Norline and Related

Ambassador waited politely for the translator's words, watching the subtle movements of her mistress to see how his statements were taken. It started well, though nervousness rose at the last bit. He expected the diplomats to question his origin - expected them to know he wasn't of their species - but that did nothing to soften the experience.

He chose to answer the first statements first. "There is more than one group who has visited this star in recent times. The most recent count is four. Two of them have caused trouble in the North, one has left this star, and one retains neutrality. The last has not caused damage, and is the reason I have arrived." Here he held eye contact with the nobleborn, trying to convey sincerity. "I arrived with the group who have already departed. As you may have known, there was an outpost - a sort of large hut - that was built with the intention to study the peoples here. The ones who built it meant nothing more than that, although misfortune fell on them and their outpost was destroyed. My people came to this star to remove the destroyed outpost so that your peoples could again live free of their influence." A pause here as a pair of other Misu passed by. His eyes followed them briefly, until they passed behind one of many broad-leaf plants. "I became separated from the group due to a marwyrm, and met the Northern Misu. I have chosen not to leave this star because in the time I have spent among your kin, I have seen the beauty of your arts and culture. The other stars I have lived on, they were subjected to invasion by Others who meant ill and won. Many peoples have been destroyed, many cultures lost. I do not wish that to happen to your kind." Ambassador was quiet for a moment, observing. "The role I play here is to educate the peoples of this star about the enemy that is growing power. They are not of anything the Misu have seen before."

Green. It was a simple color, an uncommon color. And it encompassed the planet. At first, the rumor of an unspoiled planet with a rich self-sustaining ecosystem just outside the jurisdiction of any respected government sounded like a trap. Being assigned to it, even more so. And yet there it had stood, viewed through the filtered glass of a nearly-out-of-commission corporate shuttle. Three months had passed since landing. Three uneventful months filled with cataloging. Reporting. And now, it had come time to branch out from the landing site. With atmospheric converters providing breathable air and communication devices connected, a brown-yellow environment suit touched ground.

Birds cried out, scattering into the orangeing sky. Their flights were tracked and recorded. The suit took a second step, then another. Another. A ranged weapon pointed down, unaimed yet prepared for use at a moment's notice. A handful more steps were taken until the figure stopped, prompted by a call over the communicator. "Environment is stable, no apparent parasites. No sight of predators. Proceeding towards report location." A confirmation ping was heard, and Janine began forward into the sunkissed plains. Stubby grasses leaned in towards her with each step, delicate seeds embedding themselves in the heavy material. Scanners sought out traces and footprints, looking for any sign of the indigenous bipeds. Only minutes passed before one was found. An old, it took three scans before the suit's visor confirmed the match. Footprints. The visor highlighted a trail, allowing Janine to report the find back before being authorized to follow it. With a heavy breath, she began westward.

“Yes... I have heard of these events,” she stated after he relayed the story of the destruction of a research outpost. She found their culture highly odd, to accidentally invade and intrude on an unknown civilization, and decide the prudent course of action was to send more men, exerting more influence in their efforts to clean up and erase their own existence. Puzzling and illogical, by Pavé's standards.

Pavé arched her fingers together, listening intently to both his words, and his tone. Body language and nonverbals did not require translation, and in this instance like many others, Ambassador appeared to speak volumes between each word. Regardless of the literal truth of his words, he appeared to believe them, and sometimes that was enough. She and her translator lowered their voices, an attempt at stealth and subtlety, despite their surroundings.

He paused his speech as others passed. He did not trust them, perhaps as much as they did not trust him. And then he spoke a single, powerful word, filled with meaning. “Enemy,” Pavé repeated, obsidian eyes glinting like arrowheads. “You say this group has remained neutral, yes? Do I understand correctly? Why is it you use this word, enemy?” She observed him shrewdly, mind calculating. “Are they your enemy... or ours?”

Still, in her speech and manner, he was beste, he was 'other'.

