Futuristic Cosmic Deep (open)

[egglover]

Prelude
​

The first time she had ever heard the song of the blackbird was her very first morning in England. They were hauling their suitcases up the small flight of stone steps, her and her brother, whilst their father spoke to the taxi driver as they lifted heavy bags together from the trunk. It had been a long, sleepless night. Imani was very sad to leave their home in Tanzania, and though Tish had put on a brave face for him she also felt the pang of homesickness. England was already so alien to her. Cold and big and distant from the world she once knew. Imani let out a heavy sigh as he dumped his bag on the top step and stared at their new front door. He tried to open it but it was locked and he let out a whine toward the taxi where their dad was, “Papa. Papa, where are the keys?”

The older man fumbled as he paid the driver with money they had exchanged at the airport, “Oh, Mrs. Jonson said they would leave them under the pot in the garden. Tish, go get it.”
“The pot in the garden?” Tish frowned at Imani, who simply shrugged. With slumped shoulders the young girl jumped off the steps into the grass and found the gate to the back yard. It was a faded red and half hanging off its hinge. Tish pushed with all her strength until it moved the dirt and opened. On the other side was an overgrown path toward the back, where she stood surprised at the humble beauty. Blooming flowers of all colors lined the wooden fence surrounding their property, but most impressive of all was a large, unusual tree. The trunk of the tree was pure white and the leaves, which hung down around the garden, were all different shades of blue. Cyan, turquoise and cobalt glittering in the morning sun. When the breeze blew the leaves they snowed across the garden leaving a layer of blue atop of everything. This was not a human tree. It wasn’t like anything Tish had ever seen before.

“Tish, did you find it? Oh.”

The deep voice of her father interrupted her awe and she turned to face him and her brother emerging from the broken gate. Imani’s eyes lit up at the sight of the blue tree, “Whoa, what is that?!”
Their dad laughed and kneeled down to them as all three gazed at this alien foliage, “Ah, I see you’ve found the Ahxi Tree. Yes, it’s beautiful, eh? Its seed was brought to Earth all the way from Hephas.”

“Where is Hefast?”

“Hephas is a planet in the Andromeda galaxy. Our sister galaxy. All the way up there.”

The two children followed his finger toward the blue sky, where outlines of spacecraft could be spotted amongst the clouds. Space travel was known, it was common even, but the concept of alien life beyond Earth was still foreign to them. Tanzania had been very normal. Very Earth. To see something from another planet right before their very eyes suddenly turned the concept of space travel from myth into something very tangible. Their dad suddenly let out a whispered gasp, “Oh, look! Look kids, a blackbird! On the Ahxi!”

Tish and Imani looked and saw a small bird on one of the branches of the blue tree, and that’s when Tish heard it. The blackbirds cry. It was a beautiful, melodic song. Nothing like she had heard in Africa. It wasn’t just one blackbird but a family swaying against the blue and the breeze. “I had heard that the blackbirds took a liking to the Ahxi, but to see it with our own eyes!” her father exclaimed. Tish wouldn’t understand his excitement until later in life, or perhaps she would never truly understand the excitement of a botanist unless she became one herself, but seeing their dad's smile filled her with joy. All three sat in the grass together for a long time, tired and hungry but content just watching the blackbirds in the tree. This was one of Tish’s favorite memories.

“It is proof that all creatures can learn to love what is different and strange. Our lives can be integrated, just like this tree into our soil. Isn’t that wonderful?”

Chapter One
Journey to the Center
​

Her dad had been an optimist, that was for sure. Yet despite all that she had experienced in her life following his death she still believed in that memory. In the blackbirds and the tree and her fathers words. Maybe she was an optimist too.

Tish Suleiman had woken from a sleepless night. The Avian Expedition, which had been decades in the making, was finally here. Today was the day of lift off. The excitement had been building for over a week and now it came in waves of loud cheering as the Captain of the AESS Condor was introduced to the entire known universe. Captain Ghin Gareux. He was something of a celebrity, which suited the Zonkoian quite well. The roar of the crowd was almost deafening, the excitement electrifying. It made the hairs on Tish’s arm stand up and her brain turn to jelly. Suddenly she was a young fresh graduate again, standing amongst the crew of her very first starship as a junior engineer, those nerves churning her breakfast back and forth. Now here she was - Captain of her very own ship. The RS Blackbirds Cry.

Her gaze moved to its beautiful exterior. Black and sleek and shiny. It reflected the stark blue Yal Yuan sky, not so unlike the sky on Earth, and reminded her of that day in the garden. The blackbird against the blue and her fathers optimism. Why was she thinking of that so often now? Oh, but she knew why. She knew why.

Beside her stood her First Officer, Matias, seemingly unperturbed by the noise and the energy surrounding them. He seemed bored, even. Down the line were the other members of the Blackbirds crew, some human, some alien. It was a good mix. It was what she had requested. Integrated. Suleiman had done extensive research on each of her crew and had even tipped the scales of influence on a few of them. She needed to trust them. Most importantly, they needed to trust her. The explosion of cheering continued on as the procession progressed. The Avian Expedition was almost ready to take off.

 

[Melon Bomb]

The morning of departure was without ceremony, as were the mornings before it.

Shower. Breakfast. Checking the dating apps on their phone just in case someone suddenly wanted to confess their undying love before the blackbird leaves the nest. Dressing for work. Another thirty minutes or so was dedicated to looking for their glasses, which they found on top of the microwave for some reason. Gently brushing aside the blinds with one finger, the chauffeur was parked by the driveway exactly on the dot. Very professional. And annoying. Jill walked out with their hastily crammed suitcase five minutes late.

That same suitcase shielded their face from the bustling crowd -- at least on one side -- as they crossed the walkway to catch up with the rest of the team. More than a few camera crews and their security detail hogged sizeable cuts of the audience at the perimeter. Thankfully none of them were in a position to pull them aside for interviews, the promo photos were enough public exposure for one day. Pushing through the crowd, one man blocked the vision of at least a dozen people behind him with a very large sign with his social media information written on it.

Keeping the suitcase rigid at an angle, Jill was not shy by any means; merely deflecting the barrage of pathogens flying their way from a flood of screaming mouths. They would, of course, be sterilized on board regardless, but nobody likes to be covered in mysterious bacteria.

"Cool ship," Jill said to Tish, their voice immediately drowned out and made inaudible by the loud chatter surrounding them.

 

[DarKnight36]

Matias hardly moved at all during the speeches. He could have been a statue except for his eyes, which scanned the crowd relentlessly. It was an old habit of his. It wasn't his job today to secure the area, but he could easily spot at least nine areas that were weak on coverage. An unsecured window there, a blind spot there... But mostly he watched the people. Unfortunately, it wasn't out of a whimsical interest in seeing humanity and the many other species of alien here today interacting with each other, but rather to again ascertain potential threats. Signs of nervousness and anxiety were threads to pick on. For humans, it was easy - he knew the telltale signs as well as the back of his hand. For the other races, it gave him a bit of a challenge, which made the monotony of the announcements go by quicker.

