[SWN] Pioneering for Beginners - IC

[Estro]

"You aren't used to space, are you?", a voice suddenly asked from Tanith's side – soon followed by a bemused smile as one of the remaining guards, leaned against the wall next to her and hung his laser rifle over his shoulder as he looked down at her – one of the shiny guards too. His face was pale and had similar features to some of the other people you had seen in the city so far, only that the dark colour of his skin deviated from what might once have been the appropriate culture and ethnicity decided for this city by the Mandate. With a smile he tapped against the window next to you, bringing up the tourist show that was happily depicting the city in its early days – its glorious days if the whimsical look on his face was any indication. Not that it stopped him long, with a larger smirk he leaned forward and whispered:

"So – can I just ask or do I need to invite you to some tea first, to find out how you would kill me?", with a small wink he pulled back again and looked towards the rest of the wagon, content to stay in a relaxed – but ready pose as he watched the Administrator show off the city to the pilot, not indulging in further probing of the spy.​

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As the man spoke up from Tanith's side, her expression traversed the spectrum from boredom to irritation to a flash of anger, before settling on merely glaring at him professionally. Nobody on her planet was used to space. Tanith was like, one of the most used to space of all the billions.

Glancing and dismissin the tourist show, she was far more interested in the practice he whispered to her. Someone else like her, then. Someone trained in - the man hit her, and she sprawled across the ground, just the same as she'd let the balls - the knife slipped through her too weak grip and cut across her palm, blood mingling with the sweat as the instructor pressed on regardless, fists colliding with lungs and- the gun was too heavy as she tried to centre it, tears blurring her vision as the failure ran away, and the soft urging from - her powers slipped away from her again, racing through her head as she let the pain compromise her controll, the volts causing her muscles to spasm. Again. she pushed herself up, back onto the chair, the electrodes still - she read through the dossier again, as she slowly realised that her target was her family, and she pushed away her feelings again - the name slipped off her like water as her company told her of someone else to kill, the message appearing on her pad and she pushed herself out of her stupor, pushing her out of the dark corner of the room she'd been sat in, surrounded by empty bottles and discarded meal trays, moving to flick on the lights - Someone trained like her.

"No, it's fine. Knifework, mainly. For one, you don't have full face helmets."

Her reply was low again, the tones hushed as she pushed away her memories with practice. Her hand started bouncing off her leg as things began to wear on her.

 

[Asmodemus]

"I see." Went Regith, pondering the issues of such societal decline and the city. It sounded ripe for exploitation of the mine living people, but they had gone through some major issues and he wasn't in any position to judge this society.

Mostly it was just another point of interest among the city.. but it was also possible he could recruit from those folk that came from Thos. Something to keep in mind.

"Sounds reasonable. Especially given your status. No time for the luxury of pushing the men to a completely professional image."

 

[gaiachild]

Maybe there was a man behind the helmet with a modicum of education – or an AI with archives reaching far enough to draw similarities between the gesture offered to it and Mandate mandated cultural Archives, either way: the city Administrator took the offered hand without missing a beat, sketching the lightest of bows as he helped the dark-skinned beauty into the wagon, the scarf fluttering around the Lt.'s neck at the lightest of breezes that was now meeting them. Guiding Allayi towards the "front" of the wagon, tapping against the windows of the small tram, which lit up a moment later with colourful images and texts, overlaying the ruined and rusting surroundings you were beginning to move through, with images of grace and startling functionality. Only after the wagon had already moved a few meters were you able to match some of the sighs outside, with the sights the windows were showing: either historical information or some kind of tourist thing to show off what the city was supposed to be one day.

This of course only made the difference between reality and between what was or could have been, ever worse: parks and flowerbeds that had once been intended for relaxation and strolls of the citizens of the city, had been turned into fields and hydroponic labs, foodstuff and paste being produced as necessity, where once distraction had been planned. All around you the infrastructure of the city had been hit – and hit hard if the many caved in sights were any indication- but hadn't broken down completely, multiple tram lines like this one still working, even if the other wagons were larger and contrary to the one you were in: not armoured.

Looking around you could see that the closer you came to the centre of what remained of the city (which was the centre of the intact third or maybe two-third that was still habitable), the more of the original architecture and infrastructure was still working and while the domes above were still intact, many buildings had been expanded into their own little air tight compartments, as if surviving a few hours longer after the dome was vented, was going to be a relief.​

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Allayi Mirganiss

She remained standing fo the entire ride, keeping close to the windows. Reading through the presented texts with honest and hungry interest. After finishing the literature in swift time, she kept gazing outwards, her eyes drinking in the alien world above which they travelled. With one hand raised and pressed against the glass. Only one of course, and only with the fingertips instead of the palm, to display her attraction with flattering passion, yet also in a cultured manner. Indeed, standing at the window, she looked positively enchanted, her eyes sparkling with wonder (yet still framed within a composed expression) as she finally turned away from the sights, directing her attention back to her maybe-robotic guide.

"What your people have build here, in spite of all the hardships unjustly forced upon you, is truly commendable. More so as I can now see how the spirit of the original plans has been kept alive."
As if absentmindedly, one of her hands slowly brushed down her scarf, lovingly caressing the fabric. With an inviting, possibly flirtatious smile she asked:
"I wonder though, do your people enjoy to dance?"

