Futuristic Fate of the Stars of Life

[CaptainRustbolt21]

Welcome to the year
2120

What was once a new interstellar renaissance for Humanity...

New technological advances and innovations...
Planetary colonization and scientific discoveries...
A peaceful introduction and acceptance in an alien union...

Soon turned to a battle for the survival of the galaxy... and our lives...

An anthropocentric terrorist group that craves for total Human supremacy...
An authoritarian Commission that seeks complete control of the galactic economy...
The rise of a robotic regime that results in the fall of Earth, our homeworld...

Despite the formation of an armistice between the union and the confederation, it all seems lost.
With the Inferno Syndicate gaining more members...
With the Mercantile Commission expanding its influence...
With the Cyber Empire effortlessly capturing more territory...

It became glaringly clear that it was all hopeless...

It was game over...

But no...

NO, IT'S NOT.

I DON'T THINK SO.

We may be failing to push these powers back, but that doesn't mean that all hope is abandoned!

It means we need to adapt! Overcome! Improvise!

The Syndicate will be suppressed!
The Commission will go bankrupt!
The Empire will be turned to scrap!

So long as we breathe, we will never give up on our dreams! Our dreams of a healthy, relaxing, loving life!

After all... even at the thickest fog of abandonment and destruction...

There will always be a spark of hope.
"Oooh... for the final time, General Phoenix, I am NOT recruiting any more crewmembers."
"Captain Spearson, you sure as hell know that, when fleet captains, such as yourself, are qualified to be given an elite crew, you need a minimum of FOUR crewmembers-"
"Sir, I am perfectly comfortable with the crew that I have chosen and, as far as I know, they are all that I need."
"Oh, really now, Snowflake? How so?"
"With pleasure. Firstly, Talia Shore: a well-known and very successful assassin who uses her stealth and improvised weapons during her missions against our enemies. A qualified candidate for my legion, as well as a useful invader. Next, Hamele Isaragi: a skilled medical doctor and surgeon who, thanks to her special utilities, can ensure her patient's survival. As you may already know, my fleet has the lowest mortality rates thanks to her. Finally, Xu'Orz: a Thugalek defective who was part of the Commission's science branch, he will always provide a scientific explanation to any anomalies and assist in neutralizing them. An important and invaluable part of my crew.
And don't call me Snowflake."
"Hm... Oh, how very useful. Kind of sounds like you're running more of a skeleton crew here. While you are running a solid crew, you seem to be forgetting the fact that, aside from not meeting the minimum crewmember quota, you are holding a crew that does not have access to another set of hands; additional assistance."
"And allow me to reiterate, sir: I never really wanted a full crew from the start for fear of causing additional casualties; I only choose to pick a handful because the other fleet captains and you will not stop pestering me about it."
"Oh, alright, Captain Snowflake. I am so sorry for trying to giving you a little cabinet because, apparently, you are such a stable genius to not need additional handwork!"
"Sir, I am not a genius. I only command a large-scale space fleet. I do not have extensive knowledge of science nor medicine-"
"And yet, you kept persisting that you do not need a crew, even though they are an elite class who could potentially save your ass from large-scale assaults from the Cyber Empire!"
"Sir-"
"Captain Susan Spearson, I am getting sick of this insubordination! You are the one who got yourself a crew, whether willingly or not, so you will heed to the rules that accompany it! So, I will give you a choice: You either pick one or more crewmembers to fill in the minimum crew quota or you can just give your existing crew the boot entirely! What will it be?"
"..."
"... Well?"
"... Fine. Fine, sir. What are your recommendations?"
"Fina-freaking-ly. Here is my laptop. It contains the files of potential candidates for your elite crew."
"Thank you... Hm. Who is this Ma'arz?"
"Ma'arz Gelonz? Ah, yes. He's a graduate from Mars, who is waiting to fill in his occupation as an interdisciplinary scientist. He can speak our language, by the way."
"Good, good. A multilingual Martian is hard to come by... Oh? Isn't this Kqidons suppose to be the-"
"Yes. Yes, she is. Her father insists that she gets signed up to an elite crew class for a space fleet. I'd personally pick her as a crewmember."
"Duly noted... What the...? 'Species: Spectre; formerly Human'. Sir, is this an actual classification?"
"It is, now. This woman died at some point and came back as a ghost through anomalous means. She doesn't wish to disclose her death."
"And yet, you allowed her in the records for the simple reason that she's a ghost. Typical... Hm. I like the sound of this man."
"Eurgh... I'm not too sure, Susan. He qualifies as an elite and has passed his military exam, but this... Lux character seems suspicious to me."
"I had shady military personnel in the past. I am sure I can deal with him..."
"Hm... alright."
"I think I've made my decision."
Lunas Base 1. The central and invaluable military headquarters based near the top of the northern hemisphere of Kepler, the moon of the One-Earth Society's planetary colony, Solaris. It was all eerily quiet on the outskirts of Lunas Base 1. While automated vehicles travel around the other smaller colonies near the central base, collecting soldiers and scientists of the sort, the other Human colonists did most of their scientific and military work within the large dome of the entire base of operations. There was little to be done for them. No signs of anything remotely exciting happening for now...

