Nebula's Dawn: Lance of Liberty » Places

         F.S.S. Salient

Day Two

The Admiral sat in his command seat on the bridge, observing the station's repair crews at work via exterior cameras. The bridge crew for the most part were running system checks, a task usually left to the A.I. About half of the bridge crew was gone on break, the remainder were knucklehead and try-hards who were eager to impress. Aronimus nodded, he expected as much from men and women who wanted to get a leg up. Merit, he warranted, should be the manner by which one rises in this world, not by rubbing elbows or scratching backs. However, that was just a pipe-dream reflecting an ideal world, he was in a less-than-ideal world, and he had to live with that.

"Officer Hansen, has Iridosis sent any updates on the Salient's status?"

The scotsman with his copper beard turned around and replied with his broken accent that was a mix of Scottish and Standard English. It was odd to hear him talk, but the Admiral paid attention to his words and not his voice.

"They said that the hull has received extensive damage. Reactors are at 35% and the chemical thrusters are in need of repairs.The upper decks are in critical condition and are receiving the first of the repairs. The plates on the lower decks are ripping apart as we speak," Hansen paused then continued.

"They said they'll have to completely remove the plates on the lower deck and replace them with refurbished pieces or wait for a shipment of neo-steel to arrive."

"From where and how long?"

"From Trangelis in approximately two Trangelis solar cycles, so two days time."

The admiral paused to think, at the moment the Salient would be of no use to anyone, it could only serve as a command ship. He should probably assign his secondary command elements to parley with TF-172's commanders.

"Very well. Get me on the comm system." Hansen tapped some keys on his screen.

"This is Admiral Weston to bridge crew, Lieutenant Commander Chen, Commander Dunaway, and anyone from the rank Captain and up is to meet me in my personal quarters at approximately 1400 hours for a briefing. Weston out."

The admiral reclined a bit in his chair, there wasn't really much an admiral could do with a ship in the yard.

         Iru's firewalls desperately tried to fend of the security programs when suddenly they stopped breaching his databanks, a different presence now filled his systems.

"Who are you? What is your reason for being here?"

Asked the curious program; it was not a simple instructed program that was quite certain from the received data. In fact this format was so alien that Databanks where convinced sensors section was suffering a malfunction and that this new program was nothing more than a "Data mirage".

Profile Iru nonetheless overruled Databanks; sensors where indeed faulty however pending more data Profile Iru had to assume sensor's readings where correct.
Profile Iru proceeded with caution; a registration number would compromise the unit's components, it was better to surrender as little information as possible while gaining as much as he could about this strange new environment.

"It is advised to address this unit as IRU6" answered Iru however answering the stranger's further request of purpose was overruled by a systems data program. Iru could not answer such a question and soon the inquiry into this information was deleted from his memory leaving the question unanswered.

"Listen, just don't harm us, and we won't harm you. Sounds good?"

Asked the stranger… Iru was puzzled by this seemingly very human pattern set but what he knew to be a computer program however protocol decreed that asking another AI over its programing was quite rude and therefor impossible for Iru to contemplate.

"This Unit has no intention or capacity to harm profile Salient, all unit requires is to be permitted and cleared to continue the updating process, further communication may continue once Unit databanks are sufficiently updated with the relative information."

Iru concluded that some official recognition would make his task easier and therefor the granting of some registration information would have to be permitted.

"For Unit registration information the central congressional databanks possesses the relevant information. This unit has been legally registered both in the European Union autonomous state of Wales under file WWDB/EUBR/SoW/CRER900/2416358759621 and in the United States of North America under file WWDB/USNA/CDB/RaCES878/9038448857445032"

With two national registration markers Iru concluded he would have no further difficulty with security programs and remained in a state of standby as he awaited confirmation from the strange program.

         Max experienced a slight Anomoly detection following a new connection being added.