 

[Simpli]

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​

"No, it's fine. Knifework, mainly. For one, you don't have full face helmets."

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"Ahh – I see how you might get the impression, they are able to inflate along the neck and seal the suits should we be exposed to vacuum in the city or to poisonous gases down in the mines.", he didn't make any movement to show that off, instead tilting his head lightly to the side as he looked at the rest of your small group and then back at you. Holding his rifle ever relaxed, he performed a little formal bow and then extended his hand afterwards:

"Luitenant Christiaan Hagreize, Diplomatic Security Corps.", he introduced himself with a lightly self-ironic smirk, before gesturing towards the rest of the security guards: "My soldiers – we are most often deployed for diplomatic actions and retaliations on Thos and of course in case the warlords do another bid to conquer our city or threaten the Council. Alas, it also falls to us to take care of Warlord heavy infantry when they get dropped in the system, from what the Overseer told us, you met one serving as officer? When they have a bit of a lull on their home world, they sometimes ship whole squads of them to Thos or on the Colony."

No time for the luxury of pushing the men to a completely professional image.

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"Unlike the Warlords, we do not have the luxury of being able to work a whole planet to the ground and keeping a ramshackle infrastructure to bloat our military apparatus – that are the sad realities when you are stuck in a city, where a hole in a dome might lead to precious and unreplaceable air disappearing into the void forever.", the Administrator said in an even voice, gesturing around himself at the decaying city and inclined his head lightly: "The people we choose from Thos are some of their brightest, but it still takes a bit to bring them up to our level of education and having them keep some of their more harmless traditions seems perfectly fine."

"I wonder though, do your people enjoy to dance?"

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"The original plans are on hold – we have missed all deadlines since 300 years and the Council is most unhappy about it.", the Overseer said from the side-lines, the woman looking still quite spent from the events on her mining/salvage operation, but her tone conveyed a deeply seated feeling of…. discontent? Maybe a hint of shame? The Administrator turned to her and gave the woman a small nod, sending her into placid silence once more, as he turned his attention towards the pilot once more and replied to her question:

"There hasn't been a culturally mandate norm for dancing on this lunar colony in the beginning, but by now much of what once made up exercises to deal with the effects of the lower gravity of the human body, has been culturally assimilated and turned into what one might call dance. It's a mostly contact-less art, but there are some people who are gifted enough to have been allowed to work primarily as entertainers for the moral of the city. I am sure a showing or two can be arranged after the meeting with the Council."
​

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​

And it seemed the meeting was coming ever closer as the tram come to a stop before an impressively constructed square building that made up a lower area of the primary dome – most likely build into the very foundations of the city itself. Stepping onto a visitor platform you were greeted by what looked like automatic weapons lingering the walls, some of them subtly tilting into your direction as the Administrator took a step forward, once more taking the arm of the dark skinned pilot as he led you towards the complex – the security guards stopping at the door and taking a respectful stance, while Lt. Hagreize merely gave your local spy a wave.

The Administrator stepped towards a large armoured door that would lead deeper into the complex, tilting the faceplate of his helmet up ever so lightly, giving Allayi a small glance at nearly stark white skin and slim little cables that seemed to sneak from the ears towards the neck – as well as a tightly pressed together pair of lips, slightly torn and burned in places – human looking but…not quite. Next to the door a panel slid open and the Administrator grasped a cable pushing out of it and stuck it…somewhere into or around his neck?

It didn't take more than a moment for the machine to let out a content beep, the doors beginning to shift open before your eyes, lights coming online once more as an old, but clean hallway was exposed to you, a small lobby being the first thing you would step into, with old fashioned (as in unbroken and undamaged) furniture and even a few magazines that would surely date back at least to the Mandate period if you were to peek into them:

"Follow me please, the security forces will stay outside, while I guide you to the Council. I would ask you to keep all those guards you think do not have to be privy to said conversation to stay outside as well."​

=}+{=​

 

[Estro]

"Follow me please, the security forces will stay outside, while I guide you to the Council. I would ask you to keep all those guards you think do not have to be privy to said conversation to stay outside as well."​

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Tanith blinked, once, twice, leisurely. She looked like a normal member of the small retinue they had, not even with the rank markings of an officer proper, just an NCO. She directed a look at the captain and then the pilot as they stepped off the tram, a quick glance under half closed eyes.

 

[Gunman]

With a small gesture he called the ensign closer, having him take the place next to him, right behind the pilot – even if carrying the flag through the hallways might get into trouble sooner than later if it hit the ceiling – but it wasn't like they could just run back into the ship, throw it to the side and run outside again, or?

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Christopher kept his hands firmly on the flagpole. While he walked, he kept glancing up at the ceiling to make sure he didn't bang it, and would sometimes check behind his shoulder before lowering it so it didn't bump into anyone behind him. He wondered about the guards he saw and whether the ones he fought came from here or not. He didn't have to wonder for long when his ears perked up at the question asked by Alexi. He smirked at the mention of integrating natives, because while they were hinting at their open-mindedness and benevolence, he didn't miss the implication of taking the best minds from the tribes.

even a few magazines that would surely date back at least to the Mandate period if you were to peek into them:

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Kinsky stared at the magazines and leaned forward as much as he could to peek at the titles without it being too obvious. Unfortunately for him, he was holding the banner and couldn't break discipline just to pick up some magazines.