It seemed days before the environment changed. The sky above took heavy oranges and reds, an omen - perhaps - of the days to come. And as she traveled, Janine cataloged the multiplying native paths. The old one was long since gone, giving way to lighter but fresher ones to follow. As she stepped alongside them, they congregated into places where grasses parted. Until, finally, a fragment of blue caught light. Stopping, Janine stared down at it. After a quick recording of the scene, she stooped to fish it out with a gloved hand. Lifting it revealed a rounded, triangular shape. The rest of the image was lost, broken. What remained held a single depiction of an eye, with squiggles around the head. "Artifact discovered." A few moments passed before a response was given. "Notice received. Is it safe to transport?" Janine confirmed. Another moment, then "Cleared for transport. You are honored."
Janine confirmed again, before popping off a tiny sphere from her armed glove. Setting it against the fragment caused it to expand, enveloping the piece. Turning, Janine tossed it back across the path she had traveled. The sphere arced before taking a rapid straight shot back towards the base. Facing forward again, Janine looked up. Squinting against the light, she observed pink clouds. High above... a flicker of a shape. She frowned, no readings crossing the screen. Around, the calls of birds and creatures had shifted. Now they held more guttural sounds. Night.
A ping acknowledged that the artifact had been received. Looking back to the horizon, a small blue arrow showed across the screen. "Material recorded and analysed. There is a high concentration of this not far from here, in an inorganic formation. The coordinates have already been set. You are honored."
"Confirmed. Setting now." Janine replied. While communications stood by, she pulled the legs of the long-barreled weapon from the stock. Locking them in place, she knelt down and arranged it at an upward angle. Trajectory was calculated, matching the coordinates provided. The firing lock was released, and a bird flew overhead. Janine watched it, long feathers granting it mobility in the air. She paused, then proceeded. Bringing herself down to the firing level, she cocked the machine. A high pitch sounded out, rising rapidly until a blue sphere manifested at the base of the barrel. The instant it turned green, the machine fired.

Grasses blew to the side, vibrations accompanying the blast as the emerald sphere vanished into the horizon in an arc. A sharp blue tail marked its direction. Janine waited. And waited. Until finally, in the absence of birdcall, she heard the boom of impact. Her face broke a smile as a massive green beam spiraled into the sky. "Civilization contained. You are honored." And with the machine returning to its compact state, Janine got to her feet.

Ambassador took a quiet expression. Her questions were well-placed, and he knew he hadn't chosen the best of words. Still, he continued to watch his company. Here in this time, he needed what allies he could find. It was a promising sign that she was listening, engaging. Recognizing him at all as a proper informant. "The enemy is the Others who retain their outpost. These are the Others who have started the fires that plague the North now. The Others who have come to remove their outpost - the ones I arrived with - do not wish to cause the peoples here any damage. These Others are not the enemy." he clarified. With an anxious breath, he continued. "The ones who remain, who have no intention of leaving, would wish to destroy the cultures of the Misu who live here. Regardless of North of South." Ambassador shifted, leaning forward just enough to emphasize his words. "They are the enemy of us both. The Others who came here to study, to learn, to honor your people.. they are known as the Society of Lunar Exploration. They travel across stars, learning and teaching to and about Others just the same as your elders teach your children." He hoped his assumption of their culture was correct, at least. "Not out of malice or a desire to control the things they have seen, but to help your children understand the world they live in. But the Others, the other Others, are known by another name. This I do not know; they change it, to conceal their identity. But their actions remain the same. They would take your people from here, take pieces of your culture and arts, to be sold on other stars. It is against all the Society of Lunar Exploration represents, and for me to associated with the latter makes me an enemy-" he cut off, correcting himself, "- A threat to the Others who mean this world harm. The methods and tools these people use are well-known across the stars I have lived on. We have had time to find ways to disrupt...." He trailed off, a green light cast across the room. Ambassador looked to the side, the murmur of diplomacy falling quiet. And then a rumbling took the floor. Looking up revealed the sky to be a sickly green color. Ambassador stared until the color broke apart, a massive tunnel driving upward. His gaze dropped back down to Pavé.