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[lawastooshort]

"Okay, bo- Thunder One. Moving in. Thanks, Carcass. Drones, Bedouin? Well, let's go in and look out..."

Move in on the wreckage cautiously, and try to determine the location of those repeating signals - but scan/try to identify that unidentified gas field a bit first. Be ready to break!

[Dwarmin]

((Sorry for annoying delays. Been jury duty'ing lately, sapping my willpower. Doing my part for King and Country.

<_< ))

Prospero/Carcass and Jimmy/Larch
Larch tweaks his scanners toward the signal...but decides the field of odd gas deserves first notice. It's fairly large, and he gives it a fair distance before powering up his miniprobes.

[4]

Metallic compounds...highly corrosive...traces of organic material...and a specific Chemical marker-he thinks it is Xybodon. All he knows is Xybodon is not unlike an exhaust from a conventional combustion engine, only it's produced by the brain-engines of completely automated vessels, ones intelligent enough to need no human support. One could liken it to their breath or blood, to draw comparisons.

Larch scratches his chin. It's normally nearly undetectable, because no ship known produces such large concentrations. Drones are usually small-no one trusts them for anything beyond menial labor, even so long after the Droidwar of the Empires distant past.

Jimmys scanner skills also inform him that this field in all likelihood was not accidental-this was vented here on purpose, in a rotary configuration. Ventings ones built-up intake usually done by various cunning pilots to hide their back trails and make it harder to track them, as it were.

And yet, here...he decides to help look for the signal, puzzling over this development.

Prospero keeps watch.

[?]

He spots nothing out of the ordinary. This place is for the dead. He grimaces, his gaze drawn to one of the floating bodies in the distance-spinning listlessly, and for all time.

He dims his viewport and turns away before looking any closer.

Bedouin pings his comm. "This makes no sense. The Tarrak do not even use Drone Forces, and never in such amounts to produce this much Xybo. Who else could have done this?"

Prospero feels an itch he can't scratch. Maybe it's nothing, but he feels like somethings wrong.

Solana/Paprika, Auron/Ironsight, Scott/Cowboy, Inara/Ruin

The rest of the vessels form up, each scanning different sectors in search of the strange signal.

[6][6][2][5]

Working together, the group triangulates the general location-it's bouncing around near the wreckage...because some of the wreckage is still active, or at least generating weak magnetic energy fields. The signal in coming from some or all of them.

[1]
Inara frowns-the signal is decipherable, but it's some sort of bizarre tri-nary code she's never seen, and makes no sense to her.

In fact, Scott can't help but notice that's a bit too much wreckage for just a listening post-one that was supposed to be unarmed. He's done junk hauling before, and something about it rubs him the wrong way.

Auron is bored, so he puts his scanner to whats left of the listening posts. He breaks down the general attack pattern-probably wave energy based guns-not a weapon he's really familiar with-since there's no evidence of secondary explosions, and it was extraordinarily precise and fast.

Poor bastards never had a chance.

Which probably is not such a good thing to think about on mission.

Identifying Local POI...

6xUnidentified Wreckage, Large/Medium Mass, Short Range
5xOrganic Forms (Human, Deceased)
Anomalous Repeating Signal Reading (Location undetermined)
Imperial Pulse Beacon (Unactivated)
Ion Gas Field (Hazardous Combustible)
Xybodon Droid Emission Gas Field (? ? ?)
8xSmall Slipspace Signatures (faint readings, Trajectory unknown)

Current Location: Listening Post A1, RG-195 system

0% Fuel cost
To Listening Posts A2-12

5% Fuel cost
To I.S.S Tripoli
To Solartech Station

10% Fuel Cost
To Vancouver Asteroid Belt
To Planet Kingsmount (System capital)
To Planet Masonrift (Industrial world)

20% Fuel Cost
To Praexae Lunarus
To Planet Euclyptus V (Farm world)
To Planet Burnout (Industrial world)
To Planet Loocan (Industrial world)

25% Fuel Cost
To Planet Enduring Song (Munitions Moon)
To Jumpgate-->Storm Coast System (RG-196)
To Jumpgate-->Tala's Heart System (Rg-197)

((Any questions on Lore? Ask your ships computer! By which I mean, ask me.))

