Tortoise
World Traveler
TokyoPewPew
Timemaster
Sylvan
Fading Memory
X Fiendfyre X
Khandov
Andronicus23
Lucid DreamingCollab with @Sep
As the Lornites entered the Zetan section of the Meeting Place, one thing was clear- the people here were very militarised. Combat warforms stood sentinel-like, holding compact shotguns and autopistols. Cyborgs walked about with breaching axes and handguns on belts, whilst a few had carbines slung over their back. The only thing that differentiated them from the Undefeated was the lack of uniformity in their appearance and, of course, the colossal amount of enhancements.
“Welcome to Zeta-5’s Space.” A relatively human looking receptionist glanced up. “How may we assist today?”
Gibbson flashed the best smile possible, when surrounded by angry looking war-machines. Though what little they had on the Zetans seemed to imply that all of these machines weren’t actually machines but they were in fact human. Here he was wearing a suit to help him survive in this higher gravity, so who was he to judge at what these Zetans had to do to survive.
Unless it was all voluntary and not at all necessary. That was potentially unnerving. Gibbson flashed his best smile, pulled out a business card and slid it onto the desk. “My names Tobius Gibbson and I’m a representative from the Lorne Administration. You may have heard we’re relative new-comers on the scene, but we’re keen to get a lay of the land and start doing business as soon as possible.”
The receptionist paused, then inclined her head. “Wonderful! So good to hear that. Please, don’t mind the weaponry around here- things have been tense for a little while. I’m sure you’ve heard of the occupation.” There was another moment of silence.
“Please, just head through the door right there.” She gestured with a chopped hand. “Sigma-Devi, our First Speaker here in the Meeting Place, will be right with you.”
Gibbson nodded. “Yes, of course. Though with more recent announcements we can hope that hostilities will soon come to an end.” He nodded as he followed her gesture out of the room. Post-War peacetime was the ideal time for business. Great leaps in technology and industry always followed conflict. The board was very interested in using this to their advantage, pushing their way back into humanity as a whole, revolutionising industry and making themselves invaluable.
That was the way to benefit everyone back home.
Passing through the door he looked around the room, waiting for this Sigma-Devi to appear.
It didn’t take long. She looked charming: she had, in fact, just been about to make an announcement on behalf of the Consciousness, and was dressed to impress… Which was great, because she very much needed to impress here too. “From the Lorne Administration?” She confirmed.
“Excellent, really excellent to see you. What little we’ve seen of your robotics technology has impressed us, and make no mistake, we’re not easy to impress when it comes to robotics!” She gestured to her own implants to make the point clearer. “You came to me however, so I presume there is something in particular you wanted to discuss?”
Gibbson sighed internally as she entered the room. Here she was dressed to impress. Looking the part, he had to wear this damned suit just to keep his internal organs, bones and muscles happy. “Good evening. It’s good to meet you-” He considered offering his hand, and went as far as extending it before awkwardly bringing it back in. “-Sorry I’m not sure on the protocol here. This is my first-first contact.” He chuckled awkwardly.
Sigma-Devi smiled at him. “Everyone does things slightly differently, but a handshake seems to have remained popular throughout the colonies.” She flashed him the split-handed salute that the Zetans now frequently used with outsiders, then reached her hand forward to meet his, giving him a warm shake.
“I’m surprised word of our exploits has spread so far already. In all honesty I’m here to get a lay of the land. We’ve been confronted by a lot of unexpected truths in our very short time since the gateway has re-opened. I was wondering if we could just get to know your people better, without it coming from a third party source. I’m sure you understand our… reluctance to get caught up in existing bias and conflict.” He flashed her a warm smile.
“Of course I can. To share with you our message, this is what we recorded for the purposes of first-contact. This is my colleague Alpha-Newton.” She gestured to the man as he entered, gave a curt nod towards Gibbson, and then his eye-projector spooled up.
"Kindred of the stars." Sigma-Devi’s pre-recorded voice called out. "We are the Zetan Consciousness, a nation that is unequivocally dedicated to the furthering of mankind's knowledge of the universe, and the ability for each and every individual to reap the benefits of such understanding. We stand upon the shoulders of the giants that once inhabited the planet below us, and build on their knowledge and learning, to push back the darkness of ignorance and hatred, and to overcome any obstacle that stands before a brighter future for us, and for humankind!"
