Leia Nash's Story

The first contact thus far appeared more a stand-off as the two groups of militarized terrans stood to face one another. This was supposed to be a meeting of peace, and yet the old wisdom of offer peace with one hand, a knife in the other never held more merit than this moment now. The Marines of the UPC remained in their tight formation, a box like parade fashion behind their senior staff.

While the captain and the entourage of armed soldiers had each trained their attention to various points of Aschen fortified positions, the Admiral had remained trained upon the officer and her many mannerisms. For the most part she was poised, her demeanour maintaining that cold and commanding presence, as an officer should in the face of the unknown. Whats more, since the Aschen officer stepped forward, the Admiral would be the only individual to truly pick up on the seemingly alive floor. The metal seemed almost liquid, rippling out as if each foot step were a drop in a pool, adding a near mysticism to the Aschens' overall visage.

"Sir..." the marine lieutenant called out, if only loud enough for the admiral to hear, "... I don't like leaving you alone and unarmed."
The admiral's response came with a reassuring nod, "It'll be alright, I doubt the Aschens are in the business of holding hostages."
Concluding the brief exchange with the marine, Stratcona soon turned to his captain with an expectant gaze. Aroia glanced back, almost double taking with the understanding of her superior's notion, though clearly not comfortable with the idea. A heavy sigh exuded as her hands moved to procure her PSP-5, her standard issue sidearm. The captain relinquished her weapon to the nearest marine behind her before once again directing herself towards the Aschen Admiral.

Once all arms had been surrendered, the senior staff duo both stepped forward towards the Aschen defence line, ensuring to keep their hands visible. The closer the pair came to the Aschen officer, the more detail that could perhaps been seen in the UPC uniforms. The admiral's main coat was a fine leather, likely an organic material save for the polycarbonate mantle that bore his ranking. The captain wore less decore, if only a white uniform of a wool outer coat and trousers, polyester undershirt, a uniform more reminiscent to the military of old Earth; obviously a pattern developed of old Earth and UPC.

"We are ready to proceed when you are, Admiral." Stratcona announced, awaiting the Aschen officer's next direction.

Admiral Nash watched the exchange closely, she was unwavering in her resolve, but she was also unwavering in the execution of Imperial protocols, so she sat there and observed their exchange, she noted they were rightfully apprehensive about surrendering their weapons, but it was a crucial first step to showing that the Aschen could trust them, and it had always worked for them in the past.

Briefly, her blue-eyed gaze flitted over to the captain, her displeasure at the situation was noted as well, briefly, Nash's face twitched into a smirk, a single upturned corner of her mouth while she stood there, with her hands clasped behind her back. She watched them approach. The detail of the Aschen would be more apparent, wool uniforms carefully tailored for an almost perfect fit, with leather sam browne style belts polished in black.

"This way." Nash instructed as she turned around, one of the Adepts directly behind them took a step to the right, shouldering his massive twenty-millimeter heavy magnetron, which looked like it could put a round clean through an armored vehicle. The Adept grunted, and then let the massive weapon come to rest, barrel down on the platform below him. Nash walked past the Adept without so much as a second glance, while the rest of the Aschen in the room stared at Stratcona, and Kalensov as they walked past, some clenched their weapons, standard issue Type 53 disruptor rifles, their sleek design made their designs as energy weapons clear, but some of the Marines carried somewhat different weapons, contrasting the sleek disruptor weapons were the MC1 Kinetic Carbines, which had a silver finish, and modular design to them.

Moving through the door to the main corridor, it emanated a crystalline chime before sliding open, two engineers in dark blue jumpsuits stopped what they were doing to salute, bringing their fists to their chests and shouting 'Ad Victoriam' before quickly returning to work, they seemed to be working on a conduit of some kind, resembling a cable filled with an unusual gel like material, which seemed to be in the process of being replaced.

Nash walked past the pair without affording a second glance, as she looked up to the Anquietas sign that would lead them to the main tram hub. At the intersection, Nash took a sharp right towards a wide corridor, people coming and going on what could only be described as golf carts could be seen, just adjacent to a trio of Marines sitting on crates, intently cleaning carbon from the muzzles of their disruptor rifles, while a fourth was tossing a fusion cell into the air, and catching it. They moved across the cooridor into the next room, which was a large tram hub, designed similarly to a busy train station, with large trams coming, and going, carrying their crew to various points within the massive carrier.

Nash quietly boarded one of these trams, and turned so that Stratcona and Kalensov could follow.

The doors to the tram would close behind them with a hiss, and the tram would begin moving.

"It's a short ride to the CIC, we will meet in my ready room." Nash said, before she looked up.

"EVE, please arrange for a small meal for two guests to be sent to my Ready Room before I arrive."

There was a chirp, and a female voice over the intercom. "Of course, Admiral."

Nash finally turned to face Stratcona, and she offered a smile.

