumbles as he carries the Commadore to the shuttle. He is forced to unlock the shuttle hatch and allow it to open again. He takes the Commadore inside.

There he begins the process of dealing with the toxins that have entered her body. A few moments later he her laid across a small medical station. Her blood being pumped out and returned, removing the alkloi toxins and attempting to find a counter acting agent.

Tarzus returns to a console near the bridge of the shuttle and contacts the frigate in orbit.

*************
The frigate has manuvered to catch the tightbeam signal. The com officer has just sent out...Robinson we have you when the call from the shuttle comes in...

Finally a visual and audio are sent to Robinson...

I Terzus, Sublord for The Five Great Houses to ask to speak to those abord the Pilon Vessel Robinson...I have been informed that you did not commit to my horns such threats and such injuries to my servents that a lesser Var would be forced to demand your blood. I give no threats, I only wish to hear from your own lips that my horns were deceived, and such injuries were not by your clients.

The same message is transmitted to the Nahel Argama, with an afterthough.

"There is no space for landing a vessel of that size on this world. A shuttle with an ambassador and a delegate is all we require."

OOC: I don't know how big it is, but there is not a lot of clear space - even the squares have monuments (no fountains) or similar presenting an obstacle to landing. You could land in the jungle, but I wouldn't advise it.

IC:
The Pilon delegate senses someone coming in - her surface thoughts are haugty and arrogant. Three others are with her, all who seem to have thoughts of treachery and guile on their minds.

The doors to the entrance chamber are thrown open, and they see the queen sitting on a throne. The chamberlain steps up. "Her Majesty will see you now."

The other three people are nowhere to be seen, though their thoughts are nearby.

OOC: A little planning and some fast hands on a sewing machine. They had about 15 minutes - the copies were crude, but as you hadn't seen them yet quite effective.

Captain Henderson moved forward toward the Queen. He spoke with a thunderous tone amplified by sonic vibrators. "You have displeased me your Majesty. I do not htink you know who you are dealing with in this situation, we are incapable of being dealt harm by your people, we are gods and if you anger us our wrath shall bring a plague your city and your subjects, we will block out the sun and cause mighty Earthquakes that will topple your monuments. We have come to rid you of these out of system invaders and bring your civilization back to its Golden age, we will make your people great once more."
As he said this the guards pinpointed the locations of the guards using a triangulation from the four of them and the sources coming to them from the guards. They stuck out their hands (equipped with Cybernetically Implanted P3G's) and fired multiple shots.
After this Henderson spoke again in the booming voice. "Your people plot against us and we respond with a sample of our wrath. Do you dare to also defy us?"

OOC: I.B. I'm assuming that my characters have been allowed to return to their shuttle. And I would also say that they still don't trust Pilon but your stock is going down fast.

Tarzus mumbles as he carries the Commadore to the shuttle. He is forced to unlock the shuttle hatch and allow it to open again. He takes the Commadore inside.

There he begins the process of dealing with the toxins that have entered her body. A few moments later he her laid across a small medical station. Her blood being pumped out and returned, removing the alkloi toxins and attempting to find a counter acting agent.

Tarzus returns to a console near the bridge of the shuttle and contacts the frigate in orbit.

*************
The frigate has manuvered to catch the tightbeam signal. The com officer has just sent out...Robinson we have you when the call from the shuttle comes in...

Finally a visual and audio are sent to Robinson...

I Terzus, Sublord for The Five Great Houses to ask to speak to those abord the Pilon Vessel Robinson...I have been informed that you did not commit to my horns such threats and such injuries to my servents that a lesser Var would be forced to demand your blood. I give no threats, I only wish to hear from your own lips that my horns were deceived, and such injuries were not by your clients.

IC: A message was sent back using the projective trivid system (Another new system installed in the Robinson that allows communication with ships not equipped with Trivid systems using the Trivid system (3d Video imaging)) Sublord Terzus, this is Commander Touraine of the Pilonese Scout Ship Robinson, As you have asked for a confirmation from our own lips that those individuals responsible for injuring you were not our clients then you have it. We did no such thing, you were deceived by the misguided people of the planet. We do ask that you have patience as we are working to find a peaceful solution to all of this. We are quite skilled in Diplomacy and our Captain is down there right now negotiating with their Queen. I do fear however that the other ship that is continuing toward the planet is endangering our efforts, maybe you will be able to convince them to stop their approach?"

OOC: Huh? How can holgrams have PG3's attached to them?

Second, I doubt your system could effectivly do that with mine. That implies the ability to control the A/D converter system in my communcations system which is NOT happening. For a very important reason, Terran computer systems use a binary machine lanquage, which is the base for 'all' computer communcations. The Var use a trinary system...analog signals can be read but not what you just described. I'd get a werid distortion trying to send that signal through....


IC: Terzus looks at the man from under his hood. "They wore the same uniform as you now did. But lying will serve you no purpose in this matter. So I shall take your word, but they have offended me and they have attacked my servants under a fabric of lies. There must, and will be a penalty for such actions...perhaps we shall contact the ship you just mentioned...What peacful means do you use to bring them to heel?

At the palace....

The creature waited, silently patroling outside the doors waiting for an audience.

Commander Stark mumbled angrily to himself, this kind of operation always got on his nerves. Of course, he technically had very little reason to be out here in the boonies, it's just that he happened to like the boonies.

His right hand tapped loudly against the arm of his command chair, his eyes flicked around his flag bridge. He thought for a few more seconds, then decided to make his first move.

"Lieutenant Obernathy, prepare to commence Manuever Omega Thirteen," ordered Stark.

"Sir, Yessir!" replied Obernathy, one of the best cap-ship jockeys in Revenia.

The manuever was perfect, Dys could have kissed Obernathy, figuratively speaking. The Renegade had moved insystem a significant bit, but the acceleration fallout was almost zero...which was a minor miracle, as the Fast Dreadnought wasn't exactly a small ship.
--
Vekthalynara would have grinned, but she couldn't, instead, she congratulated herself with a few choice images of the Commander. She had to admit though, the manuever hadn't required much intervention on her part. Obernathy was a pretty good pilot, but Vek was perfect.

And as far as Vek was concerned, as long as Obernathy was aboard her ship, Obernathy was going to be perfect, whether Obernathy liked it or not.
Commander Stark deserved nothing less, after all.

OOC: Stats for Renegade available on request, meaning I'll stick 'em up in my next post if anybody wants to see 'em.

~Stark Out.
That is All.

(*Goes back to listening to old-school Saga Songs...)

The party from The Black, once they have arrived, is taken to the palace in the same manner, though from a different direction.

When they arrive, they are shown through the same long hallways with the same plants. The assumption seems to be that since the nations do not attempt to arrive together, they are not united.

A chamberlain comes forward. "Her Majesty will see you in a moment."

A side door opens after a moment, and three uniformed officers come into the room. They wear uniforms different from those of the other guards.

"So these are more of the scum we are going to toss out of the system. Colonel Williams, of Pilon..." He says this with his arms folded, and visibly sneers when he says 'Pilon'.

OOC: If you've ever seen a Pilon uniform, they are close to the same design. But If you haven't, you wouldn't know.



---

OOC: After clearing it up with Pilon... The guards are real, though armored. Only the Captain is a non-substancial projection. Which begs the question 'How does he see anything?' without any real mass, but I'll take care of that later.

The four guards in the room fall to their knees or slump against the wall. The queen, dispite a look of fright on her face, has the presence of thought to press a concealed button under the arm of the throne, lowering it into the floor. The precaution was installed by her grandfather, though never used. Seconds later the doors swung shut, and the throne shaft had sealed itself.

Then a gas began to fill the room. The courtiers that had entered behind the queen began to screem and panic. One by one it overwhelmed them, sending them into convulsions as the blood vessels under their skin ruptured and blood spewed from eyes, nose, mouth, and ears. Within minutes their bodies had begun to break down, and the gas finally stopped pouring into the room.

OOC: Raises eyebrows and notices a huge gap in coherency...

[Transmission, tightbeam laser]
To craft attempting to land, this is the Condederacy of Lords Frigate calling you. We wish you to be aware of several items that have recently occured....
[end]

Reply Transmission:

We do not need to land... This vessel is equipped with a state-of-the-art Minovsky Drive System, which allows it remain hover above the surface. We will hover above a body of water and send a shuttle to the capital...

End Transmission

OOC: Huh? How can holgrams have PG3's attached to them?

