114 replies to this topic

[Corman2030]

"Well that sounds to me like a quarantine effort, not an attack. Perhaps your boys out there should try talking before pulling the trigger!" Cullen said with obvious venom in his voice, "perhaps they know something we don't."

[Keiya]

Celestia felt a pang of pleasure as she relayed the comment directly to the command deck of The Nnebuchadnezzar.

[Warmonger]

"Okay so the kill it with fire approach didn't work." the captain said to the deck crew, "oh and culen? I'm a star commander, play nice now, or you'll never work as anything more than a farmer on this side of the galaxy"

[Keiya]

" High Absolution has finished it's compound translation process. All communications systems are operable with the human station."

She was elated - The alien female uncrossed her leg and sat up straight. The holo screen projected from the ceiling before her as she sharpened her eyes. There was no communication handshake, only brute force entry. " This is Arch-Captain Erali'Nar Vantra - Captain of High Absolution. Stand down and abandon this grave. " Her serpent-like eyes pierced through the screen as if she had made direct eye-contact with whomever were watching. Thick coils of purple-white cords fell along either side of her face, each cord too thick to be called hair, but certainly the equivalent. Her face was sharp, human-like, but reptilian : Like a gorgeous snake.

Celestia pooled her knowledge as the transmission came through. The closest that she could find from human record to relate the species to anything was that of the mythical Naga that sprouted up through the entirety of human history. She reveled in it : It appeared that it wasn't a myth after all. " Arch-Captain Erali'Nar Vantra - My name is Celestia; The AI overseeing the operations here on Titan. With respect, we cannot abandon this moon. Please explain your presence." She attempted to remain as respectful as possible - they didn't need both of their first encounters ruined with gunfire and death.

The mention of 'AI' which translated out to "Artificial Intelligence" Almost made her smirk in humor. The thought of humans creating intelligence.. it was a redundancy. She parted her lips, showing from the canine back were pointed, vicious, and razor sharp - the foremost blunt and human-like in nature. " It is against your best interest to turn down our command. All is lost on your..'Titan'. Regardless - Anything attempting to leave or near the 'grave' will be met with hostile measure. " She fought to get the accent correct to filter through the translator properly. It was difficult to move her tongue in the method needed. Humans seemed to speak more with tip and mid-section while her race spoke more from their throat. Forming the words so close to their lips seemed to be lazy and irresponsible - like not looking before you dove headfirst.

Celestia relayed the conversation in clarity with visual and audio intact to the team aboard the transport, the station command, and The Nnebuchadnezzar. She compiled the information into her database and went over it a time. As she was about to respond, both her and the alien captain took notice of other screen before the readings came.

==============

Aboard the shuttle, Seig felt the air heat up. His suit began to compensate but the change was coming too rapidly. He looked over at Miranda and 'Risky', hoping that their suits were compensating correctly. " We need to put this ship. " The pilot gave a thumbs up and began the descent. This was getting deep - two alien race contacts within two hours? This was unreal - but it didn't change their situation. One had been lost, two wounded, and now they were stuck on this violent world.

"Nnebuchadnezzar - What's your status? " He sent the message while turning the Cullen. The idea struck him like a ton of bricks. " These platforms - they're connected. Do you know of any access points that 'we' wouldn't know about? " He put emphasis on the word. The REAPERs were intimate with the knowledge of the moon, but he knew that the engineers did more than visit and train - they held it together. He was hoping for -something-.

[Warmonger]

"This is the nebuchadnezzar, we are holding defensive pattern in the delta quadrant two clicks from the moon. what do you require, over"

[Keiya]

Seig looked over at his team and sharped his eyes. " Just how tight is the net up there? "

He hardly had time to state it before another wave of heat rocked the shuttle. The ship was nearing it's descent location, landing gear dropping in response. Suddenly a massive explosion erupted from their South - The direction of Platform 3. The air about them began to pop and fizzle with what seemed to be static. For a moment, things seemed to slow down and then rampantly speed up, over and over. He could swear that he could see through the hull o the shuttle - not by visual modification of his Visor, but actually see through it.

Robin balanced herself, bracing against the shell. " Platform #3 must have went critical. I can only image the effect all of this Two-Twelve will have being amplified by that."

Anders sneered. " I'm about fed up with 'Explosions' and 'Two-twelve' for the day. Can't we have a cook-out or something? "

[Corman2030]

Cullen looked over his datapad as the transport was rocked violently, he knew of a few emergency access points that could help them but seeing as he did not know the integrity of the tunnels, Cullen was attempting to get back into the damaged network.

"There are not many access points to the connection tunnels that you seek. They were considered a liability and most buried far beneath the surface." As he spoke he accessed video feeds from the tunnels that he was looking for. One feed was a wash with feedback, leading Cullen to believe that the tunnel was comprised. Another feed was very clear, showing the access hatch in the background with hundreds of the creatures swarming the tunnel. The last feed was distorted but clear enough to see that the tunnel had yet to be destroyed or overrun by the creatures.

I am see that one emergency access points is still a viable option for your team Lieutenant Commander." Cullen projected the video feed and a holographic image of the outer hatch and landing bay. "There is a small landing pad at the bottom of this gorge, where the tunnel ran close enough to the gorge wall, that a emergency access points was feasible. And as of the moment integrity is looking good and clear of the bad guys."

[Keiya]

Seigs eyes scanned the layout and he nodded. "Very well. Cullen - do you have anything you want to add to this? You know these tunnels better than we do. The only activity we've had to flesh out has been surface based. Nothing has ever compromised us quite this bad. " He looked out of the view port, momentarily, and winced at the sight of the surface of Titan ablaze with blue/green fire and mist. He felt as if the entire moon was dying. Something sank in his stomach.