 

[gaiachild]

"The original plans are on hold – we have missed all deadlines since 300 years and the Council is most unhappy about it.", the Overseer said from the side-lines, the woman looking still quite spent from the events on her mining/salvage operation, but her tone conveyed a deeply seated feeling of…. discontent? Maybe a hint of shame? The Administrator turned to her and gave the woman a small nod, sending her into placid silence once more, as he turned his attention towards the pilot once more and replied to her question:

"There hasn't been a culturally mandate norm for dancing on this lunar colony in the beginning, but by now much of what once made up exercises to deal with the effects of the lower gravity of the human body, has been culturally assimilated and turned into what one might call dance. It's a mostly contact-less art, but there are some people who are gifted enough to have been allowed to work primarily as entertainers for the moral of the city. I am sure a showing or two can be arranged after the meeting with the Council."
​

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​

Allayi Mirganiss

So much for her ballroom fantasy then. Granted, it had been a rather unreasonable expectation, but then, weren't all dreams? Oh well, perhaps in the future she'd be able to participate in a local event of some refinement, until then, they all still had their parts to play, so she simply told her companion how fascinating that was and thanked him for the offer most graciously.

The Administrator stepped towards a large armoured door that would lead deeper into the complex, tilting the faceplate of his helmet up ever so lightly, giving Allayi a small glance at nearly stark white skin and slim little cables that seemed to sneak from the ears towards the neck – as well as a tightly pressed together pair of lips, slightly torn and burned in places – human looking but…not quite. Next to the door a panel slid open and the Administrator grasped a cable pushing out of it and stuck it…somewhere into or around his neck?

It didn't take more than a moment for the machine to let out a content beep, the doors beginning to shift open before your eyes, lights coming online once more as an old, but clean hallway was exposed to you, a small lobby being the first thing you would step into, with old fashioned (as in unbroken and undamaged) furniture and even a few magazines that would surely date back at least to the Mandate period if you were to peek into them.

Click to shrink...

Seeing the white skin was not troubling to the grey-skinned woman, if anything, she found it attractive. Every further revelation about her companion's true nature behind the helmet however made bile rise up in her throat. A long-standing fear of needles aside, this kind of intimate connection between man and machine was something she had almost abhorred. Sure, when piloting the ship she was almost completely surrounded by machinery, but there everything still stayed outside of her skin, damn it! Humans simply weren't meant to bear soulless steel inside them.

It took all her self-control, and the mental mantra "Beauty and the Beast fantasy, Beauty and the Beast fantasy, Beauty and the Beast fantasy" in order to keep the disgust off her face and maintain a curious, pleasant expression.

"Follow me please, the security forces will stay outside, while I guide you to the Council. I would ask you to keep all those guards you think do not have to be privy to said conversation to stay outside as well."

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Tanith blinked, once, twice, leisurely. She looked like a normal member of the small retinue they had, not even with the rank markings of an officer proper, just an NCO. She directed a look at the captain and then the pilot as they stepped off the tram, a quick glance under half closed eyes.

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"Dear sir, do forgive me for being a bother..." Allayi said to the Administrator, actually blushing slightly in seeming embarrassment as she stepped closer to him.
"... we completely understand your concern for safety. It is just, our regulations demand that, when leaving the ship on previously unknown planets, the pilot of the vessel is always to be accompanied by at least one security detail. This is due to people in my profession who can operate spike-drives being a rarity."

Stepping even closer, she spoke in hushed tones so that hopefully only the Administrator would be able to hear:
"T'is distasteful actually, the regulation intends for a low-ranked soldier to act as a human shield, hence why officers do not fit the criteria. I detest the philosophy, but the higher ups back home would be most upset if our reports indicate a breach of protocol. If you demanded the soldier disarmed completely, that would be more than sufficient."

 

[Simpli]

"Only I will accompany you towards the communication center, we can never be sure of possible enemy sabotage or subversion after all. Rest assured that even armed your security personal will pose no threat to me or the defenses of the building – they are welcome to keep their armament and maybe set down the more ceremonial of their equipment, now that we are out of the public eye.", the administrator said easily and with a truly neutral voice, simply stating facts and nothing else – and from the look of it, you might believe it. While the rest of the city had been damaged by time and fighting, patched together by salvage and sheer will, the lobby you were standing in was perfectly preserved, as if a secretary was going to take their place at the entrance any moment and a crowd of people would take seat on the couches to read the magazines: either someone was putting quite a lot of material into preserving this building – or it had been build with better materials back in the day.

Still, the captain seems to appreciate the pilots diplomatic work – even if it begun to look dangerously like one of the soap opera's his sister loved and would kill him for, if anyone ever found that out. Turning to look back at Tanith, he gave her a firm nod and gestured for her to join the group of officers following the administrator, keeping his eyes trained on the man's back as he seemed to ponder something.