Second, I doubt your system could effectivly do that with mine. That implies the ability to control the A/D converter system in my communcations system which is NOT happening. For a very important reason, Terran computer systems use a binary machine lanquage, which is the base for 'all' computer communcations. The Var use a trinary system...analog signals can be read but not what you just described. I'd get a werid distortion trying to send that signal through....


IC: Terzus looks at the man from under his hood. "They wore the same uniform as you now did. But lying will serve you no purpose in this matter. So I shall take your word, but they have offended me and they have attacked my servants under a fabric of lies. There must, and will be a penalty for such actions...perhaps we shall contact the ship you just mentioned...What peacful means do you use to bring them to heel?

At the palace....

The creature waited, silently patroling outside the doors waiting for an audience.

The Soldiers were not Projected. They were transported. You cannot defend someone unless you are physically down on the planet.
The Trivid system didn't interface with yours, it projected a 3d image in the middle of the room of your bridge. I just wanted a chance to use one of my new toys, it really doesn't matter to me if you don't want it to work on your ship.

"Through peaceful means we are going to try to convince them of the errors of their ways and see if they are understanding. If that doesn't work we will use more pursuasive means of convincing them."

The party from The Black, once they have arrived, is taken to the palace in the same manner, though from a different direction.

When they arrive, they are shown through the same long hallways with the same plants. The assumption seems to be that since the nations do not attempt to arrive together, they are not united.

A chamberlain comes forward. "Her Majesty will see you in a moment."

A side door opens after a moment, and three uniformed officers come into the room. They wear uniforms different from those of the other guards.

"So these are more of the scum we are going to toss out of the system. Colonel Williams, of Pilon..." He says this with his arms folded, and visibly sneers when he says 'Pilon'.

OOC: If you've ever seen a Pilon uniform, they are close to the same design. But If you haven't, you wouldn't know.



---

OOC: After clearing it up with Pilon... The guards are real, though armored. Only the Captain is a non-substancial projection. Which begs the question 'How does he see anything?' without any real mass, but I'll take care of that later.

The four guards in the room fall to their knees or slump against the wall. The queen, dispite a look of fright on her face, has the presence of thought to press a concealed button under the arm of the throne, lowering it into the floor. The precaution was installed by her grandfather, though never used. Seconds later the doors swung shut, and the throne shaft had sealed itself.

Then a gas began to fill the room. The courtiers that had entered behind the queen began to screem and panic. One by one it overwhelmed them, sending them into convulsions as the blood vessels under their skin ruptured and blood spewed from eyes, nose, mouth, and ears. Within minutes their bodies had begun to break down, and the gas finally stopped pouring into the room.

OOC: The projected images see through the nodelink.

IC: The Captain and his guards watched as the gas filled the room, they took no action but watched as more of the queens people die in front of them. When the gas finally stopped they searched again trying to find the location of the Queen...

As the ambassadors and his associates/bodyguards enter the pollen-infested area they becme even more fastidious about inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth. They loiter, admiring the architecture, moving to cover each other. The ambassador guards his bodyguards to some extent.

As the officers enter, machine components analyze their uniforms. Pilonese, apparently. It does make some sense to let the ambassadors convene, Dietrich guesses.

"So these are more of the scum we are going to toss out of the system. Colonel Williams, of Pilon..."

Dietrich bows shallowly in the Territory manner - Prussian manner, really. He smiles, innocently, showing teeth in what loks like a pleasant smile but in the Territory would be a direct challenge. "Dietrich von Saucken, Deputy Advisor for Security. So pleased to make your acquaintance, dear Colonel. Might I say, arrogance rather suits you."

--- The Black ---

"Arrogance? I think not. You are weak, we are strong. Only the strong deserve to survive."

The two others move around to the sides, attempting to surround the party. None are armed, noticably, though they wear belts and similar harnesses for weapons.

The guards in the antichamber look on bemused, one even cracking a slight smile. 'Foreigners killing each other, how appropriate.'

"But we will decide this. In moments our ships will destroy yours, while you watch here on the ground."

--- Pilon ---

The search reveals the hatch used, but it is solid and essentially seamless. A booming voice suddenly echoes through the room.

"Simpletons. We are not savages that we would be fooled by tricks of technology."

The sound of heavy metal bolts sliding into doors follows along with a shrill laugh.

--- FCN ---

There are few open bodys of water on this world - most are swamp or streams. There is one nearby however, a scant 40 km from the city. The ship comes to rest above it. Moments later the surrounding jungle surges with small creatures - 1-2 meters in size - moving towards the water.

A transmission comes in from General Fritzburg.

"It is your choice. Please, send your ambassador and his guards immediatly."

There is the sound of urgency in his voice, though it remains measured for the most part.

--- LOW ---

The Var paces for some time, before the doors swing open. Inside are a full 16 guards, though their weapons are slung. Between them, held by a collar and thick chains, is a creature of horror.

4 bulky legs support a massive trunk that is corded with muscle under what looks to be stone plates. 4 powerful arms, each ending in a pair of sycthing blades a meter long come mere inches from turning a guard to bloody slices. The guards, normally with blank or arrogant expressions, have a look of fear on their faces. The creature had what appear to be blinders, now closed, over half a dozen eyes. It has a 'head', though it is squat and armored as well.

The guards in the front scurry aside - one not quick enough loses a leg in a spray of blood from a casual swipe. The guards drop their chains and run, and the blinders open. The scent of blood has enraged it - and now it sees the only thing in front of it.

OOC: [sarcasm]AAhhhh[/sacrasm]

The Var didn't say anything, just exhaled a cloud of small droplets, (most containing a glacidic acid) as it jammed the bladed weapon into a crack in the pavement and flung off the cloak. What was revealed may have startled the guards...or any other humans. The cloak hurled itself into the mist and towards the head of the attacking creature...

It looked like a black, seven and halffoot dragon, well if you consider that it had short bottom legs, more flippers than feet. The middle set of arms were being the ones holding objects in it's three fingered claw. The upper set were folded across the back. The creature appeared to be wearing some form of gray chain mail and a back back covered by the upper arms.

As she moved backwards the upper arms unfolded to reveal a wing like a bat, The tail had been hooked into the backpack and now freed itself, bringing forward an object attached to itself.

The Vamt gun was five feet long and would have needed two humans to comfortably use it. The Var grappled it from it's own tail and fired a single round into the ground under her opponent. Leting her wings take her a few a few feet into the air...

The round was slow, only a few hundread meters per minute, but it exploded with a nice bright ball of expanding white hot plasma...

**********
An alarm went off on the Frigate and the tactical team began to scan the city below. The thermal bloom of the plasma grenade was obvious.

OOC: [sarcasm]AAhhhh[/sacrasm]

The Var didn't say anything, just exhaled a cloud of small droplets, (most containing a glacidic acid) as it jammed the bladed weapon into a crack in the pavement and flung off the cloak. What was revealed may have startled the guards...or any other humans. The cloak hurled itself into the mist and towards the head of the attacking creature...

It looked like a black, seven and halffoot dragon, well if you consider that it had short bottom legs, more flippers than feet. The middle set of arms were being the ones holding objects in it's three fingered claw. The upper set were folded across the back. The creature appeared to be wearing some form of gray chain mail and a back back covered by the upper arms.

As she moved backwards the upper arms unfolded to reveal a wing like a bat, The tail had been hooked into the backpack and now freed itself, bringing forward an object attached to itself.

The Vamt gun was five feet long and would have needed two humans to comfortably use it. The Var grappled it from it's own tail and fired a single round into the ground under her opponent. Leting her wings take her a few a few feet into the air...

The round was slow, only a few hundread meters per minute, but it exploded with a nice bright ball of expanding white hot plasma...

**********
An alarm went off on the Frigate and the tactical team began to scan the city below. The thermal bloom of the plasma grenade was obvious.

Let your fighting stance be your everyday stance, let your everyday stance be your fighting stance.

Bodies shift unconcernedly. The three were ready for violence or being captured by their hosts before, they are ready now. Von Saucken smiles affably. André nods and smiles in another manner, not showing teeth. Julia crouches slightly into a predatory, no longer human-looking stance... she was ready before, now she's antcipatory, hungry. The Pilonese are on her menu.

Elsewhere, ships flex their more metaphorical muscles. Rapid discharge energy stores check their ability to discharge energy. Dispersed active sensor platforms ping briefly in what is more a scan mode than a lockon one. Still, once position and velocity are known maintaining a passive lock is easy enough.

