((Mixture of rolls here. Also, i've tried a different tactic. Instead of completely surprising people with a new revelation like i did with the husband-cyborg (which got some criticism of being 'forced') i've tried hinting at the surprise at the end throughout this chapter.
Enjoy!))
Use our psychic powers to send a message: "Your old friends found a new target...they'll regret it."
Also see if we can request medical staff and if we can be checked out.
You smile at Karista, and softly nudge at her mind. She seems a bit surprised at first, but she relaxes as you start to talk.
"
Your old mutant friends found a new target. They'll regret it." You grin, widely. "
Ah!, i almost forgot about the continuation of our conversation the other day. If you are up for it, we can continue it now?" Karista nods and smiles.
You press your nurse button and request over the intercom to be released. It takes about half an hour for the medical staff to arrive. It seems that even the Vanguard has ridiculous levels of paperwork, checks and balances. But, you reason, this
is the quarantine ward.
The two nurses undo your restraints and check you over. They run an array of small tests on you, ask you questions and riddles to check your mental state and they also took blood from you, as well as various other biometrics. You briefly wonder what they are for, but that thought quickly leaves your overworked mind.
You stretch and get up, willing your clothing to change into something functional. Before your very eyes, and to Karista's amazement, your clothes change into the smart-casual attire you had when you first got this armour. You smile, feeling better.
Ask Talli for a report on the differences between the nanites that attacked us and the friendly ones.
As you stretch, trying to relive the feeling of stiffness that seems to have affected every inch of your body, you contact Talli, and as it for a report on the enemy nanites. You want to know just
how different they were from ones already encountered, especially how different they are from Vanguard and Morey nanites.
"Well, if someone were to briefly glance at them, they could easily mistake them for early generation Vanguard bio-nanites. They are roughly the same size, shape and mass. They also have roughly the same hardware which, although outdated, is still pretty effective.
However, that is where the similarities end. With a more thorough examination, the examiner could easily tell that these arent, in fact, Vanguard nanites at all. They are most certainly based on Vanguard nanites, but these seem to have mutated, either through their own volition which would be unheard of, or with the help of an outside power. They are far more irregular and organic in shape, unlike Vanguard and even Morey nanites which tend to be very artificial looking despite being bio-based.
Their abilities seem to be different. Whilst the Vanguard and now the Morey have been developing nanites that are extremely good all-rounders, capable of doing anything to a high degree of accuracy and quality, the enemies nanite swarms seem to be made up of many different types of nanites, each with their own strengths and weaknesses, which is how we could defeat them.
This variation does compromise their effectiveness, however for those not well versed in nanotechnology, or at least bio-nanotech, this variation could mean that they are very, very hard to counter as if someone were to take down one type of nanite, there is no guarantee the other nanite variations will be affected, thus allowing them to continue on their merry way to complete whatever it was they were trying to complete.
Another interesting feature is that they release a special toxin that seems to induce paralysis and panic, as well as causing hallucinations and deliriousness. This could be used to explain your helplessness when confronted by that cyborg, although i am unsure as to how it managed to infect you as I detected no penetration of your bodies structure, nor did I detect any inhalation of nanite bodies.""Interesting.....Do you have any idea who could have created these things?"
"I haven't the foggiest. It could be the Balshaan, but they seem like the type to turn up in person, and if they could get a cyborg on board, they could get an attack party on board instead, which, from the behaviour i have analyzed, would have meant an assault on the ship.
In our personal opinion, we may be looking at an as-yet-unknown enemy who is yet to show itself. Why they would target you? We do not know. However, have you noticed it seems to be a recurring theme? First the Morey, then the Vanguard, then the Balshaan and now whoever created that cyborg all seem to think you are special. We have run at least a dozen diagnistics on your body, and we have found nothing unusual for a healthy human female bu.......wait, that cant be right.....the diagnostic we have been running since you were infected has just returned an anomalous result in your abdomen. That was not there before......" Talli trails off, and does not respond to your hails. You are about to give up when Talli comes back.
