Xeraph Knights's Story

The Mechanized Armature Translator winces slightly upon receiving the response from the opposing Captain. It was a voluntary action, but it made the point to itself; responding with that to the Captain would not end well, it was very likely.

"The Captain Berns has denied our request, citing a lack of identification. They offer assistance once identification has been issued," the machine translates, roughly, choosing its words carefully. It had been built for diplomatic purposes, after all.

Fir'deim was getting frustrated with the on-going talks, but decided to remain civil enough for the time being. "We have told them once, but tell them again with full honors to our homeland- we are an Aramaean War ship from the glorious empire of Aramaea, and we will not be treated with such disrespect." The small woman's words resonate through the command bridge, each of the crew holding themselves slightly higher.

Returning its attention to the communicator, the Translator responds tactfully, "Identification was prior transmitted as the Aramaean War Fleet vessel Griffon. To elaborate, we hail from the Beautiful Empire of Aramaea. We request immediate cooperation to proceed, with respect."

Armaea. Berns had never heard of it. But then again, he hadn't much experience with life outside the Dev'ma as it was. Hell, he'd never even seen action against the demons, much less any other civilized nations. But, he supposed the information they gave would suffice. "Acknowledged. Here is a charter of the immediate area." He felt uneasy about this, but he was a man of his word, and the Union had no policy against helping people wrangle up war criminals, regardless of circumstances.

"However, I feel I should advise you, not as a threatening gesture, but as a warning; if you have hostile intentions with us, you will not be met feebly. Tread carefully, and good luck with your mission." With that, he just awaited acknowledgement, content to sit in his chair and contemplate. "Contact nearby fleets and let them know these Armaeans are passing through. Advise caution, tell them to keep an eye open." The comm. officer replied "Yes, sir," and set to work.

After receiving the local maps, Fir'deim was pleased for all of ten seconds before realizing that the maps would be utterly useless for her immediate purposes. Discarding them for an underling to sift through, she listens to the reply from the Translator.

"The Captain warns us that hostile intentions will be met with strength, and advises we tread carefully. He also wishes us good luck." It was the closest to an exact translation that it had come to a completely accurate translation thus far, but Fir'deim was clearly not pleased about this man that seemed to think so much of himself and his nation.

"We are not done yet. Tell them we wish to meet aboard their vessel. This is a people we have never encountered, and they must be shown who they are dealing with." Turning towards another communicator, she alerts Keld that he will be taking command while she makes her way to the teleporter bay.

Returning to the console once more, the Translator speaks. "Her eminence Captain Fir'deim M'hel would like to hold conference upon your vessel. Your space is new to us, and we wish to be met in person."

Berns considered this proposal for a moment. "Knights, advise caution, standby and remain alert." With that, he turned back to the comm. system, engaging the other vessel in conversation. "Affirmative. Come aboard," he stated blankly.

Standing by, he awaited them to board. "Keep weapons low, but ready," he ordered the Knights. It would be a few moments before they arrived on the ship, but he couldn't be too prepared. "Any sign of trouble, you are authorized to go weapons free. Try to minimize structural damage."

He awaited the new arrivals to come aboard, anxious. This had been an interesting day.

It would be a few moments before the small team arrived on the bridge, but when they did it was with a flourish.

The Translator M.A was there, a sleek silver machine of vaguely humanoid look, except that it had no face- instead, only a silver bulbous appendage roughly the size and shape of some large canine but with no exacting features looks around the deck of the Vitality.

There was someone that looked Human enough, a man with trim black hair and a dour expression. While not expressly tall, he had a good deal of muscle mass to back up the snub nosed weapon he held at ease in his arms.

Then there was the largest of the team, a massive construct that did not seem to have a gender, but if it did it would be steroid pumped male. Apparently built of some dense alloy and painted a deep blue, with streaks of silver, its visible armament was composed of a twin-barreled cannon of some kind or another, and a large shield.

And in the center of the trio, the shortest by far, was another vaguely human reminiscent person, a woman. Fair skinned and holding herself highly, her gray uniform was dotted with various pendents and medals.

The four figures appear soundlessly in the middle of the Bridge, roughly speaking, as if from thin air. Not wasting but a moment to look around, the woman speaks in a soft voice, in a language that sounds lovely but is incomprehensible.

"Her Eminence, Captain Fir'deim M'hel," the silver machine intones while gesturing to the woman, "Greets you cordially and seeks your Captain."

Berns stepped forward to greet the strange individuals, group of vresk Knights standing behind him, their Omisace pulse rifles in a resting position, cradled in their arms. They towered above their captain with their bulky frames, ready to be the brute force they were born to be should this situation go awry.

"Pleased to meet you," Berns said calmly, a smile splayed across his face as he extended his hand to the visitors.

The translator armature steps forward in a smooth movement and offers one of its appendages to the Captain in return, as none of the others seemed to be making a move to do so. Behind it, Fir'deim begins speaking again, a somewhat displeased expression on her face as her silver eyes glance across the various races aboard the ship.

"Her Eminence greets you cordially," the translator says, releasing its firm grip on the Captain's hand. "And remarks to the oddity of species upon your vessel. She wishes to know if there is a better place in which we might hold conference."

The other two, the human and armature, simply look around at the collection on the ship. Both seemed indifferent to the culture, and relaxed enough for a boarding team amidst strange new people.

With that oddity in question, Berns couldn't help but cock an eyebrow. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to apologize for the lack of a more accommodating place to hold council, but this is about it. It's a scouting ship; never meant to take on visitors. Besides, anything you can say to me, you can say before my men. They won't tell anyone." He had to smirk at his own humor.

He understood that "Her Eminence" was quite annoyed as it were already; he had a knack for picking up on women's moods, no matter what language they were speaking. However, even though the ship had a more private place the could retire to, he didn't feel comfortable enough letting them scope out the ship in its entirety. Not yet, anyway.

No, the bridge was fine for now.

Unaccustomed to being denied, Fir'deim gives the Captain a steely, cold glare. Even if it was true and he had no better place to confer, the fact that there was no better place than a crowded bridge annoyed her intensely. Spouting off a long spiel, her expression eventually diminishes to a more amiable look of disinterest.

"Her Eminence Captain Fir'deim expresses her disappointment in a lack of proper facilities, but accepts that the less civil surroundings will suffice," the translator says in an almost apologetic tone.

"She wishes to express her interests in opening diplomatic relations with some species within your peoples, but lacks both the time and patience to begin such a transaction at the present time. She would thus suggest that in the interests of continued knowledge gain, we allow a transfer of crew to your ship, and vice-versa."

Gesturing around the bridge, the mechanized armature continues. "We would request the diversity of your species to learn of. Our crew is not as diverse, but we are sure there is much you could learn from our people from a social standpoint."

"If you are accepting, we will transfer the crew immediately so that we can both return to our objectives."