“That’s the PR speech, anyway.” Alpha-Newton commented, before offering another nod and retreating.
“Yes, thank you Newton.” Sigma-Devi responded, then turned back towards Gibbson. “We are a nation dedicated to the furthering of our scientific understanding of our universe, and the improvement of all mankind with our knowledge. Already we win battles not just against the ‘Undefeated’ and the Hollywoodites, but against sickness, against senescence, and against anarchy.”
Gibbson nodded along to both the demonstration and the following description. “I guess my first question is, how deep do the cybernetics go, and why do they have them? I mean, Alpha, Sigma? You obviously base a lot of your society upon these enhancements. Is there any particular reason or is this just how your people felt best to progress your society?”
He chuckled slightly to himself. “I know it may be a bit more personal, my people are prisoners of space. As much as an oxymoron as that is, so I’m just curious if the enhancements were some form of attempt at liberation, or mere improvement.”
“Zeta-5 is, to put it simply, the single worst home planet of any nation we have encountered so far. It has temperature extremes approximately 200 degrees centigrade apart, fierce background radiation levels, a biosphere made almost entirely of extremophiles and very little natural plantlife. The only way for baseline humans to survive on Zeta is to bury themselves deep in the crust. Our cybernetics allow us to overcome the harshness of our environment. As for how deep they go?” She paused for a long time. “All the way.”
Gibbson nodded along. “Such a shame that our planets weren’t reversed. Delta-4 is a veritable garden of Eden, and we can’t even use it”
“You can’t use it?” Sigma-Devi enquired, confusion clear in her voice. “There’s a story there, I can tell.”
Gibbson chuckled lightly. “I don’t wear this suit for fun. Workers within the administration lived and worked in space long before the gateway, as far as we can tell. Our bodies just aren’t made for it anymore. We struggle in gravity, horizon lines are a pain and honestly exposure to the elements is a real issue. Some people work down on the surface, we completed a city as per our contract and in all honesty we never stopped building. Infrastructure, carefully sculpted reserves for plant and animal life. I think for a long time it gave our people purpose. I mean there were also beliefs that the Gateway had temporal properties, we’ve since disproven those theories.”
Shrugging slightly he continued. “It is what it is, we’re hoping to find the clients who it belongs to. Failing that with all these splinters of humanity going around, I’m not sure what the board will decide to do with the planet.”
“Dramatic evolution in just three hundred years…” She paused for a moment. “What a fascinating case study for our own long-distance space inhabitation research.” She paused for a moment, then her eyebrows furrowed as if she had just realised something. “Paron, but clients? Do you mean to suggest you are selling the planet?”
“Well, over three hundred.” He cleared his throat. “No, we're not selling the planet, well. Not as far as I’m aware of yet.We’re not a nation, I’m not sure if you’ve been told this yet. Not in the traditional sense. The Lorne Administration accepted contracts from Earth, sadly I can’t give you a date as to the company's creation as those records were kept in the head office, on Earth. We were sent to Delta-4 to establish a colony, for a specific ship, after that our job was to support it and its growth. The gateway shut down, and the work continued.”
He reached to his side and pulled out a tablet, offering it to Sigma-Devi. On it pictures, videos, maps and technical readouts of Delta-4. From Capital City and the surrounding districts, from the reserves to the agricultural district.
“We continued our work, as I’ve already said it was a popular theory that the gateway had some temporal effect and that it would one day re-open and the planet colonised. We were hoping, though we’ve since discovered it’s unlikely, that we could find not just humanity but the rightful heirs to Delta-4. In the meantime it’s always good to make new friends. Our people are builders and travellers, now we have the chance to do so again.” He chuckled slightly as his enthusiasm built. Struggling to contain it.
Sigma-Devi paused for a long time. Something within the Collective had begun to fire its neurons off. A second-generation Zetan, a proto-transcended who had been tirelessly working for centuries, had recognised something in these plans of Delta-4.
