Echoes of Creation (30k/Exalted)

Colchis - 832.M30

---

The Bireen Void was a dark, enigmatic expanse, a region of space where only the most daring explorers ventured. At its heart drifted the Silent Beacon, an ancient derelict station that had long been abandoned to the cold void. For weeks, the station had haunted your thoughts. Reports from the few scouts who had dared to approach it suggested the Beacon was a relic of an ancient civilization, long forgotten by time. The age and isolation of the station made it a tantalizing target for those hungry for knowledge or advanced technology, yet the risks were impossible to ignore. The station's systems, though dormant, were still active in ways you couldn't fully understand, posing potential threats to any who entered.

You, Dharok, Thalassa, and Lorgar had discussed the mission extensively, weighing its potential rewards against its very real dangers. The Silent Beacon might hold long-lost knowledge or relics that could further Colchis's ambitions, but it could just as easily be a death trap. Despite your eagerness to uncover its mysteries, the decision loomed over you. Was this a task worth risking your life for, or should others be sent in your stead?

Lorgar had expressed his concerns early on.

"We cannot afford to place ourselves at unnecessary risk, not now," he had said. "There is too much at stake. The planet is stable, but our work is far from done." You had sensed the gravity of his words, the weight of leadership settling heavily on his shoulders.

Now, as you prepared for the mission, that same question haunted you. Should you lead the expedition into the unknown, or trust others to carry out the task while you and your closest allies continued to oversee Colchis's development?

The first step was to assemble a team capable of handling the challenges the Silent Beacon presented. While you had initially considered taking on the mission yourselves, Lorgar, Dharok, and Thalassa all agreed that the risks were too great for such a direct approach. Instead, they began to choose trusted individuals, those with the skills and temperament necessary to succeed in such a perilous mission.

Dharok was the first to name his choice, an experienced Space Marine named Atarrus. An expert in both combat and survival, Atarrus had long earned Dharok's trust.

"He's a capable soldier," Dharok had said confidently, "and he knows how to think on his feet. If there are any surprises inside that station, he'll deal with them."

Next came Thalassa's decision. She chose a tech-priest named Ziva, a master of Machine Spirit integration who had served alongside her in many delicate operations. Ziva's deep understanding of ancient technologies and her ability to communicate with even the most arcane of systems made her an obvious choice.

"She'll be able to interface with the station's systems, no matter how old or damaged they are," Thalassa had said. "I trust her completely."

Finally, Lorgar made his selection, a scholar named Varn, who had dedicated his life to studying the ancient histories and myths of forgotten civilizations. While not a warrior, Varn's deep knowledge of the past made him invaluable for the mission.

"If anyone can decipher the history of this station, it's Varn," Lorgar explained. "His mind is sharp, and his instincts are strong. He may not be a soldier, but he's essential for understanding whatever secrets the Beacon holds."

With these key individuals chosen, the mission began to take shape. You felt a sense of relief, knowing that each of your companions had placed their trust in the most capable people they knew. But the preparations were far from over.

The next step was to ensure the team was equipped with everything they would need to handle the unknown dangers of the Silent Beacon. You oversaw the outfitting process personally, knowing that this expedition would need more than just standard equipment. The derelict station, with its malfunctioning systems and unknown security measures, demanded a combination of advanced technology and older, more adaptable tools.

Thalassa, ever meticulous, worked alongside Ziva to design a suite of tools that could interface with the station's ancient systems. Together, they developed advanced data readers, energy stabilizers, and backup power sources capable of adapting to whatever the Silent Beacon might throw at them.

"We need to be ready for anything," Thalassa said. "There's no telling how these systems will react, or if they'll even recognize us as anything more than intruders."

Dharok, on the other hand, focused on the defensive preparations. He outfitted Atarrus and the rest of the team with specialized armor capable of withstanding the hazards of deep space and potential environmental dangers aboard the station. Weapons were selected carefully, powerful enough to deal with any hostile threats, but adaptable enough to minimize damage to the station itself.