Kinksky had an easier time as the Administrator opened a door leading deeper into the facility – and deeper into the moon as the group moved further underground. The walls around them seemed to grow thicker and the already spartan décor disappeared as the group moved past offices and armories, holding cells and giant lowly humming databanks that seemed gigantic till one remembered that the whole city was existing in 300 years old, slowly leaking eco-system created by human hands.

Finally, the group approached a heavier armored door, with signs on the floor and ceiling making it apparent that the shut gate had been a later addition and not been inserted when the Mandate originally build the facility. The administrator only had to step closer for the blast door to open, the heavy armored defense effortlessly sliding to the sides and allowing you entry into a round room of some kind or another – a long table prepared in its middle, with the head opposite of you raised, together with the whole floor – it was quite clear that one was supposed to sit down on the slightly lowered side of the table, which bore an unknown symbol of one kind or another – while the slightly raised table held an artistic representation of a Bruxelles-class Battlecruiser, the peacekeepers of the frontier.

The room was all Mandate: pristine smooth and elegant white walls with the slightest of curves to please the eye – colored and patterned walls that seemed to relax the eye and at the same time must have once served various purposes for identification and courtesy. Holographic control interfaces still glow inside of the table and enough smart seatings are provided to comfortable house three dozen people in the conference room. More arcane and curious lights blink around the room, small devices are happily chirping as the Administrator steps past them and gestures towards the seats:

"The Council has been informed of your presence, they will raise communications in a moment. Please take a seat and state if you are in need of any refreshments or other tools.", the Administrator said formally, before walking over to the raised side of the room and standing easily next to the reserved half a dozen seats.​

 

[Estro]

"Only I will accompany you towards the communication center, we can never be sure of possible enemy sabotage or subversion after all. Rest assured that even armed your security personal will pose no threat to me or the defenses of the building – they are welcome to keep their armament and maybe set down the more ceremonial of their equipment, now that we are out of the public eye.", the administrator said easily and with a truly neutral voice, simply stating facts and nothing else – and from the look of it, you might believe it. While the rest of the city had been damaged by time and fighting, patched together by salvage and sheer will, the lobby you were standing in was perfectly preserved, as if a secretary was going to take their place at the entrance any moment and a crowd of people would take seat on the couches to read the magazines: either someone was putting quite a lot of material into preserving this building – or it had been build with better materials back in the day.

Still, the captain seems to appreciate the pilots diplomatic work – even if it begun to look dangerously like one of the soap opera's his sister loved and would kill him for, if anyone ever found that out. Turning to look back at Tanith, he gave her a firm nod and gestured for her to join the group of officers following the administrator, keeping his eyes trained on the man's back as he seemed to ponder something.

Kinksky had an easier time as the Administrator opened a door leading deeper into the facility – and deeper into the moon as the group moved further underground. The walls around them seemed to grow thicker and the already spartan décor disappeared as the group moved past offices and armories, holding cells and giant lowly humming databanks that seemed gigantic till one remembered that the whole city was existing in 300 years old, slowly leaking eco-system created by human hands.

Finally, the group approached a heavier armored door, with signs on the floor and ceiling making it apparent that the shut gate had been a later addition and not been inserted when the Mandate originally build the facility. The administrator only had to step closer for the blast door to open, the heavy armored defense effortlessly sliding to the sides and allowing you entry into a round room of some kind or another – a long table prepared in its middle, with the head opposite of you raised, together with the whole floor – it was quite clear that one was supposed to sit down on the slightly lowered side of the table, which bore an unknown symbol of one kind or another – while the slightly raised table held an artistic representation of a Bruxelles-class Battlecruiser, the peacekeepers of the frontier.

The room was all Mandate: pristine smooth and elegant white walls with the slightest of curves to please the eye – colored and patterned walls that seemed to relax the eye and at the same time must have once served various purposes for identification and courtesy. Holographic control interfaces still glow inside of the table and enough smart seatings are provided to comfortable house three dozen people in the conference room. More arcane and curious lights blink around the room, small devices are happily chirping as the Administrator steps past them and gestures towards the seats:

"The Council has been informed of your presence, they will raise communications in a moment. Please take a seat and state if you are in need of any refreshments or other tools.", the Administrator said formally, before walking over to the raised side of the room and standing easily next to the reserved half a dozen seats.​

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In keeping with this new lie, Tanith spent the entire walk down completely level with the pilot, eyes scanning the room for threats. She'd left the large rifle back with the rest of the marines, her hidden laspistol something she was much more comfortable with.

Entering the Council room, she stopped for a second - the academy gleamed mandate white in her dimming eyes, as they slowly lowered her, uncaring of the cruel angles of her - before continuing on, masking the flashback as one more mundane, a pause to check the new room. Pegging level with the pilot, she waited until the transgenic human took her seat before taking one next to her, arms folded in her lap, eyes still.

 

[gaiachild]

Allayi Mirganis

The pilot walked up to the table with calm, measured steps, not exactly walking slowly, but still taking the time to take in the artificial beauty of the room. Once at the table, she choose a seat that would put her in the middle of their group.

After sitting down, leaning back with a contend smile, she replied to the Administrator's question:
"A little refreshment would be most appreciated. Non-alcoholic, please. While the historic weight of the occasion might justify it, its significance demands clear heads."