Then, four small shuttles exited from FTL travel and begin to slowly descend to the spatial base of Lunas Base 1. It was them. The new recruits of an awe-inspiring military armada; the new crewmembers for a cold but daring space fleet captain.

The catalysts of a wildfire of

HOPE

FATE OF THE STARS OF LIFE
There is always a spark of hope​

 

[CaptainRustbolt21]

Ma'arz Gelonz, a Martian interdisciplinary scientist, is sitting at the back of the shuttle, calmly humming a quiet tune as he reads through a science magazine on his smartphone. He was quite excited to be part of the One-Earth Society's military. It's rare for a private military force being open for interspecies recruits and he was very curious about the captain of this particular space fleet: The One-Earth Society First Space Fleet. A lengthy name, but it's been said that this fleet is commanded by a captain unlike any other; while cold and commanding, like the rest of the Human officers, this captain is quite the daredevil, sometimes liking to fight the enemy head-on, seemingly with no strategy until at a certain timeframe, where she exposes the enemy's weakness and exploit it. It's also said that, in spite of her preserved nature, she likes to join her team in away missions so she can order them directly instead of being in the comfort of her own flagship. Now that... is something that is most impressive! He NEEDS to be in this fleet! Looking up from his phone, he sees the central military base of the space military. His excitement was barely contained. He hopes that this Captain Susan Spearson can bring what the news articles had promised.

 

[CaptainRustbolt21]

Kqidons IV, a Vagrok huntress, is sitting in the passenger side of the shuttle, next to the pilot who is trying to pay little attention to the warrior. Under her black, skull-like mask used to conceal the faces of very powerful hunters and warriors, she smiles gleefully and arrogantly as she scans the sharpness of the blades in her gauntlets. This captain had made a wise choice to choose me, she thought. I, Kqidons IV, the daughter of the Ambassador of the Tribal Unity, being chosen to be part of an elite crew led by the daring Captain Spearson. She looks up to see that she is now coming near the moon colony. Retracting the blades from her gauntlets, she squeezes the arms of her seat as she leans forward, making a quiet but excited giggle for what's to come. "We're here, I see..." She finally said, dragging her voice for the purpose of freaking out the pilot next to her. "U-Uhhh..." The pilot said initially, leaning slightly to his left, away from this scary-looking Vagrok. "You excited for... t-the military experience you get from here?" He finally asked. Kqidons looks down, laughing at the question the pilot asked. "Oh, ho ho ho..." She said slowly. "You know I already have the experience for that, fleshbag..." She looks back up, now grinning wide under her mask. "I'm excited to assert. My. Dominance."