Like a stone dropped into a pond, ripples rapidly spread from this small change. Information banks were dredged, both mental and physical. Even as Zetan soldiers struggled, Zetan researchers attempted to dig up information filed away and archived as useless.
“What’s the highest level of information you can provide me regarding the intended colonists of Delta-4?” Sigma-Devi asked, an innocent note to her voice.
“Just the name of the colony ship and its transponder code. Everything else was on Earth I suppose, but I guess that’s not really important. All we needed to be able to do was identify the ship, she was christened the Arcadius.”
“Can you provide the transponder code?” She settled forward, folding her arms together.
Gibbson gestured towards the tablet she was currently holding. “It’s all in there. Minus a few digits.” He winked at her. “Not that we don’t trust you but we can’t go giving out the full code, don’t want any forgeries.”
“Hold for just one moment please.” Sigma-Devi took the tablet and scanned it quickly, then pressed a finger to her ear as if she was receiving a message. “A colleague of mine is just investigating something.” The seconds dragged out into a minute, and then into minutes. Sigma-Devi’s expression changed something fierce multiple times throughout, until at last she muttered out.
“You got the name wrong. Well… Sort of wrong. We didn’t use Latin.”
Gibbson wore a pleasant, but perplexed look on his face. When she spoke again the look didn’t clear. “I’m sorry, you appear to have lost me Sigma-Devi. What do you mean?”
“The vessel. You said it was called the ‘Arcadius.’ You mistranslated it. Zetans have always used Ancient Greek alphanumerics. The vessel was named the Arkadios.” She paused for a longer moment. “Transponder code One-One-Delta-Theta-Fiver-Kappa-Lambda-Chi-Niner-Eight-Tau-Rho-Iota-Omicron-Eight.” She paused, to allow the man to see if anything was wrong.”
Tiberius Gibbson paused. “I uh.” He cleared his throat, suddenly very dry. “Are you claiming ownership of the colony ship?”
Sigma-Devi turned the tablet around and tapped on the transponder code provided. “One-One, then you switch to the Latin alphabet, you haven’t provided the D, and the lack of distinction between ‘tau’ and ‘theta’ has given this some issues, but there’s a T there… Then another missing number and letter, L-K-9-Missing-Missing-Missing-I-O-8. The Arkadios’ engines were Alpha-Elysiums first power generators.” She smiled.
“I believe you’ve found your colonists, Mr. Gibbson.”
Gibbson coughed again, clearing his throat. Chapping his lips trying to find any moisture that he had left. He should have asked for a drink before all this got serious. “This is not the way I was expecting this meeting to go. I suppose-” he coughed again. “-I suppose you have some way of verifying this information? I’m sure you understand our need to be thorough.”
“We have the Arkadios’ black box information, and, if you have access to the full code, you should be able to see that I am correct. Latinising the actual transponder signal would make it 11DT5KLC98TRIO8. I’m not sure how else someone would be able to provide you with this information if they were not legitimate, but we have numerous ways to confirm.” She nodded.
Gibbson stood up. “Forgive me Sigma-Devi I don’t mean to question your honesty or your honour, you merely understand that this revelation is, in itself, shocking and I need to make sure that we do it right. For now, I really must relay this information to the board. I’m sure you understand.”
“By all means Mr. Gibbson, please take your time. I’m afraid most of our people are locked planetside at the moment, and we’ve survived on Zeta for more than three centuries. I doubt a few more years will change much. Is there anything else you would like, or shall I leave you to it?”
“Honestly. I’m not entirely sure, this isn't where I was expecting the meeting to go. I expected it to be about us offering to help rebuild what you lost in the war, for a fee of course but this. This leaves all that behind.” He looked to the door then back at Sigma-Devi. “I’m just not sure what to say, we came looking for our long lost clients but never expected to find them.”
Sigma-Devi paused for a long time.”Understand that after this war- after all this pointless bloodshed and waste, we are quite interested in a fresh start. A fresh start with some more… Sturdy defences included from the very beginning. Regardless of what ends up happening when you talk to your board, I do believe we will have a long and profitable relationship for both sides.” She smiled pleasantly.
“Best wishes, Mr. Gibbson.”
Our hands have forged the victory that for eons we have fought
We have struggled and we've suffered against enemies abhorred
We have loosed the terrible wrath that's found in fission batteries stored
Our truth has has come online!