When the last speaker finally waved their way off the stage, boarding was allowed. Matias had already taken a good look at the ship beforehand, so felt no need to stare now. Instead, he stood quietly nearby, in case any of the staff had questions for him or his captain, Tish, needed him.

Speaking of Tish, Matias had only briefly met her beforehand, in a sort of interview process. His request to join the Blackbird's Cry was met with some surprise, but little resistance from the recruitment staff so long as the captain approved. Thankfully, she had, and even better, Tish seemed to have many of the same background training as himself. That made things a bit easier for Matias, but he hoped that it wouldn't cause any problems once they were underway.

 

[Pacificus]

Daytona stood, back straight with his hands clasped behind his back, in a relaxed parade rest. As Security Chief, he was on the clock. His sensor pod or "head" rotated slowly, observing the crowd. Crowds like this were always a nightmare scenario for security detailers. So many variables packed into a tight area. However, Daytona was only one android. He didn't worry himself with factors outside his control. He kept his sweeps tight, looking for more immediate threats. He was only responsible for the safety of what he had already began to see as his crew. Especially the Captain. Both she and her First Officer had extensive backgrounds in the field, and he could tell the rigid Matias was doing the same as him. Daytona could not allow harm to come to them, or any of the crew.

He looked to either side of him at the crew. He had begun his work the week prior. As soon as he was assigned to the Blackbirds Cry, he settled into his security duties. Immediately, he began running background checks on the entire crew. Not out of paranoia, though. Daytona had merely conducted his due diligence as Security Chief. Everyone from the Captain to the chef. Even the ships onboard janitor droids were audited.

Everyone onboard had some degree of salt under their wings. This was reassuring to Daytona. People with squeaky clean records were suspicious at worst and inexperienced at best. "Never trust an organic lifeform that intoxicates easily." or however the saying went.

He felt confident about this expedition. He had seen the Blackbird before, but the way she gleamed in the sun now was... intimidating. It looked like a dragon. A beast from human legend; chomping at its restraints, begging to be let loose. He turned his "gaze" back towards the crowd. His servos swelled with excitement.

 

[obscured_light]

~ Capriole Halve ~​

The gelatinous mass of blinding green didn't move as words were spoken and the sight of them was recorded. They could feel the vibrations throughout the air that provided more information than the whirling robotics eyes that snapped to any sign of movement. That didn't keep them from looking around at their crew once there was a shift in the energy of the air. Anticipation, the blob thought as they tilted their gelatinous covered robotic head.

Capriole Halve was the name of the unusual chef designated by the apron, gloves, and hat she wore. The black garments outlined in gold matched the crew's uniform well thought they were a stark contrast to her natural yellowish green hue. There had been no need for the apron or hat but she figured she would establish herself off the bat.

Perhaps it was due to the fear that her position would be ripped away, but Capriole knew that they wouldn't have let her go this far if there had been some sort of mistake. Granted, an alien cooking for a mostly human crew was concerning but she had traveled far and wide. She had insisted she was capable of adapting and Captain Suleiman had taken her word (and maybe a sample or two). How could Capriole not take this chance in return?

And what a chance it was! Bubbles formed in her as she excitedly ran through the recipes she had researched and practiced. Admittedly, she hadn't expected the android (It wasn't one of those that needed fuel, was it?) or the Posonid (They could be so fickle with their diets!), and there was even a Chalcidian (Oh boy). No matter though. Capriole would adapt and she deliberated on what would be a good recipe for a first meal.

"Soup?" she said, just loud enough for her crewmates on either side of her to hear. Her voice was like a low hum distorted by vibrations with a higher pitched voice mixed in that enabled them to hear what she said. "Soup sound good today?"

~ Mari ~​

A couple crew mates down, Mari was lost in thought. The Posonid sat back on her two tails that were coiled underneath her, trying to make herself seem smaller despite the fact that either tail alone was as long as some of the crew was tall. She already wasn't fond of the attention the crowd lavished on them. However, she also recognized it was a momentous occasion and so she didn't fuss or show her annoyance either.

She smiled serenely. Thoughts of her friends coming across this news calmed Mari and made this whole show much more tolerable. There was also her interest in the crew although if Captain Suleiman was any indication of the others, the Posonid would have no qualms on staying with the exploratory vessel. The interviews as well as what she could find of the Captain's experience indicated to Mari she would be serving someone capable. Hopefully that extended to the crew as well.

Humans mostly, by the quick glances she could afford, including Mari's superior -- Jill Glasscock. Though besides the brief interview they had in leading up to her hiring as assistant, Mari had very little to go on about Rockologist Glasscock. There has been no strong initial impression like that of the captain.

As the time to board approached, Mari began to uncoil, looking towards the others on what to do next.

 

[PiePillager]

Hector was not used to crowds. Not like this anyway. It wasn't that it unnerved him. He'd long gotten used to the sea of people flooding Neo-New York, but this was different. They were all gathered here for a purpose. Before them lay their homes for the foreseeable future. An unknown future set to accomplish a monumental task that could very well end in abysmal failure. Yet if you too even one glance on the faces gathered here today, beaming with such fearlessness, nobody would even dare tell 'em there was a chance this mission could all be in vain. Like they didn't even consider the risks.

Hector respected that...which surprised him. Here he thought they'd all be so stuck up, they'd piss him off. Well...there was still time for that. Maybe. He'd be surprised if he ever saw most of these people again. They all had their own routes, their own plans on how to trek across the cosmos. His focus would have to be on the Blackbird's Cry. What a beautiful ship she was. He could practically feel the engine's roar from here. He'd never worked on a ship in-flight before. Only on wrecked vessels doomed to never fly again...until he proved their mechanics wrong.

Perhaps that's what garnered him recognition enough to receive an invite here. He'd certainly built something of a rep over the years, at least. It was now that he realized these were people he was going to be spending many years with in the future. Maybe even his last years, if luck would be so unkind. He didn't really pay them too much heed at the moment. The only crewmate he was concerned with was the Blackbird's Cry. Cry...hmm. He got to work making improvements on the engine, he was gonna make her sing.

His thoughts were broken by the call from one of his crewmates. A Kalkin by the looks of her. Searching for a response in regards to a question about soup? Soup...wait, what? "You our chef?" Hector casually asked, lighting a cigarette. "Fuck...hope you wear gloves," he shrugged with a smirk.