 

[Asmodemus]

Alexi Regith

Alexi had much to think about but not much really to say as they prepared to meet the ruling council of these people and maybe find out they were secretly aliens or something. Really he'd have preferred to be wandering about learning about the place to being part of this but maybe he'd notice something that could pop up later. Probably not, this sort of thing wasn't in his areas of expertise but for now he could do his best to be stoically there.

 

[Gunman]

Christopher ignored the suggestion by the administrator because he wasn't ordered to put his banner away. He set the banner against the wall and took a seat after the captain did. When he felt the rifle press against his back and the chair, he unslung the rifle, set it against the chair and silently prayed nobody noticed.

"I'm in need of a uh, non-non-alcoholic beverage, Administrator Fen." Christopher then stole a glance at Allayi and smirked at her for a moment. She can't handle one drink? What a light weight!

 

[Simpli]

The Administrator waited for all of you to take seat – an experience in and for itself, as the chairs began to shift and move as soon as you sat down, smart material and a hint of anti-grav changing the very texture and tilt of the seats as they aligned quite perfectly with your backs and butts, allowing you to sit quite perfectly after only a few moments of shifting. All in all one could sink into these chairs softness – or downright fall asleep on them. Things were made even more impressive, when both Allyai and Christopher were supplied with their drinks – courtesy of the table, as parts of its surface slid open to deposit artfully done little bottles, accompanied by cute little glasses – already half filled and ready to be taken. The pilot would was able to smell a light fruity note, a mix of Terran flavors that were most likely already extinct in the sector, while the weary banner carrier was rewarded with a light alcoholic drink, its light purple color only emphasizing its exotic lingering taste.

While these two were getting comfortable Tanith would feel…. odd as if a lingering headache was tingling in the back of her mind, as if the room was evoking memories that were just…slipping away from her. Older ones, ones even deeper buried than the facility – but for the life of it, she couldn't yet place a fingertip on it. There was something – something disturbingly familiar about everything that was getting displayed right here and now.
With all of you seated, the raised half of the table came to life – holograms springing up: sharper, crispier and with more texture and color you had seen anywhere, but in the few remaining holo-projectors of the naval headquarter. three figures, seemingly one man and two woman, in perfectly well made suit, dress and uniform – if one wasn't too confused at seeing living and breathing people dressed as if they were right out of a Mandate Era drama, from the jewelry, to the pins of their ranks inside the Mandate – these were officials, civilian most likely – one seat on their side left empty. Their holographic eyes seemed to wander over your ranks, taking in your uniforms and then the banner leaning against the wall.

Giving both parties a moment to examine each other, the Administrator stepped forward and bowed lightly to both groups: "May I introduce: the honorable System administrator Clélia Bain, supreme authority on the colonization of this system by the Mandate of Earth.", the pale woman with a light hair that nearly bordered on the white, gave a curt nod, her high cheekbones and nearly ethereal features speaking either for well managed inbreeding or some of the most high quality plastic surgery or genetic therapy you had seen so far.

"Callum Yie, Administrator of the Mining colony of Toth, tasked by his company's shareholders and confirmed by Mandate authority.", the burly man looked a bit lost in his suit, his strong arms straining the fabric – or at least given the impression as smart clothing like that was perfectly able to fit just about anyone. His hair was seemingly white from age and his face was adorned by a few wrinkles to underline the impression, his head nearly bald aside from a stripe in the middle – while his beard was well taken care off and easily reached down to his chin.

"Del Vakeva, Taishoi of the commandery of the mandated Colony on Alciphe and tasked with the defence of said colony.", the woman nodded in turn, her sharp features only high lighted by the scar that streaked over half of her face and the cybernetis on her reconstructed left side of the face. She was wearing a light white uniform, its purple highlights and tan cape looking quite formal and corresponding with Mandate guidelines for a Lt. Colonel with a battalion at her command.​

 

[Gunman]

Christopher failed to keep his surprise from showing on his face when a bottle and half filled glass appeared in front of him. He picks up the glass, sniffs the drink and takes a sip. "Mmmm! Not bad!" All he could think about was how a space colony like this could maintain such advanced technology over the centuries and fail to improve their lot.

After Beauregard and Mirganiss introduced themselves, Christopher spoke up. "I'm Christopher Kinsky, Ensign of the Esrilan Auxiliary Navy and gunnery officer of the E.S.D.S. It is a pleasure to meet you." He was insulted that none of them could meet dignataries of another world, yet couldn't blame them when they came to the conference room armed.

 

[Asmodemus]

Alexi waited to see if the captain and their hot aristocrat elven pilot were going to introduce themselves again, prepared to give a brief "Chief Petty Officer Alexi Regith, I oversee our ship's naval infantry. Good to be here. Just wish we could have come sooner." with a nod if they did.

The people here had apparently held on well to some bits of the Mandate, he wondered how well they compared. And considered how far they had all fallen from those glory days. Still, that was why they were out here, to try to get some of it back. And while their neighbors were probably not going to be fueling their expansion with minerals and foodstuffs like had been hoped, they could have some bits of the old times they could trade each other, as well as their likely united efforts against these warlords.

 

[gaiachild]

Allayi Mirganiss

After sitting down, and experiencing the pleasures of next-gen seating arrangements, Allayi hoped more than ever that they would get a trade deal out of this encounter. Such technology applied to her pilot-seat would enhance overall performance by at least five percent!

