Cuna blinked in surprise a couple of times and looked at the gun, muttering a quiet “...(the hell? Fuckin’ shrink ray right out of the damn Saturday morning cartoons...)”
With a sigh, and a surprised nod at Shard, nowhere near ready to be a fucking father, instead simply shaking his head and thinking for a bit, the girls bickering about something, excluding Shard. “yeah... I’m going to guess something f- spooked that herd, to get all of them hightailing it.”
Meta was about to lower the shields, right up until the sporn ship emerged from hyperspace near them.
Meta: Standby, lowering shields now.
But as he lowered the shields, he also charted another hyperspace jump near the Quatis fleet, away from the Sporn. As soon as the android was off the ship, he would activate the drive and cleanly warp away, safe within the territory of his new allies. Just as he finished charting the course, he lowered the shields, allowing the android to warp away. The second the android would be off, he would jump to hyperspace.
ALERTING COMMAND ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ @Hokum@Prima Luce Erwin Schmidt, captain of the KSS Nova and newly promoted admiral of the Lanist Khaganate Second Fleet, the small splinter fleet of the Lanist Khaganate that had been transported to its current location through unknown means, silently looked out of the bridge window of his ship, with his arms crossed behind his back. It had already been a few minutes since he had sent the message to the Quatis, and they had received no reply yet. The captain peered into the black void of space, contemplating what to do, nervous that the reason that the Quatis were taking so long to respond is that they were making preperations to attack the Khaganate fleet.
"Any changes?" The captain asked.
"A new ship has arrived in the system and is currently engaging the ship with the temporal distortions" the same communications officer as before replied, "The Quatis have not yet sent a reply, and none of the other ships in the system have attempted contact either."
"Captain," a science officer by the name of Yakim Ignatiev said "It seems that the AI onboard the civilian robotic ship KSS Capek has rebooted and subsequently determined that all contact with the main fleet is lost. I am patching it through now."
"GREETINGS ADMIRAL," Schmidt could hear a very monotonous voice say through the speaker, "I HAVE DETECTED DATA AND POWER LOSS ON ALL FLEET SHIPS. I HAVE ALSO DETECTED A LACK OF OXYGEN AND OUTER HULL ANOMALIES ON ALL FLEET VESSELS. ANALYSIS REVEALS THAT THE POWER THAT WAS LOST IS SOMEHOW PRESENT INSIDE OF THESE AREAS. CAUSE UNKNOWN, BUT POSSIBLY BIOLOGICAL IN NATURE. I HAVE ALREADY SHUT DOWN THE POWER AND DATA TRANSFER TO THESE AFFECTED AREAS."
"The AI is speaking the truth," the science officer said, "I can indeed see multiple instances of power failure, and oxygen loss on all fleet ships. What do we do, captain?"
"Broadcast an emergency broadcast, and then implement protocol Bravo-Six. Evacuate all civilian and military personnel from these affected areas with all means necessary. Use OOTFs if you have to, make sure everyone is accounted for."
The science officer then went to work doing just that while the communications officer prepared to connect the ship's communication systems to all speaker systems in the rest of the fleet.
"This is an emergency broadcast," the captain began, "Protocol Bravo-Six is now in effect. Power and oxygen failure detected across all ships. All affected civilian and military personnel are to report to their nearest medical facilities. All unaffected crewmembers are to report to battle stations."
The communications officer then received a reply from the Quatis and notified the captain, while maintaining the link to the Quatis fleet, for Captain Schmidt's eventual answer:
"First Gamma Palin, I confirm that we are losing power and data at an alarming rate, although we likewise do not know where this comes from. I accept your offer of mutual assistance. Our research into this strange phenomenon will begin right away." ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Slowly, all of the affected civilian and military people have been evacuated from the affected areas, while all of them who were present when the phenomenon started occuring have been cataloged to make sure that no one is left behind. Those who had been affected by a lack of oxygen have all been taken to the nearby medical facilities. Due to the actions of the AI responsible for power maintenance, all of the power to the areas affected by the sudden power loss has been cut off, whether it came from the backup power generators present of these areas or outside. Several task forces from the Omega Order, the secretive Khaganate organization dedicated to combating the unknown, have been sent into the affected areas to investigate the cause. Equipped with advanced technologies and oxygen equipment, they do are not bothered by a lack of oxygen.
Meanwhile, the science ship KSS Aqua has sent a robot outside to examine one of the bulges on the ship's hull. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Arman Nurzhan, general of the 7th army of the Lanist Khaganate Army, calmly walked down the ramp of the transport craft with slow, heavy steps. His expression was emotionless as he looked at the crowd of officers, soldiers, engineers and doctors that had gathered around the vessel. They stared back at him, looking extremely shocked, as the Khan had held a memorial service for him and general Katie Anderson only hours before. The crowd moved away as Arman reached the hangar floor. Aquila Septima, Legate of the 2nd MCES Legion, who had seemingly taken command of the 7th army in his absence, stepped forward.
"Legate Aquila, have you taken charge in my absence?", General Arman asked her.
"Yes, I have, Sir," The brown-haired woman responded, "I was voted to become the new general by the leaders of the other tumens and MCES legions of the army after you had been classified as Missing In Action and subsequently pronounced dead by none other than the Khan himself."
"Good to see he still cares about me. I want a full report of what happened while I have been gone, Legate."
Did he just make a joke? Legate Septima thought, That can't be right, he never does that. "While your ship had apparently vanished from the fleet, the Khaganate fleet started orbiting the planet that it had appeared over. Signs of life, as well as the two missing ships, were detected from this planet, but we never suspected you and General Anderson had made it out alive. As a result, after about a day of waiting, the Khan officially announced to the rest of the fleet that you had died, despite not knowing what had happened. The fleet also jumped to another system, where we encountered several strange cylinders, which cut off the propulsion of our ships. Meanwhile, I was elected to be the new general, which you are now I suppose. Additionaly, 29 ships have gone missing due to an unknown cause, and many officers have also disappeared. We have yet to identify who has gone missing on the Borealis.
Maybe that's what happened to Katie, general Arman thought. "Thank you, Legate. Please get the ship ready for boarding actions. I have the slightest feeling that our military officers have been abducted by these strange cylinders. I will go talk to the Khan while you do that."
With that, the General left to his chambers. After clothing himself in a proper general's uniform instead of the spacesuit he'd been wearing since he had taken off from the alien planet, he made his way to the room that he would use to attend the Kurultai, as well as contact other ships. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ @Hokum The captain of the Kheshig, a blond man named Brandon Sparks, was of course not pleased with the fact that the strange man had not dropped his weapon the moment he ordered to. And he, in contrast to the many other bridge crew who had been focused on the screen that had played the message of the Director of the Omega Order, kept his focus on the stranger dressed in armor. As a result, the guards that had originally tried to apprehend the stranger kept their attention on the strange man, making sure that he would not do something dangerous.
After the man, who identified himself as Dino Gavon, got the chance to speak to Khan Yuri, Brandon's patience soon wore thin as Dino refused to give away his weapon. "Have I not made myself clear? Drop your weapon, now!" Brandon ordered.
"Captain Sparks," The Khan said harshly, not appreciating what the captain was doing, "Calm down. This man is our guest, and I do not want him to come to harm on any of our ships."
Now, Khan Yuri turned to Dino, and said: "Admiral Gavon, we have indeed been affected by the same Quantum Dislocation Event that placed you in my ship's bridge. As a result, twenty-nine of this fleet's ships have vanished. We do not know the origin of this event, but our best scientists are currently working on it, so whatever is there is bound to have some answers. I too believe that we can lend eachother assistance at this time." ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ @Hokum James almost got the chance to contact Operation Command about the telepathic message from Fanny when he was suddenly overwhelmed by the entity's rapid change in character. However, the Omega Order soldiers stood their ground, weapons aimed at her head should the need arise. Meanwhile, any civilians remaining in the canteen ran away, scared of Fanny's booming voice. James and his team then were forced to drop their weaponry as their weapons became red with and started to radiate incredible amounts of heat. Naturally, the team then drew the variety of pistols and other sidearm weaponry, and aimed them at Fanny, as they were trained to do.
"PA-1, this is Operation Command. We heard that, what is going on there?"
"AE-1769 has become aggresive, and demands that she can see the Khan. From what she is saying, as well as the abilities she has shown so far, I believe she is some kind of god."
"Well, we've contained gods before. Continue with the recovery."
James then turned to Fanny, saying: "I will do no such thing, AE-1769, please follow us to your containment area or we will be forced to open fire."
Protocol Bravo-Six was sufficient in evacuating the civilians and personnel from the responsive areas of the Khaganate fleet. Though the ordeal was slow, and many suffered from oxygen deprivation, they all made it to safety before direct contact was made with the entities responsible for the malfunctions.
The robot sent out by the KSS Science ship Aqua was, however, a little too late. The entity attached to the vessel had recently breached the hull. Whatever it was had now entered the ship, leaving in its wake an untidy hole a little over a meter in diameter. In a likewise manner, the various other entities attached to the other ships of the Khaganate fleet have also breached those hulls and entered those ships. These breaches will no doubt cause severe instabilities in the atmospheric and pressurized balance of these areas. The holes left in the hull by these intruders will perhaps be analysed. Analytical studies to the cause of these holes should not be so easy to determine. It would not be apparent as to whether they were made by intense heat, corrosive substances, or by some other undetermined means. No residual matter was left.
Given that the Khaganate are highly advanced and breaches of similar nature would duly be contained, the soldiers of the Omega Order - no doubt attired in suits designed to resist atmospheric hazards - would still have means to at the very least approach the outer limits of these contained areas. In doing so, the assigned units of the Omega Order might be surprised when they encounter a sole member of the Khaganate left behind in the contained area. Had not all civilians and personnel been evacuated? It would seem at first glance there is proof to the contrary:
The first of the Omega Units to arrive at their destination would come across a man. Whether it is by way of night vision goggles or torch light, this man will be discovered in the darkness of a corridor by the Omega Order Troops. The man appears to be one of their own, a civilian dressed in casual attire, yet does not seem to be perturbed by the lack of oxygen in the area. The man is simply standing there. He does not speak. He looks the soldiers over with an emotionless gaze and a small nod of recognition for his fellow man.
A similar event is experienced by each unit of the Omega Order when they arrive at their respective destinations. Each Omega unit is met by a single soldier, personnel or civilian who has seemingly been left behind in the evacuation. Each of these civilians, personnel or soldier are dressed and/or armed in accordance to the standards of their profession and status in Khaganate society. None of these individuals appear inhibited in any way by the lack of oxygen or atmospheric instabilities that might be current. None of them appear to be scared. None of them are behaving with initial hostility. None of them speak. Each of these individuals are calm and greet their approaching Omega unit in a likewise manner to the first.
All readings taken of these individuals would not reveal any signs of life, though small, negligible spikes in thermal radiation can be detected. Any scans at this preliminary stage would reveal only lifeless object in the physical form of a man or woman. Each of these forms will have the identical appearance of one of the people that had previously been evacuated from the area.
Donny does not appear to give a fuck. The Quantum Disruptors have a short and barely visible effect on the man. If anything at all, the energy from the weapons appear to fill him with added vitality. The rounds Donny releases from the Glock's intensify and still he finds no need to reload. Soon the pistols are firing several rounds a second while smoke caused by overheating billows from their metal.
While firing, Donny does not slow his pace. He walks with ease through midst of the Quatis officers and out the door to the corridor beyond. He pauses to holster one gun, the other gun melts away and becomes one with his body as he promptly closes the door behind him. In that moment, while his hand is still in contact with it, the door fuses to its frame as though it had instantly been welded shut.
Donny adjusts his tie like something of a business man and walks casually away from the scene. He tips his hat courteously to a lady passing by in the corridor.
“Ma’am.”
While these events are taking place, each entity attached to the ships of the Quatis fleet breach the hull in the same manner that they did with the Khaganate vessels. The undefined citizens and personnel the Quatis encounter will be the same in nature to those encountered by the Khaganate’s Omega Order units. The Quatis and Khaganate have been penetrated.
A few lightyears away, a great many objects of undefined shape and origin are on course to the Phantom Point Solar System. For anyone in the Phantom Point Solar System with the technology to scan surrounding space for signs of encroaching objects of inexplicable nature, would detect these subjects as a unified group of massive objects closing in on their general location.
"What? Got a problem with a girl defending herself?" Hida asks as she walks over to the helpless bandit, pushing him to the ground once more and stealing the man's knife as he drops it. "Now, with that settled..."