Glory! Glory! To The Zetans!
Glory! Glory! To The Zetans!
Glory! Glory! To The Zetans!
Our truth has come online!
They have seen us in the darkness of a hundred tunnel fights
They have seen us on the surface where the burning sun does light
They shall hear our righteous chorus as they fall asleep each night
Our truth has come online!
Glory! Glory! To The Zetans!
Glory! Glory to the Zetans!
Glory! Glory to the Zetans!
Our truth has come online!
AND DON'T COME BACK! Was added to the end of the song. It was not physically sung, no, no Zetan lips opened or modulators crackled out, but it was a melody nonetheles bellowed out through the entirety of the Collective. They had won. They had driven their foes back, off their lands, out of their space, and soon, oh so tantilisingly soon, they would be able to leave Zeta-5 behind.
For now though, there was time to enjoy. To embrace each other. To thank those that had given up their original forms in the defence of their nation. To revel and to laugh and to live, before the cleanup began and the bodies were tallied. Already, work had begun again on spacecraft- Zetan machines falling into routines so well-practiced they could have done them without a connection. Hulls, filters, screens and engines, to lift their bodies back up into the stars.
Ah, but they were not the only ones here. A new voice called to them. A new nation that had not ventured to Earth yet. A message was scrambled and sent up to them. A greeting of sorts. "Hail newcomers to the galactical scene! We are the Zetans, and we come in peace." Short. Simple. To the point.
Eta-Theta was... Surprised, to say the least. Their little sabotage campaign had been going so well, and all of a sudden the ECU's navy was on the retreat, there was word of international retaliation, and the war was coming crashing to a halt. But, what kind of killing machine would they be if they let a little thing like 'the end of the war,' stop them, hm? The craft they were on, the craft they were actively ruining the lives of the inhabitants on, had stayed behind for a little bit longer- which, to them, suggested that they needed to lay low for a while. Let the crew return home, and bring with them... Well... Eta-Theta. They almost wanted to smile.
Addressing everyone, especially @Tortoise
Sigma-Devi stood before her lectern, her clothes shimmering and her face radiant. "Hello galactic community. It is a truly wonderful pleasure to be standing before you now, reporting the withdrawal of both Undefeated and Hollywoodite forces from not just the surface of Zeta-5, but the entire Zeta system. I would firstly like to take a moment to give thanks to those brave freedom fighters who sacrificed everything to ensure that we would remain free, and our lifestyle could continue." She closed her eyes for a moment, a somber expression across her face.
"Then, I would like to thank the Xandalian Republic, for removing the wool from the eyes of the international community, and exposing the reprehensible deeds of the Undefeated and the Earth Cultural Union. We are incredibly thankful to them as well, for without their intervention, and the subsequent response from other nations, we would likely still be shedding our blood on our own soil." She gave a long pause, then moved onto her next matter
"We are not monsters. We never have been, and never will be. Alpha-Bodhi, despite the claims of the ECU, is safe, well, and healthy down in one of Zeta-5's subcomplexes, where he has been contributing to our scientific understanding throughout this period of war. In addition, we emphatically reject the continued baseless accusations of torture levied at us by the ECU." She allowed some anger to slip into her features, jabbing a perfectly manicured nail down into the surface of her lectern. "To further demonstrate our humanity, we are currently in the process of handling body disposal. For reasons of practicality, that being our current lack of a navy, we cannot transport large quantities of bodies off-world, however we have made a concerted attempt to save patches, dog-tags and other identifying features so that we can at least give the families of those who have lost loved ones some sense of closure. It will likely take up to a year before all of these are collected."
A brief clearing of her throat. "In addition, we have heard of the terrible, terrible incident that has befallen ECU representative Tanaka. We understand that New Hollywood's medical facilities aboard the meeting place are poor. We have a fully-equipped emergency care facility aboard, along with doctors experienced in treating trauma from gunfire aboard the vessel. We would like to extend a hand of healing towards Tanaka. You may think us monsters of the highest order, but I assure you, we are anything but."
