Ghost in the Machine

[WanderingWayfarer]

Asren Alliance


The bridge of the Asren flagship was silent as all contemplated the threat. It was likely these new arrivals outclassed the Asren. But unlike the Asren their cause was not righteous, they sought power for their own gain, rather than for the protection of the Universe at large. Whatever power lay hidden in this mysterious planet, it would be destroyed, or the Asren would die trying. These thoughts echoed along the psionic pathways that linked the Asren's minds together, fortifying their resolve for the suicide mission they now faced. And so it was that the four score of ships began to open fire. Streams of plasma arcing across the empty void of space to slam into the Syndicate ships.

 

[NeoLeaf]

The Swarm of Petrarica

Space: Unknown area of space


Celestrial-Bodies: Unknown planet


Vessels: 104 Leviathans


Facilities: None


Factions present:

• The Swarm of Petrarica
  
• Dredge ship
  
• Unknown Fleet
  
• Unknown Fleet
  
• Unkown Fleet
  
• Unknown ship
  

"Well this complicates things." The elder rose up from his chair as indicated the inter-dimensional super carrier. Data analysis had concluded that this ship has it's weapons primed and its defenses can be concluded that the thing is impenetrable. The man walked over to a navigator and looked at the ships that were around them The fleet of 50 ships that have done the right choice of protecting itself, the Dredge ally with the unknown cruiser hiding close to it and the other unspecified fleet that had entered this area of space. The man's face grimaced.


"This doesn't look too go-" His sentence was stopped snappishly and he became quiet.


~Who dares defy my action?~ Telepathy of the Queen mother could be heard from the Aliuu in their heads.


It seems that the Queen Mother is enraged. Like a child who had lost it's newest toy, the creature had been enraged to a point where she already grew a dislike for these Interdimensional travelers. An animalistic roar shook the minds of the Aliuu as they tried to comprehend the Elder One's emotional state. Silence hung in the air inside the leviathans once more with the exception of the the three masters who were indoctrinated with the Queen Mother's will.


"Prepare to attack these beings..." The Elder had hissed under his enraged voice.


He turned around and sat back onto this chair and entered his comms.


"Lady of Ravens. I think it's in our best interest to have you leave for what's about to happen now..."


In a location not too far from the leviathans, space twisted and twirled. Eventually the funnels of energy blew out into several wormholes where several leviathans emerged in the darkness of space. The creatures came enmasse from some corner of the universe and these creatures weren't going to stop their onslaught. The gargantuan creatures proceeded to attack the inter-dimensional military force. A leviathan charged bio energy within itself, flared up in a biolumisent orange color and shot a beam of concentrated ionized energy from it's metallic head towards the enemy ships. The number of leviathans that have entered now are around a couple hundred and more coming.

 

[Assailant]

Maxwell Teller

Human: King of Remnant

As space itself ripped apart as several hundred Leviathans came on through, Max quickly strapped into his chair.


"BUCKLE UP, WE"RE GOING FOR A RIDE!" In seconds everyone was strapped in as they begin rapidly descending towards the planet at speeds far greater than any of the ships could go without using a warp drive. Smallest ship perks!

 

[Equipoise]

[media]

​

[/media]
THEME BECAUSE WHY NOT


ABOARD THE TRIUMPHANT





"Sir, foreign ships have opened fire upon the hostile ships. How shall we proceed, sir?"


Dae'nal stared at the hologram, watching the virtual plasma arcs streaking across space towards the hostile ships. They would have more than enough to deal with right now, with two fleets attacking them at once... They wouldn't be able to effectively manage against three.


"Tell the scouting contingent fleet to engage their Deep Stealth Drives and short-range warp to the surface with all power diverted to shields. Meanwhile, we'll keep them tied up here. Sound the alarm, Commander, I want all crew to battlestations now."


"Yes, sir."


The lights on the bridge temporarily dimmed as the red lights of an alert turned on. A klaxon alarm began to sound as the ships primary AI began ordering all crew to battle-stations.


"Assume attack posturing and charge weapons."


"Yes, sir."


"Fire on my mark, torpedo's first, all other weapons systems may fire at will afterwards."


"Yes, sir."


"Fire."

TORPEDO LAUNCHERS​

At that moment, ten torpedo launchers dropped down from the underside of the ship, swiveling to face the Syndicate ships. Each launcher fired two torpedoes, bright red blips that rapidly began closing the distance between the Tal'ed ships and the Syndicate's. It was then that the rest of the ships began to open fire, a wall of plasma and ion beams heading straight for the Syndicate ships.