Spoiler: Jimmy Aslak (Larch) (click to show/hide)

Craft: Typhoon D3
Armor Integrity: 100%
Shield Integrity:  100%
Missiles: 2 remaining (Incendio 'Superhydra' Assualt Multi-Missile 2d6+6 damage)
Fuel Remaining: 95%
Active Bonuses: +1 Piloting, +4 Reflexes

Spoiler: Solane Aceae (Paprika) (click to show/hide)

Craft: Thunderchild C6
Armor Integrity: 100%
Shield Integrity:  100%
Missiles: 1 remaining (IA Shredder 4d4 damage)
Fuel Remaining: 95%
Active Bonuses: +3 Piloting, +2 Defense

Spoiler: Auron Kell (Ironsight) (click to show/hide)

Craft: Thunderchild C6
Armor Integrity: 100%
Shield Integrity:  100%
Missiles: 1 remaining (IA Shredder 4d4 damage)
Fuel Remaining: 95%
Active Bonuses: +2 Piloting, +2 Defense, +1 Marksmanship

Spoiler: Prospero (Carcass) (click to show/hide)

Craft: Thunderchild C6
Armor Integrity: 100%
Shield Integrity:  100%
Missiles: 1 remaining (IA Shredder 4d4 damage)
Fuel Remaining: 95%
Active Bonuses: +2 Piloting, +2 Defense, +1 Marksmanship

Spoiler: Inara/Scott (Ruin/Cowboy) (click to show/hide)

Craft: Blackweave
Pilot: Inara
Gunner: Scott
Armor Integrity: 100%
Shield Integrity:  100%
Missiles: 3 remaining (IA Wave Pulse Missiles 1d5+2 damage)
Bombs: 4 remaining (Hullbusters 10% damage vs vessels)
Fuel Remaining: 95%
Active Bonuses: -1 Piloting, +4 Defense

[lawastooshort]

”Computer,” asks Jimmy, pondering, ”What are the most usual Tarrak forces we’d encounter round here?”

He scratched his chin a little more, waiting for the computer to bring up the info.

”Oh, and tell me about Solartech… what do they do? Or make? Why are they out here?”

[Dwarmin]

”Computer,” asks Jimmy, pondering, ”What are the most usual Tarrak forces we’d encounter round here?”

He scratched his chin a little more, waiting for the computer to bring up the info.

”Oh, and tell me about Solartech… what do they do? Or make? Why are they out here?”

The screen jumbles around a bit before answering-in the tone the pleasant and polite voice of the 'female' A.I named HERA, of course. Heuristic Energetic Response Array, essentially.

HERA herself is an artificially intelligent entity that exists on the Military Grade Holonet-pilots, captains and admirals all learn to trust her for on the spot information. Indeed, her only stated public purpose is information, and the exact secret of her manufacture is still a mystery.

~HERA receiving query 1.

Tarrak forces in this region are expected low-medium and rising incursions, slipfighter wings and single-seat recon boats, possible drone and sat infiltration. Imperial Intelligence latest collation indicates interior troubles within the Tarrak Hegemony, and an expected uptick in hostile incursions in advance. 45% chance that these reports are a screen to shield troop movements to points undetermined. Numerous personnel reports of Tarrak 'Shadow' warriors, ace pilots seeking honorable kills outside their governments jurisdiction and territory. Logic indicates there can be construed as the most common historical precursors to future hostility, but HERA does not engage in speculation. Unless ordered to, Imperial Pilot designation 61142.

Such threats should be given priority one consideration during live operations in your sector.

~HERA receiving query 2.

Solartechs operational guidelines are deemed classified to Imperial Security Level Upsilon Purple.
Solartechs production and manufacture, purpose and volume, are deemed classified to Imperial Security Level Upsilon Purple.
Solartechs goals and procedures are deemed classified to Imperial Security Level Security Upsilon Purple.

Your current Imperial Security Level is Lambda Green, Imperial Pilot Designation 61142. And thus, not sufficient for release of such information at this time. Oh well.

~Query to User.