 

[The One-Sided Coin]

Lux Ormidial, a human legend among the dark world and shady dealings in the black market from inventing weapons to a few assassinations. He is a man of few words because of his past that no one except a very, VERY select few people know. He always has a long black cloak covering his entire body, as well as a hood and black mask that shows only his polychromial eyes, his left a bright blue and his right a deep purple. He keeps himself dressed like this so others don’t see his body which is almost entirely scar tissue from training and a lot of fights. As well as torture from his parents. Regardless, he uses a notepad and pen that he keeps in his cloak to communicate.

As a seeker of knowledge, Lux has been through a lot, and will continue to do so until he reaches a kind of Nirvana. The old Earth phrase, “Knowledge is power” applies to Lux in ways no one will understand but him. Lux has also been a loner his entire life.

He has studied the languages of every species he had ever met, and had even found books describing languages lost to time, which he has learned as well. He is also a genius engineer and coder. His skill in close-quarters combat is second to none.

The reason why Lux is even near an establish military is because he wishes to understand some sort of bond with other people and experience what it is like. As Lux was sitting in the ship, he didn’t even look at anyone else that was on it, sitting in the corner as he tinkered with some spare parts that he keeps in his cloak. He was curious as to who he would meet when they arrived at the main flagship. He hoped whoever he did meet didn’t try to see what’s under the cloak.

 

[BoltBeam]

Kokoro Masaki, a phantasmal reminder of one of many losses not too long ago - yet somehow reborn as the spectre she is now. The subject of her death in question that brought her to this ghostly second life of hers is unknown to all but her as it is a sensitive subject she'd rather not remember. Being a ghost has all sorts of advantages - no less a few disadvantages, on account of incidents like her own of people being ghosts often being rare sights. The key factor here is that Kokoro isn't just your every day spirit - no, no; she is also 'armed' (more like infused with) the ability to use fire and explosions at her own discretion, but she herself is well aware they are nowhere near as strong as 'natural' fires and explosions.

What was she doing at the moment? Why, she is lurking in the back - though ordinarily nobody would be able to see her, if she didn't have a small ball of fire 'held' between both of her ghostly palms - lighting up the area around where she was and revealing her body itself, and in turn, Kokoro herself was revealed to the public eye for anyone and anything to see (if they can, could, or will). She's simply minding her own business, and as she does so, is staring out into the world around her - to which she saw the destination. 'So, we're here...' Kokoro thought to herself, and one could see a smile form on the ghostly woman's face. 'I wonder what surprises fate has in store for me this time...' She added to her thoughts, before returning her attention to the remains of the shuttle in total silence, not wanting to break the silence she is currently enjoying by her lonesome.

 

[CaptainRustbolt21]

The four ships find their ways into Lunas Base 1's docking station. They carefully enter through the forcefield separating the comfortable and hospitable base from the airless, weightlessness of space, and proceed to all flew side by side, intending to park together in a horizontal line. After they all safely land to the ground and cease all engine functions, the exit doors unlock, releasing pressurized air in the process.

"You're here." The pilot said to Ma'arz. With a gleeful grin, he puts away his smartphone and stood up, carrying two bulky briefcases. "Thank you for the ride, sir." He finally said as he leaves the ship.

"A-Alright, lady. You're here." The pilot hesitantly said to Kqidons. She stood up, towering about the Human pilot. "About time." She said in a rude manner as she grips onto the pilot's head for leverage as she leaves the passenger seat and out to the backseats, where the exit is located. Once she let go of the pilot after making it out, he breathes a sigh of relief. That woman's trouble...

"Alright, sir. We're here." The pilot said to Lux, turning his head to see the very shady-looking man.

"We're here, madam." The pilot informs Kokoro, turning his back to see if this phantasmal being is still there... or even visible, for that matter.

 

[BoltBeam]

"We're here, madam." The pilot informs Kokoro, turning his back to see if this phantasmal being is still there... or even visible, for that matter.