"Finally," Sigma-Devi began. This was a trick she had picked up from the Hollywoodites; leave the audience on a cliffhanger. "Our diplomatic discussions with the Lorne Administration have bourne wonderful fruit. Please stand by for a potentially major announcement some time in the near future."
Collab Continued
Back aboard the Endurance, and ignorant to the latest developments Representative Wells stood at the airlock, in her fine pressed suit. Smile on her face and hair done to perfection. Apparently they were getting another visitor aboard. They were proving quite popular. Just as they should be, Lorne had much to offer and while traditional money might not carry much value between nations, unless there was a bank she was unaware of.
She stood prim and proper waiting for their newest delegate, Mautivisan? That sounded about right.
Alfonso’s honourguard entered before he did, all rifles and polished boots. Once they had cleared the way, the man himself strode in, hat rakishly askew. “Greetings and salutations!” He proclaimed in his slightly over-the-top way. “Alfonso Leoncio Alvarez De Caravajal, at your most humble of services.”
Keira wasn’t entirely sure how to react. She offered her hand out. “Representative Keira Wells, from the Lorne Administration. Welcome aboard the Endurance-” She chuckled slightly. “-Just to check do I refer to you by your full name? I want to insure I don’t offer any insult.”
“Alfonso is perfectly excellent, as is De Caravajal if you are feeling particularly respectful. A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Senora Wells.” He reached to her hand, took it in his, then briefly pressed it to his lips.
“I hear you are the ah… ‘New kids on the block?’ along with us? Fabulous all of this, no?”
Keira took her hand back and smiled. “Quite right De Caravajal-” She probably butchered the pronunciation. “-I hear we beat you into the system by maybe an hour tops. Albeit your ship is probably a little younger than this old girl.” She tapped a wall lovingly, before turning and indicating down the corridor. “Shall we?”
“No doubt. Mine is twenty-five cycles old, give or take. My father’s commissioning. A fitting tribute to the De Caravajal name, although he’s somewhat past his commanding days.” He tugged a little at his collar, then followed along.
“Part of why I was selected as representatives, my family. Adventuring in the blood, as my grandmother says.”
She led him down the corridor. Nodding along. “So your family were noted explorers? This must be an incredibly exciting experience for you.” Several drones moved out of their way as they walked the corridors, sounds of work being done could be heard behind bulkheads as the retrofit was begun on turning the Endurance into a branch office. “I never expected to travel through the gateway. I’ve worked in HR for years, settling worker disputes, that kind of thing. When the option came along to be a representative for our people, it seemed like a no-brainer.”
“Well. Not recently. You may have noted that adventuring opportunities have been slim. Once, we voyaged across the seas of the old world. Now we defend the skies of the new one.” He grinned, then withdrew a heavy and ornate smoking case.
“May I?”
“I mean the chance of adventuring to other systems may have been slim, but your system may have been full of opportunities for all I knew, you could even have embellished it a little.” She winked at him, shaking her head as he pulled out the case. “I’m afraid if that's smoking paraphernalia you can’t use it aboard the ship. The sensors would read it as a malfunction or a fault, and then it would either try to suffocate the fire, suppress or we would have some very angry fire marshalls interrupting our meeting. I’m sure you understand. I will ensure next time we have somewhere set up for you to smoke.” She flashed him a smile as she opened a door to their meeting room.
It was obviously thrown together, a couple of reasonable looking sofas. A wooden drinks cabinet, and a desk with several chairs. “Please, make yourself at home.”
“Alas. My cigars shall have to wait. Our ships are designed with a little more luxury in mind.” He placed the case away. “You shall have to come to La Introduccion in the future, I shall show you the sights!” He took a seat as if nothing was at all amiss, his soldiers waiting outside.
“So then! Much to talk about. My nation’s introduction first of all. I am here on behalf of the Grand Republic of Matuvista, a courageous and cultured colony founded on the ideals of Earth, but with our own improvements.”
Kiera chuckled. “I’m sure I would enjoy that. Though I’m not entirely sure my body would. You no doubt already noticed the lower gravity, our bodies aren’t adapted to anything stronger. It’s what over three centuries of space-faring will do to you.” She shrugged, pulling out a business card and handing it over to the eccentric gentleman.