Afrikaans/German accented voice. "You sound rather like my aunt Esperanza, Colonel. I'm sure she'd enjoy you... now, did you say you were a diplomatic envoy?"

--- The Black ---

"Arrogance? I think not. You are weak, we are strong. Only the strong deserve to survive."

The two others move around to the sides, attempting to surround the party. None are armed, noticably, though they wear belts and similar harnesses for weapons.

The guards in the antichamber look on bemused, one even cracking a slight smile. 'Foreigners killing each other, how appropriate.'

"But we will decide this. In moments our ships will destroy yours, while you watch here on the ground."

--- Pilon ---

The search reveals the hatch used, but it is solid and essentially seamless. A booming voice suddenly echoes through the room.

"Simpletons. We are not savages that we would be fooled by tricks of technology."

The sound of heavy metal bolts sliding into doors follows along with a shrill laugh.

--- FCN ---

There are few open bodys of water on this world - most are swamp or streams. There is one nearby however, a scant 40 km from the city. The ship comes to rest above it. Moments later the surrounding jungle surges with small creatures - 1-2 meters in size - moving towards the water.

A transmission comes in from General Fritzburg.

"It is your choice. Please, send your ambassador and his guards immediatly."

There is the sound of urgency in his voice, though it remains measured for the most part.

--- LOW ---

The Var paces for some time, before the doors swing open. Inside are a full 16 guards, though their weapons are slung. Between them, held by a collar and thick chains, is a creature of horror.

4 bulky legs support a massive trunk that is corded with muscle under what looks to be stone plates. 4 powerful arms, each ending in a pair of sycthing blades a meter long come mere inches from turning a guard to bloody slices. The guards, normally with blank or arrogant expressions, have a look of fear on their faces. The creature had what appear to be blinders, now closed, over half a dozen eyes. It has a 'head', though it is squat and armored as well.

The guards in the front scurry aside - one not quick enough loses a leg in a spray of blood from a casual swipe. The guards drop their chains and run, and the blinders open. The scent of blood has enraged it - and now it sees the only thing in front of it.

The delegates reached out with their Nodelink to find to location of the Queen. They would find her no matter where she ran.

Commander Stark frowned angrily as he glared at the tank. The 3d representation of the system showed his ship as a blue dot...and other details. The Renegade hovered on one side of a red ring that ran around the inner-system. The second he crossed that line, he was more or less in detection range.

Of course, that assumed that the locals were using Revenian sensors. For all he knew, his ship'd already been detected. The second he crossed that line, he had nothing going for him but the effectiveness of his 3rd Generation Cloaking ECM, and his own cleverness.

At the moment, he wasn't very sure about either of them. Dysaryn swore aloud, getting him a couple of startled looks from his bridge crew. He made a point of ignoring them, after all, he had to keep up appearances.

"Lieutenant Obernathy, take us in. Full stealth, I can't say we're detected yet, so we've got to milk that as much as possible."

Obernathy looked up from his console, "Yessir. Proceeding with full Stealth."

Dysaryn sighed absently, as he felt the Renegade begin to move. He knew that this was impossible, but it was a sensation that defied logical science. If he had believed in a higher deity, he would have prayed. As it was, he waited. So did his crew, they all waited, alert at their battlestations.

Dysaryn clicked the intercomm to the on position. "This is Commander Stark, Revenia expects that every man will do his duty. That is all."

~Stark out
That is all.

OOC: fine I'll bite, the Nelson quote was nice.

IC: The planet was likely obsuring the signiture. But as CLN Frigate continued in orbit...it's gravetetric sensors noted a descrepancy. Something wasn't right...and the anomoly was moving, slowly.

The Lt. Commander looked at the report and ordered the helm to keep broadside of the target as long as possible. It might be just a very odd grave wave but with things a mess on the surface. It looked like his luck was all bad.

The Frigate turns so that it's missle tubes and broadside grasers are pointed somewhat at the incomming ship. The tactical officer kept an eye on the plot.

Captain Bright Noa dispatches Lieutenant Commander Rasia Toka and her trio of F-39C Corsair interceptors to escort the diplomatic shuttle. The ambassador, Timothy Scotra, sat aboard the shuttle with four fellow diplomats and two squads of bodyguards. The shuttle comes to a halt and lands in one of the landing pads in the city, while the interceptors fly back towards the Nahel Argama.

The shuttle landing doors open and the two squads of bodyguards stroll down guarding each side of the gangway. Moments later, Ambassador Scotra and his four diplomats strolled down the gangway...

--- FCN ---

The head officer walks up after a moment - he had been listening to events on a radio he now put in his shirt pocket.

"The transmission was perfectly clear - only 1 diplomat and 2 bodyguards will be allowed to the palace. Your error will be reported to General Fritzburg, and this will look bad on your part."

The words leave the sneer that is his mouth, and somehow it seems as though his lips never leave their position.

--- LOW ---

It is clear the driver was telling the truth about the creatures found in the jungle. The hit pulverizes the pavement, but the creature remains. It canters backward for a moment. The front left leg spike has been shattered, and it only further enrages the creature. Bits of pavement are imbedded in it's underside, though it seems more hurt at the loss of offensive power.

It rushes forward, taking a leap at the flying Var. It is quick, and reaches a height of 8 meters from feet to ground before slashing out with all 4 clawed arms in a flurry of motion. It lands, the damage leg collapsing momentarily before it rises and begins looking for the prey.

--- Pilon ---

She is nowhere to be found - likely too deep to detect at this point. The doors are still locked and barred, though the gas has settled to the ground. The bodies of the courtiers have begun to spread across the floor, leaving the skeletons where they fell.

--- The Black ---

The three circle slowly, trying to keep your people off guard and nervous. Then they begin to choke and cough. The pollen that does not affect them in small quantities clearly does in large. They back off and head for the door they came in by. They are gagging and foaming at the mouth by the time they manage to open it.

They try to contain themselves, but one mutters under his breath a little too loud. "That bitch. Sending us in here to die..."

--- FCN ---

Around the edge of the water are particular trees - smooth on one side, sharp and barbed on the other. They vary in size from 10 meters to 1 meter, with the 1 meter trees in small circles at various places.

The ground next to the 10 meter trees begins to crack, in a line heading for the lake. Suddenly the 'trees' break loose, and the half-dozen joints that link them to whatever is in the center of the lake are made clear. The waters churn as the spikes lance upward, attempting to snare the ship like a giant airborne creature.

They are nearly 100 meters long when fully exposed - clearly whatever creature this is is one of the ancients of it's race. It grasps and reachs for the ship, attempting to tear it apart.

Commander Stark swore. He sword loudly, and he swore profusely. He didn't even bother to ignore his bridge crew this time. Well, he now understood exactly how good his Cloaking ECM was, and if he ever had the need to hide his ship from his own fleet, then he could very well do that.

But, he wasn't complaining. The ECM had got him this far, now, it was his turn. He glared intently at the holotank, and a plan began to formulate. A plan that relied on a few things, one of them being the hopeful intimidation factor of the Renegade.

"Sound General Quarters," ordered Stark

The command came as something of a start, but the alarm Klaxon's soon began to ring. This order was mostly redundant, as the large portion of the crew had been sweating at their battlestations for the last few hours. But, as always, he had to keep up appearances.

"Vek, Take us out of Cloaking ECM. Mr. Obernathy, Bring us up to Cruising Speed. Ensign Peters, Hail that Frigate, WCIP code, Universal Standard."

In the few seconds it took for his crew to process that information, the ship had already smoothly slipped from it's protective ECM cloak. The ship accelerated to it's cruising velocity of .001c. Ensign Peters, the comm officer, tapped in a few keystrokes.

(OOC Note: this is a recorded message, btw, WCIP is a We Come In Peace code...)

Message to LoW Frigate, both optical tight-beam and standard channels.

Message as follows: "This is the Revenian Naval Ship Renegade, We Come in Peace!" (OOC Note: the message goes on with some other diplomatic jarble that I'm currently to unimaginative to write up..)