 

[FireMaiden]

Naomi Hart
Location: Outside the Blackbird's Cry
Interaction: obscured_light (Capriole)
Mentioned: PiePillager (Hector)
It was not often that Major Hart would take time off. He was very much the type of person who would work until he physically couldn't handle it anymore, and whichever onship doctor literally had to force him to take one. Major Hart hated it, or claimed he did, though the forced breaks would allow him to finally sleep undisturbed. This time around however, the Major had taken willing PTO. Why you ask? Because it was finally time for him and his daughter to part. For the past three days, The Kilimanjaro, a ship soon bound for a nearby star system was had been orbiting Yal Yuan as Major Hart and his daughter Naomi spent some quality time together. This wasn't odd, not in the slightest, but instead of camping trips or survival training, they were watching old movies. Eating dinner together, sharing stories. Doing what a father and daughter should normally do. The Major was usually a stoic man, a temperament that most certainly rubbed off on his daughter. But today, watching as she packed up her bunk...he found his heart aching.

"You know...we should have tried doing some more normal family activities when you were younger," He spoke out of the blue, Naomi's nimble fingers hauling half way up her boot.

"Why do you say that?" The young woman questioned, looking at her father. He was tired, his age showing more today than it ever did. The dress blues didn't help in making him look younger, infact they only made him look older.

"You didn't get the childhood most kids did. I've regretted that as you've gotten older," Paul said with a soft sigh, his eyes falling on one of the few family pictures they had. It was him, with Noami on his shoulders, surrounded by the crew of an old ship. He regretted not giving her a solid home. He regretted there not being enough female role models for her. He regretted the sad look she'd get every time he had to say no. Paul couldn't be prouder of her, of who she became. But he always wondered...

"You say that like I'm not happy," Naomi laughed a bit. "Sure there's stuff I missed out on, but what I've heard about public highschool, probably a good thing I didn't go." Naomi let her words linger as she finished with her boots. Everything she owned was packed away in a rucksack save for the clothes on her back. "Remember the fights?" Naomi prompted, which got a Major Hart signature glare.

"Make sure to show more restraint on the Blackbird," He warned.

"Yessir, I promise," Naomi replied, giving him a half heart salute before going in for a hug. They only had a few minutes longer before it was time to leave. A shuttle was waiting for them when both Harts finally made their way down to the shuttle dock. Naomi and her father were packed into a small shuttle along with a few others attending the ceremony. The flight down to the surface wouldn't take long, maybe ten minutes or so. Which of course, was plenty of time for the soliders to start joking about a Deadpool. Something Major Hart put a stop to after Naomi bet 20 bucks on herself to get shot within the first month. He wasn't impressed. So the conversation would turn to the possibilities of what Naomi might find. A new race, new creatures, a better material for training dummies so certain people, Cortez, would stop breaking them. Naomi was personally excited about finding new animals.

The conversation would only stop when the shuttle landed, and the group had to separate. Naomi paused as she started to walk off, turning back around to face her comrades. "Here's to us!" She spoke suddenly, grinning as she did.

"Who's like us?" The younger soliders replied.

"Damn few, and they're all dead," Naomi finished, giving them all a salute before finally turning to hurry off and join the line up. That was the easy part. Naomi never was good with crowds, even ones with her family. It was deafening, the cheers, but her attention was solely on one of the most beautiful ships she'd ever seen. It was so sleek, powerful...she couldn't wait to be aboard. Of course that would come after more formalities, introductions and such, maybe another long winded speech if this went how she expected it to. But her attention was taken away from the ship, somehow managing to catch the comment of the slime standing next to her. Soup? Naomi tilted her head a bit, trying to determine if it was being serious. They had to be the chef, right? Apperntly someone on the other side of them had the same thought, though maybe a little ruder than necessary. "I don't know if soup is exciting enough," Naomi commented earnestly. "This expedition isn't some small time gig, you might as well go all out." Within reason of course, didn't need to blow through all their rations immediately. "Soup would be good for a different day."

 

[egglover]

As the speeches finally ended the time to board their ships began. Large crowds of crew members of all shapes, races and factions gathered in lines and slowly boarded each of the ships in the Expedition, whilst their Captain's, First Officers and Second Officers (if the ship was large enough) stood at the entrance and greeted the staff inside. The long procession was accompanied by loud music and cheering that echoed toward the sky. Tish watched the Blackbird take a low breath and open, it's sleek silver interior revealed as the door touched the ground into a ramp. Captain Suleiman and First Officer Kingsbury took their place to the side of the ramp and watched the crew climb into the RS Blackbirds Cry. One of the scientists, Jill Glasscock, attempted to make small talk with Tish that she didn't hear at all.

It was no secret that Tish had been particularly picky when it came to accepting her crew. Though the recruitment process was done externally, the final barrier for recruitment was the Captain of the ships approval. On larger ships like AESS Condor most everyone with the correct qualifications and training were accepted into the ranks. On the Blackbirds, however, Captain Suleiman earned quite the reputation in recruitment for being difficult. She had no shame in that title, though. It had been their choice to make her Captain, their request and the highly praised recommendation from her old Captain Sachin Falk. Why he had wrote that letter remained a mystery that pained her to this day. Still, after much deliberation and harassment Tish had finally come to an agreement with one condition; the crew was hers and hers alone. No outside influence, no factions or underlying ambition. She was difficult and proud of it. Seeing her crew today enter the Blackbird before her very eyes only reaffirmed her choices.

"Tish! Tish!" A drowned out voice called from behind. Only when he approached did Tish recognize it.

She turned to see her brother, Imani, jogging toward her and calling her name. She frowned slightly, glancing at Matias but turning away toward her brother who was not supposed to be here, "You need to be boarding the Condor, Imani."

He nodded and stopped to a halt before her, "Yes, yes I know. I just wanted to say goodbye."

"We said our goodbyes earlier."

"I know, it's just..." Imani turned to look at the crew boarding the AESS Condor, the ship he was signed to as a Medical Officer. He had begged her to be assigned to the Blackbirds but she had purposely rejected every request. It was not that she did not believe in his ability or trust him, but she knew he would be a conflict of interest of hers. Better to be separated. Still, seeing his nervous glances toward the Condor and his inability to find words made her expression soften and she placed a firm hand on his shoulder. She smiled, "Be safe, Imani."

"You too, sister." He said without the smile. The concern in his eyes sent a chill down her spine as he turned and left toward the AESS Condor. The feeling that this would be the last time in a long time that she would ever speak to her brother lingered for a moment. Perhaps he felt it too.

Tish cleared her throat and stood back beside Matias, glancing at him somewhat awkwardly. "Do you have siblings, Kingsbury?" she asked.

 

[Sky_Breaker_08]

As soon as the ramp hit the ground, a large raven-man was waving for people to enter. Su Choon-Hee didn't need the extra encouragement, the open door was invitation enough. She was the first to enter the ship and immediately headed for the bow where the piloting controls would be.

Luckily, her helmet hid her beaming face and muted her giggles while her favorite pilot's jacket hid most of her nervous jitters. Almost uncontrollably ecstatic, she was unable to hold still, and her feet bounced when she walked. Her ship was here.