Meanwhile, six ships engaged in Deep Stealth warped down to the surface.

 

[Jarkov Malachai]

Galumora


The Lady of Ravens
​

"No." Replied the Dredge Matrairch, eyes glittering in the dark. "I have acquired what I wanted. Good day to you Captain... and good luck" Galumora terminated the coms.


"Ma'am, new message relayed from our newest visitors. What pricks if you don't mind me saying so. Basically its fuck off or die." The Com's Officer said with a disgruntled looking expression on his face.

1. "Bring up the ship on screen." The Lady of Ravens replied and the Science Officer complied. The Female studied the ship before her and the readings that were coming back and almost laughed. "Oh oh I love this!" she said clapping her duo pair of hands together. "So arrogant yet so dumb.- Lady Galumora! the Swarm is contacting us!"
   
   The Coms Officer put the message up and the whole bridge watched as hundreds more of the Leviathan class Swarm bio ships began warping in.
   
   The Matriarch grins and stands to her full 9 foot height, towering over almost everything else. "The opportunity we have been waiting for, gentlemen Disengage from the asteroid, prep engines... its time to make ourselves known."
   
   A whoop issued around the Bridge as men started rushing about in seemingly chaotic movements but eh, they knew what they were doing and had their own way of doing so. Galumora didn't care what it looked like as long as it was effective.
   
   The small cruiser released its gravity locks and floated a kilometer away before its engines came to life in a torrent of blue particles and bellowed out a silent challenge amongst the stars. Swiftly turning on its axis the Dredge ship aligned with the planet.
   
   "Warp coordinates set just beyond the fighting on the inner combat zone, directly in between the line of fire. Risky but if we don't die it will pay off by putting us right in front of the rest of hey... what the hell?" The Science officer peered down at a small blip on the screen. "Holy shit! that terran little vessel from earlier is booking it down towards the planet."
   
   The Lady of Ravens grins. "A challenge eh then Captain Max? oh I love a challenge- INITATE JUMP! Activate Firefly"
   
   To any one watching the new energy readings that flared up as the Dredge ship initiated its engines was most likely confused when they saw the readings were akin to that of a ship starting to Warp, why warp into a planet- the ship disappeared and popped out of space just beyond where the fighting between the three factions rocketing towards the planet with frightening velocity.
   
   "Jump succesfull Ma'am Firefly is stable, ready for another jump in 30 seconds as soon as the coolant kicks in"
   
   "Good" replied the Dredge Matriarch. "Just in case, ready the tractor beam, any floating debris you find in front of us grab hold and sling shot us forward, think of any trick you can to get us ahead of Captain Max."
   
   "But Lady Galumora wouldn't the Firefly get us there bef- and we might not always have the Firefly now will we hmm?" The Dredge queen interrupted. "Do not rely on fancy technology Man, rely on skill and ingenuity and you will survive... you will survive."
   
   That jump had put the Kukri frighteningly close behind the terran ship and though it wasn't catching up, it wasn't falling behind as fast as one might think. And it was getting ready to jump it again.
   
   The Kukri was a disturbing thing to look at, the Dredge had indeed made the thing in their image to travel among the stars in. All sorts of disturbing angles and seemingly pointless arcs that simply made the Kurki blend into the darkness of space.
   

 

[Assailant]

Maxwell Teller

Human: King of Remnant

"Sir! The Lady of Ravens is trailing us. She seems to wish for the core as well!" Max grinned at this and continues piloting. Oh Lady Galumora, is this a race? The fate of my people rests on this. I must win. "And sir, she's... using a warp engine!"


"WHAT!" Max yelled. "B-but warp engines are far too imprecise! An attempt to warp to the surface would surely kill her!"


"Should we use the FTL s-"


"Do you wish us all dead?" He yelled back to the man. Warp engines take awhile to recharge, so... "Keep an eye on what she's doing!"


"She using debris to propel herself forward!"


"Destroy all debris you find!" The gunners began firing on all the rubble that they could find.

 

[Atom]

Santarak’s lips peeled back in a callous grin, “A fight eh....Good...I’ve been waiting to blood my new ship...BRING UP THE ROTARIES ON THE INBOUND LEVIATHANS! We’ll have the renegade focus all fire on that, cruisers focus on drawing enemy fire and returning it. Carriers...on my mark release hellfire missiles...three...two...one...MARK!”