OOC: Well, I guess now'd probably be a good time to stick up stats for the Renegade...yeah. Sooo..
RNS Renegade
(Dysaryn’s Flagship)
Class: Fast Dreadnought
Designation: Resplendent Glory class Command Ship
Hull: Super Dreadnought
Size: 1 km
Crew: 2000
Marines: 50 Twilight Seraphim
Atmospheric Landing: Yes
Propulsion: Revenian High Drive, Atmospheric Maneuvering Thrusters.
Armor: 2m Iridium and 3m Ablative Composite
Fighters: 25 Revenian SF-34 Victor’s, 1 Star-Reaver Prototype Space-Superiority Fighter.
Shields: Revenian Ultra
Weapons:
30 Torpedo Tubes
50 Ripple-Launch Missile Racks (Fire-linked in groups of five, each group capable of ripple-firing 500 missiles)
50 Heavy Mass Driver’s (5 Batteries of 10)
5 Energy Emitters
10 D-EMP Cannons-(Directed EMP)
1000 Point Defense Mass Drivers (in turrets of two, controlled by Command Datalink)

Space

Aside from pinging, KG Burgundy Wings doesn't visibly do much. Then, most space warships generally don't until they actually start feeding power through weapons.

In point of fact, milliseconds after enemy weaponsfire was detected, several dozen graser weapons would be kicked out of coilgun mortar clusters. Seconds after that the weapons would detonate, sending off spears of coherent gamma radiation. Seconds after that, the ships would have rolled to unmask batteries and begun engaging with fixed xrasers and railguns.

Academic, unless someone starts firing.

Dispersed sensor drones turn part of their collective eye toward the incoming bogey.

Ground

"Off to Pilon with you, Colonel. Since your fleet isn't backing you up I must conclude that you're quite out of line. I expect you superiors will have words with you."

Now, what the hell was that about?

Discreetly, the Territorials take turns to blow their noses. With looks of annoyance and mutters - redundant, given that they are in radio communication - about allergies, they cause their dark grey gelsuits to flow up over their heads.

--- FCN ---

The head officer walks up after a moment - he had been listening to events on a radio he now put in his shirt pocket.

"The transmission was perfectly clear - only 1 diplomat and 2 bodyguards will be allowed to the palace. Your error will be reported to General Fritzburg, and this will look bad on your part."

The words leave the sneer that is his mouth, and somehow it seems as though his lips never leave their position.

--- LOW ---

It is clear the driver was telling the truth about the creatures found in the jungle. The hit pulverizes the pavement, but the creature remains. It canters backward for a moment. The front left leg spike has been shattered, and it only further enrages the creature. Bits of pavement are imbedded in it's underside, though it seems more hurt at the loss of offensive power.

It rushes forward, taking a leap at the flying Var. It is quick, and reaches a height of 8 meters from feet to ground before slashing out with all 4 clawed arms in a flurry of motion. It lands, the damage leg collapsing momentarily before it rises and begins looking for the prey.

--- Pilon ---

She is nowhere to be found - likely too deep to detect at this point. The doors are still locked and barred, though the gas has settled to the ground. The bodies of the courtiers have begun to spread across the floor, leaving the skeletons where they fell.

--- The Black ---

The three circle slowly, trying to keep your people off guard and nervous. Then they begin to choke and cough. The pollen that does not affect them in small quantities clearly does in large. They back off and head for the door they came in by. They are gagging and foaming at the mouth by the time they manage to open it.

They try to contain themselves, but one mutters under his breath a little too loud. "That bitch. Sending us in here to die..."

--- FCN ---

Around the edge of the water are particular trees - smooth on one side, sharp and barbed on the other. They vary in size from 10 meters to 1 meter, with the 1 meter trees in small circles at various places.

The ground next to the 10 meter trees begins to crack, in a line heading for the lake. Suddenly the 'trees' break loose, and the half-dozen joints that link them to whatever is in the center of the lake are made clear. The waters churn as the spikes lance upward, attempting to snare the ship like a giant airborne creature.

They are nearly 100 meters long when fully exposed - clearly whatever creature this is is one of the ancients of it's race. It grasps and reachs for the ship, attempting to tear it apart.

So the Queen didn't want to play anymore... that was fine it was time to start more drastic measures... A small hardcopy note was written in a flowing handwriting: As you have decided to take the foolish action of ignoring our warnings you have earned the wraths of the Gods. You deny us and are too closeminded to see that we are not like the outsiders who come to take your territory from you, we wish to rid you of these invaders and bring a Golden Age to your people. We shall return to you when you are more willing to talk, simply think our names and we shall return...

With that the Captain ended the projection returning to the ship. Soon after the guards transported their bodies back to the ship...

OOC: The two squads of bodyguards are going to leave with the shuttle... And the two fellow diplomats are acutally trained fighters...

IC:
The two squads of bodyguards boards the shuttle. The shuttle cruises back to the Nahel Argama. Meanwhile, the ambassador with his two fellow diplomats look around.

Aboard the Nahel Argama, the crew were not stupid. The shields and the weaponry of the vessel were immediately charged up and the vessel levitated higher into the air, firing as it went.

Specs on the Nahel Argama
http://www.mahq.net/mecha/gundam/zz/nahelargama.jpg

Class: Argama Class
Name: Nahel Argama
Unit type: carrier battleship
Manufacturer: North Watch Naval Yards
First deployment: October 29th
Dimensions: overall length 750 meters
Propulsion: Two Minovsky Fusion Engines and Two Quantum Fusion Hyperspace Engines
Crew: 179 officers, 5000 enlisted, 2500 marines
Speed:
Fixed armaments: 6 x 2-barrel main pulse gun; 2 x main gun; 4 x secondary gun; 4x hyper mega particle gun; 8 x mega particle gun; 50x Hellfire Missile Launchers
Mobile suits: 18
Fighters: 48
Launch catapults: 5

The Var Fight
The Var was both startled and lucky. Lucky the creature hadn't realized that it's target could move horizontally in the air. The Var turned and backed in the air, watching the creature fill the space it had been only seconds before.

As the creature crashed onto the ground, and colapsed...two more rounds we're incomming to the belly of the creature.

The Karzar
(note: The ship is about the same size as the Rengade in length but it is built to be long and act as transport of men or material so it only has a nasty broadside of grazers, four plasma turrets and only 12 missle tubes)

The Lt. Commander didn't panic when the ship came out of cloak. It was just suprising how large it was.

"Well, that is a good system, if it makes a ship that size look like a damn interceptor... I'd love to have it."

The tactical officer was wondering if his last night of sex was going to be that misadventure in Danga with the Ensign.

[Transmission, tightbeam...audio]
"Renenian Naval Vessel Renegade this is the CLN Karzar we hare received your message but...Static
(The audio drops to a much lower tone, almost chilling but also attempting to project reasonableness)
Reneanian Vessel Terzus has little patience to waste on your vessel. If you have come to treat with the Empress I warn you that your ears shall only hear falsehoods. If you desire something from us, speak quickly and plainly, a cloaked ship seldom brings the flowers of peace, but we do not bring the thunder of war.
[end]

The creatures from the surrounding jungle had come in search of leavings from the presumed feast to be had - instead they were the feast. As the ship rose higher above the water, the spikes pivoted downward and began punching through the largest of the creatures and raising them high over the center of the lake. Some were torn to pieces by the ships' fire, while others struggled on the spines that held them.

Then the water boiled up and away, revealing the beast below. Weapons fire glanced off the massive segmented carapace that glittered with water. The creature was huge - easily 40 meters wide and 50 long. 4 massive stalks split to form each set of 4 arms, these in turn led to a central pod where a massive 4 beaked mouth sat in the center.

The creatures still spikes were lowered into the beaked jaws, where they were consumed in 2 or 3 massive rending mouthfuls.

Around the lake smaller versions erupted as creatures got too close. Beasts that could rip the hulls of tanks to pieces were cut down and eaten. Clearly, this thing is the top of the food chain.

---

The creature is flung backward by the explosions, pinwheeling into a 5 meter statue and smashing through it like so much straw. It seems to be defeated however - the things limbs go limp and it's stumpy head lolls.

---

"Damnit!"

*CRACK*

Fritzburg's head snapped back, the round carving its way through his head. He stumbled backwards, the last impulses of a dying man. Katrina paced the chamber deep under the palace. She regretted killing Fritzburg for a moment, his planning had gotten them this far at least.

'No regrets,' she told herself.

"We must use this chance to sieze some of their technology. Yes... Perhaps that will do."

She dashed off orderers, appointing a replacement for Fritzburg and others to another group.

Commander Stark nodded absently as he received the reply.
"Ensign Peters, confirm that message. Place a General Broadcast "Peaceful Vessel" notice, all channels. Then take us into high orbit over that planet. Lets see if they notice us."