"We're not going in there to destroy it," Dharok reminded the team. "We need to learn from it. But if something decides to attack us, we'll be ready."

As for Lorgar, he entrusted Varn with a vast array of historical data and linguistic tools, ensuring that the scholar had everything he needed to decipher the station's secrets. Varn spent days poring over ancient texts, preparing himself for whatever he might encounter within the Silent Beacon.

"This station predates much of what we know," Lorgar said quietly. "Its secrets could reshape our understanding of the past, and I trust Varn to bring that knowledge back to us."

As the preparations continued, you found yourself facing a familiar question: should you accompany the mission in person, or send a clone in your place? The cloning ability had become a valuable asset, allowing you to be in multiple places at once without risking your life unnecessarily.

A clone could carry out your directives with precision, but it would never be truly you. It wouldn't have the same instincts, the same drive that had brought you this far.

You knew that Lorgar, Dharok, and Thalassa were already sending others in their stead, trusting their chosen operatives to carry out the mission while they oversaw Colchis's development. The question was whether you should follow their example.

Sending a clone would allow you to pursue other paths, where your leadership was needed for the ongoing missions, the rebuilding of the fleet, the diplomatic negotiations with neighboring systems, the countless tasks that demanded your attention. But if you went yourself, you would have the chance to personally uncover the secrets of the Silent Beacon, to see with your own eyes the ancient relics and knowledge that lay within.

As the day of the expedition approached, the tension in the air was palpable. The team, led by Atarrus, Ziva, and Varn, was ready. They had trained together, studied the layout of the Silent Beacon, and rehearsed every possible scenario. You oversaw the final briefings, making sure that every detail had been considered.

Atarrus, clad in his Aegis armor, stood ready with a calm, focused demeanor. He was a soldier through and through, and you trusted Dharok's judgment in sending him. Ziva, surrounded by a cluster of drones and data analyzers, was already deep in thought, running calculations and preparing for the moment she would step aboard the station. Varn, meanwhile, carried a bundle of ancient texts and reference materials, his mind racing with the possibilities of what they might uncover.

The ship was prepped, the team briefed, and the final supplies were being loaded. As you watched the team prepare to depart, the decision still lingered in your mind. You had the ability to send a clone, an exact copy of yourself, capable of executing your plans with precision, or you could go in person, trusting your instincts and experience to guide the mission to success.

The shuttle engines hummed softly as the final preparations were completed. The team, Atarrus, Ziva, and Varn, stood ready, waiting for your final decision. Thalassa, Dharok, and Lorgar were elsewhere, overseeing their respective duties on Colchis, trusting the people they had sent in their stead.

Now, it was your turn. The clone, standing at your side, waited silently for your command. It was ready to take your place if that was the path you chose. The Silent Beacon awaited, a relic of the past that could hold the key to the future.

Would you go yourself, leading the expedition into the unknown and risking everything to uncover the Beacon's secrets? Or would you send the clone, trusting it to carry out the mission while you remained on Colchis, overseeing the planet's continued rise to power?

The choice was yours.

---

CHOICE:
[] Go in Person

[] Send the clone
-[] Write in Build

---

Next turn you choose what TMA you unlocked.

Colchis - 832.M30

---

The decision had weighed on your mind long enough, and now the course was clear. You would go yourself. The clone stood silently beside you, waiting for an order that would never come. This was a journey too important to leave to an imitation, no matter how perfect. You had to see the Silent Beacon with your own eyes. Only then would you truly understand the secrets that lay hidden within its ancient halls.

The shuttle hummed softly as it detached from the larger vessel, its sleek form cutting through the darkness of space. Outside the viewport, the Bireen Void stretched endlessly in all directions, a place where the stars seemed farther apart than anywhere else in the galaxy. The Silent Beacon loomed ahead, a shadowy outline growing ever closer, suspended in the inky blackness like a ghost ship from a forgotten era. The derelict station had no lights to mark its presence, no signals of welcome. It was silent, waiting.