Fortunately for the pilot, Kokoro was indeed still there - visible, no less. Upon hearing him speak up and informing her of this, she shook herself out of her wandering stare out to what is now an impressively maintained and clear docking station. Kokoro promptly rose without much delay and was just about ready to head off, but before she did... "Thank you very much." She said simply as she was shortly seeing herself through the open door, the flame between her hands dissipating, and just like that, she seems to have vanished from sight in that very instant - as if she was never even there.

 

[The One-Sided Coin]

"Alright, sir. We're here." The pilot said to Lux, turning his head to see the very shady-looking man.

Lux stood up and nodded in thanks to the pilot, and left a small little fidget toy for boredom he made during the flight next to the pilot, and got off the ship into the hangar

 

[CaptainRustbolt21]

The four recruits all got off almost completely in sync. When Ma'arz exited his shuttle, he met with the specter that is Kokoro. Not recognizing what he is seeing initially, he assumed that he is just seeing something imaginary and tries to ignore her. 'Too much time on the phone, I think.' He thought. When the Vagrok got off, she immediately saw the towering, shady, almost inhuman recruit known as Lux. She scoffed at the sight of him. There is no way this individual isn't just showing off. She slowly approached the cloaked man. "Well, look at who this Captain has hired..." She quietly told him as she gets closer to this showoff, displaying an almost-exact towering height as this man.

 

[The One-Sided Coin]

Lux looked eye to eye with the Vagrok, and didn’t flinch whatsoever. He grabbed his pen and pad, and wrote in perfect Vagrok:

You seem to think yourself strong. Not so impressive. And you must think of me as a show-off. Believe me when I write this, I wish to show nothing.

He then showed the Vagrok known as Kqidons his claims.

 

[CaptainRustbolt21]

She looked down at the note Lux has written down, initially confused. However, after reading it in her native language, she makes a low, offended growl. "You dare doubt the strength I possess?" She calmly asked, ripping out the page of the note. "The skills I had learned? The many ways I could kill you?"

 

[The One-Sided Coin]

He rolled his eyes.

I did not come here to experience this. But if showing off skills is all you wish to do, then perhaps you could prove your worth. I know your culture. Scars are important and displays courage. I keep my cloak like this so as not to horrify those around me. You present your strength as loud as you can. Pride comes before the fall.

He quickly wrote in Vagrok on a new page, and showed it to her.

 

[CaptainRustbolt21]

She growled even louder at this wordless response Lux has made. She was getting sick of him, thinking that he is much superior to her. However, she took a quick few seconds to calm herself before she did anything blind. She makes a loud whistle-like breathe before looking up at the eyes of this masked Human. "When the time comes, you will see the worth I have. And I have plenty to be worthy about." She said finally, narrowing her eyes at the soldier. "After all, you claimed this because you lack the knowledge of my heritage." She pushed Lux out of her way as she approached the Martian and the Specter.

 

[The One-Sided Coin]

Lux watches her push him out of her way, and then took a long way around so she didn’t see him also approach the Martian and specter.

 

[BoltBeam]

The four recruits all got off almost completely in sync.

As Kokoro got off, still invisible, she opted to look around - well aware nobody could see her. She could see everyone else, but they could not see her - for she had no flame illuminating where she was. A Martian, a cloaked man, and then a Vagrok - the Vagrok in question hoisting their superiority complex high, and the cloaked man in question didn't seem to take that attitude nicely. Then, there was the Martian, who was all by his lonesome. She would remain invisible and approach him, and when close enough. "...Boo." She joked harmlessly, not even trying to scare him - even if she does succeed, she's trying to be passive about this. Despite the fact she's invisible, her speaking is perfectly audible - despite her physical presence, her tone and voice swimming in the lack of air around them. "Sorry if I just scared you... And that you can't see me, that too - but... I take it we're here for the same reason - hired, right?" She asked while remaining invisible - trying to uphold a calm tone to the Martian who may or may not have just been scared silly by the ghost who didn't even try to scare him, nor did she want to try scare him at all.