And with that, Commander Stark rose to his feet, to go check his armament. He himself would be leading the First Contact team. He wasn't particularly worried. In general, people who messed with him ended up either dead, or equivalent to dead.

He gently caressed the barrel of his FS-2 Flechette Pistol, spun it around his finger, then firmly slammed it into it's holster. Yes, people who screwed with him ended up very much dead. After all, Twilight Knight though he may be, he had another nickname.

They didn't call him 'Reaper' out of spite.

With a snicker on his face, a sword on his back, a gun at his side, and a rifle in his hand, Commander Dysaryn Levan Blackstar-Stark, called the Twilight Knight, returned to his bridge.

"Well, the balls in your court. Whoever the hell you are."

~Stark Out
That is All.

The Nahel Argama after picking up the diplomatic shuttle begins to utilize its powerful Minovsky Drive Engines, which quickly propels the vessel off the planet and back into orbit.

Meanwhile, the ambassador waits impatiently for his counterpart...

ooc: am I going to get a responce anytime soon?

(Like parking a Super Dreadnought over their capital city...)
OOC:...thinkin' the same thing thar, Pilon-boy

IC:

Commander Stark frowned, well, either the enigmatic groundlings were caught up in something else, or, alternatively, they had no clue the Renegade was up there. Well, he looked up, eyeing his bridge crew.

"Is anybody else gettin' a little sick of waiting on these Wogs?" Stark said.

"Sir, I think I speak for the rest of the crew, when I say, Sir, Hell Yes, Sir!" said his XO, Lieutenant Commander Katryn Larthelian.

Dysaryn smirked wryly, "Alright then, Maybe we should try something a -bit- more obvious, like oh, say, parking a certain Fast Dreadnought over their largest center of population for a tad."

His bridge crew laughed then, and he laughed with them. Yes, his crew was made of spacers, and he wouldn't have it any other way.

"Lieutenant Obernathy, Cut the High Drive, activate the Induction Drive's, take us down over the biggest center of warm blooded life you can find. Keep us two kilometers above the largest structure. Don't hit anything on your way down, Alright, Rick?" said Dysaryn.

"Sir, Yes, Sir!" responded the Lieutenant.

Down the Renegade went, it's sleek, almost ovoid self, was bathed in an aura of light, as the induction drives concealed under armor plates were revealed, and began to do their work. The Induction Engines didn't work on ground effect until they were 1.5 km from the ground, the intent was to Intimidate, not to destroy.

Unfortunately, the Renegade only carried enough Reaction Mass for about a day's worth of this sort of hovering. Even worse, if it fired it's main armament of missile weaponry, it would likely be destroyed. Luckily, in an atmosphere, the Renegade's armament of point defense mass drivers was quite sufficient for offensive purposes as well.

Still, Commander Stark was reluctant to do anything of this sort. His first duty was to his men, and he wasn't stupid enough to open an engagement while in a planets atmosphere. Nonetheless, he did what he had to do.

Yes, nobody ever said that Commander Dysaryn Stark, never did what was necessary. Nobody.

~Stark Out
That is All.

OOC: Sorry this took so long - other things came up.

IC:

--- Pilon ---

The message was eventually found by a member of the cleaning crew. They had been hosing the room out and the flimsy was picked up and given to the guards. They in turn passed it on to the new General, who read it to the Queen.

"Hahahaha! They think us simpletons who have no idea of technology. Much has happened in the world beyond - that I know. It is simply time to catch up."

"Your Majesty - The next stage is ready."

--- All ---

The men who had been 'protecting' the shuttles pulled back - and within a few minutes any shuttle left on the ground is mobbed. Some scrawl graphiti on it, while others whisper to it, mostly pleas to take them from this hell-hole.

For a moment the same channel that is used by the government is filled with static, then a message comes through.

"All Hail the Iron Bitch! May she rot on her throne."

That is all that is transmitted, though at the same time the military begins pouring over a section of the city, and several people are hauled out in the street and shot.

--- The Black ---

"Her Majesty will see you now..."

The doors open, and the trio is led into the audience chamber. The empress lounges on the throne, though she looks up and sits up a little nicer when the party enters.

"Greetings. I am Her Majesty Katrina Eisenherz. You are the delegation from the Black. What an odd name. Explain it to me."

Her manner is imperious, though there is a hint of nervousness behind her voice. There are more guards in the room - quite a few in fact. These are armed, and seem to be looking more at the Empress than the people they should be guarding her from.

--- FCN ---

The party travels to the palace, again warned about the animals they will be viewing. This time heavy weapon turrets track them, though they are careful to aim below the vehicle.

"There has been an intrusion by the jungle creatures - some are chameleons and only spotted by the sharp eye."

--- Revenia ---

A radio message comes in - directed to the captain.

"Greetings in the name of Her Majesty Katrina Eisenherz. You are invited to send a shuttle, 1 diplomat, and 2 guards to the surface to treat with Her Majesty. Please land in the square indicated."

On the surface, lights begin to flash regularly in a square. It is late afternoon, but it is bright enough to see them plainly.

Dysaryn was just a -little- bit picqued. He sat calmly in his assault shuttle, flanked by two of his elite Twilight Seraphim. The Battlesuited troopers both carried BR-12 Battle Rifles, as did he, currently slung over his left shoulder.

He felt the shuttle begin to move, he knew that Renegade would, immediately upon the shuttle's exit, leave the atmosphere, then dip back down to a conveniently large body of water to take in new reaction mass.

The Assault Shuttle left the shuttle bay with a jolt, it's induction drive was similiar to that used by the Renegade, but not quite the same. The shuttle used vectored thrust, from two Induction Drives. The Renegade used hundreds of small thrusters to manuever itself, but regardless, the shuttle made its way to the lighted landing pad.

The ramp lowered, and Dysaryn exitted first, followed closely by his Twilight Seraphim, their gloss black battle armor glinting. He was dressed as he usually was, a light jacket, black combat pants, a skin-tight T-shirt, and combat boots. He sure didn't -look- like a dignified ambassador, but appearances could be deceiving.

Dysaryn's raggedly cut brown hair blew faintly in the wind, as those silver shot Hazel eyes took in his surroundings. He went un-armored for appearances, hoping that the CF weave in his clothing, and his own skill, would be enough to protect him. If not, well, the deadman's switch that kept track of his pulse would send a burst-transmission to the Renegade the very instant his heart ceased to beat.

And then, there would be hell to pay. The Renegade was a fighting ship, but it still carried a complement of fighters, each of those fighters could mount ground attack munitions. Dysaryn only hoped it didn't come to that, but, always prepared.

The commander began to walk towards what he perceived was likely the palace of sorts. He moved slowly though, as not to prevent any escort or greeting party from reaching him. His right hand twitched, faintly.

"Alright, I'm here...now come and get me."

~Stark Out
That is all.

The Pilonese Destroyers, standing by in Hyperspace were called in. They jumped into realspace and moved into position in orbit.
It was now time to reveal another of the Pilonese toys recently developed, the Nocturne Blanket. The ships had arranged themselves in a star shaped pattern far enough from each other in order to fully deploy the blanket. Then they deployed the Mylar Sheet. The Sheet covered an area 10 times the radius of the City.
Then it was time for stage 2. Pilonese Citizens, trained in the art of persuasion and fanaticism, and also briefed on the customs of this colony were projected onto the planet.
They would begin to sow the seeds of resentment against the throne. They would speak out against the Queen and teach the people about the gods whom the Queen had angered. They would explain that the darkness was the first of many curses sent by the gods to punish the people for her misdeeds.
They would also arm those most willing to rise up with guns to strike back at the guards who would surely shoot them for treason.

Space

The time comes for the Memories of Thera to launch a SATD-equipped drone holding mission logs. Far out in the Kuiper, the small vessel disappears...

...and twelve light years off, six light hours away from a faintly glowing rogue Jovian, it appears.

Signals intelligence starts tracking whatever emissions are involved in "projecting" humans across large distances. And a message goes out to the Pilonese craft, and by wideband transmission to all.

"This is Colonel Iesaiah Rukavindi of Kampfgruppe Burgundy Wings to Pilonese craft. We request and require you to terminate your use of weapons of mass destruction against this planet forthwith."

Ground

A distinct, androgynous machine voice starts requesting that all local personnel move away from the vehicle. "Please move away from this vehicle. Do not attempt to gain entry. This is a military installation."