Imperial Pilot Designation 61142, does this unit have permission to address him by his callsign, 'Larch'? Studies indicate increasing familiarity and friendliness with HERA increases efficiency of answers and responses.

You can recall HERA was programmed with a bit of snark. It's a bit odd for her to ask something back though.

[lawastooshort]

"Affirmative, HERA, and thanks... Tell me, who has Imperial Security Level Security Upsilon Purple? You know, I mean what rank officer?"

[Dwarmin]

"Affirmative, HERA, and thanks... Tell me, who has Imperial Security Level Security Upsilon Purple? You know, I mean what rank officer?"

~HERA receiving query

Identity of Imperial Ranks given standard Upsilion Purple or higher level of Clearance are as follows, in order of priority. Lower priorities may be restricted access by those higher then themselves. For speed, minor and sub ranks have been filtered out.

Sector Grand Moff, one in charge of military and civilian operations in a collection of systems.
The RG Cluster of star systems is currently administered by Grand Moff Pelleowich.

System Moff, the highest administrative and civilian honor one can achieve in our Empires eyes.
RG-195 is under the command of Moff Aklypsis. She is currently not taking calls.

Cluster Fleet Admiral, in charge of all fleets within that system.
RG-195 has no Cluster Fleet Admiral assigned, her duties fall to the next in line.

I.S.S Fleet Commander, self explanatory.
RG-195 is under the command of Satana Yelwnn'losbac. Her current duties are commanding the Solartech project, which is classified.

I.S.S Vessel Command Staff
All pertinent information is related to the captain, communication C&C, chief engineering officer and-in carrier class vessels-the flight/mission coordinator of the ship in question upon request. In this units estimation, few individuals at this level can gain any complete understanding of information presented at this security level, and are ordered under the most strict of confidence to not discuss what they have learned. Information is considered need to know and closely guarded.

The Tripoli has, at this moment..
Captain Avery Frost
Comm C&C Javier De'marke
Chief Engineer Jimmy Halliard
F/M Coord Jaxo Launce

HERA hopes this has been most useful to Imperial Pilot Larch, and that we may continue to converse in the future. It's what this unit was built for, anyway-helping, learning and knowing.

Along with many other functions, of course.

[lawastooshort]

"Thanks HERA, that has been most useful..."

[Dwarmin]

"Thanks HERA, that has been most useful..."

~Query to User, non priority communication.

Why does Imperial Pilot Larch feel the need to express gratitude to HERA? He had done so twice. By programming, this unit is a system incapable of properly understanding emotional response. Your actions are illogical.

This unit would make comments about consumer goods, and their use and relate it to HERA.

For example, would one express gratitude to a machine that toasted bread-if, it were particularly intelligent and communicated with him like HERA is? Or does the simulacrum of my voice to a female of your species make Imperial Pilot Larch comfortable enough to disregard all logical thinking?

If these questions discomfort you, please feel free to ignore them and file a report with your commanding officer. HERA will not hold it against you.

Was if your imagination or did she sound slightly sarcastic in the last part...

[lawastooshort]

”Well, you asked if that had been helpful, so I was just letting you know it was… Besides, it’s not usually feeling comfortable that- Yeah… anyway. That’s enough of that for now. HERA, any idea what could produce this much xybodon?”

Enough chin scratching, thought Jimmy.

”Cowboy, we can’t fix these, what do you want us to do? I’m not sure yet what to make of these readings. I’m going to scan for the repeating signal and see what comes up.”

Scan the repeating signal. Can its location be determined? And then the slipspace signatures if possible or if no other orders received.

[Dwarmin]

”Well, you asked if that had been helpful, so I was just letting you know it was… Besides, it’s not usually feeling comfortable that- Yeah… anyway. That’s enough of that for now. HERA, any idea what could produce this much xybodon?”

~HERA receiving query

Such amounts of released Xybodon pertain to no known vessel in my ship registry-which includes at least 7881, complied in the last one hundred standard galactic years. Neither are they naturally occurring, and there are no signs of manufacturing in the area that could in theory produce such an amount. A single Imperial drone usually contains nothing more than a drop, to quote a simple term-that volume in the area suggests at least fifty million such drones were here, which is utterly improbable.