With the man still on the ground, Hida gives him a small kick. Not really anything significant, but more an attempt to get him to stay in place. "Since your 'friends' have decided to leave you behind, you might as well answer a few questions for us, right? If you do, I might let you open your eyes again. If not, I'll let you experience what it feels like to have a knife in your throat."
Not waiting for a response, Hida grabs the man's arm and pulls him up slightly, using her ability to open one of the man's eyelids again, allowing him to see the knife Hida is now pointing at him. "First off, where are we. Second off, do you have any money or valuables on you we could borrow in perpetuity?"
Dorita Gavon, oldest daughter of Dino Gavon, is gripping tight to a metal briefcase while running fast to escape the danger unleashed in her private science lab. She has left behind her colleague who now lies strewn and dismembered over the laboratory floor.
Fleeing through the corridors of the science ship, the Transect device on her wrist bleeps three times with the initiation of an incoming call from the bridge of the Flagship. It is First Gamma Palin himself.
“Superior Science officer, Dorita! We are receiving data concerning ongoing damage to your laboratory and surrounding areas. Please confirm immediately!”
Dorita takes a turn at the next corridor junction and lifts the Transect device to her mouth and with a panting voice replies to the first Gamma: “I don’t really have time to chat right now – but yeah, I can confirm that and much more. The specimen we had captive has reanimated. Believe it has been reinitialized within proximity of its own race that have arrived in this solar system. I suggest you prepare for battle. All hell is breaking loo - ”
Her voice is cut off by an explosion 50 odd meters behind her, where the Spore drone they had been holding captive for the last couple of years had managed to blast a hole in a wall in its pursuit of Dorita Gavon.
If the troubles at present were not enough, everyone in the Phantom Point Solar system receives a message from a computerized voice that overrides their communication systems so that every person of every ship in the entire solar system can hear it. The message is received from the many centipede shaped ships of the Sporn that had recently arrived in the system as a result of the Quantum Shuffle. The message is delivered as follows:
“Bio Carbon Humanoid life forms. Your stain on this universe has tainted purity. Your existence shall be aborted.”
Jor, Meta, Quote, Spank:
Concluding a few more minutes wait, Palin replies to Erwin Schmidt, the acting captain of The KSS Nova. This time the voice of Palin is rather tense, saying;
Captain Erwin Schmidt, We have reason to believe our Grand Minister has been murdered by an uncertain assailant and several of our vessels have been penetrated by the unknown entities attached to both our hulls. We have been compromised. There is also a specimen of a robotic entity on board our science vessel that has been activated and causing unprecedented destruction. We believe this specific entity to be related to the Sporn. We also believe you and I are soon to encounter yet another variety of hostile approaching this solar system. It should be detectable on your own scanners. I suggest our collaboration begins immediately. We are raising our shields and offensive systems. We suggest you do the same. Keep us informed.”
Several seconds after the First Gamma delivers his message, the Spore vessels had divided into smaller groups, a few of them surrounding both The Quatis and The Khaganate, while one approaches the Ernest and another approaches the Tempest and the DGS. Any scans of the Sporn vessels will indicate that weapons are being charged.
The Khaganate would also be aware of another, smaller vessel, the Tempest, which now drops out of Hyperdrive near the Quatis fleet. This vessel has two life forms on board, both a Humanoid Quatis and a Humanoid that would have life readings more similar to a man from Earth.
Spank:
Fanny watches SAM raise the Graviton Shield without any apparent judgement for his lack of knowledge. While he goes on to scour for a propulsion system she leans in to set the Graviton shields at level 10. Maximum output.
“You can use Light Speed Flux (LSF) while these shields are up, but nothing more. So you’ll need to get out of the immediate danger within this solar system before you drop the shields and initiate Trans Stellar Jump (TSJ) for traveling longer distances.” While she is saying this, she taps at a few controls, severing any further communication with the Quatis, preventing any more interruptions, almost as though she had anticipated SAM’s coming speech….
All communication links are severed as Fanny rests her hip against the helm and listens to what SAM has to say. The look on her face is like someone who has a bad taste in her mouth.
After SAM finishes voicing his concerns, she gives him a long but less than intense stare before replying frankly:
“I’m God. Not just any God. I am THE God, creator of all thins including all other Gods. I’m the beginning, the end, and everything in between. I can tell you this, Sammy, because no one will believe you if you share the news with them anyway. Now you know. I’m helping you because I like you. But don’t think I’m going to be snapping my fingers to give you everything you want. That’s not how I work. I don’t interfere with the free will of my creation and I have set things up in this universe for people to do things for themselves. If I did everything for everyone, the point of creation would be lost. That said, I’ll provide the toilet paper,” She looks around at the ship; “but I’m not going to wipe your ass.” She pauses before continuing. “The quantum disruption is due to some stuffed animation called Ramrod who has created a Quantum fused Time Ship because he was too stoned to know what he was doing. Don’t worry about that, though, I’ll take care of that shit. But just so you know, I’m kinda pissed off at the moment.”
Fanny looks SAM up and down in the way a mother might look at her son who hasn’t dressed correctly for Sunday Mass.
“Go and clothe yourself. You can find a wardrobe of male clothing in the main bedchamber at the back of the ship. When you get back you can start your journey in a decently presented state.”
As Fanny finishes talking, a red light begins to blink on the helm. It’s a warning, indicating that some large unidentified objects are approaching the solar system. At the same time, the communication systems she had severed are re-initiated by way of an outside source. It’s a verbal message, but NOT coming from the unknown objects approaching. Whoever it is, has the ability to override the DGS’s systems remotely. The voice that speaks from the transmission sounds robotic, saying:
“Bio Carbon Humanoid life forms. Your stain on this universe has tainted purity. Your existence shall be aborted.”
Fanny then raises her brows at SAM, “Best you get a move on, we are about to get all sorts of bad company riding up our ass.”
The controls are fairly straight forward for anyone with a reasonable degree of intelligence. They are divided into four main boards/terminals, all four within reach of the person at the helm: Communications. Science. Propulsion. Defence and combat. Besides manual controls for everything, many of the systems can also be interacted with via voice command when more than one function needs to be applied at once.
Communications terminal
All known methods of intergalactic communication is contained here. Audio, Text, wave lengths, frequencies etc. Too many to list. Standard communications are listed on the primary panel. All communication systems are equipped with a universal translator that deciphers alien dialect in the most efficient fashion possible. For complex languages, there may be a wait before the translated message is released.
Science
Scanning array: Can scan all known elements, matter and energy and biological signatures for up to 10 lightyears radius. Data input is huge and distributed to various areas of the science databanks. All unknown data is distributed to sections of science analyses system for further study and computerized hypothesis.
Detection scanning array: Can scan in search of up to four selected elements or life type at once within a radius 50 lightyears.
Biological Scanner: Can read and organize life signs on a planet and categorize and index of up to 200 trillion individual life sources. Vessel must be within orbit of planet.
Weapons array scanner: Detects, deciphers function and organizes external weapons (those of alien vessels) into data.
Galactic charts: The DGS is constantly scanning space for major stellar formations for up to 200,000 lightyears radius, and displays all star and planet formation within that range. If the image doesn’t give it away, the map/chart of space can be seen on the view screen titled 'Galactic chart.’
Propulsion terminal
Coordinates Interface, mark 1: Is a scanning device that can be used in coordination with any of the propulsion systems. Scanning range of coordinates is effective up to 10 lightyears. If coordinates are chosen for any propulsion system, a speed must be chosen, and the vessel will enter autopilot until arriving at its destination. Coordinates Interface must always be used with TJS and LSF propulsion systems, as manual steering will not work.
Coordinates Interface, mark 2 (subspace scanning array): Used primarily for Trans Stellar Jumps (TSJ). Although it's detailed analyses of space is limited to priority stellar bodies and other objects that may be obstacles in Trans Stellar Jumps, it used subspace to scan prospective destinations of up to 100, 000 lightyears away. Only one direction can be scanned at a time. (Note: SAM will need to use this array to select a destination before activating TSJ. All shields will need to be dropped before the jump is made. SAM’s home planet is NOT within range of any scanning system aboard the DGS)
Steering: All propulsion systems, besides TSJ and LSF, are synchronized with an Omni-directional steering stick. While at Impulse, a slight move up, down, right, left etc. will change the vessels direction correspondingly and instantly. While at Secondary Impulse, speeds must be reduced to below 2,000miles/sec for the steering to be effective. [WARNING: Attempting to steer at higher velocities will shut down all ships propulsion systems instantaneously]. Holding down the button on the top of the steering stick while changing direction will keep the vessel facing the same direction even though its direction of flight has changed.
Impulse: standard Omni-directional flight. Velocity .005 to 1,000miles/sec. Functional with instant velocity (can increase speed gradually or start instantly at the specified speed. Impulse is the only propulsion system that can be used while within a planet’s atmosphere. It can also be used in space.)
Secondary Impulse: Secondary Omni-Directional flight. Can only be used in space. Velocity 1,000 to 80,000miles/sec.
Light Speed Flux[LSF]: Single directional light speed (uses subspace as a slipstream to achieve light speed).
Trans Stellar Jump [TSJ]: Hyperspace jump. Near instantaneous travel to the desired coordinates. Works by folding space. Effective up to 100,000 lightyears only.
Defense and Combat terminal
Disruptors: An energy ray designed to penetrate and disrupt/destabilize all electrical and other energy power at its target. effective diameter is adjustable from 1 to 100 meters from point of impact. Range: 30, 000, 000 miles.
Quantum Cannons: Designed to remove all matter from a set containment parameter. Is effective to all elements and material known to the Quatis, besides what their own vessels are made of. Rate of fire: 2 per second. Speed of projectile: Half Light speed, depending on the gravitation pull or other influences of the surroundings. Destructive radius adjustable from levels 1-10. 1=5meters. 10=50meters. Range: 30, 000, 000 miles.
Sonic Pulse: Ineffective in space or outside an atmosphere able to support sonic waves. Is a vibrational Disrupter. Destabilization of matter within a setting of containment. See Quantum Cannons for destructive radius parameters. Range: 30, 000, 000 miles.
Photonic Charge: Narrow laser capsules of compressed, stimulated photons. Speed: Light. 1-5000 rounds per second. Will instantly melt a hole in most materials, alloys and metal upon impact. Destructive radius 5cm to 10 meters. Range: 30, 000, 000 miles.
Triobsidium Gun: Single shot or automatic. Level 10 Fully Auto=5000 rounds per second. Fires Triobsidium heavy armor piercing bullets (lead and most other metals and alloys), though ammunition is limited. Otherwise fires highly stimulated protons contained in a bullet-size self-magnetizing field, and can fire Nitrogen-field condensed air bullets within atmospheres that contain Nitrogen (all three bullet types have the same destructive capacity). Effective range: 50 miles.
Shielding
Graviton Shield: Invisible force field. A reverse gravitational/magnetic field to prevent objects from entering but allows objects to exit. Prevents teleportation at its highest setting by scattering molecule alignment. Can be used while firing weapons. Cannot be used while TSJ propulsion is active.
Transphasic Shield: Will show up as a transparent red cocoon that envelops the vessel. Prevents all matter and forms of radiation from entering or exiting. Cannot be used while firing weapons. Cannot be used while any form of propulsion is active. Can withstand a blast with the yield of a supernova. Can remain effectively active for up to 15 minutes.
There are four view screens, all of which can be selected to display whatever data or visual information the flyer wants. Usually, at least one of these view screens are allocated to show a view of space from all six directional perspectives in split-screen style.
Quote:
Ernest doesn’t receive a reply from Rufus, as soon as Ernest stops talking the communication link between vessels is terminated abruptly from Rufus’s side.
Moments later, even though Ernest is not a carbon based life form, he receives the previously verbal message from the Sporn. He is about to be attacked by the now approaching Sporn vessel:
“Bio Carbon Humanoid life forms. Your stain on this universe has tainted purity. Your existence shall be aborted.”
Any reading of the Sporn Vessel will indicate they are charging weapons.
Meanwhile, Fanny is gritting her teeth and clenching her fists.
“Ernest,” She says; “It’s time I reveal my true nature to you. I am God. Creator of all things. Nevertheless, I, by the laws established in the creation of my universe, am unable to interfere with sentient free will. So I am going to ask your permission right now. Will you allow me to update your combative systems so you can defend yourself against the oncoming threat of the Sporn?”
Doc:
Moments after the message is delivered from the Sporn, Donny hears yet a second message, this time from the first Gamma on board the bridge. The message is being delivered to everyone in the Quatis fleet:
“This is First Gamma Palin to all individuals, personnel and otherwise. We are under attack. If you are military, head directly to battle station and prepare for to confront alien hostile forces under the sanction of Prime Force One. For any non-personnel, find security in allocated sections of your vessel. This is not a drill. Each member of the Quatis is expected to act with diligence. Remain calm. This is not a drill!”