Accompanied by nonlethal but very unpleasant infrasonics that keep ramping up in intensity.

Palace

The three stride in, and the handsome Euarasian comes to attention and bows from the waist, quite a bit lower than he did to the purported Pilonese colonel. The two others ignore the Empress and the ambassador, maintaining their vigilance.

"Dietrich von Saucken of the Territory. If it please Her Majesty, the name of our sister nation refers to space, the black between worlds that some of our people have come to love."

Space

The time comes for the Memories of Thera to launch a SATD-equipped drone holding mission logs. Far out in the Kuiper, the small vessel disappears...

...and twelve light years off, six light hours away from a faintly glowing rogue Jovian, it appears.

Signals intelligence starts tracking whatever emissions are involved in "projecting" humans across large distances. And a message goes out to the Pilonese craft, and by wideband transmission to all.

"This is Colonel Iesaiah Rukavindi of Kampfgruppe Burgundy Wings to Pilonese craft. We request and require you to terminate your use of weapons of mass destruction against this planet forthwith."

Ground

A distinct, androgynous machine voice starts requesting that all local personnel move away from the vehicle. "Please move away from this vehicle. Do not attempt to gain entry. This is a military installation."

Accompanied by nonlethal but very unpleasant infrasonics that keep ramping up in intensity.

Palace

The three stride in, and the handsome Euarasian comes to attention and bows from the waist, quite a bit lower than he did to the purported Pilonese colonel. The two others ignore the Empress and the ambassador, maintaining their vigilance.

"Dietrich von Saucken of the Territory. If it please Her Majesty, the name of our sister nation refers to space, the black between worlds that some of our people have come to love."

The Pilonese vessels send this reply:
We deny the usage of weapons of mass destruction against these people. We are using a means of encouraging these people to cooperate with us that is non-lethal, though it will hurt them economically. They possess the technology to survive in perpetual darkness though it will be taxing on their resources.

[OOC: Tell that to them when temperatures drop, weather systems crash and nastiness ensues. Also, what about that SIGINT? - The Black]

OOC: How would weather be affected by a lack of light? Also a loss of temperature is not fatal, they are a post modern society (I believe 20 years beyond our current tech if I remember right) they have the technology to survive a temperature drop.

The Var fired four of her remaining rounds at the creature, and fired a final round at the remains of her cloak, which was being slowly eaten by the corrosive acid. She picked up her bladed weapon and few back towards the L.O.W shuttle.

*********

The people who were mobbing the shuttle were trying to move the green boxes. Someone opened the center one.

It looked like a nice, furry rabbit...easy picking on this planet. When the interior cage was opened to get the meal...It proved to be a little more dangerous...it lept out sinking 3 inch fangs into the nearest person...attempting to hit the juglar.

The other two boxes appeared to weigh several hundread tons. And were locked...

The appeals didn't seem to do much to those aboard the shuttle. It stayed there. Most of the paint proved unable to stay on the surface but actually run due to the surface of the ship.

OOC: How would weather be affected by a lack of light?
<snip>
OOC: Yeah, I'm not a part of this by any means. But the sun drives the weather. Mt. Tambora erupts in 1815. 1816 is the "Year Without a Summer". Massive crop failures, due to dust. Frost kills plants in July. The Sun provides energy for the weather to work. Where else would the energy for wind and such come from?

The Pilonese Destroyers, standing by in Hyperspace were called in. They jumped into realspace and moved into position in orbit. It was now time to reveal another of the Pilonese toys recently developed, the Nocturne Blanket. The ships had arranged themselves in a star shaped pattern far enough from each other in order to fully deploy the blanket. Then they activated the field. The field pulled photons headed within the area between the five ships toward the outer edge, creating a shadow. This shadow was large enough to cover the entire light side of the planet.
Bend light that far without massive gravwank? That's unpossible!

http://63.246.8.173/wwyk/shows/simpson/ralph.jpgMinor Civil Servant Ralph Wiggum
Gravitics Directorate, Science Section
Federated Segments of Scolopendra

(brought in by request)

OOC: How would weather be affected by a lack of light?
<snip>
OOC: Yeah, I'm not a part of this by any means. But the sun drives the weather. Mt. Tambora erupts in 1815. 1816 is the "Year Without a Summer". Massive crop failures, due to dust. Frost kills plants in July. The Sun provides energy for the weather to work. Where else would the energy for wind and such come from?

Wow! I was unaware of that, thank you.

OK let me do a little edit then, Insead of an energy field that pulls Photons out of the air how about a Mylar Sheet that blocks the sunlight before it reaches the planet. That should stop the grav effects. I appreciate your pointing that out for me, I posted it late last night and wasn't fully thinking through my actions.

another edit,
I think upon further consideration that the entire planet is a bit too much, we will settle for an area about 10 times the radius of the City, that should be more than effective enough. Lets not get this out of hand (Slaps Self for going way out of control due to lack of sleep and extreme late time period)

--- Pilon ---

Ground radiation would keep the city warm for the first 8 hours or so, but then temperatures would begin to fall. Perhaps in the next week plants would die from lack of sunlight, and daytime tempuratures would be in the 40's. A harsh change for people used to living in 90 degree weather.

The agents spread out - some were turned away by citizens too frightened to resist. Others were welcomed with open arms. It is quickly discovered that citizens are not allowed weapons - for their own protection of course. Most have only seen a gun in the hands of a soldier, and they don't know how to use it. But they try.

OOC: Conventional firearms or energy weapons?

--- Revenia ---

The contengient is met by a squad of 6 soldiers. They greet them, and direct them into a waiting vehicle. As soon as they leave the square the shuttle is mobbed in a similar manner. This time the citizens carry torches - the Blanket causing problems this late in the day.

"An eclipse was not expected - but it should pass shortly." The driver seemed assured, though the guards running alongside were a little nervous.

--- The Black ---

"How... charming." The queen stood, and walked towards the officers.

"We invited people to our world to discover our lost heritage - who sent the colony to this world. What suspicions do you have that might make it one of yours?"

--- LOW ---

"Argh!"

A random citizen went down in a spray of blood. Once the rabbit was loose, it was mass chaos for several minutes as people tried to kill it or beat it off.

Then a squad of guards ran into the square.

"Men - kill the wabbit!" the lead officer said. They unslung rifles and began taking single shots at the rabbit. The best time was when it went for someone's throat, so they frequently waited until it was just about to land before taking their shot. Of course, this resulted in the death of many people until a clean shot took out the rabbit.

---

Heading back from the palace the Var suddenly came under fire. Heavy machine guns spat fire into the sky, and the wail of sirens could be heard across the city. Apparently something similar stalks the nights of Eisenherz.

--- Pilon ---

Ground radiation would keep the city warm for the first 8 hours or so, but then temperatures would begin to fall. Perhaps in the next week plants would die from lack of sunlight, and daytime tempuratures would be in the 40's. A harsh change for people used to living in 90 degree weather.

The agents spread out - some were turned away by citizens too frightened to resist. Others were welcomed with open arms. It is quickly discovered that citizens are not allowed weapons - for their own protection of course. Most have only seen a gun in the hands of a soldier, and they don't know how to use it. But they try.

OOC: Conventional firearms or energy weapons?

--- Revenia ---

The contengient is met by a squad of 6 soldiers. They greet them, and direct them into a waiting vehicle. As soon as they leave the square the shuttle is mobbed in a similar manner. This time the citizens carry torches - the Blanket causing problems this late in the day.

"An eclipse was not expected - but it should pass shortly." The driver seemed assured, though the guards running alongside were a little nervous.

--- The Black ---

"How... charming." The queen stood, and walked towards the officers.

"We invited people to our world to discover our lost heritage - who sent the colony to this world. What suspicions do you have that might make it one of yours?"

--- LOW ---

"Argh!"

A random citizen went down in a spray of blood. Once the rabbit was loose, it was mass chaos for several minutes as people tried to kill it or beat it off.

Then a squad of guards ran into the square.

"Men - kill the wabbit!" the lead officer said. They unslung rifles and began taking single shots at the rabbit. The best time was when it went for someone's throat, so they frequently waited until it was just about to land before taking their shot. Of course, this resulted in the death of many people until a clean shot took out the rabbit.

---

Heading back from the palace the Var suddenly came under fire. Heavy machine guns spat fire into the sky, and the wail of sirens could be heard across the city. Apparently something similar stalks the nights of Eisenherz.