 

[CaptainRustbolt21]

Then, there was the Martian, who was all by his lonesome. She would remain invisible and approach him, and when close enough. "...Boo." She joked harmlessly, not even trying to scare him - even if she does succeed, she's trying to be passive about this.

The Martian jumped, shrieking in fear, as he uses his briefcase to hit whoever said that in his general direction. When he seemingly hit nothing, he looked around frantically.

"Sorry if I just scared you... And that you can't see me, that too - but... I take it we're here for the same reason - hired, right?" She asked while remaining invisible - trying to uphold a calm tone to the Martian who may or may not have just been scared silly by the ghost who didn't even try to scare him, nor did she want to try to scare him at all.

"W-Who said that?! Who's speaking to me?" Ma'arz asked, royally confused about the current situation he's in. Kqidons was laughing at his predicament. She really didn't care who said it for the moment; the poor Martian's suffering.

 

[The One-Sided Coin]

Lux came from behind and found it mildly humorous. He heard the voice and looked at the source. He then tapped Ma’Arz on the shoulder and showed him his pad, which had Martian Hieroglyphs that said:

An apparition. A ghost in common terms, it seems, is with us.

 

[BoltBeam]

The Martian jumped, shrieking in fear, as he uses his briefcase to hit whoever said that in his general direction. When he seemingly hit nothing, he looked around frantically.

"W-Who said that?! Who's speaking to me?" Ma'arz asked, royally confused about the current situation he's in. Kqidons was laughing at his predicament. She really didn't care who said it for the moment; the poor Martian's suffering.

Kokoro couldn't help but crack a laugh - though it was unintentional, she couldn't help but smile at his confusion as well. "Calm down, calm down! ...Though, it'd probably be a bit better if you could see me, wouldn't it?" Kokoro initially tried to calm him down, but reluctantly gave up after a while as she knew just hiding wouldn't get her anywhere in the long term. Before she could make herself appear, she saw Lux write something and she herself managed to see it.

“An apparition. A ghost in common terms, it seems, is with us.”

"Oh dear, are we 'that' common now?" Kokoro asked as she appeared behind them both, an orb of flames between her palms. "Here I am - your resident ghost, right behind you." She said calmly, hoping none of them would actually freak out. The form she takes is the form of a ghostly woman who she once was - or supposedly was - practically translucent except not entirely (ghost qualities and ghost logic are both confusing to explain, have mercy).

 

[CaptainRustbolt21]

Kokoro couldn't help but crack a laugh - though it was unintentional, she couldn't help but smile at his confusion as well. "Calm down, calm down! ...Though, it'd probably be a bit better if you could see me, wouldn't it?" Kokoro initially tried to calm him down, but reluctantly gave up after a while as she knew just hiding wouldn't get her anywhere in the long term.

Ma'arz was beginning to freak out and Kqidons was laughing more loudly. Whoever is making this out-of-nowhere inappropriate prank must be eight or something. Trying to regain his courage and growing a spine, he straightens up and looked towards the general direction of the voice. "Whoever is responsible for this sick act of mischief, I demand that you stop!" He ordered, trying to maintain composure. "This IS NOT amusing!"

Lux came from behind and found it mildly humorous. He heard the voice and looked at the source. He then tapped Ma’Arz on the shoulder and showed him his pad, which had Martian Hieroglyphs that said, “An apparition. A ghost in common terms, it seems, is with us.”

When Lux tapped on Ma'arz's shoulder, he quickly turns out and flinched at this GIANT of a Human, handing him a note. A little hesitantly, he grabbed the note to read what it said. It was all written in his language with little to no grammatical errors, to his shock. A rare sight from a Human. Trying to shake it off, he read what it said. "A specter, you say?" He asked plainly, looking at the man with little belief. "I hate to sound rude, sir, but I doubt that such a literal ghostly individual exists. After all-"

Before she could make herself appear, she saw Lux write something and she herself managed to see it. "Oh dear, are we 'that' common now?" Kokoro asked as she appeared behind them both, an orb of flames between her palms. "Here I am - your resident ghost, right behind you." She said calmly, hoping none of them would actually freak out. The form she takes in the form of a ghostly woman who she once was - or supposedly was - practically translucent except not entirely (ghost qualities and ghost logic are both confusing to explain, have mercy).