"Katia, we will try and find out what this is. Until we do, do not tell anyone about it. We have a hunch, but it has shocked us. We do not know what will happen to you if you reveal this information.""What information? What do you mean?"
Surprisingly, Talli seems to almost sigh and rub its head, or at least that is the feeling you are getting from Talli at the moment.
"Do you remember why the Vanguard came to this system? They were looking for a weapon, something to use against the Balshaan to end the war, or at least tip the scales in their favour.....""Yes, but what does that h......Oh. Oh dear....Am
I the weapon?"
"No. At least, we do not think so. But you are the.....the.... we do not think there is a good word to describe what you are. I think the word 'key' fits best, but the words 'central computer' and 'heart of the machine' could be used as well""'Heart of the machine'? 'Central Computer'? But, i'm not a machine or a part or a computer. I'm human!"
"Katia, it is becoming clear now that you arent. We do not think you ever were, not really. We arent sure, but you are either a machine made by a god-like entity, or an alien in disguise, as cliche as that sounds.""But i have been changed! By the Morey and then by the Vanguard! I have children!"
"All are true, but none of them mean you aren't what we believe you to be. Yes, the Morey and Vanguard have changed you, but what we seem to have found, which seems to be growing by the way as well as winding its way through your body, seems to be what can only really be described accurately as your 'core', aka the real you. As for your children, they are most likely half human."You suddenly feel dizzy, overcome with all this information.
"Thank you Talli." You feel Talli give you a mental hug in response before fading back into the background.
Dramatic imperative indicates that she is currently safe, if a possible enemy agent at some distant time. More pragmatically though, she should probably be sedated and quarantined until proper containment, interrogation, and therapeutic facilities are present...
Se seems pretty clearly to be aware of what happened. obvious questions would be:
What measures did it leave behind in case of discovery or departure? Do we need to worry about bioweapons being released on the Morey homeworld if it doesn't send a message once a week?
How long until it's handlers know that it is missing? Does it have a regular timetable of sending reports?
Who did it trust? Can we get a list of known enemy agents?
What was it interested in? Did they send any Morey technology home? Did it organise extensive scouting or fortification of any locations? Maybe it went to pains to leave specific locations undisturbed...
Why was it here? Attacking the Vanguard personally using predominantly Morey technology seems like a big risk to take when they basically controlled the Morey...
Ask the Morey to conduct a formal investigation into what happened to Karista. We want as reliable a source as possible to convince the Morey populace of what transpired.
Deciding to take your mind off of these new revelations, you exit your room and enter Karista's.
"Hello Pandora." She says, smiling. Her smile drops as she studies your face. "Something is wrong, isn't it?"
"Its nothing, Karista."You say, returning her smile, and trying to change the subject. "Now, lets get back to the conversation we were having before, and then we can see about getting you some accommodation."
"Oh, no need to look for accommodation. I will be with the rest of the Morey currently on this ship. There is a whole barracks wing dedicated to the Morey. The Vanguard will be taking us home, back to our homeworld, once they are done here. The peace and alliance treaty was ratified immediately between the Vanguard and Morey Matriarchy, by the way. I thought you'd like to know."
You nod. "Yes, that's fantastic. No more fighting between Ghalkra."
"Between what?" Karista asks, confused.
"I said, no more fighting between those who should be friends?" You say, now also confused.
Karista looks at you for a few minutes, the silence stretching uncomfortably.
"Uhm...Karista, Whats wrong?"
"Nothing......" She says, still studying you. "Anyway!" She says, suddenly smiling. "You have questions?"
"Yes. First, did the infected you leave behind any nasty surprises if it was ever discovered? Any that are time activated? As in, if you dont tell them not to detonate, they'll detonate after a certain time period?"
"No, i dont think so. I think the Balshaans arrogance meant they never anticipated being discovered in the first place. And, had they been, they are more than powerful enough to kill and dispose of those who know. Or they put one of those things inside the and bring them into the fold." She shivers as she speaks, obviously disgusted. "In short, no, there are no nasty surprises waiting on a Morey ship of world somewhere.