Oh, and the table had an in-built beverage dispenser. Naturally, she would have preferred something done by hand, but negotiators couldn't be trivial complainers. So she gave the Administrator a thankful nod and raised the glass in recognition before taking a little sip (while inconspicuously taking a light sniff of the glass' contents. It would not have been the first time someone tried to slip her drugs that way in order to make her more open to suggestions).

Then the leadership of the colony appeared, in spirit at least. The pilot focused on the upside of dealing with helmet-less, handsome people, in order to ignore the much less appealing cybernetics.

"Allayi Mirganiss, Lieutenant and proud to bear the responsibility of navigating the E.S.D.S through space as her pilot. As it is an honour to meet this moon's esteemed leadership."

 

[Estro]

Tanith merely nodded politely to the councillors. Ostensibly a bodyguard, she had no place at the negotiations. Looking at the holograms, she turned away slightly after a few seconds, something bouncing around her head the longer she looked at them.

They're so advanced and yet so destitute and broken.... What is this place?

 

[Simpli]

It was the pale woman who reacted first, a delicate eyebrow rising ever so slightly as she folded her hands and looked down at the gen-engineered pilot, before her eyes flicked to the captain, who had introduced himself but seemed to still defer to the pilot's experience in social manoeuvring. Finally setting her eyes on the Administrator, she shook her head lightly:

"I fear there is a misunderstanding. We are the council tasked with the construction of the colony on the surface of Alciphe – as you might imagine the last three centuries have thrown the original plans into disarray and there has been no movement from the Inner Worlds so far to replace us after our tenures had passed. The City you are currently inside has merely been realistic enough to transfer its loyalty from the company board that is just as distant as the Mandate right now, to us, as highest-ranking Mandate Officials in the system."

Tilting her head lightly towards the older looking man, she continued: "Administrator Yie worked for the same Consortium, but for a different sub-section, thus the cities decision to transfer its loyalties were unproblematic. We of course once more thank you for your service and do hope that the return of the auxiliary forces might mean, that we will be able to repair your avatar."
The "other" Administrator bowed lightly in turn and one might suddenly know just what the pale flesh and exposed cybernetics meant – not a man wrought with iron, but iron worked to look and act like a human. Still, without missing a beat, the uniformed woman spoke up next:

"We are grateful to hear of your arrival, we presumed that no forces of the Mandate were left in our sector and our own supplies and technologies were aimed at creating an agriculture based colony – not re-establish space flight and spike-drives from next to nothing. Around 80 years ago, the Warlords first drilled into this system and have been besieging our settlements since then. Around 20 years my then second in command mutinied together with large parts of our Commandery and took over one of the bunkers originally intended to defend the colony – they serve as foothold for Warlord attacks against our shelter and we would apricate any help you can offer – if your ship is armed and able for orbit to ground bombardment that is."​

 

[Gunman]

Christopher finishes his drink and pours himself another glass. He leaves the drink alone, folds his hands and leans forward. He spares his comrades a glance. The captain had been passive and none of them prepared for this. He hoped that none of them contradicted what he was about to say so they'd show a united front.

Are they manipulating us? Are they loyal to the Mandate? Everything we've seen since our introduction has been a holdover from the Mandate. Five hundred year old magazines for us to see. Five hundred years of no contact with the Mandate and they switch their loyalties from their company to the Terran Mandate? Why be loyal to either?

Christopher didn't voice his thoughts on it. He'd talk about it when they were back on their ship.

"To be perfectly honest to ya"ll, we're not prepared to give our superiors news that we started a war with a spike drive civilization with unknown military capabilities. Not out of good will after hearing one side of the story. We already lost one man and all we got to show for it so far is some laser guns and some fancy armor."

He let them think on what he was implying. He wasn't used to diplomatic meetings and wasn't sure how blunt they could afford to be. It all came down to Esrila funding an expedition for trade, to re-establish contact with the Mandate and technology. Whatever they had to offer better be worth the price, and even if he was being hyperbolic, it wouldn't hurt for the first round of negotiations.

 

[Asmodemus]

So, it was like back home. Things had torn up, divided, but strong Mandate leadership carried things on. They'd most definitely want to ally and support their fellows.. while probably also testing them for deviation.

And they wanted them to hit a bunker.. Alexi considered their armaments, the Plasma Beam could do it if they didn't have anything strong waiting for them. But..

He heard Christopher speak up then and listened before speaking himself, formulating a speech with his best skills. "Personally, I believe our superiors would want us to aid you as fellow believers in the Mandate, in the face of the threat of the warlords and their seen butchery of unarmed people. But, this is our ship's first test run, of our system's first spike drive capable ship since the last warship was sent out to try to seek aid during the darker times. Right now everyone in Getiat is waiting for our return, to signal that the drive is a success and to report on what we've found.

If the ship ended up destroyed or too damaged to return.. it'd likely be years before they allowed another test ship to go out of lab testing for a field run. Assuming that they do not go towards the worst case scenario of them believing Spike Drive travel is unusable for good and that alternative methods must be found.

