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[Eschar]

Yes.
As superdorf said, we're in negotiations. It seems likely that we'll be in communication with our captors to some extent. Given that, we have room to cooperate as needed, and eventually get some situational understanding about:
- how did this Empyreal Navy vessel come to be on this surface?
- what is the current knowledge of the Empyreal regarding any prospect of a Plague invasion? is extant Plague inside the galaxy still under control?
- what is the general political state of the Empyre?

[King Zultan]

Sitting in a cell is better than some of the other places we could have ended up, cooperation is key right now and negotiations are something we can work at as we go.

[ZBridges]

Should we have a plan ready in case they turn out to not be open to negotiation? Something we can tell Sloan? I have a feeling that they are not planning on letting us go.

[Superdorf]

If the marines prove bound and determined to take our freedom, we'll have to hijack the ship - non-lethally, if we can. Basil's shown himself capable of disabling weapons at a whim, and I imagine he can render people unconscious with similar ease. We'll put them in their own holding cells if need be, until we can find somewhere safe to part ways.

Life is still precious, after all, even when it's not being very reasonable with you. Protect your own first, then the rest if you're able.

...speaking of those holding cells, we want to be very paranoid of any kind of will dampers therein. If we catch wind of something of the sort before they lock us in, we'll have to reconsider in a hurry.

[19_EgarAlnis]

((So, a quick question. All of these things can be solved in one post, or I can split them into smaller posts, or I can do a doublepost and use time-thingywhatsitts. Its up to you how you prefer the content. I can also spoil the banter/lore, if you guys don't enjoy that.

Also this is a shameless stall post! I need to go work up an excel sheet for spaceflight/orbit mechanics to keep my data straight, especially considering I just spent twenty minutes trying to figure out far a spaceship operating at .45c at max capacity got when it was burning against the inertia of something going .85-90c   and how the orbital mechanics make sense there.))

[Eschar]

I would not like banter/lore to be put under spoiler bars.

[Superdorf]

I need to go work up an excel sheet for spaceflight/orbit mechanics to keep my data straight, especially considering I just spent twenty minutes trying to figure out far a spaceship operating at .45c at max capacity got when it was burning against the inertia of something going .85-90c   and how the orbital mechanics make sense there.))

Massive respect for the dedication!

I'm mostly concerned about the holding cell itself: how it contains prisoners, what weapons it has trained on us, that sort of thing. Most importantly, I want to know whether it can actually contain a creature with strong Will - we'll have to reconsider our plan if so, ideally before we get locked inside.

[ZBridges]

((So, a quick question. All of these things can be solved in one post, or I can split them into smaller posts, or I can do a doublepost and use time-thingywhatsitts. Its up to you how you prefer the content. I can also spoil the banter/lore, if you guys don't enjoy that.

((I'd be fine with however you want to present the content.))

[King Zultan]

Hiding important info and dialog in the story be hind spoilers seems weird to me.

[S1lentWanderer]

I would not like banter/lore to be put under spoiler bars.

+1, one of the reasons I've loved being a part of this story, and reading through McCreary's Planet before it, has been the phenomenal dialogue and banter, which adds a lot of life to an already vibrant world. You truly are a masterful writer, and a genuine inspiration to me.

((So, a quick question. All of these things can be solved in one post, or I can split them into smaller posts, or I can do a doublepost and use time-thingywhatsitts. Its up to you how you prefer the content. I can also spoil the banter/lore, if you guys don't enjoy that.

((I'd be fine with however you want to present the content.))

+1, Organize things in whatever way you think is best to present the story.

I need to go work up an excel sheet for spaceflight/orbit mechanics to keep my data straight, especially considering I just spent twenty minutes trying to figure out far a spaceship operating at .45c at max capacity got when it was burning against the inertia of something going .85-90c   and how the orbital mechanics make sense there.))

Massive respect for the dedication!

+1, I really appreciate the quality of detail that goes into both the science and the fiction of this science fiction world, and the epic story that lives within it. Keep up the good work, and take all the time you need!

[19_EgarAlnis]

"Peace. For now." Basil murmurs in response, transmitting the sound through his vocal cords without moving his mouth. Sloan nods, rising to her feet and helping Basil to his. She gives a languid stretch as she turns around to present her back and her wrists to the airlock door. Basil, thinking, does the same.

"Oh. Well, thank you. That makes it a lot easier. The barker won't attack, will it?" The intercom buzzes after a beat. The camera swivels to examine Twitchy.

"Not unless I tell it to." Basil replies, plainly.