OOC: We are staying low tech, Poisoned Handcrossbows, Simple Handguns, and a few Rifles. We are also teaching them how to use them and a bit of Guerilla tactics and Urban Fighting techniques.

Space

Signals intelligence keep working on the projections, and drones move toward positions where a proportional response to teh Pilonese aggression can be launched.

[OOC: If you're dropping that to shading a few hundred thousand km^2 with a lightsail, which for obvious reasons of mechanics requires maintenance, that's a lot nicer than an englobement formation against one destroyer carried out by a hundred or so low-observable drones]

Palace

"In point of fact, Majesty, we do not. We think you may be our cousins of a sort, not our descendants."

Commander Stark nodded absently as he was ferried into the vehicle. The Twilight Seraphim were silent, only the faint whine of the servos that lent strength to their movements was heard coming from that area.

Dysaryn eyed the interior of the vehicle, and took a seat, still flanked by his two silent sentinals. He heard a beep in his earbud, and tapped the side of his sunglasses. An image flashed into existence on the interior of the right lense, placed in perspective for such close viewing.

"Yes Vek, ahh. I see the problem. Hrrm, that's an MR-12 class Assault Shuttle, Right? Good. Launch four stun grenades from the primary turret, at points zero, ninety, one-eighty, and two seventy. Use the Flechette Packs as a last resort, but do -not-, I repeat, do NOT, open fire with the primary weaponry. Wog's they may be, but we don't need to kill 'em. Stark out."

Commander Stark severed the connection, and went back to watching the route they were taking. His hand never seemed to leave the drop-down holster on his right thigh. Therein was an FS-2 Flechette Pistol, his close-combat weapon of choice.
"To the Palace, James."

---
At the Shuttle
---

Vek would have frowned, but she was an AI. Instead, she showed her displeasure by carrying out the Commander's orders. The dome-shaped turret atop the Assault Shuttle began to rotate, a panel retracted, and a wide-bore muzzle extended from within. That muzzle flashed four times, laying down a stun grenade in the midst of the mob, at each of the cardinal directions.

The grenades detonated on impact, sending a hail of rubber pellets out in a ten meter radius. Accompanying this stinging swarm, were the classic effects of a Flash Bang grenade, that is, a blinding flash, and a -very- loud Bang.

Vek snarled, she almost wanted to switch on the external speakers and scream, but she didn't. Instead, she lay in wait. If the mob picked up again, she'd been authorized to use Flechette Packs. She just hoped she didn't have to.

---
On the Renegade
---
Lieutenant Commander Katryn Larthelian sat in the Command Chair.
The Renegade had just finished taking on water at a convenient ocean, and the ever so mysterious, ever so top-secret, hell, even -she- didn't know what it was, powerplant, was ready to go.
--
(Don't ask about the powerplant...it's a -secret-...for a reason...it's -so- secret, that even -I- don't know what it is. It's even secret enough to be the subject of an RP someday...but until then...just...don't)

~Stark Out
That is All.

The Nahel Argama exited the atmosphere of the planet and established an orbit above it. The Captain, Bright Noa, was furious at the attack by the unknown sentient creatures. Captain Noa dispatched a swift transmission to his superiors at the Teflon Naval Base.

Space

Signals intelligence keep working on the projections, and drones move toward positions where a proportional response to teh Pilonese aggression can be launched.

[OOC: If you're dropping that to shading a few hundred thousand km^2 with a lightsail, which for obvious reasons of mechanics requires maintenance, that's a lot nicer than an englobement formation against one destroyer carried out by a hundred or so low-observable drones]

Palace

"In point of fact, Majesty, we do not. We think you may be our cousins of a sort, not our descendants."

Another message was sent to the ships positioning themselves for an attack. "Any attack on Pilonese vessels will be considered an act of war. Stand down immidiately or we will respond appropriately."

--- Pilon ---

*THUK*

The soldier looked down for a second - the bolt had hit him in the chest, to the left of the heart and piercing the lung and out his back. He raised his rifle - the wound wasn't immediately fatal. The sudden jarring pain from the shots nearly made him collapse, but he kept firing at the fleeing figure.

Other members of his patrol turned and gave chase while he finally collapsed. The spotter for the attack ran out into the street and grabbed the soldiers rifle, ammunition, and pistol. He ran into a building before the troops noticed him.

The man fleeing ran throught the narrow alley, feet pounding on the pavement.

*CRACK*

He pitched forward, right at a junction of two alleys. The soldiers came up and began to roll the corpse over. The grenade he held in his hand rolled free and the soldiers stared for a moment before diving away as it exploded.

--- Revenia ---

Men and women fell back screaming from the shuttle. They grabbed falled comrades, some of whom had lost eyes to the balls, and hauled them back and out of the square. Within minutes, except for the shuttle and the blood, the square was empty.

Again, the party was led to the palace and through the same long hallway filled with noxious plants. They arrived at the central doors where the chamberlain was waiting, sniffling a little and blowing his nose.

"Her Majesty will be with you shortly. Please, some refreshments while you wait?"

--- The Black ---

"Cousins? Of whom might I ask?"

Katrina turned and walked back up to the throne. She snapped her fingers and a woman with a portable computer came up and sat at a desk on the floor.

"Please, tell me as much as you can that we may record it and compare it to what little records we have."

Dysaryn sniffed the air faintly, his right hand slid up, and he slid his sunglasses from where they rested, folding them, and sliding them into a pocket of his jacket. He closed his eyes then, a faint spasm began at his feet, and ran the length of his tall, 6'3" form.

His eyes snapped open, the eerie silver glow seeming to eminate them, was frightening in it's entirety. He spoke then.

"No...that will be...quite alright."

He frowned, the glow eminating from his eyes seemed to fade, and the two battlesuited guards behind him relaxed. His hand went to his belt, removing a small piece of folded material from a belt pouch, therein.

He shook the filmy piece of black material out, and brought it to his lips, he pressed it against his face, it clung to his skin, smoothly, running from the top of his nose, to just below his chin. The filtering material was proof against almost all airborne particles, yet did not suffocate. Of course, it wouldn't last long, but it should be enough.

He doubted severely that anybody would notice the faint beeping eminating from the gauntlet he wore on his left hand. The suite of analyzers in that gauntlet had served to clue him in. He had about thirty minutes of filter-integrity, before he'd have to take action. And he would take action.

Threatening the life of an ambassador, no matter how unintentionally, was a big, fat, black mark. In his book, anyway. But...he wasn't one to act irrationally. Not yet, anyways.

~Stark Out.
That is All.

The rebellion needed something to augment it. The Holy Texts had already been written into hardcopy books for distribution throughout the city. As they were completed they were transferred down to the planet surface in places where rebels would find them and read them, within an hour 10,000 copies were sent to the surface.
The Holy Man's name was Eric. He had been specifically bred for the role of a savior and was still growing used to his awakening from Cryogenic sleep. A small sleek craft barely large enough to fit one person was prepared for him after the briefing, we was to go to the surface of this planet and deliver the people out of darkness into the light of a new society in which they worshipped the teachings of Pilonism. He glanced around the room, there were several hundred copies of Eric in here, all but himself were still frozen.
He turned around again, entered the awaiting craft and went into stasis as the ship lifted him and moved into space to jump to the system and the destination point...

*bump*

--- Revenia ---

After a few moments the door swung wide and the group was led into the throne room. The room was alight with candles, and there were hundreds of stained glass objects from full windows to chairs with delicate mosaics worked into them. The flickering cancels and the glass caused odd shadows to dance everywhere.

"Welcome to Eisenherz..." came a voice from the throne. A woman could be seen on the thrown - perversely she is wearing a fur cloak with the hood pulled over her head, shading her eyes. Under it she is wearing a black leather dress that fit her like a glove. She has a youthful body and is displaying it. Deep cleavage on the bodice is held together with a silver pin at the top, while the skirt clings to long firm legs that are crossed at the ankle.

"I am Katrina Eisenherz, Empress of this world. Who are you, and what nation do you represent?"

--- Pilon ---

As word of the new 'religion' spread purges began to occur. The Queen's security apparatus began to move, and people were drug from their homes and tortured briefly before being executed. They were not so much concerned with catching the people responsible as making a statement. Support the Queen, or die.