"You mentioned that the Balshaan would infect others? So there are more like you in the Morey ranks?"
"Yes. Many more, although the vast majority were in my entourage, who are now all dead. There are a few in the Matriarchs supporters, but fortunately they dont have spawning abilities, so they cannot infect anyone else. At least, i think they can't."
"Interesting. Now, thirdly, did the Balshaan inside you have any handlers? People it had to report to or check in with? How long until they start getting suspicious?"
"There are no handlers. The leader of their little infiltration was inside of me. As far as i know, the Balshaan command is not expecting regular updates, if any updates at all. Although, they will probably notice that the Morey and Vanguard have stopped fighting.".
"Good. Good. Next, Who did it trust? Can you provide a list of enemy agents?"
"As i said, almost all of them were killed when the Vanguard - and you - killed my entourage. As for the ones left, the thing inside of me did not have them under its command. They were under the command of its subordinates. I do not know them." She says, looking disappointed with herself.
"Damn...Thanks for trying. We'll just have to ferret them out the usual way.."
"Next, What were they interested in? Did they send any Morey technology home? Did it organise extensive scouting or fortification of any locations? Maybe it went to pains to leave specific locations undisturbed..."
"Sorry...that information was hidden from me as well. I think their objective was to cause as much chaos as possible, and to tie up the Vanguard, their only real opponent in this galaxy." She says, struggling to remember.
"Karista, its OK if you dont remember everything. That was enough. Thank you. Only another question or two to go, ok?"
She smiles at you. "OK" She replies.
"Finally, Why was it here, in this system? Attacking the Vanguard personally using predominantly Morey technology seems like a big risk to take when they basically controlled the Morey..."
"I think they were getting desperate. They heard the Vanguard were close to finding a weapon of great strength that could help them crush the Balshaan, so they gathered as many Morey ships as possible to try and stall or destroy the Vanguard in this System. Obviously, it didn't turn out well for them." she chuckles at the last bit.
You giggle. "Obviously. Thanks for your time, Karista. I'll let you get back to your people. I hope they dont hold anything against you..." You trail off.
Karista frowns slightly. "Do you?"
You look at her, caught off guard by the question. "I....I'm not sure. I dont think so...."
"Is it...still there?" She asks, hesitantly. "The....mark i left on you?"
You stand, and open your clothes so she can see your body. There, clear as day, is the scar. Karista winces.
"I'm sorry." She says, eyes downcast. "Please, you have to believe me, I wasn't the one who did that, although that monster forced me to watch as it did that to you. I'll never forget the look in your eyes. I am so, so sorry." She gets up and hugs you. You return the hug.
After several minutes, you speak, breaking the silence. "I was hoping someone could launch an investigation into what happened. Possibly headed by the Matriarch or one of the Old Guard generals. Could you contact the Matriarch when you get back to where they are staying and ask her to meet me in my room?"
Karista nods. "No problem." She smiles. "I'll be going now, then. Bye!" She says a bit awkwardly. You give her a little wave as she exits. Closing your clothes, you leave the quarantine room, following Karista through the checking areas that leads to the exit. Eventually, you leave the hospital and start towards your room. You really, really need to rest. And you would really like to chat with your daughters.
You stretch again, the stiffness coming back, and sigh. Its been a long few days.
***
Go and collect our brood sisters.
As you walk towards the Phantom barracks, your thoughts drift towards that of your brood sisters. You havent seen them in such a long time, it seems, although its only been a week or two. You stop, thinking. You know where they are staying, so you turn around and head towards the Morey's quarters.
You arrive half an hour later, and instantly see see Kaleetra standing about with Ari, Ankara and Elianna. They seem to be in a heated discussion. Ala-Shar is not too far away either.
You walk up quietly behind them, trying to listen in on their conversation, but Kaleetra spots you.
"
Pandora! We thought you were gone! Sent away again on yet another mission!" She says, obviously overjoyed at your appearance. Your fellow brood leaders turn, looks of equal joy on their faces.
"Hi all!" You exclaim loudly, jogging the rest of the way. Even Ala-Shar has come over, a smile on her face.