"Alrighty then. Don’t do that."

The airlock hisses open, and three individuals step into the airlock. The deckplates creak under their power-suited weight, and their old metal fingers grip his wrists, pulling up the bracelet and latching cuffs to them. Mechanical servos hiss on Basil's handcuffs -- but his willpower meets no resistance when he flexes it. When he strains his muscles, however, they do not yield. The pneumatic locks within tighten to match his strength, and provide relief to metal within.

"Mac?" Basil ventures.

Silence.

"If you are listening, and here, I wish to apologize for my rough treatment of you. I was under high stress."

"Yeah. Shit happens. Come along." Mac, the Marine, takes a hold of Basil's shoulder, and gently guides him into the corridor in the airlock. His grip is firm, but not painful or aggressive in anyway.

They lead them down a long corridor with dull, off-white walls and scuffed deck plates. Everything is rounded off at the edges, even the floor itself bears a slight curvature at the edges to minimize the sharp angles. Access ports are splayed open or hanging by half-screws to reveal complicated electro-mechanical components within.



[24] vs [16/17/18]
Basil trips over nothing, stumbles, and falls back into one of the access ports. His hand slicing open on one of the edges of his cuffs. Black blood sprays over the circuitry and into the mechanisms as Basil thrashes, pretending to struggle to his feet. The flow slows to nothing but a drip as Mac grabs a shoulder and helps him to his feet. The small cut stitches itself close almost instantly.

"Shit. Wish I had that." Mac comments, watching as the bloody hand knits itself back together.

"Sorry." Basil murmurs, sheepish. "I can't control that one. Please don't consider it threatening."

Mac scoffs, giving Basil a gentle nudge down the corridor. The other marine keeps a gun fixed on Basil, not speaking. "You're a weird one, ain't you?"

Sloan calls back, "He's just a kid!"

Basil doesn't pay attention, letting himself be guided by Mac’s firm grip on his shoulder. His black blood twists itself into a skittering insect within the walls, a dragonfly without wings, that he brings along as far as he can. If will dampeners are applied, it will collapse, but as long as it stays on the vessel, he has access to the Ship's Internal Components.

I believe that should guarantee my freedom.


"Look, he's my fuckin' kid. I'm sure I've got some damn fucking right under the Legal Codes to not be separated from my family!" Sloan raises hell, shouting at the armored Marines without a singular hint of anything approaching fear. "And that's the least we should be able to get, considering how much we helped you Navy Pigs! Ya'll would be dead without us!"

"The same applies to you, y'know." Mac retorts, but dips a nod to the brig. "We'll put you together. One of you will have to sleep on the floor."

Sloan nods, then, her resistance relaxing.

"Name?"

"Ffraid Coahmine Sloan." Then, after a beat, she rattles off a string of letters and numbers.

Ffraid Coahmine
A.k.a Sloan, Sloan The Sneak, Savage Stokley.
Bounty: 10,581 EC
Wanted:
Piracy Exceeding Two Thousand Empyreal Credits - One Count
Identity Fraud - Three Counts
Smuggling Exceeding Five Hundred Empyreal Credits - Eight Counts
Resisting Arrest - Two Counts
Fleeing from Arrest - Two Counts
Attempted coercion of Naval Officer - One Count
Loitering with Intent – One Count

Birthplace: SPACER
Age(Chronological): ~259
Age(Relative): ~30-45 (?)
-TELOMERE RESTRUCTURING ON RECORD.

Officer Note: Slippery weasel. Small fry, though.
A picture of Sloan appears on the monitor, showing her with a number of different hair cuts and styles.

Sloan smirks as Mac repeats the arresting charges, finishing with a, "Do you accept you are being held on these charges until such a time as a judge can be found to review your case?"

"Do I got a choice?" Sloan rolls her eyes at Mac's statement and steps into the brig without comment. Twitchy, still following orders, spasms his way in behind her.

[!]

"Do you have a name?"

"Basil."

"No...last name?"

"No."

"What about that pad on your wrist?"

Basil shrugs, turning around and presenting it to him. The machine scans it--

--it beeps.

Basil Basilískos XVI
Noble of the Rim-Exiled House Basil

A three-dimensional image, one very similar to Basil's face appears. It is lined with wrinkles, gray-hair and scar tissue.

"Jesus fucking Christ." Mac stumbles back as if struck.  His eyes are wild. "He actually is a Goddamn Noble."

"What?!" Sloan barks from the brig, only to realize her mistake, "I mean-- I told you!"