The team you had chosen to accompany you, Atarrus, Ziva, and Varn, sat quietly, each lost in their thoughts. They had all been prepared for the possibility of facing this challenge without you, but your decision to lead the mission personally had brought a mix of determination and gravity to their expressions. They knew that this wasn't just another mission; this was a journey into the unknown, into the heart of a place that had been untouched for centuries, maybe even millennia.

As you neared the station, its details became clearer. It was massive, far larger than you had anticipated. From a distance, the Silent Beacon had seemed like a small, almost unremarkable derelict drifting through space. But now, as you drew closer, its vast structure unfolded like a labyrinth. It was a multi-layered station, built in concentric rings with narrow corridors and towering spires rising from its surface. The outer hull was weathered and worn, pocked with the scars of micrometeorite impacts and the passage of time.

"Approaching docking bay," Ziva's voice came through your comms, breaking the silence. "Preliminary scans show minimal energy readings. No signs of life, but the station is still partially powered. Strange."

You nodded, glancing at the displays. The Silent Beacon wasn't entirely dead. Somewhere within, its systems were still functioning, though to what extent and purpose remained unknown.

"Bring us in slowly," you instructed. "No sudden movements. We don't know how the station's defenses might react."

Ziva complied, guiding the shuttle with expert precision toward one of the docking ports. The docking bay was large enough to accommodate multiple ships, but the area was eerily devoid of any activity. The doors slid open with a sluggish, grinding motion, as if the station hadn't been touched in centuries. Dust and debris floated in the zero-gravity environment, a testament to the long-abandoned state of the station.

You steeled yourself for what was to come. The Silent Beacon's silence was unnerving, but there was a tension in the air that suggested something more was at play. This was no ordinary derelict. Something about this place felt alive, as if the station itself was waiting for you to make the first move.

The station's design was unlike anything you had seen before. The outer rings appeared to serve as a defensive perimeter, with long, narrow corridors designed for controlling access. Each corridor was lined with bulkhead doors, likely meant to seal off sections of the station in case of an emergency. These rings were connected to a central core by a network of tunnels and access points, creating a labyrinthine structure that made navigation difficult. If the station had been built to confuse and disorient potential intruders, it was succeeding.

As the shuttle touched down inside the docking bay, you activated the scanners to get a better sense of the layout. Ziva and Varn were already studying the readouts, while Atarrus checked his weapon systems, prepared for any potential threats.

"The station has five distinct levels," Varn said, his eyes scanning the data. "Each level seems to serve a different purpose. The lower levels are dedicated to power generation and storage, while the middle sections are likely living quarters, laboratories, and command centers. The uppermost level... it's strange. There's no clear indication of its function."

Ziva frowned as she examined the same data. "The power readings are coming from that upper level. Whatever is keeping the station alive, it's located there. But the energy signature is faint, as if it's running on reserve power."

"Life support?" Atarrus asked, his voice calm but laced with caution.

"Possibly, but it's degraded. Oxygen levels are low in most sections, and radiation pockets are scattered throughout. The station's shielding is failing in several areas. If we're going to explore, we'll need to keep our suits on."

You nodded. The Silent Beacon's state was deteriorating, but it was still holding together, barely. The upper level, with its strange energy readings, would be your ultimate goal. If there was any knowledge or technology to be recovered, it was likely hidden there. But getting to it would not be easy.

The station's layout itself presented numerous dangers. Narrow corridors and sealed bulkheads could easily trap the team if something went wrong. Malfunctioning security systems might still be active, posing threats of automated defenses or containment protocols that had long since forgotten their purpose. And then there was the station's age, centuries, perhaps millennia, of decay and neglect had left its infrastructure unstable. A single wrong step could trigger a collapse or a sudden breach into the vacuum of space.