I believe it is imperative that we first return, with clear success of the spike drive, and word of your situation that our system may understand the situation and prepare to throw our full capabilities in with yours against these Warlords."

 

[gaiachild]

Allayi Mirganiss

The pale one was splitting hairs. Even if this triumvirate didn't hold the specific titles, they presumably held the real power necessary to lead the colony in whichever direction they desired.
But, at the end of the day, Allayi had still committed a minor faux pas by not using the undoubtedly correct terms to describe their hosts. Said host had decided to take offence on that and call her out, slightly undermining the pilot's credibility, and thereby her social power.
And Allayi respected such acts.

Therefore, her only reply to being corrected was the barest of smiles, deciding to simply not acknowledge her own mistake and let the conversation forget about it.
She leaned back as her companions started giving their opinions, looking as comfortable and confident as could be, taking small sips from her drink.

Once Alexi finished talking, Allayi commented:
"Regardless of our personal sympathy for your cause, we are naturally bound to a number of protocols when it comes to the usage of orbital bombardment, so forgive us for not answering your call for aid right here and now.
That said, I'd understand why you might prefer an immediate response. We of course realise that our presence has entered an unknown equation into this system's situation, which might trigger your enemies into doing something impulsive.
Still, orbital bombardment is such a... crude method. Wasteful." She made a small, dismissive motion, then folded her hands, adapting a thoughtful posture.

"I won't presume to know the motivation of your former comrades to desert, yet I am curious how they might consider what our presence here means. Perhaps the promise to leave this system and be relocated to a fresh start in something they would consider a better place would serve to make them desert a second time. I shall of course defer to your evaluation of the deserters' moral character, but should you find it viable, we could present ourselves as an impartial intermediary in order to bring some of the warlords to the table and find a less wasteful solution. Even if their demands were to be unreasonable, in the case that we decide it is against our best interests to take action before conversing with our own superiors back home,..."

She allowed herself a short pause, adapting a devious expression.

"...If words are chosen correctly, the deserters can be made to think that it is against their bests interests to harass you further during the time span it would take for us to journey home and back here."

 

[Simpli]

"We understand the hesitance that Ensign Kinsnky and Chief Petty Officer Regith are showing – after all you do have your orders. And while I am sure that Lt. Colonel Vakeva would love to point out that we are all Mandate and cooperating is only natural – as would following a call for help from us as official Mandate designated heads of this colony- I can assure you that helping us will also have some more… tangible benefit if you are interested in that.", with a small nod the System Administrator Bain nodded towards her colleagues Yie, who in turn seemed to touch something on his side of the projector, before the table came to life again and showed a variety of machines: some of them as small as a person, others as tall as a building in themselves, waiting for a moment, he said simply:

"In preparation for the colony ships that ought to have followed our original settlement mission, we have large mothballed stockpiles of agricultural machines and specially designed seeds that had been created back on the core worlds to make sure that we could begin exporting food as soon as possible. While we have scavenged parts of our storehouses, we still have a quite large number of intact machines and samples to share should we be able to once more establish cordial relations with the fleet Base on Esrila."

The Lunar AI helpfully reached to the side and pulled out a small electronic reader – not bigger or thicker than a sheet of paper, but already glowing with the information you could use, even if the reader itself was set to the clumsy manual mode for you to be able to use it. Making its way over to your captain, he gave it a once over before handing it further, it was a list of at least some examples of the machines they had mothballed – a curious prize for sure.
Still – as you seem to agree on the general reluctance of just going and bombing their enemies for them, it is the Lt. Col who speaks up again next, gesturing with her hand as a three dimensional image of their planet comes up, the continent and seas of Alciphe visible for a moment – before they get simplified again, preferring to suddenly envelop the planet in a tight net of artificial and even some natural satellites, big enough to come up even on your sensors from here, if you were to look closer:

"If I might forward another idea then: our current vulnerability, lies in the fact that my traitorous second in command has been able to wrestle part of the orbital satellite network under his control, allowing him to observe any moments we try to perform on the planet – if you could swing by the planet, it should be easy to destroy them – most of them are slightly modified weather satellites anyway and what camouflage they are using, does not matter as we know where they are."

Highlighting around a dozen bright red points all around the orbit of the planet, the commander of the local garrison gestured at all of them:

"We should be able to compensate on losing them with the agricultural drones we have pressed into service – something the enemy troops on the planet shouldn't have access to. That should curtail them going into larger offensive operations against our colony, till you return to relieve us.", she said curtly and gave a small nod, the System Administrator turning towards you once more, getting a small nod from the third of their group, before smiling:

"We would of course appreciate any help you can offer and look forward to hearing from your own commands decision regarding our situation. When you return, the Lunar Administrator will give you a list of supplies we might also need quiet dearly, maybe your planet happens to have them – nothing too uncommon, but without much functioning industry we are in a tight spot. Aside from that he can also give you the means to hail the dissidents bunker if you are interested, but I am sure it would appreciate doing so on your ship and not in the city itself – they might have some codes to mess with it otherwise."​

 

[Gunman]

I can assure you that helping us will also have some more… tangible benefit if you are interested in that.",

Click to shrink...

Christopher couldn't help it when he cracked a small smile.

Now they're talking...