"What does that mean?" Basil asks.

Mac brings the data-slate down, to highlight his face and nods. "Yeah, you definitely are related to this guy. Not him though. Who'd you get the bracer from?"

"My Mother." Basil doesn't have to lie.

Mac nods, his lips quirked. Then, loudly, "Cappy, what's the protocol here?"

"Uh, looking at the Codes, that changes nothing." The intercom returns, "And I quote. 'Exiled Nobility are no longer considered Nobility, do not receive the same rights and privileges, etc...etc.' They usually don't have any but one or two members, so there's no political fallout for us. Only thing that changes is he must be tried by a jury of his Noble peers. Explains the powers, though."

"We're holding you under assaulting an officer and consorting with pirates." Mac explains, after a nod to the intercom. "Welcome aboard, your highness."

Basil sighs, stepping into the Brig behind his Aunt. The door slams shut, and a small hatch opens for both to stick their arms through. The cuffs are removed, and Basil takes a seat on the floor. Sloan hops on the cot, and eyes the child wryly. "I ain't sharing the bed with you."

"But I'm your son, mother." Basil retorts singsong -- and while he could dodge it, he does not, letting the pillow thwack him in the face.

"I said kid. Not son. Could be anybody's son. Just happen to be my kid. Could've stolen you, for all it matters." Sloan points out, with a grin. But it fades, and she looks Basil over with a small, frown. " Forreal. You okay, Bairn?"

There is a pleading concern in her voice, and her eyes shine with it. Basil feels pangs of emotion, a pang of joy. A pang of sadness. Of loneliness. Of happiness and frustration. Is she saying that because its true, or because of Mother?

He nods.

"Alrigh'. Doubt it, but turn around, your hair looks a mess." Sloan commands, and Basil obediently obliges.


"Can I ask a few questions?" Basil speaks towards the intercom after pressing the call button.

"...sure. As long as I can ask some after. Deal?"

"Deal. Are we safe?" Basil agrees.

"Relatively. We're about...one hundred and some odd Aye-You [Lit AU, astronomical unit, also know as arbitrary unit, supposedly distance from Old Sol to Old Earth] away from that...thing." The Intercom confirms, "Bad news? We're also going literally nowhere fast. We're trying to turn our vector to intercept the nearest system, but we’re stuck fighting against the inertia."
 
"Why didn’t you try a better vector?” Sloan asks, her brows furrowing,

"Well, we were calculating one, but there was a giant teapot monster trying to kill all of us, so. Uh. Yeah. But, if our engines hold, we’ll still be in Salt Aye-Twelve in about sev--"

"It’s gone. Nothin' there but dust and wreckage. No more station."

"Shit." The line goes dead for a few minutes. Then, "Alright, well, that's...slightly less good. Nearest system -away- from that thing is— eight years out at full burn, once we escape the well, which should be within the next few hours.”

"Acting Captain? How did you end up on the Blighted Glass?" Basil addresses the intercom.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"That thing, it is called the Blighted Glass." Basil informs.

"Oh. We tried attacking it. It destroyed our fleet and its drones grounded us."

Sloan snorts, "Wouldn't happen to a Pirate fleet--"

"We were on our way to engage a pirate fleet, but it vanished, so--" The intercom trails off. Sloan scowls. “—I’m assuming it happened to it, too.”

"Is the extant Plague in the galaxy under control?"

"Is the Whose a-what now under control?"

"T...the Plague. That thing?"

"I don't think the Empyre ever experienced something like that?" There's a pause, "Yeah, nothing in the historical database."

"Oh...okay. Right. Sorry." Basil looks over at Sloan, then back to the intercom, "What's the Politics like in the Empyre?"

"Ah, you are a nob, asking about politics first thing. Last thing the Empyror/ess mentioned was that he was going on a research trip. The Nobles are in charge until s/he gets back. The Old Spacer Clans aren't happy, and the Midworlders don't give a shit. So business as usual. Any other questions? I gotta keep an eye on this engine."

Basil shakes his head, and reclaims his seat on the floor.


[23] vs [22]
His little machine burrows and digs its way deeper into the hardware. It searches and finds what looks to be a data-port. Basil inspects it through a thousand eyes, and he shapes the dragonfly into a plug. With a click, he connects to the system. It takes him an hour to trick the artificial intelligence of the vessel into turning over admin control without notifying the humans aboard. The camera feeds route into his mind's eye, along with the feed describing the status of the various shipboard components.