"It's not often someone seeks us out, it's normal for our neighbors to fear us, we're wary of outsiders, so I'm curious as to what made you seek us out. You seem to know much of us, yet, you claim to be from a planet that does not exist." Nash said with a slight tone of curiosity.

"Earth was destroyed eons ago." She remarked.

With what could only be surmised as approval, both the admiral and captain would proceed to follow the Aschen officer. Both Douglas and Aroia focusing specifically upon the officer's back. The last thing the pair wanted was their diplomatic meeting to be mistaken as an infiltration. This was maintained for most of their walk, though a few side glances to a few individuals along the route, mostly workers and a few marines attempting to quell their boredom with routine weapons maintenance; additionally tossing about what could only be a possible detonation device or ammo cartridge. All in all the behaviour of the Aschens were quite human, despite of the stories regarding lacking humility.

A note had gone noticed, specifically the use of artificial intelligence when the admiral hailed for meals. This was an intrigue to the admiral, as AI was one field the UPC had ventured down once before. As the vessels previously mentioned lacked the incorporation of such intelligence, it would seem that the UPC was not so successful with the creation. Perhaps a topic for future encounters, assuming all went well with initial contact.

Soon they would gather within a tram, a mode of transportation both of the UPC occupants were familiar as it was the best method of moving about these space behemoths. It was on the tram that Admiral Nash seemed to entertain in true negotiation.

"While I'm sure the Aschen Empire has assured dominance over their dominion, and asserted themselves as once not to trifle with, I can assure you that we are not from your woods, as the saying goes." a smile was offered in turn from the seasoned officer, a gesture and perhaps some comedy to accompany his facts.
"I've spent quite some time preparing for this meeting, under the direction of our own council as well as personal interest. The Aschen people have been known to quite the engineers, apart from ruthless to those that dare threaten their way of life."
At this point, Stratcona took pause, casting a sidelong glance to his captain, whom stood rigidly at his side with her hands firmly clasped behind her back.
"Captain, care to explain to the admiral our information regarding Earth's status?" he chimed at the lass, whom beamed him a short glare. While the two were professional in carrying out their jobs, they also had a friendly relationship that often saw the admiral tease his subordinate, whom for the most part tolerated it likely out of respect both for the rank this man held, and mutually feeling the same.
"Earth exists, in accordance to our records and recent contact with said planet. While the planet is completely depleted of any natural resources, reduced to nothing but a desert planet with the odd settlement and launch facility, the planet itself still exists, and contains a small population." the captain spoke in a matter of fact like manner, maintaining a rather direct approach to her negotiating method.

Admiral Stratcona would add, "The final elements of Earth's resources were excavated around 4,700 to 4,800 years ago. Since then, what population existed at the time spread into space. The moon is now basically a giant city while Mars became the next eden for those either refusing to leave the sol system, or were simply incapable."

Nash listened intently to their explanation, but visibly frowned at the mention of the state that earth was in. It was clear in her facial expression that she was deeply offended, but she kept it inside, opting instead to turn to face the window of the tram as it began to pass over another one of the Reverence II's behemoth maintenance bays, below them a large frigate of some kind could be seen below, crews working on scaffolding, and in Zero-G welding structural braces, armor plates, and installing electronics, various flashes of arc welds could be seen below, while Nash pointed to a large platform across the way, two large apertures hanging above it.

"We have broken our need to extract raw materials from our worlds roughly a decade ago." She commented, as brilliant flashes of light engulfed the platform, the apertures spewing beams of flickering blue light, 'printing' a large metallic I beam from seemingly thin air.

"We call it Light-mass fabrication, it's revolutionized the way we manufacture, and harvest materials, by eliminating the harvesting, and processing of raw materials, we can streamline our manufactoring processes to further suit our Imperial needs with minimal impact to a planet's Eco balance."

She clasped her hands back behind her back as the tram passed the maintenance bay, but she did not look towards Kalenskov and Stratcona for several moments, until she turned to face them.

"Langara, and every other world we inhabit are fertile, and rich with wealth, this sector of space has been our promised land since the great exodus of our ancestors. We defend this promised land with everything that the gods have given us, and we rely on the wisdom of the great Athena to guide us forward." Nash said with an almost religious ferver, while thumbing a small medallion that she kept under her uniform. It was an enameled stylized owl, with sapphires for eyes. After a brief moment, Nash placed the medallion back into her uniform.

"Admiral, we will be arriving in the main section within the millicenton." EVE Chirped. "The Kitchen has prepared a fresh vegetable dinner with shellfish and garum, served with rice and flatbread."

"Thank you, EVE." Nash replied, lightening the subject. "Fortunately, I don't know how your vessels prepare food, but everything here is freshly harvested from our livestock pens, and aeroponics bays, the only way to get fresher food, is planetside." Nash explained, one thing was for certain, Aschen troops were well fed.