“I am a representative of the Lorne Administration, a corporation currently based on the Ring. A station orbiting the planet Delta-4.”
“I was contemplating that peculiarity. It is no bother, really. To compare, Matuvista is quite large, and her gravity is quite formidable. We can defeat it though- it’s a marvel what our engineers can do.”
“To begin with on my end, I have been instructed quite firmly by many parties since my arrival to inform individuals of our exportable goods.” He took the business card, examined it, nodded, then tucked it in a pocket.
“On Matuvista, we have kept certain old-Earth plants alive and well. Coffee is chief among them, but we produce harder narcotics as well, along with wonderful industrial materials you won’t find on any other planet.”
Keira nodded along, She perked up slightly at the mention of coffee. Though her professional bone perked up more at industrial materials. “Narcotics are probably out of the question, simply as substances taken by Lorne personnel are all heavily controlled and undertake a rigorous testing process. It may take more time than its worth, however as I’m sure you can imagine a society of builders and miners are rather fond of our coffee. So we’ll need to see what you’ve got in those regards. Though tell me, what more can you tell me about these Industrial Materials? What makes them so special?”
“Fond of coffee? I assure you, you’re in luck. A little tampering here, a little prestige lineage there, and we can make a coffee taste like anything you want, with as much or as little caffeine as you like. A quality Carucian espresso can have you buzzing the whole day.” He gestured with a hand, then continued. “Lodestones. Are you familiar with the term?”
“You’ll have to forgive me, science isn’t my forté. They’re naturally magnetic materials, aren’t they?”
“Indeed they are. And ours don’t appear to abide by the usual rules of magnetism. Some… Peculiar interactions with an element that was never found on Earth, from what I understand, I’m not a scientist either. They’re powerful enough to lock themselves into stable, floating islands across the surface of the planet. We use them for hovercraft, alongside numerous other things.” He smiled.
Kiera looked at him. “Interesting, I’m sure some scientists back home would like to know more about these Lodestones. In terms of what we have to offer, industry. Be it in the form of mining or building we’re pretty proficient. A ship far bigger than this one was recently launched as the pride of our mining fleet. She was built in the span of 4 months.” She smiled as she pulled out a tablet and handed it to him, rough schematics on it. Nothing too sensitive. “Drones do all the mining and sorting, managed by personnel and A.I of course.
She’s fully self sufficient, we could send her anywhere to build the infrastructure needed to create a larger operation. She’s currently on her shakedown cruise back home.”
“Industry?” He raised an eyebrow curiously, then examined the vessel. “Well, I can tell you we won’t be needing something this big!” He let out a laugh, then handed the pad back to her. “I must say, as fantastic as that seems, I doubt the senate is in the market for such extravagances.”
Kiera raised an eyebrow. “Well, I would be surprised if you were. Not many people would need a ship of that size. No, the reason I’m showing it is how we don’t need to just build for you from our system through to yours. If your senate were to have a project needing our services, we could come to you and for a reduced cost we can use your resources. We would just process and build with them.”
He shook his head, amused. “I really can’t see the need for something like that, I must say. I’ll pass along the message, but we’ve managed building our own structures just fine for centuries now!”
Keria smiled. "Understandable. Should you seek to change your mind or if you require any other form of industry you'll know where to find us. I'll have a tablet loaded up with all we have to offer. Do you have any other questions for us?"”
“Indeed I do…” With that, the conversation would continue. Diplomacy was very much a winding road, and there was much for Lorne and Matuvista to find out about each other. A few hours had passed by the time Alfonso finally rose from his seat and nodded towards Keria. “Well, the Senate will certainly be happy to hear of all we’ve talked about. Your… Board should be too, yes?”
Keira nodded. “The board will find it interesting to say the least, and will have plenty to discuss going forward. I know that we’re supposed to be in contact with them later today, and we can be in touch later to discuss the potential of forming an actual trade deal, at this point however we know what the other has to offer and that’s the most important thing.”
“Wonderful, wonderful. Do keep an eye on the news coming from the station- I assure you that we are preparing quite the occasion.” Alfonso smiled pleasantly. “Now then! I shall be off! Enjoy the rest of your waking hours, and we shall no doubt meet again.”