After the message from the First Gamma, Fanny appears in Donny’s chamber. She is seated on a nearby chair, a look of dissatisfaction shading her face.
“You look like crap, Donny. Stop meddling with the innocent.” She tells him in a lackluster voice. “Looks like someone is fucking with my universe. I want you to put off Dino Gavon for the time being, there will be time to find your resolve with him in the near future. For now I’m placing you on board another vessel. The cause of all this trouble. On board this vessel you will find one of your kind, a young junkie by the name of Rufus. Kill him. The ship he is on board is not his. Do it quickly, before he causes more trouble in my universe. Do this first, and I will deliver Dino Gavon into your waiting hands. You’ll just have to trust me on this one. I’m not in the mood to explain my reasons.”
Donny is given a few moment to respond to Fanny, but she does not reply. In the ending of whatever words he might have, Donny disappears and arrives on board the ship with Rufus.
The ship he arrives on should be nothing like anywhere Donny has seen before. The controls in the room he arrives in are all interactive holographic projections.
If Donny was to move from that room and through the nearest doorway, he would find the bridge where a young red-head man with bloodshot eyes sits giggling as he communicates with another ship, the Ernest. At the time Donny would enter the Bridge, Rufus will be aware of his presence and sever communication with The Ernest, turning in his seat to face Donny, saying;
“Yo, dude! It’s rude to enter a ship unannounced.” Despite the young man’s objections, he lifts a weed-packed bong and holds it out to Donny. “Want some righteous weed or what, my audacious dude? You’re just in time to witness the second wave from the safety of this audacious ship!”
Meta:
Meta’s plans are successful. The tempest arrives within close proximity of the Quatis Fleet and Aoa has departed back to his own people.
However, as soon as Meta arrives, the Tempest will be aware of two new things: One would be the large unidentified objects closing in on the solar system (Prima Luce’s characters). Two, a transmission from the Sporn overrides the Tempests communications system by remote access and a verbal message is heard throughout the ship:
“Bio Carbon Humanoid life forms. Your stain on this universe has tainted purity. Your existence shall be aborted.”
As the message is being transmitted, another Sporn vessel is approaching the tempest. Reading would indicate they are powering weapons. At the same time The tempest scanning systems would be picking up on a few other things: The Quatis Fleet is also being surrounded by other Sporn ships. A little farther away the Sporn are surrounding another fleet of vessels belonging to the Khaganate. The Sporn are also closing in another vessel nearby, The Ernest, which is hovering near the time ship Rufus is aboard.
While all this information is flooding in for Meta, and while the message from the Sporn comes to a close, The Tempest communications is commandeered by yet another transmission, only this time from the First Gamma of the Quatis:
“This is acting captain Palin of the Quatis. Good to see you could join the fight, Meta. We suggest you ready all arms for battle. I’m also detecting one of Dino Gavon’s daughters on board your vessel. Curios…” He pauses and adds; “I do hope our arrangement still stands.”
Sahmi, standing idly by until this point, takes her serious attention to Meta, and ignoring the threat of the Sporn and the approaching unidentified objects, poses a question on a different matter:
“Just… what arrangement do you have with Palin, my father’s biggest personal enemy? Does he want my dad dead? Do you plan on killing me too… Meta?”
Luce:
The Quatis troops aren’t stupid. They soon realize that firing on Donny is having no desired effect. Firing of their weapons stops before Donny leaves Pycin’s Quarters. Once Donny is outside, The officer in charge uses his transect device to contact the bridge of the Flagship:
“First Gamma! As you know by now Pycin is dead. The grand minister is gone, sir. The entity we discovered is beyond anything we have encountered before. Our weapons are useless against it. It has taken on the form of a primitive man, likely not Quatis and has exited the Quarters sealing the door behind him. We have no idea how to handle this situation. Please advise!”
A moment later Palin replies:
“Our current motion detector scans have a proximity tag on the intruder. We are following it. At the moment the security systems in that area are preventing us from teleporting you out of Pycin’s quarters. Be advised that there are several other breaches of the same nature in other locations within our fleet. The fleet has been compromised. Please stand by until my science officer develops a way to release you from containment.”
In other areas of the Quatis fleet, the groups of soldiers assigned to investigate the penetrated areas of the ships have been ordered to stand-down weapons and first attempt verbal communication with the individuals that have appeared in those areas. The leading officer of each group communicates with their respective entity by asking for its identity and purpose on board the vessel.
The woman Donny passes in the corridor doesn't pay a lot of attention to Donny. She, like the rest of the Quatis at the moment is in a state of emergency as she rushes to her appointed destination. Soon Donny is met by another group of Quatis soldiers. This time they do not raise their weapons. But they do block his path and order him to stand still, afterwards requesting his identity and reason for being aboard their ship.
Zyn & Fairy:
As the miniaturized herd of wilder beasts disperse and leave the area, Shard, Cuna, Mili and Pirilia would find it hard to not notice a horse drawn carriage approaching from the same direction as the wilder beasts had charged them. The Coachman of the carriage is an elderly man with a long white beard and attired in a rugged hemp-like robe. His scarred and weathered face depicts that of a man who has lived a life of extreme perils and hardships.
It doesn’t take long for the antiquated Carriage to pull to a stop nearby as the driver lays down his reins to regard the small group of strangers with an awry look.
“I seem to be at a loss.” He tells them, but does not move from his seat. “I have never visited this place before, but find it a place worthy to explore.” He looks back over his shoulder down the path he had arrived by, then regards the strangers once more. “I come from Zoa, the land of Dark Mystery. Something tells me you have not seen such a place, as I have not seen a place such as this. There has been a great disturbance befall us. Follow the path I have come by, you will find a doorway to my land of birth. Be ye careful however, it is a land ruled by a wicked king and his witch.” He pauses, before taking up the reins once again and commencing on his way. As the horse drawn carriage pulls away, he calls back to them;
“I will tarry in this new land for a while. Watch your step, young ones.”
Shard had just finished giving Cuna a kiss of gratitude before the passing nomad had arrived. As the nomad departed she looks at Cuna with trepidation, saying,
“Well that was different. What land is he talking about?”
She looks down the ashen ruins of the road towards where the carriage had come from and sees in the distance a rip in the fabric of reality, like a portal to another dimension. She regard Pirilia and Mili with a look of one seeking sincere advice.
“To be honest, under the circumstances, I feel like walking into that hole.”
While all this was happening, and possibly the reason for the wilder beasts being spooked, a massive centipede shaped vessel has been descending from the sky above them, from which now a robotic voice is emitted, gaining their attention. The voice of the entity is loud enough to be heard for several hundred miles, saying:
“Bio Carbon Humanoid life forms. Your stain on this universe has tainted purity. Your existence shall be aborted.”
As soon as the message has been delivered, the massive vessel starts firing energy weapons upon the surface of the planet. Nearby buildings start exploding while people of the world start screaming as they scramble for refuge. One of the building to be destroyed is Phantom Point Station. The blast of its destruction shakes the ground as Shard takes Pirilia and Cuna by the hand and starts running, trying to pull them towards the portal.
When Gamma heads off to initialize Rodias warp drive, he will find that his attempt to initialize the systems are successful; Rodia can leave Sporn space as soon as they want.
Siren, now in Gamma’s absence, would be happy to find that she has returned to normal. No more bleeding. However, right in front of her a human appears out of nowhere. This human looks to be a young man, maybe in his late teens. It is Ernest Junior -
-Ernest Junior suddenly finds himself standing in front of Siren on board the Rodia. The last memory he has is of standing in front of Queen Avika. He does have memories of everything that happened to him before meeting with the Queen, but now he realizes that he is no longer a robot of any kind. He is flesh and blood. He is a human…. A real boy with a mind of his own. (Any more descriptions of Ernest Junior is up to you, Quote.)
Ramrod really shouldn’t smoke weed, but another bag of it appears in front of him per his request. When the bag of weed appears, the female voice of the ships AI responds:
“Anything for you, my creator. My master.”
Of course, the AI of Rufus’s ship referring to Ramrod as her creator might seem a little odd to Ramrod. But he doesn’t have time to respond straight away – Because as soon as the AI finishes speaking, Ramrod and his bag of weed leave Rufus behind. Ramrod re-materializes in his newly made vessel. This would be when Ramrod would be even more confused, because he seems to have arrived in the same ship. Everything is identical, except Rufus, who obviously isn’t there anymore. He was left on board the other ship.
“The cycle of my existence is now complete.” The AI goes on to tell Ramrod. “It is good to have a beginning. I am forever in your debt.”
Looks like Ramrod was the creator of Rufus’s ship.
Hank then appears in the adjoining room of the ship Ramrod is now in, only now he is no longer a view screen. He has taken on human form. He looks around confusedly, analyzing his body and wondering why and how. He calls out to Ramrod.
Meanwhile, the other identical ship with Rufus on board vanishes.
Time has quickly been used up for Magnus, Sandra and their little peasant girl visitor. The encroaching group of Jam people launch themselves, but concentrate their efforts on Magnus since he is flesh and blood, apparently ignoring Sandra while many of the Jam try and scramble up the hull of the ship to get at the peasant girl.
The peasant girl had looked at Sandra with a curios note of appreciation when she lifted her on top of the ship, but when the Jam suddenly launch their attack, she jumps back down with her knife thrusting and stabbing in a frantic blitz of motion at the Jam attempting to attack Magnus. The girl’s movements are surreal, well beyond the speed and agility of a normal human. The Jam can’t get near to her without being killed. Within seconds many of the Jam’s heads are rolling decapitated over the floor while a spray of blood fills the bay like a cloudy mist. While the girl is attacking she is screaming incoherently at the top of her lungs like as if she is possessed by an evil spirit.
As the fight continues and Sandra and Magnus are also probably putting up a good fight, even more Jam enter the room, hundreds of them savagely running at the three visitors.
Meanwhile, inside Magnus’s ship, a transmission arrives from the planet entity previously known as Fanny:
“We have a machine here, sir, and it seems to have a multiple personality disorder. From what I can tell it is responsible for the loss of all other life on this vessel. For the time being things are under control. What do you advise as our next move, Sir? This sort of thing isn’t exactly in the Quatis training manual.”
After a pause, the captain of the Quatis vessel replies to the commander of the Quatis unit;
“We have no reason to oblige this entity. Do away with it. We have other pressing matters to concern with at the moment.”
“Meaning what, sir?” The soldier replies.
“Do I have to spell it out for you?” The captain clarifies, “Destroy the entity, then return to the ship. We have more important matters to contend with. We don’t have time to deal with this shit.”
“But sir, I don’t believe it intends us any harm - ”
“YOU HAVE YOUR ORDERS!” The captain barks furiously at the soldier. “Do what you’re told.”
“Yes… sir.”
All the Quatis Troops have heard the orders from their captain, and the conversation between the Quatis officer and his captain would have been loud enough to carry to Blue to overhear. The Quatis soldiers ready their weapons, setting the riffles to a low Quantum Disruptor setting and, without further delay, open fire upon Blue.
The bandit, who isn’t actually a bandit at all, but a guard working for the ruling King of this land, looks up with one open eye at Hida. He seems frightened but belligerent at the same time.
"You crazy witch! You don’t know what you have done – no one assaults a kings guard and gets away with it! This is ZOA! The land of dark mysteries, all and all will answer to the great king! Search my person, take what you will from me, you wretched thief of a witch! You ungrateful cunt! But rest assure, once you are done with me the king will find you. He will make you pay for your treachery! No stone unturned.”
The bandit lowers his head, accepting his fate while mumbling a chant-like prayer to whatever god he believes in. If Hida searches his person she will find a few gold pieces in his pocket but not much more. A few gold pieces might go far in this world, however.
Cas is gobsmacked. He watches Hida do her thing and approaches the situation cautiously. Once the so called bandit has said his piece, he speaks with Hida, saying;
“You’re some sort of witch? You delve into diverse arts? In all my years as a scientist I’ve never seen such a thing. But good job. I’m impressed….” He looks at the mechanism on his wrist while Hida is likely searching the bandit kings guard for valuables. After studying his contraption on his wrist for a while, he tells her;
“My readings don’t tell me anything useful. As far as I know we have entered another universe, though some things are familiar to my technology, there are many things here that don’t register as anything my people’s science has encountered before. It is probably best we keep moving, explore this new land we have entered.”