As it was explained, both UPC officers would divert their gaze to the great lights, the fabrication process of the Aschens. Both inwardly admired the ingenuity, but refrained from displaying such externally. The Aschens clearly excelled technologically in more ways than one. One note was the use of workers in fabrication, something the UPC had phased out in favour of automated manufacturing. While AI were still beyond the UPC, programmable machines were one of their strongest investments, again trailing back to their desire for maximum efficiency.

"The UPC has learned from the past, and we tend to avoid mineral collection on habitable planets. We use them solely for population, farming and agriculture, as well as revitalization of Earthen animals." Stratcona submitted, having noticed Nash's displeasure concluding his explanation of Earth.

The offence of Earth's fate seemed deeply seeded within the Admiral, as she did not face her guests for a period.
"We hope to one day restore Earth to it's former glory, making it the oasis it once was." he paused, admiring the Aschen fabrication one finally time before the tram moved beyond visibility of the machinery.
"Perhaps, if all goes well diplomatically, we could all work together in such an endeavour."

When finally Nash would grace her guests, she would be doing so whilst thumbing an auspicious medallion of the faith. While Stratcona's beliefs were none that of gods, he had a respect for the structure and hope religion could provide. Additionally, many of the stories that accompanied the many faiths.
"Better to wage war in the unending heavens than on the oasis of one's home." commented the fellow, his tone having eased.
"Si vis pacem, para bellum." Captain Kalenskov added, though she remained stoic in stature, poised more so in her military discipline than friendly negotiator like the Admiral.

The promise of food was one the admiral never passed up, especially such of quality. He had not the luxury of trying Aschen cuisine, and was eager to try it. The Captain on the other hand finally displayed emotion across her otherwise blank expression, soon contorting into a subtle frown, one Stratcona clued into the moment shellfish was mentioned to be on the menu.
"I am terribly sorry for the fuss, Admiral Nash. While I am privy in trying such a delectable dish, I'm afraid my Captain is unable to partake." said captain, remained unmoved, though inwardly she wished her superior would not speak of her ailments.
"I'm afraid she is allergic to Shellfish, anaphylactic even. To eat shellfish has the potential to kill her."

The Admiral slowly raised an eyebrow at the mention of a shellfish allergy, she seemed visibly confused at the prospect while the tram slowly came to a stop, and the doors opened with an audible chime, exposing another large ship terminal, EVE's voice coming over the intercom.

"I have arranged a vegetarian dish for the Captain." The AI remarked curtly, and suddenly.

Nash still looked towards them with confusion on her face, before EVE spoke up. "Allergies are a result of the body's immune system attacking otherwise harmless material, a condition that was eliminated with childhood tretonin vaccinations." The AI remarked, and Nash offered a nod. "Oh, I see." She said, understanding for a moment. "Your body reacts poorly to compounds in the shellfish, I understand now." Nash remarked, as they rounded a corner, past a trio of officers that were going over paperwork. Despite being such a technologically advanced vessel, there was a great many officers moving through the ship's corridors, carrying physical paperwork between their stations.

Now that they reached the main conference room, they would find a large circular room before them with a large round glass table, already service staff were working on setting the table with fine cutlery and dishware from the ship's stateroom, Nash took a seat at the far side of the table, while one of the servants, a young man in a white uniform poured her a glass of wine from a large pitcher, he slowly moved around the table, pouring a glass for the Admiral, and the Captain, into stylized, futuristic looking copper and glass wine glasses.

The plates were starkly reminiscent of pottery, and mosiacs found back in Earth's ancient greece, with the resemblance between the ancient artwork almost uncanny with a few Aschen takes on the artwork. Much of the art on the plates depicted things like Olympic sport, or hunting, and the material was almost like a fine china, with gold inlays.

"Pax per Bellum." Nash reiterated, as she raised her glass. "Aeternit Imperii." Before she took a sip of the glass, while the white uniformed men moved around the table, placing what looked like prawns, and scallops with cucumber, olives, peppers and onions on the Admirals's plate, with a side of what looked like souvlaki, and flatbread, and a small side of layered pastry soaked in honey, and filled with finely chopped nuts.

The Captain would have an assortment of fresh greens, olives, and crumbled cheese placed on her plate, along with a side of a dish that was comprised of layered eggplant in tomato sauce, both guests would be served several pieces of flatbread, and a side of mash chickpea blended with herbs.

Clearing her throat, she gestured out to the food before them. "Inevitably, we aspire to bring the entirety of the galaxy under our banner, and unite a fractured humanity under a wizened, firm hand of our Imperial leadership, purging undesirables, Xenos, and others that would threaten our way of life."

Taking another sip of her wine, she smiled.

"I would be interested to see this world restored to it's former beauty, and placed under Imperial stewardship, where it, like our original homeworld, Kobol, can be reclaimed by the gods." Nash added. "I am certain our leaders would share the same sentiment, if this is truly the same earth from the guidestone."