Seeing pictures and reading about its specs was one thing, being within a few feet from its sleek exterior had been another. The wait had been unbearable, the door had taken an eternity to open. She could practically feel the controls in her hands at that moment, see the stars zipping past as they blasted through space faster than light. There was no better feeling than piloting a new ship, testing its limits, discovering its ticks and pushing it to do what no other pilot could get it to accomplish.

The sooner they would lift off, the better.

 

[DarKnight36]

"I do not have that pleasure, Captain," Matias replied easily to Tish, hands clasped behind his back. "At least none that I know of. It is possible that my mother bore more children, but my father was celibate after I was born." Matias' gaze met Tish's. "It is good to have family, Captain. Nothing to be ashamed of."

 

[obscured_light]

A whirring sound accompanied Capriole's movements as she turned her head to look at the humans on either side of her. The robotic face underneath the slime was impossible to read as it had no facial features that could lend a clue to what she was thinking. There was only a long, awkward silence as she contemplated their words and looked at the ground. She had thought soup would be a good representation of the group coming together but the man's snide remark quickly affirmed the woman's suggestion. Soup was not a suitable first meal.

"No soup then," the chef finally said, looking back up at the woman beside her. "Thank you for your input."

Capriole then looked at the smirking man, confirming, "Yes, I am the chef. Head chef. Capriole Halve, at your service. Both of yours."

She looked at both of them and raised a gloved hand in greeting, slightly jiggling as she did so.

"I also wear the appropriate uniform to maintain optimal sanitary measures. Now, please advise on more suitable choices for tonight's dinner. I have a wide array of human safe recipes so please do not hesitate to offer whatever comes to mind."

She turned to the man with a small, mechanical click, almost like a tsk.

"Although some recommendations will carry less weight."

 

[PiePillager]

"To be honest, I don't really care what you make," Hector replied with a shrug, his eyes flicking down to her outstretched hand without offering his own. "I just like to make sure everything's kept sanitary," he added taking a puff of his cigarette. "Don't take it personal." Professional or not, everyone had some standards they were at least a little lacking in...himself included by his own admission. Hoisting his bag over his shoulder, he planned to take his leave and head onto the ship with the rest of the crew.

However a moment after he turned around, he stopped, perhaps thinking better of it. This wasn't a glorified luxury liner like the Condor, no, the Blackbird's Cry was a true scout ship. He wouldn't be able to let the glory hounds do their thing while he played blackjack with the real ones below deck. He turned back around. "Least some of the crew is easy on the eyes," he thought, turning back to the human woman who spoke out against the soup, letting her introduce herself first.

 

[FireMaiden]

Naomi Hart
Location: Outside the Blackbird's Cry
Interaction: obscured_light (Capriole) PiePillager (Hector)
Mentioned: N/A
Naomi's eyes lingered on the slime, no Capriole she would learn, for a few moments longer as she considered the comments. The slime decided not to go with soup, which Naomi approved of. And further more, they asked for suggestions. "Mm, maybe a roast of some sort? That seems more fitting. Or spaghetti...?" Naomi mused, reaching up to rub her chin a few times in contemplation. Those seemed like good options, both could be paired with salad and bread. Maybe potatoes if a roast was possible. "Once again, kind of depends on what we're stocked up on," Naomi added. As much money had been put into this expedition, fresh produce would expire so much faster than dried goods and MREs. As expected, the ceremony carried on with some speeches, which Naomi tuned out for the most part. The military life had largely, been the only one she knew. Ceremonies weren't held everyday but they were pretty much the same thing every time. About halfway though however, Naomi noticed her father getting a call which he then related to the soliders sitting with him. Ah, duty calls. Major Hart gave Naomi a smile and quick salute, one she returned before watching them leave. It was a disappointment, him leaving early, but she understood. More than most would most likely. He was a busy man.

When the ceremony finally finished up, it was time to board the Blackbird's Cry. "He's right about that by the way, everyone has something they slack in," Naomi spoke, looking back to Capriole as they, along with the man from the other side of the slime, headed up to the ship. Naomi wouldn't admit what her own fault was, given she, just like everyone else would like to believe there wasn't one. At least not one that mattered when time came down to it. She watched the man head out in front of her and the slime girl, only to reconsider and turn back around. "I'm Chief Petty Officer, Naomi Hart by the way. A pleasure to meet you guys," Naomi spoke with little other prompting. Capriole had already introduced herself, and the man was clearly trying to figure something out. Might as well make it a little easier on him. Naomi could already tell she was going to get along fantastically with him or hate his guts. Maybe both. "Your turn now sailor."

 

[egglover]

Tish gave Matias a shy smile, touched by his kindness. She may have been Captain but she was still human, and words were often difficult for their kind.

"Captain Suleiman."

A Zonkoian stood beside the two, a digital clipboard in hand. He wore the Avian Expedition uniform and a hat with the logo on it. Beside his name tag was an embroidered title that read 'Ground Crew' in the Zonkoian language. Tish would never claim to be the perfect linguist, but she could understand as much as that. It is why she hired Corvus to do most of the language heavy lifting. Thankfully for now her translator recognised the Zonkoian language and translated it to English for her.

He began to speak, "We have completed the final engine checks and - "

The green skinned Zonkoian was interrupted by Tish turning to Matias with a smile, "Feel free to board the ship with the rest of the crew, Kingsbury." She then turned back to the ground crew who filled her in on the final reports.

 

[druidquest]

Sitting beneath the skies of Yol Yuan, the ships of the expedition reflecting the light of the sun resembled a row of shimmering metallic cocoons, each waiting to crack open and reveal the delicate life that had been growing inside. Dr Anagra Haliday gazed in silent contemplation at those beautiful starcraft for a long while, listening to the steady, meaningless hum of the crowd around her. It was really happening, then. A bold, brilliant adventure to map out the furthest reaches of unexplored space, a grasping hand plunging into the haunting, suffocating dark, a flickering candle carried forward into the vast unknown of the dreaming cosmos.

The crowds were starting to move, the crews of a dozen ships of what was potentially every race in the known universe surging forward to board their respective vessels. Dr. Haliday was jostled by bodies pushing past her, pulling her from her thoughts and back to reality. She began to walk forward toward the onyx hull of her own ship, pulling her cloak around her while another hand reached up to keep the matching cap from flying off her head. The ramp of the Blackbird’s Cry lay open before her like an invitation, and she stepped briskly up its surface toward the polished silver interior of what would likely be her home for the foreseeable future. The Blackbird’s captain stood at the side of the entrance, discussing something with a member of the ground crew, and Dr. Haliday gave a short nod in greeting as she passed.

Dr. Haliday found her way to the medical bay easily. It was small, with only a pair of beds available for any necessary triage, but it was good. She wasted no time in getting to work, lifting a digital clipboard from the desk - her desk - and loading an inventory of all the medical supplies supplied to the Blackbird’s Cry. A dozen or so drones, each resembling a thin hornet with the same iridescent black coloration of their “queen,” flew out from her thorax, flitting to and fro between labels as Dr. Haliday opened each of the storage cabinets. These were the nonessential items in the inventory, simple “over-the-counter” medications which didn’t need to be tightly regulated. The more significant drugs on the list were hidden away more securely, in a cabinet hidden within the wall of the medical bay itself.