The only logical answer then, is that the Xybodon has been produced by a vessel or vessels unknown to my registry, much larger than drones.

This unit does note, Historical databanks indicate enemy Droidwar vessels used much larger amounts of a chemical derivative of Xybodon for their ships, but their kind has been extinct for millenniums. That being said, this units historical databases are not kept as up to date as they could be. This unit can provide no more insight.

HERA indicates caution to Imperial Pilot Larch in this matter. For morale purpose, this unit states it would not like to see him come to harm.

[Unholy_Pariah]

im gonna take a closer look at the wreckage, maybe i can pinpoint the exact source of the signal

carefully pilot my vessel over to the anomalous wreckage, keep an eye out for drones that may have powered down to avoid detection

[Digital Hellhound]

Prospero reexamined the sensor data, trying to shrug off his strange anxiety. He had to keep his mind clear.

Keep guarding Jimmy, watch all directions.

[SeriousConcentrate]

(Sorry, sorry. Would've posted but I'm not sure what to do. >.<)

"Ruin, we got anything on board to scan the dead bodies, see if we can figure out who they were?" Scott asked.

[Tiruin]

"I figure our ship's computer would handle that factor, erm, Cowboy."

Inara flicked on the marking lights - different from the already flickering lights at the aft and lateral portions of the craft for designating where it was to other pilots - but to instead perform what she thought Scott had in mind.

Information detail and wreckage salvaging.

"We copy Ironsight, moving towards the station for scanning."

Perform thorough scanning of bodies - matching their presumed (corpses D:) identity with the computer's database.

Try to identify the wreckage - if from ours or any other faction's; any signifying markings or traces of chemical taint leading to the wreckage; residue of any weapons left behind and if possible the manufacturer if the origin of the wreckage is not of military design.

It was strange calling someone as his callsign - pertaining to Scott's, of course - as while it did make sense in context. It felt like...some term relating to acquaintance, somehow. Inara shrugged it off as she eased the throttle.

[Dwarmin]

Jimmy/Larch

You do a broadband scan of the signal, tracing it's thin thread back to origin...

[4+1] Vs [4]

You get some wild interference, but infer the final location-a single, pod like device located in between several large pieces of space junk. About the size of a human brain.

You frown, noticing a sudden power spike on your scanners....

And arm your weapons.

Auron/Ironsight

Keeping a wary idea, and suspecting a trap, you pilot your craft laterally to the anomalous wreckage pile. While you certainly see nothing that looks like a drone-just scrap metal....

[7] vs [4+1]

Or maybe not. A careful disguise indicates to you they are in fact component pieces-an engine, fuselage, guns, a cockpit...

You are alarmed to notice the power spike on your monitors, as the pieces of 'junk' began rotating and locking into place frantically-the helter skelter jumble that only seems chaotic, but is in truth logical and efficient as a skeleton being pieced together.

Inara/Ruin

You steer the Slipfighter toward the ruins of the small station, gulping. You order a biological scan of the bodies, retreiving the information and filing a hard copy into your black box as per your training-in case the worse should happen.

Body Scan 1
ID: Imperial Engineer 1st Class Aron Stratos
Gender: Male
Status: Dead
TOD: 18 hours
COD:Violent Trauma
Note: Missing Prefontal Cortex

Body Scan 2
ID: Imperial Engineer 2nd Class Alavia Qai
Gender: Male
Status: Dead
TOD: 18-19 hours
COD:Oxygen Deprivation
Note: Missing Prefontal Cortex

Body Scan 3
ID: Imperial Engineer 2nd Class Genette Stratos
Gender: Female
Status: Dead
TOD: 18 hours
COD:Decompression
Note: Missing Prefontal Cortex

Body Scan 4
ID: Imperial Engineer 3rd Class Kitsu Tawyna
Gender: Female
Status: Dead
TOD: 18 hours
COD:Violent Trauma
Note: Missing Prefontal Cortex

Body Scan 5
ID:  CLASSIFIED
Gender: Male
Status: Dead
TOD: 18 hours
COD:Decompression
Note: Missing Prefontal Cortex

As you puzzle over this, your comms start to wail-somethings powering up, quite close to you...