Sloan seems to be watching something on a dataslate stuck into the wall. She pays no attention to...anything but her programs. Twitchy, meanwhile, twitches nearby.

Spoiler: EN LIGHT SKIRMISH @SABER22 (click to show/hide)

Main Reactor: [online]
>[100% TOTAL OUTPUT LEVELS]
>[ERROR:REACTOR STRESS LEVEL HIGH]
>[67% FUEL LEVEL]
Hull: [online]
>[COMP_REACTIVE_HULL:EN192121:SLAVE_AI] [online]
[SIXTY-FIVE_HULL_BREACHES_DETECTED!]
Shield: [online]
>[COMP_HARDLIGHT_SHIELD:EN192121:SLAVE_AI] [online]
Artificial Gravity: [online]
Life Support: [online]
Cryogenics Support: [online]
>[0/20 [CRYOPODS ACTIVE]]
Empyreal Communications Array:[online]
>[EMPYREAL_COMMS: ON_STANDBY]
>[TRANSPONDER:EN_DISTRESS:MCI:5]
Navigations: [online]
>[SOLARIS SECTOR]
>[COORDINATES: A long list of numbers, describing where this ship lies in reckoning from the center of the galaxy.]
>[THE:BIGEMPTY]
Main Thruster System:  [online]
>[100% TOTAL OUTPUT LEVELS]
>[ERROR:REACTOR STRESS LEVEL HIGH]
>[HIGH CHANCE OF CRITICAL OVERHEAT]
Steering Thruster System: [online]
Medical Bay: [offline][ERROR:HULL_BREACH][ERROR:POWERSAVE_MODE]
Engineering Bay: [online][AI_ERROR:POWERSAVE_MODE]
Living Spaces: [online][AI_ERROR:POWERSAVE_MODE]
Targeting Arrays: [standby][POWERSAVE_MODE]
Major Weapons System 1:
[COMP_ENMUSKET132] [offline][ERROR:CRITICAL_BARREL_DAMAGE]
[AMMO:AISHIPBUSTERS:5]
Minor Weapons System 1:
[COMP_ENBRIGADECIWS_TUNGSTEN_RAILGUN30MM8912][standby][POWERSAVE_MODE]
[AMMO:TUNGSTENSLUGS:40%]
Minor Weapons System 2:
[COMP_ENPHOTONCHUCKER9012_LASERARRAY][standby][POWERSAVE_MODE]

[@SABER22]>_

Spoiler: Status (click to show/hide)

Basil the Scholar of V̵̖̉õ̶̼͠i̷͇̖͒d̷̨̈́ͅ
Terran Time: 43302/01/09 06:30
Personal Time: 1 year, 4 day

Active Dust: 4 × 10¹³ corpuscles
Nexus (Heart) Stability: Flawless
Nexus (Mind) Stability: 95%
ENERGY RESERVES:75%
Reactor Heart: +5% ENERGY PER HOUR
Active Processes:

• 20% The First Mask
• 10% Quantum Networking
• ̶͕͖̣̗̗͈̏∞̴̠̣̺͔̬̼̍̍̉̂̀̅̄̌̓͠͝% ERROR:DATA CORRUPTION

Willpower Level: 3(d10)

Traits:
Empathetic (1/10)

Perks:
Scholar
Void

Spoiler: Objectives (click to show/hide)

Freedom

• The Galaxy beckons. New knowledge and interesting experiences await.

Knowledge

• The Behavior of the Third Children
• Seedships
• The Truth of the Ancient Twins, Earth and Mars

Strength

• Killing the Blighted Glass
• Mastering Your Skills
• Learn to Veil your Power.

Spoiler: Powers (click to show/hide)