Dr. Haliday slid open a small, three-inch panel on the wall, revealing an old-fashioned physical lock disconnected from any computer. Such things were exceptionally rare in this day and age, Dr. Haliday having only ever seen one other like it in her life. It had been a specific request of hers, out of a desire to keep the medications accessible in the event of a digital failure. A drone crawled out of her thorax and down her arm, a key clutched tight in its jaws, and deposited it directly into her hand. Dr. Haliday unlocked the cabinet, then as quickly as it had appeared it was pulled back within her body. She took inventory of this cabinet personally, then closed it and slid the panel over the lock shut, causing it to disappear against the sleek metal of the wall.

The exact nature of the inventory within the medical bay was another request of hers; typically in a fleet such as this, a ship of the Blackbird’s size would only stock a generalist supply of medications applicable to multiple species, and only then for the most common injuries or illnesses. However, Dr. Haliday had insisted on keeping a supply of species-specific medications onboard the Blackbird as well, a point she had stubbornly refused to budge on, even at the risk of losing her position as chief medical officer. It was a risk that ultimately fell in her favor when Captain Suleiman had taken her side on the matter.

She lowered the clipboard for a moment, her wings buzzing softly. Perhaps she should begin calling in members of the crew for physical health evaluations? She had already examined most of the officers, but there were still a number of crewmen who hadn’t checked in yet. It was largely a formality, everyone had already been through the process during recruitment, but Dr. Haliday still felt it would be prudent to look into the matter herself, if only to have a more direct idea of what to expect from the welfare of her crewmates.

A drone landed on the touch-terminal of her desk, turning on the messaging function to contact the captain’s commlink. “Captain Suleiman,” she began, looking back down at the inventory list on her digital clipboard. She spoke in a feminine, distinctly human voice, without moving her mouthparts. “Could I request your presence when you have a moment? I had a favor I felt warranted discussion.”

 

[DarKnight36]

"Ma'am," Matias said, bowing his head briefly even though his captain had already turned her attention back to the ground crewmember. He glanced around, noticing that several of the crew were still standing aboard talking. He recognized them as Halve, Hart, and Jordan. They were apparently introducing themselves to each other, which Matias wasn't against, but there was a time and place. Now was the time, the place...

"Perhaps we can finish introductions on board," Matias said, stepping up to the three and gazing at each of them placidly. "We don't need a news photographer starting your careers aboard the Cry with a gossip headline. Not to mention, our stations await - I encourage each of you to go over them before we actually lift off." Matias smiled, perhaps a little tightly but without any malice behind it.

 

[Pacificus]

The watchful Security Chief turned away from the crowd. He gave the Captain a sharp salute as he boarded. Though this was a civilian expedition, Daytona preferred to maintain respect up the chain-of-command.

He walked past his conversing crewmates and the First Officer, up into the belly of the ship. He would have time to socialize later. Right now, he had his second important task prior to departure to attend to: scanning the ship for stowaways.

Checking for stowaways was standard for most ships. But on the Blackbirds Cry, he was looking for more than overzealous adventurers. This ship was going to be spending a long time in space. Any vermin or parasites could be dibilitating to the ship. Though, with how thoroughly ths ship had been prepped before had, he didn't expect to find anything.

Daytona made his way up to his security office to retrieve some tools. He was already armed with his sidearm. But he needed a lifeform scanner.

Daytona retrieved the item from a bench locker. The tools provided to the Avian Expedition were state-of-the-art. The device was little more than a short hammer-shaped object. When Daytona activated it, a small holographic screen popped up near where he gripped it.

The screen displayed a 180 degree arc. It would begin "pinging" on any organic lifeforms in the vicinity. Right now, it showed nothing. Daytona pointed the device in front of him and left his office to begin a tour of the ship, starting with the landing gear.

 

[PiePillager]

Capriole. Naomi. Hector was pretty good with names, he'd be sure to remember theirs. "Name's Hect-," the engineer began, being the sole member of this conversation to offer an introduction when they were approached by another officer on board the ship. Someone with the security staff, from the looks of it. Hector already knew he wasn't finna get along with any of them. Especially not when rushed. Wouldn't take but a second to offer your name anyway. Which is why Hector proceeded to continue his.

"Like I was saying, name's Hector Jordan, you feel me? Chief Engineer of the Blackbird's Cry, you feel me? No turbulence, only smooth flights you feel me? Whatever you need fixed, I got it, you feel me? Planes, trains, cars, and boats. Mechs, wrecks, refrigerators, comm-links, washing machines, defibrillators, I fix it all, you feel me? You want something fixed period, I'm that dude, the only dude. Holla atcha boy when you need something working better than when you bought it," he spoke, now speechifying what was previously going to be a simple statement. He could've gone longer, truthfully, if not for the fact that he was eager to make his way to the ship himself to see what he'd be working with for the foreseeable future.

And so as he spoke, he moved backwards towards the line entering the ship, giving Naomi, Capriolle, and the approaching guard a lackadaisical salute goodbye with one hand and flicking his cigarette to the ground so he could snuff it out with his foot with the other, before finally entering making his way into the ship.

 

[egglover]

The Blackbirds Cry was a beautiful ship, both inside and out. It's exterior was a sleek, onyx masterpiece built using the latest Rindikan, Human and Zonkoian technology, and made from Saphyx found only within the deep caverns on Marient. Saphyx was a difficult metal to use and even more difficult to mine. Tish remembered going on a mission to collect Emethrite on a far reaching Ensindijee moon colony which was used to construct crystal drill bits just to mine the damn stuff. Only the Craeden and Zumolka were first adept enough to manipulate Saphyx into proper metal, a skill they had shared with the rest of known space with particular difficulty. Once they had passed that hurdle it became increasingly more dangerous to gather what they needed to build these ships due to space pirates and politicians. Saphyx and Emethrite became so lucrative that wars were almost started for it. This was because Saphyx was melted into the material used to withstand the gravity and spaghettification of a black hole. For smaller black holes only a thin layer and regular shields were needed to brave the wormholes, but for this expedition tons of Saphyx was needed for each ship. They weren't just diving into any old black hole, no, the Avian Expedition's goal was to traverse into the biggest black hole known to man and alien.