You took a deep breath as you stepped out of the shuttle, your boots hitting the metal deck of the docking bay with a muted thud. The air inside the station was thin, and your helmet visor adjusted automatically to compensate for the low light levels. The team followed behind you, each member fully suited in their environmental gear.

The docking bay itself was vast, but empty. Cargo crates, long since forgotten, floated in the zero-gravity environment. Some of them were marked with symbols you didn't recognize, ancient and faded. Whatever this station had once been, it had seen the passage of many cultures, many hands. But now, it was little more than a tomb.

"We need to move quickly," you said, checking the atmospheric readings on your wrist display. "The radiation levels are rising the closer we get to the core."

Atarrus moved forward, his weapon raised as he scanned the area.

"I'll take point. If there's anything left of the security systems, I'll deal with it." He stated simply.

You nodded, trusting his judgment. Atarrus had faced worse odds before, and his calm, methodical approach to danger was exactly what you needed. The team began to move deeper into the station, passing through a series of bulkhead doors that hissed open with groaning reluctance. The lights flickered weakly, casting long, flickering shadows on the walls.

As you ventured further, the silence of the station became oppressive. Every sound you made seemed to echo endlessly through the empty corridors, reminding you of just how alone you were in this desolate place. The station's age was evident in every creak of metal, every flicker of dying lights. Yet, something about it felt deliberate, as if the station itself had chosen to remain in this state of disrepair, hiding its true purpose beneath layers of neglect.

"We're approaching the first junction," Ziva reported, her voice crackling through the comms. "According to the layout, we can either head toward the power generation units or make our way directly to the central core."

You paused, considering the options. Heading to the power generation units would allow you to stabilize the station's systems, perhaps giving you more time to explore and reducing the chances of catastrophic failure. But it would also take time, and every moment spent in this deteriorating environment increased the risks.

"The central core might hold more answers," Varn suggested, his voice thoughtful. "If the energy readings are coming from there, it's possible we'll find clues about what happened to the station. But we'll be exposed."

Both paths held their own dangers, and the choice was not an easy one. You glanced at the team, seeing the determination in their faces. They trusted you to make the right decision, to lead them through the maze of the Silent Beacon.

But even as you weighed your options, the station seemed to groan around you, its very structure protesting your presence. There was no telling what other dangers lay ahead, hidden traps, malfunctioning systems, or worse, the possibility of something still alive within the station's ancient halls.

As you approached the first junction, the bulkhead door loomed ahead like a silent sentinel. Beyond it lay the central core, the heart of the station where the faint energy readings pulsed like a dying heartbeat. You knew that crossing this threshold would be the point of no return. Whatever waited inside, it was time to face it.

"Everyone ready?" you asked, your hand hovering over the control panel.

Atarrus nodded, his weapon primed and ready. Ziva adjusted her equipment, her eyes scanning the readouts on her wrist. Varn stood a step behind, his gaze fixed on the ancient symbols etched into the walls, already lost in thought about the mysteries they might uncover.

You took a deep breath, steeling yourself for what was to come. The Silent Beacon had been waiting for this moment, its secrets long hidden from the galaxy. Now, it was time to see if the station would give up its answers, or claim more lives in the process.

With a firm hand, you activated the control panel, and the door hissed open with a low, mournful groan. Darkness awaited you beyond, a yawning void that seemed to stretch forever.

And you stepped forward into the unknown.

---

CHOOSE 1:
[] Go to Power Generation
[] Central Core

---

TMA UNLOCKED:
I considered allowing you to choose, but since you have Solar Hero Style, and given the thematic resonance Lorgar has with that style, and how strongly it resonates with his legion, this was automatically picked.

You have automatically developed the Golden Janissary Style and can purchase those charms if you want. So all SMs of Lorgar now are automatically taught this style. If they have awakened essence, they can get the charms.

So Yes, Atarrus has awakened Essence and has the charms.