"Where have you been, Pandora!?" Ala-Shar asks with mock seriousness.
"We thought the Vanguard had sent you away on some mundane mission somewhere, or back to the planets surface. We were just arguing as to who should go back and shout in your commanding officers face to get you back here to rest." Elianna added
"You really do look...human again!" Ankara says in awe.
"And we heard you were now fighting for the Vanguard as a...what was it again....a Phantom?" Ari asks, curious.
You shift your clothes into your armour. "Yep. I'm now part of a Vanguard ASOG Phantom team" You sound almost proud. You chuckle at that.
Ala-Shar looks greatly intrigued by your armour. "I've never seen anything like this......this is decades ahead of anything we were even close to creating......Is there anything the Vanguard cant do?"
"Defeat the Balshaan." You say, your expression hardening. "Which is why the Vanguard need your help, and the help of all council races. They want nothing but peace between themselves and the council races."
"We'll help." Ala-Shar says, quickly followed by nods from your brood sisters.
You smile, and thank them. Eventually, you all start talking about what had happened since you were taken. Your 'interrogation' by your own daughter and the fact your other daughter is also on the ship. You also talked about your time in the vat and the way the vanguard managed to return you to your human form. Many of your brood sisters would like to be completely human again as well for understandable reasons. Ala-Shar seems all for it. You remember that Ala-Shar and her scientists were against the project going the way it did in the first place.
You end up spending hours with your brood sisters, the Morey scientists and Kaleetra, the only Slinkar on board the ship, just talking and whiling away the hours. You all haven't relaxed for years due to the constant fighting and guerrilla warfare. Someone even breaks out some alcohol, although you dont have any. You need your wits about you.
You get a ping on your comms telling you that the Matriarch is on her way to your quarters, so you thank everyone for their time and head back to your quarters just as the Matriarch and grand general Ferray knock on your rooms door. You surprise them by turning up behind them.
"Sorry for not being here sooner." You say, sounding apologetic.
"It is no problem, Pandora, or should i say Katia?" The matriarch says, her eyes examining you.
"Katia will be fine, your highness?"
"Oh, dont call me that. Just call me Belessa. I was never very fond of the titles of high society anyway. All too regal and stiff. What is it you wanted to talk about today, Katia?"
"Well, Belessa, I was wondering if it would be possible, once you return to your home planet, for you and the good general here to open an investigation into Karista's associates. She tells me there are most likely still agents there, which may cause trouble. She does not think they have the ability to infect more people, however.
I am sure the Vanguard will supply you with detection equipment capable of detecting the Balshaan infested individuals.
I would recommend that you put someone you wholeheartedly trust in charge of the investigation. I would recommend anyone currently on this ship of sufficiently high rank, as everyone on this ship has been scanned and found to be clean, unless the Balshaan have found a way to bypass the scanners."
"I agree, Matriarch, that an investigation is called for." Agreed the general. "It is important that we eradicate any infected individuals. They could cause problems during the peace talks with the Slinkar."
"Peace talks?" You ask.
"Ah, you haven't been told. The Vangaurd leader here contacted the Slinkar and told them of the situation. As it so happens, when the Balshaan here had been exposed, the Balshaan in the Slinkars ranks exposed themselves and started wreaking havoc. They took down at least three entire fleets of the Slinkar and also several large installations on the surface of Slinkar controlled planets and are now heading to attack the Vanguard.
The Slinkar asked for help, and as a show of faith volunteered to host peace talks if the Morey and Vanguard could come and help them fight off the Balshaan.
Currently, what is left of the Morey Fleet as well as the majority of the Vanguard fleet, minus the Obelisk, are moving to intercept the Balshaan controlled vessels. When it comes to a ground assault, however, the Obelisk will move to join the fight as it contains the largest number of troops, so I would make sure I was ready for combat, if I were you, Katia." The matriarch appraises you yet again, seemingly admiring you. "You look great by the way."
You smile. "Thanks." You are caught a little off guard by the Matriarchs off hand comment about your looks. The general chuckles.