The Cry's interior, however, was no less impressive. The hallways were a sleek silver lit by multicolour lights that reflected off each surface. Each strip of light corresponded to a different section of the ship - blue for medical, green for conservatory, red for engine room, purple for the pilots deck and so on - that one could easy follow. There was a room for every job and more, created to be completely self sustaining for reconnaissance missions and the like. The entrance opened up into the mess hall, where a large table sat with screens displaying the world of Yal Yuan and other important information. Up the stairs into the left was the pilots deck where Choon-Hee could be seen already playing with the controls. As the last crew mate entered the ship Captain Suleiman followed from behind. Despite being on the Blackbirds Cry many times during it's construction it was still awe inspiring to witness the final design. This ship was unlike any Tish had been on before, and she secretly hoped she could do it justice as it's Captain.

A click sounded from her commlink and a familiar female buzzing voice sounded from it. The doctor. Tish glanced over to where First Officer Kingsbury was already organizing the crew, though some didn't need encouragement to begin settling in, and with a small amount of pressure lifted from her shoulders the Captain gave a nod, "I'll be there in a moment, doctor."

Down the corridor, passing Security Chief Daytona who was already performing last minute security checks before lift off, Tish found her way to where Anagra Haliday was organizing her gear in the med bay. The door opened smoothly as Captain Suleiman entered and smiled at the Chalcidian before her, "Hello, Dr. Haliday. It's good to finally meet you proper. What can I do for you?"

 

[Lord Saethos]

NERAEIS​

“Smoke, ash, water… Siblings, lift up thine BLOODIED EYES!”

There was a low rumble of thunder in the distance, followed by the flickering of lightning in the air, obscured only slightly by the heavy smoke that clung perpetually in the air, as well as the light fog brought on by the heavy downpour of rain.

A legion of red eyes turned towards the sky, black hair slick and matted from rain, beads of water cascading down their skin. Brother Kontrealieus observed the gathering before him, all kneeling in the shin high waters of the ashen swamp that surrounded them. He stood upon a raised, square dais, constructed of finely cut, and intricately engraved, black stone. The base was wider than the top, sloping upwards like a flat-topped pyramid. At the front of the dais, attendants were gathered, cloaked in ceremonial garb and carrying mazer bowls.

“It is a fortuitous day to be baptized in death, for it was a day much like this that we were touched by the Grace of Strength! Daemons, the Dark Angels! Those Onyx Emissaries of the great truth of the universe! Thus, it is with great pleasure that, to perform this holy sacrament, Sister Akina Romveidt!"

A low thrumming of deep voices quietly chanted battle hymnals, playing archaic and old instruments to accompany, as a tall, shaven head woman approached the front of the dais. She walked with grace, head held high, proud, confident, and purposeful. Sister Romveidt turned to Brother Kontrealieus, giving a nod of thanks.

“My thanks Brother Kontrealieus. Siblings, we are a people who come from every race, and from every creed. Once upon a time, this may have been things that would have divided us. After all, for tens of thousands of years, these differences had done just that. But 300 years ago, as we are all intimately aware, something changed for us living here on Neraeis. Something more powerful than anything ever encountered before brought us together, united us like never possible before."

The legion of red eyes turned from the sky, and now to their sister before them. They knelt, unflinching, the droplets of rain that trickled down almost disappearing from sensation. In place of that feeling, most now only felt that metaphorical welling up of fire inside them.

Pride. Determination. Resistance.

"Yes, as Brother Kontrealieus said, we were touched by the Grace of Strength. We ALONE in this known universe, we were chosen by the Daemons, to hear their message, their universal truth:"

Bright lights illuminated the surrounding legion, a growing rumble of engines as spacecraft that had been parked around the soldiers roared to life. Bright, white spotlights from the ships, their weapons of war, tools of Strength.

"Strength Rules All. The strong are the true inheritors and rightful heirs to ALL that they desire. As those who have been touched by the Grace of Strength, we are not merely inheritors of all that we desire, it is owed to us by BIRTH RIGHT!"

The attendants began to pace through the columns of Deimosians; soldiers, pilots, knights. Upon their heads, the attendants spread a thin paste.

A mix of ash, water, and purified blood. All of which came from the ashmires of their home.

"Siblings, I give you this sacrament, this Thanatos Baptismos: your Death Baptism. But Strength itself has already blessed our people, each and every one of us!"

She lifted her hands towards the sky.

A young Deimosian soldier, only 18, felt as if everything, everywhere, were all happening at once. The weight of his soaked hair. The trickles of water down his black skin. The smooth, sticky sensation of the baptismal paste. The weight of the charred sword wrapped around his waist. The black helmet gripped firmly between his hands, sat upon his lap.

He turned his gaze down to it, turning the eyes away from him as he lifted it, and donned it over his head.

"The fools who seek to conquer us think they're attacking our home. They haven't learned yet, my siblings. The universe, and everything in it, is ours, OUR home."

The legion rose to their feet, and Eichkern felt himself restrain himself from fumbling with the hilt of his sword.

Thousands of fists were brought over the chests of each and every Deimosian there in salute.

"Ours, and ours ALONE!"

Vitrush
10 Years Later​

A soft fog rolled down the rolling, tree-sparse foothills that overlooked a gorgeous, mountain lined valley. A small city, currently no greater than perhaps ten thousand inhabitants, sat in the middle of it, with a lenghty lake to the North which stretched on for perhaps 80 or 90 kilometers, and a smaller (but no less impressive) lake to it's south that stretched on for about ten. In a town quite literally surrounded by beauty like this, it was hard to find a place to live that lacked a picturesque view.

Raindrops tinkled against a metal cup, and sizzled from the high heat of flames underneath it. Eichkern grabbed the cup finally, feeling convinced his tea must be ready. After adding an appropriate amount of honey to sweeten it, he noted that something was missing from it.

Ash.

Yes, such luxuries as only his home planet could provide were not present here. One might be surprised to learn that the young man actually preferred his teas without dead tree (and other things) in them now. He smirked as he gazed down into the valley. The town was quaint and tiny, but Vitrush was a frontier planet, just recently being colonized, and incredibly sparse of inhabitants. At present, he speculated no more than perhaps 1 or 2 million people were living on the whole planet.

He wondered if they'd really be able to make a living here though. Beautiful as it was, it was semi arid, and looking over at the edge of the lakes, he spied hoodoos and cliffs, a rather unique sight next to a lake, and one that was easily identifiable as being sandstone. Eichkern wasn't exactly a farming expert, but he expected the area would likely be quite dry after spring had passed. Then again, he'd heard of places similar to this on Earth; Tuscany, Greece, California, Okanagan. Would any of them be as beautiful as this?

His thoughts were stopped by the sound of approaching footsteps, and turning to see who his trepassers were, he took immediate note of that signature jet black skin and reddened eyes. He was about to be greatly annoyed, until he recognized the woman leading them.

"Aleksia Lan Jaegherlin, this is a pleasant surprise. I hope."

The woman smirked wryly at Eichkern. "Not as pleasant as I'm sure you'd like Kern, I don't have time to spar sadly."

Eichkern's face remained mostly neutral. "Yes, we had a lot of fun with that didn't we? Though you always did seem to give in unusually easily." He insinuated.