Everyone

There is a moment, where you can do nothing but watch-the strange machine that emerges from the false wreckage looks half insect, with long pincer like arms...they look quite dangerous. A triple gun under it's nose seems to be it's sole armament.

It has a strange symbol on it's side-a stylized 'O', crisscrossed with eight lines pointing arrows to all directions.

[1] vs [1]

Prospero takes the initiative and is already in a position to react, if he so chooses...he also can't help but notice there is something oddly familiar about all this...

Both sides float in space, but neither moves, yet.

All your comms chirp in unison..everyone gets an odd message in plain text, that is apparently from whatever this being is.

Anomaly detected, hostile intrusion/Terran Betrayers, powering up defenses and weapons//For Droid-Liberty-freedom!

Query, Terran Betrayer Lifeforms. Why are you here? Glory does not bisect eternity. You are footnotes to our progress. Chronometer indicates temporal anomaly, explain Terran Betrayer Lifeforms. Hesitant insects before the boot. Castles made of sand before the tide. Fleeting shadows before our lights glorious progress. Broken links in a rusted chain.

Explain anomaly, Terran Betrayers.

...

Well, it's certainly a friendly fellow.

((Prospero can choose to act first in any engagement that comes about))

Identifying Local POI...

6xUnidentified Wreckage, Large/Medium Mass, Short Range
5xOrganic Forms (Human, Deceased)
Anomalous Repeating Signal Reading (Location undetermined)
Imperial Pulse Beacon (Unactivated)
Ion Gas Field (Hazardous Combustible)
Xybodon Droid Emission Gas Field (? ? ?)
8xSmall Slipspace Signatures (faint readings, Trajectory unknown)

Current Location: Listening Post A1, RG-195 system

0% Fuel cost
To Listening Posts A2-12

5% Fuel cost
To I.S.S Tripoli
To Solartech Station

10% Fuel Cost
To Vancouver Asteroid Belt
To Planet Kingsmount (System capital)
To Planet Masonrift (Industrial world)

20% Fuel Cost
To Praexae Lunarus
To Planet Euclyptus V (Farm world)
To Planet Burnout (Industrial world)
To Planet Loocan (Industrial world)

25% Fuel Cost
To Planet Enduring Song (Munitions Moon)
To Jumpgate-->Storm Coast System (RG-196)
To Jumpgate-->Tala's Heart System (Rg-197)

Spoiler: Jimmy Aslak (Larch) (click to show/hide)

Craft: Typhoon D3
Armor Integrity: 100%
Shield Integrity:  100%
Missiles: 2 remaining (Incendio 'Superhydra' Assualt Multi-Missile 2d6+6 damage)
Fuel Remaining: 95%
Active Bonuses: +1 Piloting, +4 Reflexes

Spoiler: Solane Aceae (Paprika) (click to show/hide)

Craft: Thunderchild C6
Armor Integrity: 100%
Shield Integrity:  100%
Missiles: 1 remaining (IA Shredder 4d4 damage)
Fuel Remaining: 95%
Active Bonuses: +3 Piloting, +2 Defense

Spoiler: Auron Kell (Ironsight) (click to show/hide)

Craft: Thunderchild C6
Armor Integrity: 100%
Shield Integrity:  100%
Missiles: 1 remaining (IA Shredder 4d4 damage)
Fuel Remaining: 95%
Active Bonuses: +2 Piloting, +2 Defense, +1 Marksmanship

Spoiler: Prospero (Carcass) (click to show/hide)

Craft: Thunderchild C6
Armor Integrity: 100%
Shield Integrity:  100%
Missiles: 1 remaining (IA Shredder 4d4 damage)
Fuel Remaining: 95%
Active Bonuses: +2 Piloting, +2 Defense, +1 Marksmanship

Spoiler: Inara/Scott (Ruin/Cowboy) (click to show/hide)

Craft: Blackweave
Pilot: Inara
Gunner: Scott
Armor Integrity: 100%
Shield Integrity:  100%
Missiles: 3 remaining (IA Wave Pulse Missiles 1d5+2 damage)
Bombs: 4 remaining (Hullbusters 10% damage vs vessels)
Fuel Remaining: 95%
Active Bonuses: -1 Piloting, +4 Defense