"I will make the necessary arrangements for the investigation, then. Come along Belessa. We need to let Katia get her rest"
Sighing, you enter your room. Annie is already there. You greet her but hurry off to bed. You cant explain it, but you are horribly tired, despite sleeping in quarantine for at least a night.
***
You wake, feeling refreshed. Stretching, you stand. Its dark in your room, but there seems to be a soft light emanating from somewhere, but you cant seen where. You shower and get dressed, before exiting your room. You yawn as you pass Katarinka and Annie, both sat at the kitchen table eating a large bowl of cereal. They both turn to greet you at the same time, only to drop their spoons, mouths hanging open.
"M-Mother.....have you looked in a mirror lately?" Annie asks.
"No? Why?"
"I'd suggest you do. Now." Katarinka says, sounding shocked.
Shrugging, you get up and walk to the full length mirror in the living room. As you step in front of it, your mouth falls open too.
You are glowing with a soft golden-white light. Your eyes have small golden veins in the whites and there is some sort of golden-white pattern covering your forehead.
"W-w-What the fuck?"
~~~***~~~
What do you do now?
~~~***~~~
Status:1. Demeanor/Status: Calm and collected. Slightly confused. Very Shocked.
2. Mental Condition: Mentally fit and stable.
3. Physical Condition: Extensive Scarring.
4. Clear thoughts and currently inactive mental factions.
Inventory:1. Mark 21 Phantom Powered Exoskeleton Suit (Wearing) (Casual Mode)
2. Mark 21 Phantom Powered Exoskeleton Helmet (Wearing) (Casual Mode)
Available Equipment:1. Mark 21 Phantom Powered Exoskeleton Suit (Wearing)
2. Mark 21 Phantom Powered Exoskeleton Helmet (Wearing)
3. Mk3 Plasma Beam Pistol (sidearm)
4. Mk 29 Mass Driver Sniper Rifle
5. Mk 32 Pulsed Hyper-Plasma Assault Rifle
6. Combat Engineering Equipment and explosives.
7. Various Vanguard casual clothes.
Implants and Augmentations:1. Vanguard Multi-range optics (Thermal, magnetic, IR, UV, multi-stage magnification etc) implant on eyes.
2. Vanguard Command and Control (C&C) nano-module implanted in head.
3. Vanguard Communications array nano-module implanted in head.
4. Phantom-Spec 28th generation Bio-nanomachines and bio-picomachines in blood stream, bones, muscles, tendons and organs.
6. Vanguard Nano-memory modules in the Cerebrum, holding all relevant non-personal data and nano-supercomputers throughout the brain aiding mental capabilities.
Brood Composition:1. Forward Command and communications: 10 Vat-born.
2. Field Combat Medic: 37 Vat Born
3. Long Range Specialists (Snipers): 48 Vat-Born
4. Heavy assault: 148 Vat-Born
5. Light Assault: 127 Vat-Born
6. Infiltrators: 27
7. Heavy Support: 77
8. Combat Engineers: 69
9. Scouts: 80
Allied Characters:1. Ala-Shar
2. Ankara
3. Ari
4. Elianna
5. Kaleetra
6. Talli
7. Dornishi, Morey regular Commander
8. Tirl-kha, Morey Commando Commander
9. Quish-ka, Morey Regular Commander
10. Annastasia
11. Levinia
12. High Marshall Veldin
13. Major General Hopfield
14. Kilroy
15. Emma
16. Willhelm
17: Matriach Belessa
18: Morey Grand General Ferray
19: Former-Presidentess Karista
Enemy Characters:1. Kirish, the Presidentess's assitant. (Now mutant thing) (Deceased)
2. The Senatorium (Now mutant things) (Deceased)
3. New Guard Generals (Now mutant things) (Deceased)
Currently Neutral Relations:1. Brigadier Xander Berginstaff
2. Cecilia, the Medic.
Author
Topic: (SG) Starfire: War and Politics - Enemies Old and New - UPDATE 03/07/2014 (Read 87286 times)