Anders peered at the map, focusing on an intersecting point that seemed to trace out to several different platforms. " Here - This area is larger than the rest. What is it? " He was hoping for the proper input from Cullen.

Gabriel, quickly cleaning the barrel of his rifle while kneeled down beside Ryan and Miranda; he was worried. " The concern I have with going down there is that the moon itself seems to be breaking apart. But we can't get off planet, now can we? We're trapped like rats. "

" Rats that are going to kill each and every one of these sons'a'bitches." Miranda removed her helmet - hair falling around her blood-smeared face. Robin brought a cloth up and began cleaning it before Miranda snatched it away and spat a glob of blood on the alloy floor. " They've pissed me off, I dunno wha tha' hell they've been waitin' on down here fer all this time but now that I know I'll kill em' all." Robin smirked and snatched the cloth back, cleaning the rest of the blood from her sisters' face.

=========================

Erali'Nar sneered, her lips pulling back to show the fangs of her mouth. " Be Cursed. They've begun assimilating. " She narrowed her eyes and took note of the command console which she could use to destroy the moon. 'This Grave is invaluable' she reminded herself. The entire plan seemed to be falling apart all because of these humans. How long have they been here? Exactly what have they been doing to awaken it?

Celestia grew impatient as the readings from Titan spiked. " Arch-Captain Erali'Nar; If you'd share your information with me, we could help one another."

" Intelligence is a lacking word for you, construct. It is the fault of your presence here which has caused this. This is a Legion, a life-form so vast and complex that not even we could hope to fully understand it. You have awoken it from the slumber that we forced it into after the loss of dozens of solar systems." Her voice was filled with venom.

"Solar Systems?" Celestia was caught in disbelief for a moment. Was this...thing..really that dangerous?

[Keiya]

Titan began to roil. The moon itself seemed to begin expanding outwards, as if it were growing in size opposed to breaking apart. The very thickness of the air grew heavy with density as electrical storms began to dance across the surface of it's atmosphere, streaking outwards into the vacuum of space before dissolving into consumed lances of light. As this growth slowly began, the 'net' formed by the alien ships grew denser as well as if waiting to contain the expanding atmosphere within. Human crafts and the orbital station dare not make a move, caught in the complete and total Awe of what was occurring before them.

On the surface, ground began to slowly fall away in parts as 212 rose to the surface forming great lakes and streams. Slowly the moon began to take a view much like a watery Earth with spots of ground and ridges of mountains. Temporal rifts spawned and dissipated en masse, warping the fabric of time around them as they sparked to life and died. Swarming clouds of brand new elements warped the fabric of space, pulling out slicks of perceived matter until their wake looked as if smeared paint before him. The entire environment was shifting, changing, being distorted by unknown forces. Slowly, a deep groaning from the center of Titan gave out a hushed moan which shook the entirety of the moon like a vibrating device across the surface of a table. Air swelled and surfaces tore before pulling themselves back together. The only region not effected were the hardened mountains that reached high above the surface - The region that the team was currently in. It was almost as if a safe haven, and for completely unknown reasons.

[Warmonger]

E220 emerges from the blazing ruins of the armoury.
//:runalgorithm:dafuq.exe

Status//:running...

[Corman2030]

"It appears to be a maintenance hub, where engineers would be able to assemble equipment and a mobile hab, for prolonged maintenance efforts.

[Keiya]

Robin could feel it in her bones as the shuttle began to slow, grunting as it's hull struggled against an unknown force. " Hab? There should be medical supplies there, should there not? This is perfect. How fast can you get us there? " She looked over at Miranda and Ryan with concerned eyes hidden behind her visor.


==================

Celestia rattled with haste

:- Initiating Contact Sequence - Bravo 1023.1455-391
:- Insert " Android - Are you alive? "
:- End Sequence - Footstamp 'Quizzical'
-/ Prop-Return Window Open \ Handshake Granted For Response

[Corman2030]

"As I said Reaper, there is a possibility." Cullen said, addressing Robin, letting his anoyance show. "If there was an engineer team working at this location at the time of, whatever is happening out there. Then yes, would be a medi hab established, could even be survivors."

[Keiya]

The shuttle rocked a final time before making contact on a slopped landing. The legs of the landing gear adjusted to hold the shuttle upright and level as the pilot turned to face the group.

Gabriel noted Cullens' response and cycled a fresh round into his rifle as if a period to the statement. " We have no time. Once there, we'll find out what we're working with. "

Seig wasted no time popping the hatch open and scanning the area. It was clear. He signaled for them to move as he dropped out of the shuttle, finding his footing instantly as he allowed his visor to scan the area. " We're getting out of the open. We can only hope those monsters didn't take note of our location. Once we're able to get settled in and back into suitable condition, we'll hunker down and figure out our next course of action. " He turned to face the group as Anders, Gabriel, and Robin exited the shuttle assisting Ryan out who was still dazed. Miranda exited last - obviously wounder but carrying herself without complaint. The pilot stood in the shuttle, waiting for everyone to depart. "We're all a little confused - but just like everything else, we'll overcome. Celestia - Status? And where's the Android that was down here with us? Was he lost? And Cullen - where to? I'll take point but I'll need your guidance. We are only familiar with the platforms and their access points - not these old service tunnels. "

Celestias' avatar did not form in his HUD - the first sign that she was busy elsewhere. " Attempting to establish contact. Last reading indicated rampancy before regaining stability. Likely hood is that it is damaged. Updates and Location Information will be relayed accordingly. " Her voice was less human and held a flat tone - the next sign that she was only offering a very small fragment of herself up. This didn't sit well with him.

[Warmonger]

://response initiated:openhandshake
://Celestia?
://awaiting...