Max Willpower Range: 10m

Ḙ̵̛̬̺̤͍̼̬̣̊̐̈̋́̏̔̊̑̃̊̚̚͜͠͠͠n̶̗͔̯͕̮͗̑ͅd̸̡̨̯̯̰̜͚͈̼͖͔͎͍̺͒͛̽̅͋̀̀̓͗̎̅̓͛͆͠͝l̴̟̺̳̍́͌͂̀͂̀́̎́̓͘͠e̸̦͈̋̔̃̂̒̃͝ş̸̗̯̘̣̻̪̠̗̤͑̎̓͛͗͝s̵̛̛͙̟͔͈͉̫̍̊̈̓͋̈̿̀̈́̍̚͠ ̷̳̣͉̯̗̣͓̼̠̠̆̃̑͌̚͝V̷̢̫̙͖̘̾́͗̿͒̾o̶͓̞̐͆̅̀̀̈́̿̿̚i̴̛̟͛̈͊͒̄̉͋̓̇̄͘͝͝͝d̵͕̜̬̜̠̝͇̈̂͂̂:Instinctive (NULL)
Brawling:Amateur(800/1000)
Ranged:Inept(50/100)
Meditation.:Instinctive (NULL)
Mimicry.:Instinctive (NULL)
-Arsenal of Agony.:Instinctive (NULL)
-The First Mask: Trained (2835/3000)
-The Second Mask: Dabbler (492/500)
-The Third Mask: Amateur (521/1000)
-The Fourth Mask: Novice (800/1000)
-The Fifth Mask: Dabbler (456/500)
-Healing Factor: Instinctive (NULL)
Control:Instinctive (NULL)
-Voice of the King: Dabbler (492/500)
Amalgamation:Dabbler (432/500)
Synthesis : Dabbler (452/500)
Rot:Dabbler(456/500)
Instant Quantum Networking : Instinctive (NULL)
Divine Conscious: Dabbler (393/500)
Unified Field Manipulation : Dabbler (393/500)
- Gravity: Dabbler (393/500)
- Matter Manipulation: Dabbler (393/500)
- Fission: Dabbler (393/500)
- Fusion: Dabbler (393/500)
- Energy Manipulation: Novice (847/1000)

Spoiler: Inventory (click to show/hide)

Lower Face:A cheap respirator. (20/20)
Lower Body:A brown jumpsuit
Upper Body:A black silk toga
On Feet: A pair of black leather boots
Right Wrist, Only Right Arm: A gold bracer tablet.

Spoiler: Bonds (click to show/hide)

The Devoured Sun

• A Plague Entity. Brought about the Galaxy's First Night.
• Hereditary grandparent of Basil
• Deceased(?)

The Blighted Glass

• A Plague Entity of immense power.
• Hereditary parent of Basil
• Contactable through Quantum Networking.

Sloan

• Homo Fundamentum Female
• Basil saved her life. (++Opinion)
• Contactable through Verbal Communication.
• The thought of harming Basil causes her immense fear and disgust.
• If she harms Basil, she will be infected by a Targeted Rot.

The PerversionBob Twitchy.

• A Plague Drudge
• One of Basil's Lictors.
• Contactable through Quantum Networking.
• Dedicated to the protection of Basil.

Spoiler: Concepts (click to show/hide)

[A las-pistol/rifle]
A cheap, hydrogen battery laser pistol/rifle.

• Small Hydrogen Battery
• Large Hydrogen Battery
• Laser Focusing System
• High-Accuracy Laser Focusing System
• Micro-Reactor
• Plastic Case

[A small hydrogen reactor]
A household hydrogen reactor, capable of outputting 35000 watts with only water as input.

• Large Hydrogen Battery
• Hydrogen Reactor (Small, Household))
• Fuses
• Plastic Case

[A Microreactor]
A tiny microreactor from a las-gun, using energy stored within Hydrogen Batteries to produce light.

• Hydrogen Reactor (Micro))
• Fuses
• Plastic Case

[A cheap space suit]
A thin, cheap space suit.

• Oxygen Tank
• Emergency Sodium Chlorate Heater
• Carbon Scrubbers
• Micro-Medicine Array
• Small Tablet Screen
• Carbon Fiber Cloth
• Water Reclamation System

[A small engine]
A small thruster

• Liquid Hydrogen Tank
• Small Scale Reactor Piping
• Rocket Nozzles
• Engine Moderation Software

[Uni Ľubomíra]
A young man. Born on a dusty mining world. Became an Auxiliary Pirate Marine Lance Corporal. Died to Plague Infection on 43301/10/01.

• Brawling: Amateur
• Shooting: Inept
• Mining: Apprentice

[Plague Ivy]
A multipurpose vascular, manipulation and motile system.

<< <>

[19_EgarAlnis]

((HOLEE SHIT. And thank you, Silent, I really appreciate that. I really appreciate all the support.))

[ZBridges]

We could wait for all of us to enter cryosleep, set theirs to last indefinitely, and set ours and Sloan's to last an hour. Then we can wake up and choose whatever destination we want while they are sleeping safely, out of the way.

[King Zultan]

I think we should save that as a last resort, but before that we should keep trying to talk with them every now and then to try to change how they feel about us, maybe even get them on our side.

[ZBridges]

You're right, I'm being too hasty. We still have a chance to win them over. Treachery should be the last resort, not the first.