He attempted to connect to this new connection, which seemed to be running on outdated software. However, when he saw the registered hardware and structure, he had a momentairy...pulse...of some kind, turning white, yellow, then back to blue. "K-9...THE K-9....". He soon rectified his observations though. "Wait, no, based off of the model of that. Not actually K-9 from Doctor Who. No, that wouldn't....where is this data comming from?". It was like a switch he couldn't turn off now that he flicked it on. Random, unprocessed data. Trace remnants. But how?

He had to focus. Actually, he already was focused. "Who are you? What is your reason for being here?". He could tell whatever this thing was, it had some sort of damage or bug. "Listen, just don't harm us, and we won't harm you. Sounds good?". He alerted the Captain to his discovery at the same time. That's when the location came up for the position of his hardware on the ship.

He then sent a message to the captain, saying "We have found another Artificial Intelligence. I don't think it's hostile, it hasn't done anything hostile. But I think we need to revamp security for the Salient". Max then looked back at this new digital entity. "So, can we be friends?".

Though there was something else Max was feeling too. And he turned grey in color for a moment from it. He was jealous. He would very much like to have his own, physical body. It's why he liked appearing in hologram form whenever possible. It was as close as he could get.

Plus, he heard chocolate tastes really good. He really wanted to know what it tastes like.

He then asked Weston "You need me to do anything else, Sir Captain?" in his usual, silly way.

         (Co-written with TurtleSoup)

The Nadd Residence

Nadd had managed to carry the drunk bastard back to his house. His guards were off duty in the morning, but they would spring forth at a moment's notice and be at his house in a couple of minutes.

Nadd exited his master bedroom, dressed in a simple suit, no tie, underneath was a thin body vest. As a merchant, smuggler, and black market criminal, he knew that a sword hung above his head like that of Damocles. Nadd didn't hesitate though, this was the life he chose, and he didn't regret it.

He sat down on a curved leather sectional directly across from the fabric sofa that Lionel rested upon. He had left Lionel on the couch for the night, while he slept in his bedroom. He had his eye on his digital watch, which blinked in cyan colors, 9:10, while he waited for the mercenary to pull himself out of repose.

The butler, an old, thin man, held a tray in one hand and entered the living room, with its raised ceiling. He proceeded to set the tray down in front of Nadd.

"Thank you, Ronald," Nadd went about eating, the old man replied with a nod.

"And what will he be having, sir?"

"When he wakes up, you can ask him." Nadd answered.

Lionel grunted. Opening and closing his mouth sleepily, rolling himself over and wrapping one of the pillows in his arms. "Mni don't want the lil one..." He mumbled.

One of his eyes open slightly, taking a sleepy glance at the room before closing just as dreamily. Then all of a sudden both eyes were open and his hand shot to where his gun was usually holstered, flying to his feet he held his 'gun' ready to shoot at his kidnapper. "Who are you?" He half growled before it dawned on him he was pointing a remote at his well dressed assailant.

Nadd's mouth fell open slightly for a moment. For starters, this was the first time someone had managed to get a "gun" so close to his head. Secondly, he was amazed at how quick the mercenary managed to draw a "weapon" after waking up with a hangover, or at least he thought Lionel had a hangover. Lastly, the bastard had completely forgotten who he was, but he shouldn't have been surprised, considering how drunk Lionel was the night before. Then he blinked and sealed his lips, before finally talking.

"Calm down big man, you were drunk last night, so I carried you to my house."

The butler, approached Lionel, "What will you be having for breakfast sir?"

Blinking slightly dazed, Lionel stood motionless for several moments before lowering the remote as though it really was still a gun. "Oh." He answered still trying to re-piece everything together from the night before his memories and head still feeling fuzzy. He turned his head as the older gentlemen approached, evidently his kidnapper, saviour, host person was of some social standing and wealth. "Umm, breakfast?" He smiled brightly at the butler, obviously impressed, "I could get used to this." He patted the frail man upon his shoulder, slightly less forceful then his jovial slaps were normally, in case he induced some form of heart attack in the frail man.