The bridge snapped into action as orders were relayed one after another. The renegade itself altered it’s position ever so slightly, directing it’s left side fully towards the leviathans arriving. All along it’s left flank the armor slid to the side in multiple spots as the ships main batteries extended outwards from the hull. Massive hulking things, quad barrels in a circular pattern. The Atlas’ broadsides were the pride and joy of the ship alongside it’s carrier abilities. The multitude of barrels began to rotate, spinning in a circular motion until a the correct speed was reached.


In a flurry of high explosive shells the Atlas opened fire, each barrel releasing a round as it reached the top of it’s spin before the next followed in a constant stream of fire, a multitude of shells speeding off towards the leviathans entry point with brutal efficiency.


Meanwhile the cruisers gathered began intercepting torpedoes and other projectiles with long range laser fire, harmless against ships of size but quite effective against smaller munitions. What managed to get through occasionally slammed into the shields or the Atlas’ armor without too much effect. Meanwhile the main batteries returned fire on various targets, shells similar to the Atlas’ launching towards various targets.


The carriers hiding behind the cruisers began releasing large pods that shot out towards the various ships at high speed. Hundreds of pods sped off towards the three earlier leviathans, the Arsen, and the Tal’ed.


Meanwhile down on the planet the two other carriers were coming to into the atmosphere, maintaining current speed as kinetic shielding on the noses kicked in to gear. All throughout the ship dampers kicked into gear as the final impact phase was engaged. Both ships slammed into the surface of the planet, digging in deep enough that as the dust cloud finally began to clear the two ships stood up from the ground.


The ships remained as is until the surrounding area calmed down before springing to life, the outer mechanisms altering the engines positioning to the sides before all along the hull ground ships peeled loose and took off from the ships, spreading out and scanning the surface for the nearest surface entrance to the planets inner layers.


Meanwhile the earlier arrived ships from the planets own warp system began attempting to move away from the planet. The fleet around the larger main ship began attempting to gravity tether the massive central ship and pull it away. Any scanning done would reveal that the central ship was for some reason without power.

 

[NeoLeaf]

The Swarm of Petrarica

Space: Unknown area of space


Celestrial-Bodies: Unknown planet


Vessels: 144 Leviathans + thousands of aero/space units


Facilities: None


Factions present:

• The Swarm of Petrarica
  
• Dredge ship
  
• Unknown Fleet
  
• Unknown Fleet
  
• Unkown Fleet
  
• Unknown ship
  

The creature who were badly damaged would stop and float in space to regenerate their tissues with the biomass and energy that they had available. Those who had managed to survive the exploding groups of rapidly rotating barrel shaped projectiles that had shot a series of explosive rounds from their own interiors prepared to send their own armies of ships. clouds of space-faring insects and mollusk based creature escaped from the leviathan's insides and had joined the battle with their motherships. These ships don't have energy capabilities however they still shoot projectiles of highly evolved chemicals, acids, 'crystals' and other dense matter. The should be formidable enough for these ships. other Leviathans proceeded with firing their energy beams towards the smaller and bigger ships accompanying the supercarrier.


In one of the wormholes a series of asteroids have emerged from the vortex and were heading towards the ships in frightening speed on a collision course. A large potato-shaped asteroid made out of rock and biomass, being around a mile in length and burning a trail of greenish brown material in their wake.


Leviathan's who have wormholed else where did short jumps to get close to the colossal super carrier and threw their countless tentacles against the ship's shields awhile also unleashing their Aliuu to attack, infect and counter their own smaller vessels. The masters who piloted those leviathans already knew that they're dead meat and expects their deaths relatively swift.

 

[Jarkov Malachai]

Galumora


The Lady of Ravens
​

"Lady Galumora, the Terran ship is firing!" The Weapons officer cried out alarmed. When the Ship Mistress didn't respond he continued a little unnerved. "Not at us though, they seem to be firing at the rubble from the crippled armada, orders?"


The Matriarch reclined back in her chair and one of her eyes glanced over to the Science Officer who was prepping their next jump point. "Are we ready?"


"Yes Ma'am, ready to engage short range translocation Firefly online and coordinates are a go."


The Lady of Ravens eyes the broken armada and its antics with narrowed eyes, four eyes remained locked on it at all times as she rose her clawed hand and formed a fist "Initiate"


The Kukri vanished and reappeared through a wormhole that suddenly popped up just inside the planets atmosphere, on the horizon line of the Syndicate ships that already landed so that visibly they were undetectable. The entire ship spun around backwards in a amazing feat of driving and maneuvering and braked hard in the air to counter act the Cruisers massive forward momentum so it wouldn't slam directly into the planets surface. But now, the front of the Dredge cruiser was pointed directly at Max's tiny wittle thing.