In responce to the Queen's continued oppresion of the people a lone Pilonese girl appeared within the palace. She had been chosen to sacrifice herself for the interests of Pilon and the good of these people. She had been infected with the Grey Phage, a disease that had broken out in Pilon several decades before, she had been one of the many hundreds of people put in stasis to prevent her from dying keeping the disease within her. Her instructions were simple, come in contact with at least one person and try to get into contact with the water supplies or food stores of the palace. She began to wander the palace.
At the same time the religious icon arrived on the planet. He began to speak to the people bringing them promises of hope and freedom and teaching them that through the guidance of the gods they would be free one day soon. The gods were angry at the Queen and those who supported her and all who supported the Queen would not only suffer in this life but also in the next. Within his body were small nanites, capable of healing diseases or other minor ailments of the body. He began to move among the people healing them and trying to lift their spirits...

Stark looked up at the woman on the chair. His right hand slid to the membrane covering his mouth, and peeled it off. He bowed then, as his guards did not. He let those silver shot Hazel eyes of his rest on the Empress.

"I am Commander Dysaryn Stark, Revenian Armed Forces. Surprisingly enough, I represent, Revenia. But, on to business. What can I do for you?"

Dysaryn smirked absently, clasping his hands behind his back, and waited for the undoubtedly exalted, undoubtedly royal, undoubtedly much thought over, and quite possibly important, response.

---On the Renegade---
Lt. Commander Katryn Larthelian eyed her bridge crew. She wasn't entirely sure what to do. She had grown so used to not having to do anything. Well, she was still an officer of the Revenian Navy...and by god, she'd hold her post.

So, like the rest of the crew, she waited.

~Stark Out.
That is all.

Palace



The young Eurasian man considers briefly.



"To be brief, Majesty, the Earth as we know it encompasses numerous conflicting histories. At least one major such timeline appears to be created by some divine entity, and there are numerous others.



"On one of those lines, in the late 2020s to be precise, the Territory was founded. You may know the area as North Rhodesia or Zambia. I will not bore you with the details of cultural influence, but one disproportionately influential group was German, or more specifically Prussian. Prussian, and generally Ritter or Junker.



"It would give me great pleasure were Your Majesty to allow me to speak with a historian, to see if there are indeed commonalities between our origins. Perhaps there will be cause to form relations between our nations." Slight shrug and close-lipped smile. "Perhaps there will not. Still, we feel a need to know whether our culture is indeed related to yours."



Space



OOC: Pilon, it's hard to respond to your response to my response to an action of yours I'm not sure what it is. Are you putting the lights out planetwide or just locally?



In any case, Rukavindi is no diplomat. Well, to some extent he is, but he's not diplomatic.

ooc; Is this thread still open? If so may I join? And if not sorry for the hijack.

Palace



The young Eurasian man considers briefly.



"To be brief, Majesty, the Earth as we know it encompasses numerous conflicting histories. At least one major such timeline appears to be created by some divine entity, and there are numerous others.



"On one of those lines, in the late 2020s to be precise, the Territory was founded. You may know the area as North Rhodesia or Zambia. I will not bore you with the details of cultural influence, but one disproportionately influential group was German, or more specifically Prussian. Prussian, and generally Ritter or Junker.



"It would give me great pleasure were Your Majesty to allow me to speak with a historian, to see if there are indeed commonalities between our origins. Perhaps there will be cause to form relations between our nations." Slight shrug and close-lipped smile. "Perhaps there will not. Still, we feel a need to know whether our culture is indeed related to yours."



Space



OOC: Pilon, it's hard to respond to your response to my response to an action of yours I'm not sure what it is. Are you putting the lights out planetwide or just locally?



In any case, Rukavindi is no diplomat. Well, to some extent he is, but he's not diplomatic.

OOC: Just locally

I believe it is, when we can get the Iron Throne to reply...

OOC: Had posted this before but it seems to have been lost...

The rabbit hit the ground bleeding and dead...the skin near the neck began to blacken as the fur fell off in small patches...

The Var who had been hit was now attempting to limp down the street through the chaos created by the Pilon insurectionists...At one point it found a 'copy' of the relgious text and began to laugh at the ideas as it walked back to the shuttle.

The 'acting' captain aboard the frigate looked around for a moment then smiled as an idea passed into his head. He called up his Var master below on the surface...

[Encrypted Transmission]
Your Lordship, what if we were to transmit that old AI to the bat drone on your shuttle? That should be enough problems for anyone to handle...

The Var Lord shook his head in agreement....

An hour later, a large white object floated out of a rear hatch on the shuttle. It was covered in a matalic blanket with a note tagged on it...

This is a gift to the Empress of this Planet,
It may only be activated by her voice broadcasted within 100 feet.

--- Pilon ---

There is a short sharp crack of weapons fire and the girl falls dead. No one not wearing a uniform is allowed inside the palace except the servants. Her sudden appearance set off dozens of alarms and guards rushed to find her.

Her body lay there in a pool of blood as the guard rushed to inform the Queen. Orders came back moments later - take her to a dungeon in the palace. Doctors would cut her open and examine her for any information.

The guards returned to their posts though nearly all reported to the infirmary within the hour. The phage was spreading. The doctors knew an infection when they saw one however - living on a jungle death world new ones crop up all the time. Strict measures were put in place to stop the spread.

Amoung the people the healer worked. Combined with the resistance movement they seemed to be making headway. But it was not all good news. Groups had been infiltrated by the military and had been wiped out in ambushes. Their weapons and items were siezed and taken to the palace for examination.

OOC: Pilon's results come later, much later. Assuming something else doesn't happen in the meantime. I believe I've left it open enough to not worry about it though.

--- Revenia ---

The Queen waited for a moment before she spoke.

"We wish to know your efforts in the colonization of space. The first ship to contact us determined that we were a lost colony of some forgotten nation, but they could not determine who precisely. Thus we wish to know who we come from."

She straightened in the chair expectantly as she waited for an answer.

--- The Black ---

"Intriguing. German ancestory is quite common amoung my people and my family. We have several relics of that age though we do not know their significance."

The Queen turned to a servant.

"Bring the Royal Historian in here now. Have him bring his books and the case."

She turned back to the envoys.

"What can you tell me about early colonization attempts by your people?"

--- LOW ---

A squad of soldiers came and took the object, but instead of taking it towards the palace they loaded it onto a transport and headed to a building outside the walls. There they moved it into a room and took the blanket off. The blanket was sent away for analysis while whatever was beneath was to be analyzed.

Finally a woman in a uniform came into the room. "I am Queen Eisenherz. You will activate..."

OOC: It is not the Queen, but they are not dumb and they are fearing an explosive.

--- Western Might ---

Feel free to join in.

The Blanket is nothing special, just a thin metalic coated survival blanket with a layer of polyfoam in the center as insulation.

The Object is a drone, it stands some 4 feet tall, but is hovering an additional three feet off of the floor (It was easy to move)


The Drones surface is covered in a white material that appears to be cast as one part. There is a light hum, and a giger counter would note an elevated, (but fairly safe for humans) gamma radiation levels around it.
http://www.eng.auburn.edu/users/donatgw/Lords/Drone(Green).jpg

The Unit's response to the 'Queen' is
Voice Does Not Match Sample...Please Try Again

(OOC: Try broadcasting her voice...would work much better)

By this time the wounded Var has arrived back at the shuttle, the Var enters and the shuttle takes off into the darkness

*bump*
for later posting.

As the destroyers remained in position to continue the blanketing of the city the Explorer moved out they had some things to pick up from outer orbit...

Dysaryn blinked, and frowned, but only for an instant. His usual "outward face"...a charming grin of sorts, returned. He made a great show of contemplating, tapping his chin for a bit, then finally, he spoke.

"Well, -my- people, that is to say, the Ascended, my race, we don't colonize. But, our subjects, those not of our, err, level. They do. I...suppose it's possible that a ship could have strayed this way, I, uh, guess. There was a two century dark age among my nation, anarchy. Anything could have happened."

Dysaryn shrugged.

"If there is any way I could assist you, you merely have to ask. Errm, I don't suppose you have the capability to read datcrys' Hrrm...not that it would be of any help. I know for a fact that there was no colonization prior to the Collapse. It is quite possible though, that during the dark age, the technology would have been readily available, quite likely...But...ehh...no definite answer."

Dysaryn cleared his throat, his fun little speech was effectively over. Thus, he passed the ball.

~Stark Out.
That is All.

where or where did the little b*** go?