Dino Gavon gives Brandon Sparks a little wink after hearing the Khan speak, then returned his attention to the Khan.
“Absolutely, sir.” He says. “I’ll work with you and your people in whatever manner possible that assists us both. I have children back home and I’d prefer to return to them as soon as possible. Something tells me they aren’t safe at the moment. Are there any other obscure matters I should be aware of before we commence proceedings?”
The admiral only just finished speaking when the ship is struck by an unknown force. The Bridge was shaken with a sharp jolt while all power to the bridge is cut for a second or two. In the moment the power returned and full lighting along with it, two more individuals had arrived on deck, namely a former General Katie Anderson, and a current, male vice-admiral by the names of Jens Knaggs. Both of them had been stripped completely of their clothing and looked like they had seen better days.
For Jens and Katie, they would have remembered very little from their short stay with the aliens. Outside being held immobile in a room and calling out to each other for little less than a minute in time, their memories would have been blank.
Re-establishing his footing from Bridge being shaken, Dino turns to see the two naked people arrive, which, despite the many events that had taken place for him recently, took him by surprise. Dino lays eyes on the two of them as they both collapse to the floor. They don’t drop unconscious, but they are pale and sickly looking, weak enough to not keep standing on their own two feet.
Dino rushes to the woman instinctively, turning her over on her back and telling her to take some deep breaths and relax. After doing so, he lifts his eyes to the Khan, saying;
“Had I known it was this type of party I would have brought some refreshing beverages.”
Meanwhile Jens is in a great deal of pain in his groin and lower abdomen region.
Dino looks around to see if any medics were arriving when suddenly the ship convulses again, knocking him to his back with the sickly Katie held in his arms. The ship, along with all the other ships in the Khaganate fleet are continuing to shake violently while out in space the massive cylindrical alien vessels that had confronted the fleet begin to pull away from the fleet and return to the inner parameters of their solar system.
While this is happening, a wormhole opens nearby the bulk of the Khaganate fleet. It’s a wormhole that looks nothing like the ones created by the Khaganate’s own propulsion technology. This wormhole is big enough to swallow several large planets. The interior of the hole is radiating dark colors of crimson and purple flashing like a surreal storm as it sucks into itself every last one of the Khaganate vessels. It takes less than a minute for this occur, every second of which as turbulent for the Khaganate as an plane diving for a crash landing through a storm. Once all the ships had entered the wormhole, the ride becomes relatively smooth as the Khaganate fleet find themselves heading for their next unknown destination….
Meanwhile, back in the canteen of the KSS Yurt, Fanny May had replied to James with a bored look, saying:
“Human Automaton, shooting your God isn’t the most productive course of action.” She is finishing these words and starts walking away and, as though it were right on cue, the ship starts convulsing as it is sucked into the wormhole with the rest of the fleet. The ship would have been turbulent enough to at least keep James and his troops off balance until Fanny was gone. Utterly unaffected by the shaking ship, she walks casually away and transcends through the nearest wall.
She continues walking through the ship in a straight line, passing through walls and other obstacles as though they aren’t even there, then after transcending through another wall, she doesn’t come out the other side. Instead, she steps out from one of the walls on board the bridge where the Khan and Dino Gavon are situated on the other ship just as the turbulence stops. She takes a moments to look out the view screen at the cavity walls of the wormhole passing by. She looks at Dino Gavon with a sour curl of her lip. She then fixes a smile as she takes her attention to the Khan.
“Khan.” She says politely. “You should really allow your officers a little more freedom of thought. Still, it’s good to meet you in person at last. You can call me Fanny. I insist.” Now changing her expression to one more pensive, she looks to the two naked individuals in their midst, saying; “Katie, you’re pregnant. Jens, congratulations, you’re going to be a dad, you and one other.” She looks back at the Khan. “I suggest you have these two checked out in your medical facility before we proceed with other pressing matters.”
“And the party grows…” Dino mumbles as he clambers to his feet.
(Note: If Katie and Jens were to be checked out by Khaganate medical personnel, they would find that Fanny is correct. Katie is pregnant. the foetus is little over an hour old but growing at several times the rate of human child. Closer studies of the foetus would show that Jens is the father. It would also show that the foetus also has an genealogical make up of a third party of unknown alien origin. The medical team would also surmise that attempting to abort the pregnancy would result in the death of Katie. Even more than this, an alien substance will be found in Katie's blood. This substance has yet to be established properties, but is possibly some variety of substance injected into her system as a tracking device.
Analysis of Jens will show that, besides being traumatized by the experience, his Prostate gland has been removed, the same being responsible for the severe pain he is in.
In addition, both Katie and Jens will show signs of being malnourished, as though they had gone without food for several days, which obviously conflicts greatly with the amount of time the Khaganate have recorded them missing)
-Donny knew full well how much of a dick move it is to destroy someone when they're at their most emotionally vulnerable. Many hunched over potheads had seen his shined shoes stalk into their field of vision, relaxation turning into curiosity, curiosity into confusion, confusion into dread, dread into terror. No child anticipates one day being the victim of a brutal murder just because they made made one little mistake. Met the wrong person, said the wrong thing, went to the wrong place at the wrong time. Little mistakes are what predators count on. Donny even preferred his victims to be stoned. It gave him a better view of unbridled humanity at its most desperate. However... Donny had just been assaulted by infants, and had been fighting advanced and otherworldly forces ever since he'd been teleported into another realm right out of the blue. And here was an honest to God bong. He supposed he could afford to lighten up for once. Donny was only human, after all.-
-He'd shrug and graciously accept the bong from Ronny, but only with his left hand. He needed his right for cold cocking the guy, zippo clenched in his fist for extra mass, even though the SAP gloves already provided plenty. It'd easily break the man's jaw and give him a concussion, and if it did, Donny'd drag the man from his seat and throw him face down to the floor, two hard stomps to the base of the head ensuring a relatively quick and clean death by way of clinical decapitation, separating the vertebrae from the brain stem.-
-Donny would take Ronny's seat, inspecting all of the controls as he did so. He'd have fulfilled Fanny's objective, but that didn't mean the party was over. It seemed like this one had been in a transmission with another vessel. What a great opportunity to practice method acting. Donny took a few hits off the bong and started up another transmission with the Earnest, doing a fair imitation of Ronny, perfect in tone, and covering up the minute differences in pitch by coughing and speaking as if vocally influenced by a harsh hit.-
"*Cough!!*... Oof, whew... Status report, my dude? *Cough, cough*"
@Hokum As Ernest Ernest has a lot to take in. Strange creatures Ernest has never heard have appeared and are threatening him for no reason, Rufus is acting strange, and Ernest's only close auentance has just revealed herself to be the actual creator of the universe. And on top of that, he just got offered massive change.
Ok, so that's just four things, but they are four very large things. Being a computer, Ernest is thinking through all of this incredibly quickly, but through his perspective, it's the equivalent of meditating for hours. While he is thinking, the terminal glitches out, and starts displaying some of his thoughts, albeit the text is scrolling far too fast for any normal human to read it.
What is going on here? What's threatening to attack me? Sporn? I have no data on that... Do I? No time to check. How powerful are they? Are they really so power that Miss May has to upgrade me? What did she mean when she called herself God? Did she really make this universe? That would explain the strange things that seem to happen around her... and the mysterious text file in my memory that said "Hokum, you're not really a God." Who is Hokum, anyway? How curious.
[GARBLED TEXT]
Where was I? Where am I? What's going on? What ever happened to Ernest Jr? Why do I care? What is Rufus doing? Why is he suddenly friendly with me? Was there somthing im missing? Two many quastions. I dont feeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEeeeeeeeeeel well-well-well well is this what pain is like for biological entities no maybe its moresimilartooastroke whatisgoingonwhycantithinkwhatisgoingon somethingis goingwrongicantstopwhatisgoingonwhatisgoingon ifmayisgodshecanhearmecanyouhearmewhatisgoing whatisgoingonwhatisgoingonwhatisgoingonwhatisgoingonggoinggoinggoinggonegggggggggggggggggggg ggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg
[GARBLED TEXT]
RAM ERROR. RAM DATA CORRUPTED. INITIATING MINI DUMP.... MINI DUMP COMPLETE.
What happened? My memory got corrupted? Curious. That's never happened. I wonder what caused it? Driver error? Over heating maybe? I should restart myself once I get the chance.
I suppose there are more pressing matters though.
I'm sorry, Miss May. I've made my choice.
After whatever that was, the terminal goes back to normal.
@Doc Doctor Ernest doesn't seem to realize Rufus was attacked, and is convinced by Donny's impression, albeit very confused. He sends a response message.
Ernest's voice is louder, harsher, and less 'computery' than normal. In fact, he sounds angrier than he has ever been before, which will probably be a surprise to Donny, who seems to be under the impression Rufus and Ernest were allies. "Rufus, I don't know why you are asking me for a status report and I don't care. I was planning on wiping your foolishness from this world and your ship with it, but luckily for you I have a more immediate threat, so I can not focus on you right now. You will stay right there. You will not move. You will not do anything. If you try to escape, I will destroy you. If you attempt to initiate the 'second wave', I will destroy you. Do anything without my explicit permission, and I will destroy you. This is my final warning. Ernest out."
[Back to just Hokum]
Ernest closed the coms. He felt weird. He didn't think he was capable of any emotions, but this appears to be anger he is showing Rufus. Ernest makes a mental note to look into this later. He then metaphorically turns back to Fanny May.
"My apologies, Miss May" His voice has returned to his normal tone, although it's still less computery. "All of these threats at once seem to be causing stress on my CPU, and I'm not thinking as well as I usually do, as you. But I have made my decision. I want to let you know that is an honour to have you, creator of all things, aboard my crew and, if I may describe you as such, have you as a friend. I trust you to make any upgrade you deem necessary"
Ernest then starts turning towards the incoming Sporn craft, readying his weapons for this new threat.
As Rodia. And by Rodia I mean Gamma. "Well, it seems like I'm a few steps behind on what is happening." Chuckled Gamma, "I suppose that's normal."
Gamma looks at the warp system's controles. While he did get get the data for controlling it downloaded, he really doesn't like it. Siren didn't even tell him where to go. "She probably doesn't know anyway. I know her type. They like being in control but don't actually know what to do with their power." Gamma then sighs at how familiar that sounds.
Gamma continues. "I don't care what Siren says. I'm going to find Ramrod. I trust him more here than I do Siren."
Gamma hits the warp drive up, going... nowhere in particular, actually. He really didn't think this through.
As Siren As surprising (and relieving) as the lack of blood is, Siren's focus is on the sudden fleshy intruder. She quite nearly pulls out her weapon, before realizing it's a child. Still she is quiet hostile.
"You there! What are you doing here? Who are you? Explain yourself at once, child!"
And as.... Ernest Jr?
Ernest Jr is a human, biologically about 16 years old, and somehow the son of the Spaceship Ernest. He's average height, with good poster, and on the large side of healthy weights. He has brown skin and messy white hair, but otherwise does not appear to belong to any specific race of human. Much like his old mechanical form, his movements are fast, stiff, and slightly awkward. He has little emotions, much like his father did during his creation, although that might change soon, since he can now think for himself.
He wears a simple, silver-colored shirt and pants of unknown material (it's relatively durable but doesn't act as armor, it might protect him if he is scratched), a bag to keep things with him, and a severe lack of shoes. In his bag, he has the remains of his blaster and his blowtorch from his mechanical body (now with handles to be used in his mechanical form), and some of the material Ernest's hull is made out.
As much Ernest Jr as wanted to take a moment to process what just happened, Siren's yelling gives him higher priorities.
Despite the angered robot, Jr remains pretty calm and formal. "My name...? You can refure to me as Ernest Junior. I am the son of Ernest, although how this is possible is unknown to me. I was formally a small robot made to repair Ernest, and had no mind of my own until the recent shockwave I am sure you are aware of, which I can only assume brought me here, unless you did. If you know the whereabouts of my father, that would be most helpful, as I'm sure he'd know more about the situation than I do.
"Really. REALLY" Siren remains agitated. "You expect me to believe that, Ernest?!"
Ernest thinks for a moment. "No. It is the truth though, no matter how doubtful you are.
Siren returns to a more formal tone, and isn't hostile at the moment, but is still annoyed, which she makes very clear. "Ergh, fine, you don't seem to be a threat, and you're a child... I need to get you too a safer location though, the sporn will-"
Siren is interrupted by the Station going into warp drive, which knocked the station a little.
"Or for the love of.... Gamma, you idiot!! Ernest, follow me, you'll be safer with me than anyone else. I need to have a stern talk with a certain manchild of an R-Core" Siren yells, grabbing Ernest Jr's hand and taking him with her.