If Aleksia's skin could show a flush, it might have for a moment, but instead she maintained her composure, except for a barely perceptible thumbing at the ends of the strands of hair in her braid. "Disarming as you are Kern, I am here on business. Before you get any ideas, I'm not personally keeping tabs on you, I respect a person's privacy, but the same doesn't go for our homeland's institutions. They know about what you're doing Kern, about the Avian Expedition."

Eichkern sighed and took another sip of his tea. "Yes well, they didn't seem to care when I joined the Red Knights. Did have any of my disarming 'sparring' partners come find me to convince me out of it."

Aleksia rose a hand to ask him for a moment to explain. "Firstly Kern, you know the Red Knights are respected and appreciated. Touched by Strength, and they mind their own business. But what's more important, I'm not here to ask you to stop, unfortunately. Personally, I'd much rather see you stick around closer to home. But, as it turns out, certain governmental, military, and spiritual figures think you should go through with it. Representing Deimosians in the Avian Expedition. You'd be one of the only ones, you know."

He turned now to face her fully, face serious, and coming close to being a scowl. "I'm here trying to enjoy a beautiful view, to take in some of the amazing sights and beauties this universe has to offer, and of course I can't find even a moment's peace here! No, instead I have to be, once again, harassed about returning to the fold. Aleksia, I say this in no way directed at you, since you're just doing your job, but I left for a REASON. I'm sorry, but I'm not joining an expedition to see the unknowns of the universe just to try to make some new converts for a faith I don't follow."

She sighed slightly, eyes drifting down towards the valley. It truly was a beautiful sight, she remarked in her own mind. "I thought you'd say as much. I think people would be pretty aghast to hear you don't believe in the Daemons, that we haven't been touched by the Grace of Strength."

"Aleksia, whether I believe that happened or not is irrelevant. The faith has its own moral code, and I have my own. If my sibling Deimosians want to be proud to see their brother going forth into the stars, to see the unknown and be some kind of hero, by all means they can do so. But I don't represent that faith, not now, and not ever again."

She was quiet for a few moments, but eventually, reluctantly, she returned her gaze to Eichkern. A soft smile had returned. "Well I guess I've done all I can. I'm obligated to ask that you continue to reconsider your decision Kern, until you've come to one that's more beneficial to Neraeis. I think we both know you won't."

Aleksia began to walk away, but stopped for a moment and turned back to him. "Kern? I do have one thing to ask. This time a personal favor. Stay alive out there. I know that Strength decides all, but I find I'm rather fond of you, and would prefer you not be dead. If that's not something you can handle on your own, then I hope Strength blesses you and keeps you alive itself."

Eichkern smiled sincerely and nodded. "I'll do my best. And Aleksia? You stay alive too. I know you're not supposed to hear this, but don't put your life on the line for the faith's dogma. You're worth more than that, a lot more." She smiled and nodded at Eichkern, turning to leave again.

"Oh, before you go Aleksia, fancy a cup of tea? No ash to be found for it sadly, but it's hot."

She turned back and grinned. "Where's it from?"

Eichkern shrugged. "No idea. Bought it on Fang Shen when I was last in that area, so they probably shipped it in from someplace near Earth. Black tea, nice and fragrant, and nothing like back home, sorry to say." He smirked.

Aleksia simply shrugged and nodded. "One cup for the road."

Yal Yuan
1 Month Later​

Eichkern sat in the back of a Dela Royce luxury vehicle, one he'd bought with money he'd made serving with the Red Knights, he figured he ought to at least spend some of it somehow. It hadn't been easy getting the thing to Yal Yuan, but some Red Knight associates who'd been in the area close to Earth, and had a ship that wasn't scheduled for any missions, helped him out.

He wore a pair of black sunglasses, a crisp black suit with a dark red dress shirt, and a black tie, all perhaps a little too 'on the nose', but Yal Yuan wasn't Earth, so he supposed reactions would be quite different here.

The car pulled up to the launch center main entrance, with crowds packed around the outside of the building. He was just one of many others still arriving, being cheered on by friends, family, and adoring fans. He'd have to pass through that building to get to the ships themselves, but luckily the insides would likely have less of the general public. In retrospect, he was glad he'd had his armor and equipment already transported and loaded onto the Blackbird's Cry, trying to get it all over there now would be an awkward hassle.

It was astounding, the mix of peoples gathered here. Mostly Zonkoians, yes, but he could see every alien race represented in that crowd. And of course, there was also the myriad of humans too. And also of course, his car stopped closest to a large group of them. The driver he'd hired (a Craeden who'd been living on Yal Yuan for about 7 years) evidently was unaware of the predicament this might put Eichkern in. It occurred to him that "Earthling" affairs may not be known very widely (or even at all) by non-Earthlings.

He looked to the driver, who seemed to glance at Eichkern with few emotions beyond being pleased to help the Deimosian, indirectly participating in such an exciting event, and pulling in a decent wage too. "Thanks Dalzar, appreciate it." Eichkern spoke softly with a smile on his face.

"No problem Mr. Vanderdrecht, best wishes to you and the crews out there! The whole universe is cheering you on today!"

After stepping out of the Dela Royce, he took note of the crowd. It was an interesting response to be sure, from those who could see him. Most of the Zonkoi seemed generally unphased by him, though perhaps there were a few leery eyes, certainly from the ones who seemed to be the best dressed. Perhaps there'd been Zonkoians who'd had their eyes on Neraeis's resources too? Eichkern had never fought any, but that didn't mean that some enterprising ones wouldn't hire a few humans to kill off some former-humans. Still, based on how most of the alien species seemed to respond, he felt a small amount of relief.

The human responses were nothing to be surprised about. He saw some very obvious sneers and glares, dirty looks, and bits of displeasure. Some looked confused, annoyed, some even a tad scared. But there were still those in the crowd with beaming grins on their faces, the ones who perhaps sympathized with him, or maybe simply saw him as another hero, off to explore space, and propel the many species of known space forward into a new age.

Various reporters were keenly attempting to ask questions, some cordial, polite, and neutral ones largely from the alien reporters, and the humans who either were polite by choice, or caught up in the thrill of adventure. The rude (either intentionally or unintentionally) questions largely emanated from a small cadre of the human reporters.

'What's with the glasses?'

'Are you a spy?'

'Why did you join?'

'What do you think of Yal Yuan?'

'Do you have anything you'd like to say to the people of Neraeis?'

'What do you have to say to those back on Earth? To humanity at large?'

Eichkern slipped his sunglasses from his eyes, folded the arms, and placed them inside a jacket pocket before turning his ruby reds in the direction of the reporters. At first his face was stoic, perhaps a little serious, but quite soon a soft smile made its way to his lips.

"To the people of Yal Yuan, you have a magnificent planet, a remarkable place of beauty! One day I hope to return to see more of it. Your hospitality has been warm and generous, and I appreciate the work you've put in to help make this day a reality." This was directed mostly to the Zonkoian reporters, who seemed to beam in the high praise of their beloved planet.