"Do you know how to make a full English?" He asked with a smile before sitting down and running his hand across his short hair. "Right, so I got drunk and ended up here. Err... I'm really sorry friend but as much as I like breakfast being made for me I don't really swing that way... so I don't think this is going to work..." Lionel began the night before slowly beginning to reconfigure itself in his memory. "Wait, no I remember... Naff right?" he guessed. "Well, so far this mission is sounding interesting, you carried me home and your butler is making me breakfast." His head was beginning to catch up to the rest of his body and the hangover was definitely starting to ache in his head but this was not a feeling Lionel was new to, he had learnt over time to ignore the dull thudding. “So, what is it you want me to do?” He leant inwards towards Nadd from his seat, with a keen interest.

         On board the Redemption
Two weeks before the Salient arrived at the Arcurus System.

James lifted his wrist and with is other hand typed in a code allowing him speak through the ships intercom. "Attention crew, this is Commander Walker. We will begin our decent into New Sydney shortly, prepare for turbulence. Once we have arrived I will expect everyone to report to their post and obtain their mission briefing from their direct superiors." And with that the commander switched the comm link off and walked over toward a nearby safety rail, holding onto it tightly with one hand as he observed the decent patter on the screen in front of him.

As the ship began to shake from the turbulence, the commander glanced at his hands, steady. his mind lingered on thoughts of his wife back home. Shortly after they lost their son in the accident, after funeral and the crying, James notice a slight trimmer in his wife's hands. At first it was subtle, but as it got worst as time went on he convinced his wife to consult a doctor. The results showed nothing was physically wrong with her, it was post-traumatic stress disorder. James was reassigned shortly after her diagnostic. Maybe I left too soon. He thought as gripped his free hand into a fist.

---

Nataliana walked briskly to the common room just outside the living quarters. As she arrived, the ships internal intercom buzzed before James voice came through.

"Attention crew, this is Commander Walker. We will begin our decent into New Sydney shortly, prepare for turbulence. Once we have arrived I will expect everyone to report to their post and obtain their mission briefing from their direct superiors."

Another short buzz from the intercom and the message was over. Nia looked around at all the soldiers, some were still playing their card games, a few stopped what they were doing and looked at the lieutenant. "Right, you head the man." she said walking over to the main computer terminal, typing a few words and and pressing her hand against the screen as it scanned her prints. Immediately the things in the room began to static and disappear; the dart board and the darts, the pool cues and the balls, the playing cards, they all disappeared.

There were a few moans and complaints from the men, but the room quickly quieted down as the entire room began to shake, "Tighten up. were heading into the atmosphere ." Nia yelled as she took a seat nearby. The several moments of turbulence soon past and the ship was sailing smooth again. The lieutenant stood up to address the room again. "Alright gents, we have a job to do. I need every one in here now." she shouted towards the living quarters, a few more men walked into the commons. the part of the ship served as the common area and living quarters for all the marines, making it an ideal location for their briefing room.

Nia waited for everyone to join in the commons before continuing. "Let see, I'll be calling the names of the unfortunate ones that will be joining me for a stroll on the surface. Two four man squads, and i don't want to hear any complaining on who didn't get to go. Commander picked these names himself. Joseph it be the leader of the second squad." she motioned to one a black officer leaning against the wall. "Henry, Ricky and Conner, you three will be with Joseph. Gabriel, Frank, and Pete, you guys are with me." Several men looked around the room at the soldiers whose names were called. Nia knew why, if she got to pick the men going, she wouldn't have picked to newest members for this mission. "Alright, if I called your names, gear up and meet at the drop off in 30." She said before turning to leave, before she was able to make it to her room she heard Ricky voice.

"Drop off? what's that?"

A few men laughed loudly as Nia tried to hide her annoyance. "The Orbital drop station. the location at the back of the sip where we... get dropped off. We on a classified mission, a transport ship is to public. we'd need air clearance. The rest of you shits are on security rotation." She said before entering her quarters and shutting the door behind her.