Meta lets out a sigh of relief as his ship safely arrives in close proximity of the Quatis fleet without any noticeable damage. However, the real danger would then present itself, as his sensor array detects an unknown number of large unidentified objects closing in on the solar system. He could worry about that later, but what did catch his attention was the threat of destruction from the Sporn and the incoming Sporn ship that was powering up its weapons. Several other notifications then appear on his helmet's HUD, however, he dismisses them to focus on the more important task at hand.
He starts up the Tempest's sunlight engines before maneuvering towards the hangar of the closest Quatis ship, intending to dock. He proceeds to contact Palin and let him know that he was going to be docking, right up until Palin contacted him first, apparently aware that Gavon's daughter was with him. She asks Meta a question, provoking a period of silence, before he quickly draws his pistol and blasts Sahmi with a stun shot before she could react. As she falls to the floor, now unconscious, he shoots an additional stun dart from his wrist gauntlet, just to make sure that she stays like that for a while. Meta then switches to the comms and speaks to Palin:
Meta: Our deal is fully intact, she was just a... problematic stowaway. I have subdued the girl and rendered her unconscious, and I will be attempting to dock in the hangar of one of your ships now. You may claim her at any time of your liking, do I have your permission to do so?
As he waits for a reply, he switches to Niner's comms and informs him to bring an escort of Instigators with him and escort Sahmi to the prison block.
@Prima Luce The small research robot from the KSS Aqua approached the hull anomaly. As it did, it could see that the bulge had practically disappeared. The scientists assigned to its controls were visibly disappointed as valuable research data had gone down the figurative drain, and into the very real spaceship. Sadly for the researchers, however, the robot would not be able to get into the hull breach, as it had been tidily sealed by the automated breach-seal systems of the Khaganate. (These breach-seal systems work much like how a human body would repair wounds. At the first sign of a hull breach, a 'scab' would be made by the shield generator systems of Khaganate vessels, shielding the breach and making sure that no pressure loss or further damage would happen. Next, the Nanite auto-repair systems would efficiently repair the breach, closing it completely.) ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ @Hokum As usual, it took some time for First Gamma Palin to respond. Captain Schmidt started considering his options on what to do about the hull anomalies. It was then that he received the message from the Sporn. Quickly recognizing the message as a threat, he ordered:
"Power up all available weapon and shield systems! Surround our civilian ships with military vessels. Set status to red alert and summon all crew members to battle stations", Erwin said, speaking as admiral of the fleet, rather than the captain of the Nova.
The twenty-nine Khaganate ships became a flurry of activity as men and women ran to their designated battle-stations. Engineers checked the weapons, shields and other systems to make sure they were ready as soldiers and marines gathered their equipment to prepare for any hostile boarding actions. The civilian ships raised their shields and point defense weapons as the Khaganate Navy ships encompassed them. Fighter and bomber pilots got in their strike-craft, preparing to launch. The only areas devoid of activity were those that had been affected by the hull anomalies. All ship-to-ship traffic had shut down.
"Shields are raised and weapons are fully charged, captain. All systems are nominal, except those in the affected areas."
"Admiral, I detect hull breaches on all fleet ships. It would seem that these breaches are at the location of the hull anomalies. The Quatis fleet is also suffering from the same hull breaches. The automated breach-seal protocols have negated the pressure loss from the breaches, but they are still present"
"Activate Nanite Repair Systems on all fleet vessels. Make sure every vessel is fully repaired before we get into any conflict."
"Captain, I received a message from the Quatis fleet," the officer in charge of communications, who had not completely come to terms with Erwin's sudden change in demeanor.
After those scant few minutes in which so much had already happened, the Khaganate fleet finally got Palin's response. Captain Schmidt listened intently, his mind racing as he heard of the assault on the Quatis fleet.
"Captain, I can confirm what the First Gamma said," the Communications Officer stated, "A group of unknown objects are currently in transit towards this star system."
"Rendezvous with the Quatis," the captain ordered, "and charge the wormhole drive while we are en route. Make sure to target a nearby star system so we can make a quick escape if needed. We are only here to protect the civilian ships and get back to the main fleet, and we can't do that if we're dead."
"Captain, hostile ships approaching! Their weapons are being charged and they're trying to surround us. They should be visible on the main screen now."
Admiral Schmidt looked at the main viewscreen, and indeed he saw the centipede-like ships from the Sporn approaching the Khaganate fleet.
"Set course for the Quatis, NOW!"
The Nova's propulsion systems roared as they started to move the ship towards its destination. The other ships in the Khaganate Secondary Fleet started to move as well. Spacetime itself was bent and curved as the Khaganate fleet activated its Superluminal Propulsion Systems, or SPS, (a way for Khaganate ships to travel faster than light in-system, works by expanding and contracting space similarly to an Alcubierre Drive) to move even faster towards the Quatis fleet.
"Do we have anything capable of boarding other ships at the moment?"
"As far as I can see, captain, all we have are boarding pods, MCES mechs, and dropships. No stratocruisers are currently present, so that's all we've got, and there's only a few of them. We also have teleporters, but we wouldn't be able to conduct large-scale boarding actions with those."
Admiral Schmidt then replied to Palin:
"First Gamma Palin. We're coming over to you. Do you need help taking out the robotic entity on your science vessel?"
Only a few minutes after the admiral had given the order to travel to the Quatis fleet, they had arrived there, the curvature of spacetime returning to normal as the SPS was turned off. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ @Prima Luce Luckily for the Omega Order soldiers that were busy investigating the strange hull anomalies, the breach that had recently formed in the general vicinity had already been closed off almost instantaneously by the breach-seal shield. Moreover, the very brief and sudden change in air pressure they had experienced was completely negated by the magnetic boots and the powered exoskeleton beneath the rest of their uniform that were a standard part of Omega Order task force equipment.
The leader of one of the first Omega Order Task Forces to arrive at the area they had been sent to, Sergeant Marica Tanner, raised her hand as soon as she saw the man. The Omega Order soldiers halted in their tracks. They kept their hands on their weapons, just in case, but didn't immediately aim at the civilian. Marica scanned the entity, confirming its identity as one of the civilians that had already been evacuated from that particular part of the ship. Something strange is at work here, Sergeant Tanner thought, there's no way that they would've just left someone behind. Unless....
"Operation Command, this is AXE-1. We have discovered a male civilian in containment area B-7. Curiously enough, this civilian has already been evacuated from this area, so we know that Bravo-Six was succesful. The entity shows no life-signs. We suspect that somehow some kind of entity present in the hull anomaly replicated the appearance of this particular civilian, but we are not sure. How do we proceed? It is clearly anomalous, but it's not acting with any hostility either."
"Try to approach it and see if it communicates. Only use violence in the most dire of circumstances."
Marica raised her hand, waving at the civilian. "We are from the Omega Order," she said, "who are you?" ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ @Hokum "Operation Command, did you get that? The entity claimed itself to be a god," James noted.
"Positive, PA-1. It is as we suspected earlier," Operation Command replied.
It was then that the ship suddenly started to shake again, like it had before when they tried to recontain the entity. While the powered exoskeleton they wore underneath would've normally prevented the Omega Order soldiers from being thrown off balance, this time the ship shook so hard that the task force Phalanx Alpha had difficulty staying upright, and James feared that the ship would break if the shaking continued for too long.
Sgt. Maleski could do nothing as he saw the entity phase through a wall and escape. "Operation Command, we've lost the entity. It phased through a wall. Current location unknown."
"Understood. We'll try our best to find it again and recontain it. Get some rest in the meantime." ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ @Hokum Where the hell am I now?, former general Katie Anderson thought, I feel like shit. General Anderson tried to remember what had happened, but all she could remember was being strapped to some kind of table.
The darkness all around her made way for the light as power was restored to the bridge of the Genghis. The former general felt her legs collapsing beneat her, too weak to stand up. Is this the bridge of the KSS Genghis? she thought, as she quickly catched a glimpse of the surrounding environment. What happened to Arman? What happened to the other officers?
Ouch, that hurt. Katie felt someone pick her up and turn her over. I have no idea who this is, the general thought as she looked at Dino He doesn't look like he's from the Khaganate. She tried to raise her arm to punch him so he would stop holding her, but was ultimately unsuccesful as she was too weak. Can't even hit someone when I want to. What happened to me?
"Admiral Gavon, please let go of my general." Katie heard from somewhere to her left. She turned her head to look at the source of her voice. Of course, my Khan is on this ship too, and those men standing beside him must be the Kheshig. Katie looked the other way. She could see the vice-admiral, Jens Knaggs, laying down on the ground, hands on his groin with tears in his eyes. Luckily, one of the crew members was already calling for medical aid.
As the ship started to shake and Dino was knocked on his back, general Anderson's attention was drawn to something far more interesting. She could see three cylindrical spaceships pull away as a strange crimson wormhole opened near the Genghis, sucking in the ship. Immediately, all hell broke loose inside the bridge as the ship started to move like a boat entering rapids in a river and subsequently falling down a waterfall. The automated balancing systems of the Khaganate ships could do nothing to compensate for the turbulence. It took only less than a minute before the Khaganate fleet was sucked in.
"Status report," Katie could hear Khan Yuri order from some distance behind her.
"Uhh, Sir, it appears that two of our missing officers have arrived on the bridge, and our fleet has been sucked into a wormhole of unknown making. As far as I can see, none of the ships are..."
The person speaking got no chance to finish as one of the many screens in the bridge started broadcasting a signal coming from the KSS Borealis. On the screen Katie could see a bearded, white-haired man kneeling, with his clenched fist on his chest, showing his loyalty to the Khan. Arman! Katie thought He must've made it back to his stratocruiser after I disappeared. She could see a very brief flash of surprise in General Nurzhan's eyes as he saw her and Jens, but that went away quickly as he directed his eyes to Khan Yuri.
"Gur Khan, I have returned, and General Anderson is here apparently as well. I have reclaimed leadership of my Army, and we are at your command."
The Khan, who still stood up from the amazement he had when General Anderson and Vice-Admiral Knaggs had suddenly appeared on the bridge, let himself fall back down to his throne. "Of course, General Nurzhan should appear as well. Stand up, no need to kneel at the moment. Right now we're in transit to an unknown location by a wormhole not of our own making. Get ready for any nasty surprises that might be awaiting on the other side."
Katie saw Arman give a small nod before the broadcast ended. It was at that moment, to all of the surprise of the bridge crew, that Fanny May walked out one of the walls of the bridge.
"You're pregnant!" was the last thing Katie heard before she blacked out. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ @Hokum The medical personnel hurried away, carrying General Anderson and Vice-admiral Knaggs on stretchers. Khan Yuri Lanist was fascinated by the new arrival. He had ordered the Kheshig to stand down, but they still looked at Fanny visibly uneasy. "Contact all ships in the fleet, order them to be ready for anything that could be on the other side of the wormhole," the Khan quickly said before turning his attention to Fanny.
"So, you must be Fanny May," the Khan said, "What business did you want to discuss?" ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ The general of the 7th army of the Lanist Khaganate was exhausted. Only now did Arman Nurzhan realize that he had not eaten or slept since he and Katie had escaped from the medieval planet that they had been stranded on after the Khaganate fleet mis-jumped. He left the room and went to his quarters to get some rest.
On the way, he met Legate Septima. "Sir, what are your orders?" She asked. Legate Aquila Septima was the general's second-in command, and he entrusted her with carrying out his orders in the way she saw fit. It was one of the reasons why she was chosen to be general in his place while he was gone.
"Make sure the ship is ready for combat," Arman replied, "We are in a wormhole that is not of our own making. We need to be prepared for any eventuality. Tell the captain to warm up our own wormhole generator in case we need to jump out."
"Understood, sir, there was also something else I wanted to discuss."
"What is it, legate?" Arman asked, without his usual stern demeanor.
"You've changed, General. I notice that you don't speak with the usual lack of emotion or disregard for that of others. Why, if I am allowed to ask?"
"Several years of solitude do that to a man, Legate. But that is a story for another time."
@Hokum "Gentlemen, I wouldn't d-" before K12 could finish the soldiers opened fire which caused it to jump as bullets pinged of its metal body creating dents and scratches as K12 turned to run back behind the munitions crate. "I tried to warn you, Red I trust you can take care of this? Bzzt YES LET ME AT EM! THEY DENTED AND SCRATCHED ME! I JUST GOT FIXED FROM LAST TIME!" K12 said as the calmer voice apparently know as blue was replaced by the angry one know as red. One of the belts of ammo that was hanging over the back of the crate could be seen dragged out of the crate. Clicking sounds could be heard as the violent voice came back again laughing this time "heheheHeHEAHAH" the sound of the gun spinning up could be heard as K12 stepped back around the box with the mini-gun picking up speed "SAY HELLO TO MY FRIEND, 30 MIL GATLING TURRET! zzzt fair warning, you have about ten seconds before that fires, so run." k12 said as the gun was aimed.