When the specter summoned the sphere of fire to light herself up, Ma'arz immediately jumped and dashed next to Lux. Kokoro was revealing her form to the other recruits, a ghostly specter of her former self; something Ma'arz thought was nothing more than theoretical. "... I retract my previous statement." He calmly said. Kqidons IV was still giggling to herself after that predicament; a memory she will revisit to cheer herself up.

 

[The One-Sided Coin]

Lux turned and bowed respectfully to the ghost.

Nice to meet you. You may call me Lux.

He writes in English, and shows it to her.

 

[BoltBeam]

Kokoro couldn't help but laugh at Ma'arz's varying speakings - he went from scared and confused to calm in the matter of several seconds. "It is true we ghosts are somewhat rare - many don't believe in our existence, and those who 'do' have probably seen one for themselves." She explained calmly. "I can't say I blame them, but it still kind of hurts each time I hear it... It's rude to talk about people that are listening, after all." Kokoro ended her speakings this time in a similarly calm tone, but ended it off with a bit more of a sinister tone in the threat she spoke of. She would then see Lux bow and present her with a note; surprised by the bowing and managing a smile as she read the note, she chuckled. "For someone aesthetically mysterious, that didn't take long, did it?" She teased him a little, hoping that wouldn't warrant a sharp reaction as she just smiled back to him without a care.

"Seeing as we all seem to be here... seeing as we're going to be together a while, how about we get acquainted - you know, introductions?" She said swiftly - best to strike while the iron is hot, courtesy of Lux, and Kokoro figured she should go next. "My identity - or name rather - is Kokoro. It's nice to meet the three of you, and I trust we'll get along - somehow." She said hopefully, the ball of fire between her palms bursting into a small and harmless explosion before reforming. She seemed to be quite confident and content with these people so far - but a matter that can and will probably soon be changed, depending on how all of this goes in the soon to be 'met' future they signed up for.

 

[CaptainRustbolt21]

He stares at Kokoro very weirdly as she explained her identity to him, Lux, and the Vagrok. Moving away from the masked soldier, he approached the ghost so he can introduce himself to her. "My name is-" He began before stopping mid-sentence due to the sudden burst the fire made. "... Is Ma'arz Gelonz, interdisciplinary scientist." He finished.

 

[BoltBeam]

Kokoro just looked at him and seemed a little thrown off - a little guilty perhaps? Either way, the Martian now known as Ma'arz is a scientist? Easy to see why he is here, though Kokoro is now thinking; why is 'she' here, and what's with this masked soldier? She seemed to be in deep thought as she said nothing and glanced around for a while - eventually shaking herself out of it but yet spoke nothing. If anything, she's waiting on the Vagrok now.

 

[CaptainRustbolt21]

Kokoro heard the Vagrok scoff as she walks past Ma'arz and Lux. "So, this is the band of misfits I will be working with?" She asked, scanning the latter two. "A frail Martian, a black-cloaked showoff, and..." She then approached the specter, where she looked down on her with her black skull-mask shining. "I'm not even sure what to call you. You are flesh, but not anymore... good to see you saved me the trouble."

 

[BoltBeam]

Kokoro just listened to the Vagrok run her mouth, and immediately regretted her decision. She was condescending to all three of them, in a row, one at a time. Kokoro just stared right back at her - right back at the mask that the Vagrok wore. "Trust me, if it was up to me, I'd rather not be here in any form at all." She said sharply, seeming quite offended as a matter of fact. "So what if I'm dead, right? It's not like anyone is going to notice or care after a while. Besides, what of 'you', egoist? Who and what are you to look down on us, who you are now stuck with?" She countered in the same tone.