"To humanity? To the people of Earth?" He said turning to the human reporters. "I suppose I'd have to say, danke, meine Geschwister, wir sind alle Kinder der Sterne. Wir sollten stolz auf diesen Moment sein, den wir zusammen erleben, zusammengebracht im Geiste des Abenteuers." Eichkern had picked up a little German from his time with the Red Knights.

He grinned at the camera. "Thank you, my siblings of the Earth. I've not spent nearly enough time on our ancestral home, but I intend to return one day to take in more of its incredible beauty and majesty. I'd like to say, this moment belongs to us all, to all the many peoples of chartered space. We're going forth to do something great, something we can all be proud of! We may not all be the same, be we Deimosian, human, Zonkoian, or Craeden. But we've all been walking this path together, and now we take the mightiest step yet, all together."

Eichkern's grin had reached up to his eyes now, an almost boyish smile. "Again, to my Earthling Siblings, and to my proud Deimosian siblings back in our homeland, thank you all. Today marks a new chapter for us all to write together."

With that and a wave at the cameras and crowds, he walked off towards the launch center. After passing through the high ceilinged halls of the main building, he was led through the halls passing various offices, workshops, labs, and eventually repair shops, before finally exiting out onto the launch pad itself.

Incredible...

The ships gleamed like they were made out of gems, and looked more advanced than any ship he'd ever seen, either on Neraeis, or off of it. No rust or severe damage either, like the ships back on Neraeis...

Eichkern finally spotted the Blackbird's Cry, a smaller ship, intended for scouting, but equally as magnificent as even the Condor itself. Any concerns he'd had about the ship before had dissipated in an instant.

He made his way past cheering crowds, up towards the entrance area where there crew were gathered for the Blackbird. Out in the crowd, he'd noticed more of the mixed looks he saw before, and more cameras. But there, dotted among some of the various dignitaries gathered...

The Deimosian couldn't help but grin again. Reinhardt Richtofen, and a few others in the crowd he recognized as comrades by the patches they bore. He turned one last time to the crowd.

He raised a hand to his brow in salute. This was not the Deimosian salute.

For some, this may have been confusing, or thought to be an 'Earthling gesture'.

In reality, the gesture had existed since perhaps medieval times, developed from when knights would lift the face coverings of their helmets, a 'salute', a greeting, a way of two knights identifying themselves to each other. While it may have a much broader understanding and acceptance today, Eichkern adopted this gesture from his service with the Red Knights. The salutes that were returned from the few people he'd spotted in the crowd, Reinhardt included, confirmed his comrades to him. He silently prayed for their successes in all their future battles.

As others continued to file into the ship, Eichkern began to make his way inside too. Before making it too far however, he'd made it upon a somewhat interesting sight, three people (down to two now, as one man left to enter the ship), gathered and chatting with each other. Scratch that, one woman, and one slime person? Who seemed to be the chef? This was sure to be a unique crew, and Eichkern couldn't help but be a little intrigued to see what that would be like.

"What's on the menu tonight chef? A maiden voyage for a fleet of this design and undertaking, I'm sure the captain has already called for steak, lobster, and some fine champagne."

 

[obscured_light]

Capriole nodded in acknowledgment at Hector and Naomi, carefully scanning their faces and the vibrations of their movements as they moved to board the ship.

"Thank you for your suggestions, Naomi," she said as she moved to board the ship with them when another voice called out. The slime chef moved its head to where the voice came from to see another human...? There was a small whirr as her eyes adjusted to the approaching being. No, Capriole corrected themselves, no that was certainly not human.

"The captain has left it to my discretion," Capriole answered, her robotic eyes glued to the Deimosian even as she began to walk to board the ship. "I have recommendations of roast meat. It has a wide array of side dishes that may be acceptable to all on board. Steak is a type of meat suitable for most on board. I shall add it to the list to roast. A wide array of alcohol will also be available to all though that will be limited supply."

I hope that it won't be just the humans who will be catered to, Mari thought to herself but said nothing as she didn't want to be involved in the conversation. They had spent enough time dallying and she was eager to get work going. Speaking of work...

"Dr. Glasscock," Mari called out as she slithered up next to them. "Wasn't sure if you remembered me but I'm Mari, your junior rockologist. Will we be taking today off to allow ourselves to adjust?"

 

[PiePillager]

Hector figured there's be some kind of assembly called for the Captain to address her new crew. He supposed it wouldn't be immediately to give the crew time to adjust to their new quarters and if not, well...he wasn't particularly sure he was gonna attend anyway. Here would be his home for the foreseeable future. Not the crew quarters he'd semi-retire in every now and then. Here, down in Engineering. Drawers filled with tools and equipment lined against the entire wall, some of them even up to date. Scans of the ship's blueprints were posted above drawers alongside the wall. Engine specs. Documents on the Blackbird's prototypes and beneath those scans lied a datapad containing notes from the ships original manufacturers, detailing suggestions for future upgrades and purchases at docking stations to further maintain the ship's stability and longevity. Hector would take those into consideration.

The engine itself was only a few steps away, below deck. Hector quickly raised his shades as he approached the engine and it gave off a loud hum, a rhythmic reverb that caused him to feel the floor of Engine Access rumble beneath him. Flawless, is what he'd call it. Whoever designed this ship knew their shit, that was for certain. Just a door away was storage. Hector figured he'd head there next to take inventory. The Blackbird's Cry...not too bad a place to chill for the next however many months.

 

[egglover]

As Hector opened the door to the one of the storage rooms the darkness within was illuminated by the flickering lights of the hallway. Crates and metal barrels lined the side of the dark room, stacked one atop of another toward the ceiling. Suddenly a scuttling sound was heard beside the engineer before a metal barrel toppled over and made a loud, horrible CLANK on the floor in front of his feet. It rolled slightly in the silence that followed...

 

[PiePillager]

"..." Hector stopped at the sight of the barrel, toppling down on the floor. One of the other engineers going through inventory, he figured. That said, no way he was about to tolerate any reckless mishandling of equipment. Figuring he had to go set the record straight, he sighed, placed his hands in his pockets and, turned around to the source of the scuttling.

 

[Lord Saethos]

Eichkern tsked softly for a moment. "A limited supply of alcohol? Oh no that simply won't do. Journey's such as this get a bit boring after a while you know. It's very common practice to be perpetually intoxicated to stave of certain space illnesses. Important dietary measures you should keep in mind chef!"

After a moment, and before the chef could respond, Eichkern chuckled slightly. "I'm also not being serious. About anything I said. I think roast would be fine chef, this is space after all, so I'll take any decent, hot, and tasty meal that can be on offer."

He looked between the human woman and the Kalkin. "Oh, I'm Eichkern by the way. Eichkern Baren Vanderdrecht. A pleasure to meet you both." He offered a cordial smile.