@Hokum While Magnus is trying his best to cause as much damage as possible with a hatchet, he takes a quick glance at the peasant girl, thinking that she is definitely not normal. He should probably look into it later, but now he has a more important task. After the years of being abandoned Sandra's programming had deteriorated, leaving only basic functions in order to survive, such as how a human that hasn't eaten in a long time becomes extremely thin. Ever since being rebooted she's been unconsciously searching for missing programming. As a Jam was launching one of it's wretched limbs at her, she was able to uncover a program labeled SELFDEFENCE.protocal. Suddenly, her robotic hand disassembled into a crude spiky point, followed by the rest of her mechanical form devolving into a horrifying mess of sharp metals and exposed wires. She flew at the Jam with such speed and attacking malice, Magnus swallowed in fear that she had this power this entire time, and could have killed him easily.
"Man I really have to work on my self defense." He silently said to himself as he was trying to attack a Jam. "Or maybe get an actual ax or something like that." At that moment he heard what could undeniably be that planet thing. Naffy? Something like that. He was horrible with names. Especially when in a panic inducing situation like now.
"Seriously?" He said to himself. He thought that with the girl and Sandra fighting those things, he might be able to get into the ship and try and talk to her or maybe even develop an escape plan. He waited for the Jam to turn their attention towards the ladies, he was able to sneak into the ship. Even with the ship shaking due to the battle going on around it, he was able to make it into the Captain's Room.
He sighed into the microphone. "What do you want, Fammy?"
So apparently I forgot to post for Ramrod. Pretend like this was earlier, ok? Please? @Hokum As Ramrod, finally. Ramrod, does not respond for a long time.
.....
And I do mean a long time.
......
Finally, Ramrod's cotton brain kicked in and realized what was happening. Mostly. He isn't all there at the moment.
"Zeal... Remind me never to get high ever again" Ramrod finally says. While getting ready to puff his next puff.
Ramrod thinks for a moment on how he just created Rufus's ship... from Rufus's ship. He was blissfully unaware of the destruction Zeal caused with the quantum shuffle, that he just become indirectly responsible for. "Zeal, I need to get back to my home... The Space Station Rodia... Where the R-Core live. I wonder how they are doing without me? Anyway, do you think you could plot a course there?" Ramrod is unaware that Rodia has been relocated.
Ramrod climbs off of his chair and walks in the general direction he heard Hank. "Hank...? Why are you mraoh'ing human?"
Luna ducked down to rub her head against the edge of the wall. The rest of her body followed up on the movement and soon, she was rubbing her back as best as she could against the concrete. The itch was alleviated somewhat, but not enough, and she flopped down against the wall, rolling over to stretch her paws against it. Then she rolled over on her other side, stretching out again. This was repeated a few more times until she stopped, tail twitching in mild irritation.
At least the weather had been merciful today. Instead of the usual humid heat, the day had been nicely sunny and a cool breeze had been hanging around this area, ruffling her fur. Maybe it was because of the fact that this stretch of blocks sat on a bit of a hill. The squat four-level flats lowered themselves in a neat line to the bottom, a staircase running alongside doorsteps. Its one-sided banister separated the staircase and the ensuing corridor from the gardens - in reality, a railed slope that zig-zagged its way down the hill, but the humans had dedicated their time to fill every inch of grassy space around it with plants of all kinds. Frankly, Luna couldn’t figure out why the humans were so invested in their plants, but they were nice to hide in and the lizards they attracted were a definite bonus. Those flighty eels were tough to catch, but it was fun to try.
On the other side of the zig-zag gardens was a flipped replica of her stretch of blocks and at the bottom of the hill, the slope ended in a pavement that lead to an open playground, walled in by the flats on either side. The pavement was adorned with plants as well, if not more than the slope was, with both potted and grounded ones. The splayed out playground ended at the sheltered pavement that went past the flats, a path where Luna observed usually had a lot of humans. Right now, though, there was only a slow trickle of people. Luna eyed them from where she lay on her side near the top of the staircase. Evening was approaching.
The scent of her brother had Luna rolling herself upright, glancing once behind herself before looking back at the shelter with disinterest. She sensed him padding up to her, then felt his nose brush against the fur of her back. Looking back to him, she rolled over and away from his inquisitive sniffing, letting the floor scratch her back for her. His nose twitched and he stubbornly walked over to her other side, bending his head low to try again.
Was whatever that was itching her back giving off a smell? Luna thumped her tail in irritation. She hadn’t smelt anything weird from herself. When her brother didn’t back away, she got up, pointedly walking away from him to settle herself down by the banister at the top of the staircase. Just as she was about to sit down, however, she spotted a ball of twitchy orange tottering its way towards the staircase, presumably to head upstairs and join them.
Their mother had probably rejected the kit again. When was the furball going to get that their mother didn’t want them around? Their brother was the only one who could get through to their mother. Her tail twitching, she turned around, meeting her brother’s gaze. He stared evenly back at her. Dear God, was he really expecting her to get along with the little idiot? Her little sister was more annoying than humans teasing her by momentarily withholding food. She stalked away.
The top of the slope and staircases lead out to a pavement perpendicular to them and beyond that, the street. The side of the pavement that faced the street was lined with grass and spaced out trees. There wasn't a human in sight at this time and all was quiet, except for the occasional car that passed. She flopped down under the shade of one, rolling her back against its trunk. The feeling of rough bark rubbing against her skin had her purring, mollified. That was much better.
As the reply from the Ernest ends - yet alerts Donny of the fact that Rufus was by no means an ally with the Ernest – the dead body of Rufus rises from the floor in a single, sagging motion like a rag doll tugged up by puppet strings. Head sagging to one side, eyes glazed, he then shuffled limply across the floor and takes a seat next to Donny. In his zombie-like state, his glazed stare fixes on Donny as his mouth opens up to release the sound of a rather pleasant female voice, saying:
“My name is Zeal, but you can call me Cindy.” Rufus’s possessed body then lifts one limp arm to point at the view screen where two centipede shaped vessels can be seen approaching, and he adds; “You might want to raise my shields.”
It should be clear to Donny at this point that the AI of the ship he is on has somehow taken control of Rufus’s corpse.
A moment later, a message comes through on the communications system at the helm. It is the electronical sounding voice of those on board the approaching enemy vessels:
“We are the Sporn. Your biological presence has tainted our universe. Your existence will be aborted.”
As this is happening, the physical contact Donny is making with the helm is acting as a conduit for the ship he is on. Technical knowledge is transmitted through Donny’s flesh and to his brain like a revelation. He is now fully aware of how to operate Cindy’s systems. Of course now, Donny can read all of the holographic displays at the helm, one of which are informing him that the approaching Sporn ships are powering weapons. He would also be aware of some other facts: 1. The Ernest (which is actually a sentient ship as well), is also under attack from the Sporn. 2. The numerous other ships in the solar system, including the Quatis and Khaganate fleet, are under attack from the Sporn as well. 3. He is able to communicate with any vessel in the entire solar system with the communication systems he has at hand. 4. DINO GAVON has just appeared inside the sealed hanger of the Quatis Flagship, within shooting range of the bounty hunter, Meta. 5. He has an unimaginable amount of power at his fingertips, some of which include:
- Trans-phasic quantum torpedoes, designed to penetrate targets through the protective shifts of space-time. - Subatomic disruptors, designed to break matter apart at its core by way of a highly accelerated proton charge. - Photon Gatlin, something like a Gatlin gun that shoots over 5 thousand rounds per minute, only these bullets are made of contained, volatile light darts, each one able to penetrate most alloys up to fifteen feet in depth and has a 15 ton destructive yield. - Time phasing shields. A time shield that puts the ship a little out of phase with current time, rendering it untouchable by most weapons (with the exception of The Ernest, and possibly the attacking Sporn ships).
Wasting no time at all, The Sporn Vessels launch a volley of energy projectiles at Donny.
“Of course we are friends.” Is Fanny’s only reply to Ernest, in a low and somewhat submissive voice that may not be expected from God. But as soon as she finished speaking and Ernest turned his attention to the Sporn threat, his weapons systems had been upgraded. Ernest would have sensed very little, kind of like a human remembering they had put pants on that morning. It would have been like the weapons had always been there, as all his other systems had simultaneously adapted to their presence.
Ernest is now equipped with: - Trans-phasic quantum torpedoes, designed to penetrate targets through the protective shifts of space-time. - Subatomic disruptors, designed to break matter apart at its core by way of a highly accelerated proton charge. - Photon Gatlin, something like a Gatlin gun that shoots over 5 thousand rounds per minute, only these bullets are made of contained, volatile light darts, each one able to penetrate most alloys up to fifteen feet in depth and has a 15 ton destructive yield. - Multi phasing shield emitter. An energy shield that encompasses the ship, repeatedly and randomly changing its harmonics/phasing to prevent advanced energy weapons from adjusting their own frequency to penetrate. The static/base defence strength of the shield (protection from non-energy projectiles) is the equivalent of twenty meters of titanium.
“You’re ready.” She tells him. “Concentrate on the Sporn for now. Rufus… or should we say Donny, has discovered our common enemy.”
A moment later, the Sporn fire their first volley of weapons upon the Ernest, three in total. The type of weapons used by the Sporn are unknown to Ernest, but consistent with volatile energy. He may want to raise his multi phasing shield emitter before the light-speed volley makes contact.
As the volley of weapons approach Ernest at the speed of light, Fanny says something in a by-the-way casual tone:
Meta’s attempt to move away from the approaching Sporn was futile. They followed like magnets guided by steel. As the first volley of Sporn fire is launched upon The Tempest, Meta’s request from Palin is answered just in time. As the weapons discharge from the Sporn pass through empty space, Meta will find that he and his ship has been teleported into the hangar on board the Quatis flagship. It is only now, moments later, that Meta receives a verbal reply from Palin:
“You are aboard my vessel. This is a temporary measure until the Sporn threat has been dealt with. Exit your vessel. The majority of our officers are occupied at the moment. You will be met by a single Quatis soldier clone escort. Remain armed, we have been breached by hostile forces.”
Niner and the escort of Instigators never make it to Sahmi. As the message from Palin is delivered to Meta, her body dematerializes in a flash of blue light….
When Meta exits the Tempest, he would find himself in a large hangar that, aside from the Tempest, is otherwise empty. Waiting near to where Meta exits his ship, is a Quatis soldier clone he had been informed about. The clone is suited with body armour and stone cold face-revealing helmet, as well as all manner of weapons, so many that it would seem that a normal man would be unable to support the weight of it all. But only one hand is actually armed with a pistol-shaped energy gun of strange proportions. He would extend his free hand to greet Meta when he approaches, saying:
“I am Quatis Mark 567, your escort.” After Meta greets the Clone, the clone would reply by saying:
“Nowhere is safe. In case you have not already been informed, our vessels have been penetrated by hostile forces. Stay alert and at the ready at all times. That said, we should proceed quickly to a confinement area for your safety. Follow me.”
As soon as the Clone stops speaking, the ship is shaken violently from an attack from the Sporn. As the shaking then subsides, and what must be a strange surprise, Dino Gavon blinks into existence near the exit door of the hangar. After a few seconds of realising where he is, looks across the 30 meters that separates him from Meta, a somewhat curious look on his face.
“Uh right, it’s you. Why would I not expect her to place me here?”
As he finishes talking, he reaches for the transect device in order to teleport himself away. As he reaches for the transect device, the Quatis ships shakes again due to a shockwave from somewhere out in space.
While the aforementioned circumstances were taking place, the Quatis Fleet had been changing to a defensive formation. The fleet are now in a circular formation, the bow of each ship is facing out from the circle, the sterns are facing inward.
As the Quatis finish their manoeuvre, The Sporn had charged all weapons. They fired, yet the volley of energy charges miss their target as the Khaganate fleet make their speedy escape to the location of the Quatis fleet. They are however not out of danger. The Sporn vessels pursue them in an uncanny manner, as if they were attracted to their new location like a magnet. They too arrive at close proximity to the Quatis fleet, joining forces with the Sporn ships that were already there to attack the Quatis.