Christopher read it over with his smile unfaltering. Such machines would improve the economy of Esrila, the position of his family when they got their fair share, his standing within his family and most of all, fame. Why else would he go on the ship knowing he could die light years from home if not for the fame and prestige he'd get whenever they came back to Esrila? He had no interest in letting himself or his family end up in the dustbin of history with the rise of the corporatism on Esrila.

"If I might forward another idea then: our current vulnerability, lies in the fact that my traitorous second in command has been able to wrestle part of the orbital satellite network under his control, allowing him to observe any moments we try to perform on the planet – if you could swing by the planet, it should be easy to destroy them – most of them are slightly modified weather satellites anyway and what camouflage they are using, does not matter as we know where they are."

Highlighting around a dozen bright red points all around the orbit of the planet, the commander of the local garrison gestured at all of them:

"We should be able to compensate on losing them with the agricultural drones we have pressed into service – something the enemy troops on the planet shouldn't have access to. That should curtail them going into larger offensive operations against our colony, till you return to relieve us.", she said curtly and gave a small nod, the System Administrator turning towards you once more, getting a small nod from the third of their group, before smiling:

"We would of course appreciate any help you can offer and look forward to hearing from your own commands decision regarding our situation. When you return, the Lunar Administrator will give you a list of supplies we might also need quiet dearly, maybe your planet happens to have them – nothing too uncommon, but without much functioning industry we are in a tight spot.

Click to shrink...

"What else can you tell us about these warlords and traitors? Ya"ll got any idea on what kinda defenses they've built up since they took over the bunker? What military forces do you know they have within and outside the system, since they got spike drives? How many ships do they got and what type? Ya"ll may as well give us the list now so it saves us a trip back and forth."

 

[gaiachild]

Allayi Mirganiss

If nothing else, these people definitely knew how to market themselves. At this point, arguing against them, if only to try and bargain a bigger payoff, would be counterproductive, as it might risk looking divided in front of their hosts.

She also couldn't help but smile ominously when the possibility of destroying satellites was brought up. She would certainly enjoy the challenge of steering the ship through that task as fast as physics would allow.

Too bad that ramming them was not a viable option, but that was a constant disappointment with space-travel.

Back to the task at hand, she added to Christopher's question:
"Much appreciated would also be a list of your enemies leadership. Bombing someone from orbit, through crude, is effective, but we all know the saying about snakes and their heads."

 

[Simpli]

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​

When you left the conference room it was without a firm decision having been taken – in the moment the discussions between the various officers of the ship had made firm leadership necessary – your captain had bowed out again and returned to his hands-off approach of the first few days. Instead he had taken off to the hospital of the lunar city to check upon the wounded and seemingly done a few photos with their relatives and the like, before meeting you back at the ship. Goodbyes were said and the crowd seeing you off had only grown larger as the guards had taken a step back and allowed the civilian population to wave and shout at you, to show their newfound hope and cheer – that wasn't dashed by the fact that your captain had been unwilling to throw the ship into any adventures against a spike-drive wielding enemy that might be able to attack your homeworld itself if you were to end up ticking them off. Instead you found yourself back at the ship, a data slade with information on the half a dozen warlords that had been active in the neighbouring system a year or two back – but of course the warning that the structures over there were dangerous, high instable and warlords frequently changed when their rivals absorbed them or their successors took over.

With some more information, your first dead in another star system and the thankful feelings of a decaying lunar city and the demands of a cabal of immortal Mandate Administrators in your hand you made your way back to the Getiate system – home. On the way back the data of the first drill came into handy once more and with the new updates to the old maps Allayi was less hard pressed than on the first jump and was able to have more things handled by her co-pilots and the other navigators -especially as she had been the designed diplomatic of the latest venture and returned with half a dozen fashionable and scientific magazines that had been lying around in the lobby of the corporate HQ you had visited for the conference.
​

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​

As soon as you were back home the home fleet hailed you with congratulations and the unofficial channels between the ships were coming to life and probing you from all sides, asking for news ranging from what you had found to the performance of the spike drive and how soon you though the rest of the fleet might get some of their own. The torrent of communiques from the ships, from the stations spread out through the system and the planet only break off when your captain sends a transmission to the admiralty – and his sister. Only hours later a complete blockade on all news from your journey has been outspoken, combating rumours about a new Mandate or a new rebel fleet and worse. Over the next few hours you make your way back to the orbit of Esrila where you return your ship to the drydock it had left only weeks ago.

The station offered most amicabilities for the crew – but as soon as you docked your captain disappeared and you were left waiting for days as the station came to life with dozens of officials nearly all captains of the fleet and various army officers coming and going. Everything was kept tight to the chest and even the stations scuttle bug had little to offer except for some rather large scale planning going on in the background.

When it felt as if everyone had forgotten you a message reached the whole crew: your captain had been reassigned on his own wish and Command was sending another candidate to take over what was seemingly not only a prestigious – but also a quite dangerous position. The command staff of the ship meanwhile also got an invitation – to meet on the observation deck of the station to get to meet their new commander…

….who was already waiting when you arrived, her arms clasped behind her back and her head tilted upwards as she seemed to stare at the space of the Getiat system beyond the armoured glass. A table had been prepared and enough seats for all of you. Guess it was time for another conference.
​

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