         (Co-written with Colonel_Masters)

Afternoon had reached the trekkers, and they were in the middle of the jungle. They were several hundred klicks away from the lab, one would guess.

"I suppose we can set up camp here for the next three days?" Professor Lothar propositioned to everyone.

The area they had chosen to set up camp was a shady spot, in the middle of dense vegetation, but there was enough space to set up the temporary habitation units.

Jean shut the Comm in disgust and broke into a brisk run in order to catch up with the others. Had he been informed of the imminent buggering of his puter he would have brought a full printscan of the damned jungle with him.

Jean looked down at the Comm one last time trying to make out his readings and nodded. "Well sir, there are some issues with the Comm at the moment but if memory serves I think our target area is only a few klicks to the west so we would be well placed for further investigation."

Roman watched the young man run up to Lothar with the news, he was waiting for Lothar's reaction. He expected one of two things, either for Lothar to yell at Jean, or for Lothar to yell at the comm. What came next, was a combination of the two.

"Blast it man, can't you fix it?" Lothar was a man who was quick to lose his temper.

Jean would normally have given the good doctor the almighty fuck you, but he found controlling himself not too difficult. Like everything this was a game, a play and he was acting the part of the loyal footman and the professor was acting the role of the royal asshole.

"No sir, its not the Comm which is the problem; something is interfering with the satellite uplink, once we set up camp I will be able to bring our more powerful systems online"

Lothar huffed, "Fine, you said we'll need to continue a couple of more klicks before we reach the designated site, right? Well then, let us continue. Once we arrive, you'll need to get the systems online." Lothar continued along, propped up with a hiking stick.

A couple of minutes later they had finally arrived at the designated spot, it was cleared of trees as expected. Though, the larger towering flora overhead kept them shaded. The little flowers and their curved petals sheathed glowing little orbs dotting the stigma. Large cone-like plants with thick red and interwoven leaves resembling an Earth bromeliad swayed before the wind. Roman noted the little orbs nestled within the plant's core, they were sacs filled with a glowing liquid, and some gaseous substance.

The scientists set to work establishing a temporary field post from which they could make and record their observations.

         Nomad
One week before the F.S.S Salient enters the Arcturus System
Somewhere in the forests of Trangelis

Nomad was on a hunt, a search for a fugitive on the run. His name was Gino Marcelli, a conman/thief who fled to the deep, rich forests of the planet after stealing his millions. He might have been able to have remained undetected, if he was a little more careful during a brief stop at a small town called Odyssey. Someone saw him and reported him to the authorities, but he made his getaway yet again. It would only be a matter of time until Gino is caught. Nomad's built in state-of-the-art tracking computer was examining every possible and plausible location he could be within the forest.

After what must have been about an hour, his tracking computer spotted a man lying dead on the dirt. His computer identified that the corpse was indeed Gino Marcelli. A quick examination revealed that the cause of death was poisoning. The bastard had no experience whatsoever in the wilderness, now he became another victim. It was a shame really, his bounty is only half the amount dead.

With his built-in cell phone, Nomad contacted his employer, White Crow.

"I found Gino, but let's just say that nature found him first."

"I see. Well then, I have a new bounty for you. You may have heard of the pirate Leos "Ace of Diamonds" Cydus. A mutual friend of mine would be willing to pay top dollar for him to be captured and turned in alive. It's funny, you and him might have been able to get along if you two weren't on opposite sides. For certain reasons."

White Crow had an air of professionalism but he wasn't above making deadpan jokes like that.

Nomad ignored the last part, "Understood. I'll make sure check into that."

Nomad ended the call. He had a long day ahead of him, returning to Syntere and turning in the bounty for only half the pay. He wasn't particularly fond of interacting with people. After all, it's rather difficult to be sociable when everyone gives you weird looks to your non-removable armor. He wanted to just get to some hideout as soon as possible and be done with it.

He'll get to the Ace of Diamonds eventually. On that day, he'll find out who has the better suit.