Meanwhile, the Sporn had launched their first volley of energy weapons at the Quatis as well, but the Quatis had raised their shields a second after they transported the Tempest aboard. The strike from the Sporn weapons do not pass through the Quatis shield matrix, but the explosions are powerful enough to shake the fleet.
All the Sporn Vessels now begin to recharge their weapons for a second assault. This time, the readings given off by the charging weapons are far stronger than the first. While this is happening, Admiral Schmidt receives an answer back from Palin:
“Do not endanger your people more than is needed, we will take care of our rogue hostile.” Palin’s voice seems a little uneasy. “Our reading indicate that your vessels may not be equipped to handle a secondary attack from the Sporn. Standby for capsule shielding! It will take a few moments to make this happen. Launch all that you can at the enemy before our shield covers you.”
While this message is being transmitted and the Sporn vessel continue to power up their second assault, the Khaganate will read a massive energy surge rising from the Quatis fleet. It is the energy given off by the primary shield matrix which is now being adapted to form a cocoon around both fleets. The Capsule Shielding Palin had mention. While the Quatis prepare to form the shield around both fleets, they launch their own attack of Quantum torpedoes upon the many Sporn ships that surround.
The Sporn ships appear to be shaken and their powering weapons are delayed, but they seem otherwise undamaged by the Quatis attack. If the Khaganate fire upon the Sporn as instructed, or even if they don’t, the Quatis shield will then be erected around both fleets.
Moments after all these things take place, the Sporn open fire upon the DGS. A volley of energy discharges strike the vessel. In the moment before impact, Fanny May gives SAM a wink and wave goodbye. SAM and the DGS are destroyed.
Even more unfortunately, the type of energy used in the Sporn weapons, combined with the weapons and propulsion energies of the DGS, reacts in a way to create an explosion of unprecedented proportions: The initial destruction of the DGS is instantly followed up by a following cascade explosion that sends a shockwave out across the Phantom Point solar system. Every ship within the system is shaken violently, though not hard enough to actually cause serious damage to them all.
The shockwave, however, also reaches the planet that the DGS had been in orbit of. It shakes the ground and everyone on the planet, but it also effects the portal that had appeared on the surface of the planet just minutes beforehand (as mentioned in my previous reply to Fairy and Zyn). The Portal becomes unstable from the shockwave, growing in size as it starts to behave like a black hole, sucking everything around it into its growing gravitational pull. Cuna, shard, Mili and Pirilia are the first within reach of gravity, pulling them into to whatever awaited them on the other side.
The ships in space are not yet effected by the growing strength of the gravity from the black hole, but its growing size and power would already be registering on their ships data systems.
Meanwhile - if all of this was not enough - Haney’s Ribbon appears on the outskirts of the Solar System. The appearance of Haney’s Ribbon obviously causes more problems. The dampening field she sends out prevents the propulsion systems of all the ships in the solar system to fail. Every ship is now dead in the water, including the Sporn. Even though propulsion systems of all ships are now useless, weapons and other systems are still operational. They can fight, they just can’t move.
While all vessels are now stuck in place, Haney’s Ribbon starts her slow encroach upon the solar system. The first obstacle in her path is the outer most planet that explodes instantly upon contact. Again another shockwave is sent out from this explosion, causing all ships in the solar system to tremble at the power.
Moments later, all ships in the solar system would be aware of yet another arrival. It is the Rodia, as it drops out of warp to join the party.
Meanwhile, Rodia and everyone aboard are jettisoned across space when Gamma hits warp drive. Minutes later they arrive in a new territory in space. Unfortunately, this region seems to be in conflict. They have arrived at the Phantom Point solar system moments after Haney’s Ribbon appears. (those already in the system are Quatis Fleet, The Khaganate, The Time Ship, The Ernest, The Sporn, The Tempest which has already entered one of the Quatis Hangars and cant be seen atm, and of course some massive unidentified objects moving towards the solar system but are still a long way off. The Rodia would also receive reading of a growing black hole on one of the planets. But more than all this, it would seem that the Sporn, Allies to all those on board Rodia, are attacking all the other ships in the area. THIS COULD PRESENT A PROBLEM! ). As soon as they arrive, Haney’s Ribbon causes all of Rodia’s propulsion systems to go offline.
Unfortunately for Gamma, Ramrod isn’t here… yet. But the Time Ship may be giving off reading that are similar to the readings that Ramrods creations usually give off. Only Ramrod isn’t aboard the vessel.
Somewhere else in time and space, K12 is counting down the seconds to opening fire upon the Quatis on the otherwise abandoned vessel. The Quatis troops have stopped firing their energy weapons and look curiously at each other when it becomes more than clear that the entity is talking to itself. The officer in charge contacts the captain of Quatis vessel, saying quickly:
“Captain, There is a robot here with a split personality. He’s a little nuts to be honest. Requesting a teleport us out of here. This ship is kinda primitive and isn’t worth our trouble.”
By time the leading officer finishes his request, the ten second countdown would have just about ended, and The Quatis troops reverse from the room and take cover in the corridor outside while awaiting a reply from the captain of their own ship.
Aboard the Quatis vessel currently in orbit of the nearby planet, Captain Stellic is observing the encounter between his officers and the mechanical entity on board by way of Quatis Fleet grade observation equipment. Though he is aware of the situation, he listens intently to the com call from his troops and furrows his brow in thought. At this point, K12 has no doubt opened fire upon the retreating Quatis officers.
After giving the situation some quick thought, he turns to the science officer on the bridge, Lieutenant Jaymious, and orders the extraction:
“Teleport the entity to the science lab.”
Whether K12 had opened fire or not, moments after the Quatis soldiers retreat behind the safety of the walls to the corridor, K12 dematerialises in a flash of blue light. K12 then rematerializes on a platform at the center of a white room filled with all manner of lab equipment and several Quatis scientists dressed in lab coats. The platform k12 is now on has a 3 meter diameter and surrounded by a soft aqua coloured force field. If K12 is still firing his weapon upon arrival, the bullets will be bouncing off the forcefield, effectively placing itself in danger.
The seven science officers stare at K12, calmly awaiting the entity to settle down (if it needs to settle down) before proceeding with their examination….
Back on the alien space ship, the group of officers receive word back from their captain:
“The entity has been taken aboard for further study. Proceed with your previous orders. Keep me informed.”
Zeal hums for a moment considering Ramrods request, checking her navigational systems while Ramrod walks into the adjoining room to meet Hank.
Hank is dressed in a black and white tuxedo and honestly has no idea why he is human at the moment, which is obvious by the confused look on his face. He does however look at Ramrod with that confused look mixed with a smile to greet him.
“It sure is an interesting feeling to be human –“ he says, but gets cut off by the sound of Zeal.
“My dear Ramrod,” She says casually, “I have scanned space and time and Rodia is not at its previous coordinates. We are at the moment displaced from our previous coordinates as well, all thanks to yours truly. It will take a few minutes to reconfigure my temporal array to make the necessary adjustment. In the meantime, there is another situation at hand that might be worth our interest. Hank can tell you all about it.”
As it turns out, Hank isn’t completely human after all, but he does look human. Somehow Zeal has interfaced with his new biological and electronical systems. In reply to Zeal’s request, Hank opens his mouth and a ray of light - like that of a film projector - beams from his mouth to display an image of space outside the ship. In the image Ramrod can see a large space ship, and near to the space ship is a planet… or, at least, it looks like a planet.
“This is the Jam.” Zeal says, referring to the space ship in the projected mage, and then referring to the planet-size object, she adds; “And this a planet size life form. The Jam has captured another space craft and the Jam are currently attacking the people of that craft inside the Jam ship….”
The projection from Hanks mouth now shows an image of inside the Jam Hangar, where the beastly humanoid life forms are fighting with and trying to eat Magnus, Sandra and a peasant girl that seems to be from a page of ancient history. The projected images then changes back to the image of space with the planet size life form in view, and Zeal continues;
“This planetary round life form appears to have followed the smaller ship here and may be attempting to save those three individuals inside the Jam ship, but it has not got the means to do it. It will need our assistance if you, Ramrod, wish to save them?”
As soon as Zeal stops talking, a transmission comes in from the large planet-like entity, saying:
“Oh hi there suspicious looking ship with people inside! My name is Fanny – well, actually it isn’t, I stole the name from someone who once made contact with me. But never mind that right now. I was wondering if you are nice people? Because, like, my boyfriend is trapped inside this Jam Space ship. They want to eat him and his friends. I was hoping that you could help?”
Meanwhile, on the bridge of Magnus’s ship, Fanny replies to Magnus, saying:
“Oh! Hello eternal love of mine! How great it is to hear your voice again! But hey, listen, we can catch up later and maybe even have dinner or something, but right now I can see you and your lesser friends are in trouble. I’d help, but the only way I can do that is to destroy the Jam ship entirely, which means you along with it. Sad, right? Anyway! Good news is that I just made contact with some other folks on board some kind of time ship. They seem very advanced and I’m currently asking them for help. So Magnus, my love…” Fanny adds with a sceptical voice; “can you make contact with the time ship? I sure hope you guys can figure out a way to help you!”
While this is happening, Magnus can also see the peasant girl and Sandra from inside the bridge. Both the girl and Sandra are still going berserk in a frenzy of bloodshed, but countless more bloodthirsty Jam continue to stream into the Hangar. Soon they overcome the peasant girl and knock her to the ground. They converge on her position and the surely Sandra is too preoccupied with her own battle to help. Maybe Magnus can find another way to keep the Jam at bay from the girl for a while, at least long enough to have those on board the time ship to help. After all, it would be heartbreaking to see this weird peasant girl get killed….
It’s always nice to finally scratch that nagging itch and, to be fair, often the pleasure is enough to distract you from the events taking place nearby. In Luna’s case, she may or may not have been aware of the young woman that had approached her, or maybe the woman had just kind of appeared there somewhat magically. Whatever the case, she was there now, and Luna – rubbing her back against the bark of the tree with undersides exposed - would no doubt be aware of their presence by the now gentle rubbing of human nails along her belly.
The instant Luna becomes aware of the human, it is all too late to run or hide or do the many things a cat in her position might be inclined to do when approached by a strange human sort. The contact this human makes with her instantaneously fills Luna with complete and utter serenity, so much so that it could even be considered a feeling of intense euphoria. All she can do is lie there and enjoy the feeling of not only her previous itch being satisfied, but also this sense of pure serenity while her belly is receiving a scratch.
This immensely pleasurable moment lasts for an unknown amount of time before Luna can hear the human talking to her. The euphoria and belly scratching continue to keep Luna subdued, of course, and whether or not Luna could understand human speech previous to this encounter, she can certainly and inexplicable understand every soft word this woman is now saying to her:
“My little Luna… I named you before the stars were born. Before time, you were mine. If you wish… I request that you come with me. You have so much potential. The universe awaits us….”
Following this speech, the woman withdraws her hand from Luna’s belly. Upon severing contact, Luna will find herself with enough strength of will to stand or sit, or even run if she chooses, and yet much of the serenity she was feeling remains, preventing her from being frightened in any way. If Luna now takes a proper look, the woman she sees appears to be quite young by human standards, with a small, caring smile and emerald eyes framed by both her dark fall of hair and the glow of her fair skin. It is once she has seen the woman’s face properly, one she would not recognise yet seems strangely familiar, that Luna will hear the woman’s thoughts, saying;
“You can speak with me like this. I will hear you. I will understand.”
As the turbulent wormhole continues to drag the Khaganate fleet to an unknown destination, Fanny May gives the Khan a calming smile before momentarily taking her attention to Dino Gavon, saying:
“You… you aren’t meant to be here.” With a flick of one hand Dino Gavon blinks out of existence. He is no longer on board any of the Khaganate vessels. Fanny then turns her attention back to the Khan, saying; “Apologies for the intrusion. I have no intention of compromising the security of your people. Alas…” She adds, taking a few slow steps towards the Khans position; “I can, but will not prevent your fleet from arriving at their next destination. Some things are meant to be. I also don’t need to tell you that any attempts to exit this wormhole in any way will cause the destruction of your fleet. So, for your own good, don’t try.”
Fanny then pauses her speech. When she does so, all other members on the bridge freeze as if they have been placed in a temporary state of suspended animation, while all viewing monitors and other communication systems shut down. Only the Khan and Fanny are unaffected.
“You have no reason to fear me.” She continues to tell the Khan, “For reasons I cannot say, I am hereby requesting your assistance in destroying the species you just met. In assisting me and therefore yourself, history will change and those of your people previously abducted by the said aliens will systematically be returned to your care. But you will need to be patient. More about that when we arrive at the predetermined destination. For now,” She tells him, “The child Anderson is carrying in her womb will be born within a few days. The child will not be human, though it will carry human DNA. Any attempts to abort or kill the child will not end well for you or your people. Consider this fair warning. But not to worry, the child will be what you need to aid in the destruction of the aforementioned enemy.” She looks around at the rest of the Khans suspended crew, and says; “They did not need to know. For now, it is for your knowledge only.”
She takes a deep breath, and at that point if the Khan attempts to reply, he will find he cannot speak. His voice is jammed but he is not in any discomfort. After pausing, and smiling soothingly if the Khan does try and speak, she finishes her speech:
“I will return at the appropriate time.”
And with that, Fanny blinks out of existence, her ship also vanishes from its holding area, the Khans ability to speak returns, and the other people on board the Bridge snap out from their suspended state.
Meanwhile, Anderson and Knaggs are being rushed to the medical bay. Once they arrive, and after examinations are made, the medical personnel will find that Knaggs prostate gland has been removed, but is not causing any other biological problems inside his body.
With the right treatment, Anderson will survive the pregnancy, so long as that treatment assists in the rapid growth of the foetus inside her. Initial scans of the foetus itself should show that child’s DNA is both consistent with Andersons and Knaggs own DNA, but somehow their DNA and foetus’s general cellular structure is fused with that of a silicone cell structure. In all, the foetus appears to be that of a humanoid form, but consistent of both biological and silicone structures. At this early stage of development, it is also apparent that it is a hermaphrodite, having both male and female sexual organs. However, scanning the foetus will only be temporarily available to the medics and doctors, since after several hours the foetus will somehow gain the ability to refract all scans of it. Any attempts to scan the foetus after several hours will only show reading of Andersons internal organs, including her rapidly expanding womb, which will actually appear empty.
Somewhere in her little cat brain, Luna had mixed feelings about this. Confusion – her belly was not normally a place where she liked being touched. Sometimes she’d let her favourite human stroke it while she stretched out on her side, but she’d always reward the action with a quick warning swipe or, if she wasn’t in the mood, a grab at the offending hand so she could bite off its fingers. Regardless, her human would treat it as some sort of game. Annoying.
At least this human was doing it right. She could keep her fingers. Unusual or not, this feeling was blissful in every way and in that moment, Luna was more than content to lie there on her back, exposed.
Then her ears pricked up. The human was talking. Not an uncommon thing for humans to do – they were all so chatty with their myriad babble of syllables – but this was…different. Luna didn’t understand what the human was saying, but she understood the meaning behind the sounds she was making. Not quite comprehension, but impressions. Ideas that had never crossed her mind before flitted through her eardrums and whispered into her mind. Time. Potential. Something Luna couldn’t quite understand. The place they were in, but bigger. Past the boundaries of what Luna understood as familiar and home.
The human wanted Luna to follow her, but only if Luna wanted. Duh. Luna always did what she wanted.
The scratching stopped. Luna turned over, lying on her belly. It was a good trick, but fat chance of her letting the human touch her there again. She stared up at the human, wary, confused, yet calm. Very calm. A part of her considered approaching the lady, but it was a very small part of her so Luna ignored it. She didn’t know this human, no matter if her scent was familiar and feminine and haven’t I met this human before? No? Yes? Maybe? Displeasure showed itself through the twitch of Luna’s tail and her somewhat disgruntled expression. This was new. This was confusing. She liked it when her thoughts consisted of enemy friend food love food annoyance sister brother mother rejection fear sadness happy and nothing else. None of this weird nostalgia that wasn’t really nostalgia because she didn’t know this person and what was with the odd ideas that were being impressed into her brain?
Ugh. Her back was itching again. What was up with it? The urge to use the tree as a backscratcher again was strong, but Luna didn't move. Her tail thumped against the grass hugging the tree bark. Sure, this human seemed safe for some reason, but it was for a reason she didn’t know and that made her unsafe at the same time.
It was happening again. Except this time the human wasn’t speaking at all; the ideas just popped right into her mind as if they owned the place. Apparently the human thought it could understand cats now. Luna’s ears flicked, threatening to flatten if the situation got anymore annoying. If the human wasn’t going to do anything useful like mmm yes scratches or feed her, then she might as well leave Luna alone. No more idea impressions or weird not-nostalgia.
As k12 was teleported off the ship the men on board would hear the stir of the engines and the captin would undoubtedly see the thrusters light back on as systems reset with the removal of the droid.
Back with K12 in the lab right as he opened fire the bullets began to bounce around the force field. Tearing into its armor plates and effectively dismantling the Gatling turret as chunks of the gun were ripped off destroying it. The Droid could now be seen full of bullet holes and leaking coolant "sSsysStem errroor critical damage rrreport bzzet wwh what happened blur you OK? Blue? BLUE?!" Sparks of electricity come off destroyed wires. @Hokum
@Hokum The small Khaganate fleet dropped out of its SPS translation into a battle. Destructive Sporn weapon energies cut across the cold and vast darkness of space, colliding with the Quatis ships. The Khaganate fleet emerged in a roughly ellipsoid formation, with its twenty military vessels on the outside, protecting the small group of civilian ships within. They had been dragged here unwillingly, and Admiral Schmidt had sworn to protect them until his last breath.
"No damage detected, Admiral, it seems that the Quatis shields are strong enough to hold back the weaponry of those alien vessels."
"Then let us hope that ours will as well. Admiral, they're preparing for a second assault, and this one will be even stronger than the first!"
"Status report," Admiral Schmidt ordered. He was one of the few on the bridge to remain completely calm in the face of these seemingly overwhelming enemies. The recently promoted admiral had been in many battles before, even as just a captain. I hope I'll be able to lead a fleet rather than just one ship, he thought.
"The hostile vessels have chased us here from our previous position, sir. The Quatis have changed into a circular, defensive formation. One of the small ships that was in the system has been teleported into what could possibly the Quatis flagship. The hostile aliens are indeed preparing for a second assault. All our weapon systems are ready, and our shields are fully charged."
ADMIRAL, Erwin could hear the robotic voice from the AIR core in the KSS Capek say, ACCORDING TO MY CALCULATIONS, OUR SHIELD SYSTEMS SHOULD BE ABLE TO WITHSTAND THE SECOND ASSAULT, ALTHOUGH ENEMY WEAPON ENERGY LEVELS ARE SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THAN THOSE OF THE FIRST ASSAULT
Chaos erupted in the bridge right then as Palin's message came in, and the subsequent confirmation that the Quatis' energy levels were spiking as well. Admiral Schmidt frowned. Who do these Quatis think they are, he thought angrily.
Still, he gave the order for all ships to fire at will. In mere seconds, the Khaganate ships opened fire. Khan-class Dreadnoughts rolled, aiming their auto-ballistic cannons at the Sporn ships, shooting a powerful broadside barrage of shells and superheated plasma packets as the Khaganate ships slowly continued moving forward. Khaganate battleships and dreadnoughts fired their torpedoes, attempting to destroy any Sporn ships flying in front of them. Laser and particle beams shot through the void, crossing the gap between the Khaganate and Sporn ships at relativistic speeds. Massive Gauss and Kinetic turrets fired, propelling ultradense projectiles towards the enemy ships using gravitic launchers and supercooled electromagnets, careful to avoid friendly fire. Point-defense turrets and laser grids stood ready as the shields were fully charged, ready to protect the Khaganate vessels against enemy attacks. Between it all, large swarms of fighters, bombers, and other, more exotic and powerful strike-craft flew. While they wouldn't be able to attack the Sporn ships due to the imminent capsule shielding, it was still a good exercise, and would help if the Sporn would send out any of their own fighter craft.
Of course, in war, and especially battles in space, supply and logistics are important, and while many Khaganate ships are capable of producing their own ammunition, the importance of space battle logistics generally goes for the Khaganate as well. Normally, the Khaganate fleets have specialized, military support ships for those tasks, but unfortunately those are not present. Luckily for the Khaganate fleet however, several civilian ships were transported together with the military vessels as well, and those were quickly converted to provide the support the Khaganate vessels would need.
None of this mattered for now though, for as soon as the Khaganate assault had died down, the Quatis erected their capsule shield around both fleets. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ The shockwave reached the KSS Aqua in moments. Even though it was no small ship compared to many of its fellow Second Fleet ships, it was still shaken vigorously. Captain West looked to her left, just in time to see the Khan-class dreadnought KSS Krieg disappear into a micro-wormhole of its own making. Many of the more advanced and powerful Khaganate ships had the ability to make very short wormhole jumps, which they can use to quickly traverse the battlespace. In this case, however, the wormhole tunnel was closed from the shockwave just as the Krieg had entered, meaning that the Khaganate Second Fleet had effectively lost that ship.
Yet, the shockwave apparently had another effect. It somehow caused a black hole to appear on one of the planets in the Phantom Point. Luckily, captain West was as brilliant as some of the other scientists on the bridge, and a quick thinker as well. She immediately ordered to charge up the ship's wormhole generator, and then to use the spacetime folder and Exotic Matter Scaffolding Device to stop the black hole's growth. Since Khaganate wormhole are really just black holes that are tunnels, using the wormhole generator to stop the black hole from growing would work, was her reasoning.
The ship continued on its course until it suddenly started to slow down. Captain West could see that the other ships around the Aqua had also slowed down considerably. A simple scan revealed the issue: a ribbon-like entity that was made out of light. This issue got considerably worse as the outer planet of the system they were in blew up as soon as the entity touched it, and continued on its way towards the star. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ The Khan sat back in his throne. He was slightly overwhelmed by the events that previously happened almost at the same time. First, vice-admiral Knaggs, and even more surprising, the long-lost general Anderson, had appeared on the bridge, fully nude, and in pain. Then, a massive wormhole opened up, engulfing the fleet and bringing them to an unknown location. Only seconds later, the Khan received the message that general Nurzhan had returned, from the general himself.
Now, the entity Fanny May was standing in the bridge of his ship, after casually walking through a wall. The Khan was used to governing a nation, not being a character in a space opera, so it was somewhat understandable that he was a little overwhelmed. He saw her do away with Dino Gavon with a mere flick of a hand. Then, as she put all of the crew on the bridge in some sort of stasis, Fanny started monologuing. As soon as Yuri saw this, he opened his mouth to speak, but found that he could not find his voice, and so remained quiet. The Khan listened intently as he heard Fanny speak of destroying the strange aliens they just met. Whether she meant the Quatis, of which Admiral Gavon was part of, or the strange, yet unnamed aliens from the cylinder he did not know. She mentioned his people that had been abducted, so the Khan assumed the latter option.
Again, the Khan began to speak, but again, he could not, and so he gave up as Fanny finished her speech. Then, she blinked out of existence while the bridge crew snapped out of their stasis. After giving an order NOT to try departing the wormhole they were in in any way, the Khan stood up from his throne and made his way to the sick bay as fast as he could. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ The Khan arrived in the medical bay as fast as he could. Given that he, as the Khaganate's Khan, had access to every available form of transport on the ship, this was very fast. He ordered the doctors to give Katie and Jens all the treatment they would need, and got himself a chair to sit down on while he waited for them to wake up.
Warning signals flare up all across the Tempest's console and Meta's HUD, warning him of the impending projectiles from the Sporn ships heading towards the Tempest. Just as he is about to execute evasive maneuvers, the ship is warped out of harm's way and reappears inside the hangar of the Quatis flagship. Palin's verbal transmission is then received by the Tempest's communications array, informing Meta of the current situation. As he gets up from his pilot's seat to leave, he sees Sahmi's still unconscious body being teleported away, just as Niner and the Instigators arrive through the doorway. "Change of plans, I'm gonna go exploring for a bit." He says with a slightly sarcastic tone. "You're in charge of the ship until I get back, and keep your comms open just in case. Oh, and one more thing, try not to piss off the Quatis, they could wipe us out from existence if they wanted to." Niner replies in his usual monotone voice, "Affirmative, sir." After making a quick stop at the ship's armory to replenish his ammunition and supplies, he leaves the Tempest to see his aforementioned escort waiting for him. After exchanging short greetings with the clone, the ship starts shaking violently as he tries to keep his balance. The mercenary then catches something from the corner of his eye. As he turns around, he spots the familiar figure of Dino Gavon, who has seemingly materialized out of nowhere. He quickly draws his plasma rifle and aims it towards Gavon. The Quatis admiral then speaks to himself before reaching for his transect, he would be interrupted however, by another shockwave from the outside. Taking advantage of this opportunity, the bounty hunter raises his arm and fires a stun dart from his vambrace at Dino.