Galumora grinned and made a cutting motion that was almost to fast for any eye, augmented or not to follow and said in her melodious, lulling tone. "Start scanning, grid by grid directly beneath us and close to where that armada came from, it stands to reason that if there is a machine..... hidden deep inside this planet.... then there would have to be access points either there or on the other side. We find one, we will find the other entrances."


"Aye Ma'am, beginning scans, grid by grid square of about 50 kilometers a piece... also feeding into the enemy data stream as well." The man grins "If they find a way in we shall know about it as well."


"Good.... good" The Matriarch replied slowly... "Also.... give me a reading on" She leaned forward and pointed directly at the broken main ship that was being towed. "That"

 

[Assailant]

Maxwell Teller

Human: King of Remnant

Max falls back as a long sigh escapes him. "That crazy bitch did it... she warped." Everyone falls back in disappointment as one man looks at a screen, constantly cycling through windows. "We need that energy, but if she's not afraid to do that... we're done, aren't we?"


"Sir! Do you think it's possibly she could be using a Firefly warp engine?" Max turns back to find the person who spoke was the same one who was cycling through screens. He pointed at his screen and continued "They're large and unwieldily, only to be used by large ships such as cruisers, and they are far more precise, particularly around areas of high magnetic energy. Sensors indicate this planet has a strong magnetic field." Max thought that over and nodded.


"Yes, I suppose they probably are. How are we to get to the surface first now?" One man thought for a moment then turned his attention to the king.


"Sir, if we activate the FTL drive on a low setting we cou-"


"Too risky." Max shakes his head and looks back at the pirate ship.


"They're willing to take risks, and we have a planet to save." Max looks at the soldier once more before gritting his teeth and looking out the front monitor.


"Men... activate the FTL for approximately .75 of a second, before shutting it off." They nod and start it up. The world around them blurs as they near break the speed of light, but before it is possible the drive is shut off. When the world resumes to normal...


they're in the atmosphere and burning up.


"SIR! WE WEREN'T MADE TO ENTER AN ATMOSPHERE AT THIS SPEED!" One of the men yells. Max tries to pull up as a sheet of metal flies of his wing. They rapidly slow, but it's not enough.


"Everyone buckle up! Brace for impact!" The ground approaches rapidly, and then...




Max groans as he opens his eyes. He was only unconscious for a moment or so. First thing he felt was pain shooting across his body as he pulled himself out of the crashed ship. As he exits, he finds soldiers pulling others out of the wreckage. In a moment or so, everyone's up.


"Is that everyone? I only count seventeen!" As he speaks, three more men are pulled out, but unlike the others they don't get up. He walks over to them and feels their pulses. Two are simply unconscious for who knows how long... and one is dead.


"I need three to stay with the unconscious ones. As for the rest of us, we go to find the core. Where is the highest concentration of energy?"


A man pulls out a scanner in points, and they begin their trek.[/divide]

 

[Jarkov Malachai]

Galumora


The Lady of Ravens
​

Aprox. 5000 meters above the planets surface, the Kukri hovered there scanning the planets interior, the science officer was having a small heart attack and completely and utterly nerding out about the complexities of the planet, the technology there and generally saying words that no one in the area understood. Eventually even Lady Galumora rose up from her chair, hands clutching her muzzle and head and bellowed.


"Bai'core! SHUT UP FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT IS ME!"


The science officer paused and sheepishly muttered and apology to which everyone on the bridge breathed a sigh of relief. "Our scan is continuing at a decent pace I suppose my Lady, but with an object this sophisticated it might be longer than we originally thou-"


Everyone stopped what they were doing and watched as Max's ship slammed into the planets surface...


"100 says they all died."


"I got 200 on half survived"


"30 on a few"


"ill take that bet."


The Ship Mistress looked at the Science Officer Bai'Core and raised an eyebrow. "Well Mr. Bai'Core, the verdict if you would please?"


The science officer checked his instruments. "Im reading 17 alive, 3 dead and or severely wounded."


A chorus of groans as money then swiftly changed hands and bets were won and or lost. Galumora stared at the readings before smirking.


"Lieutenant Valerian!" She barked suddenly and caused the man in question to come to attention. "Send our terran friends some... company and tell said company to suit up and oh to be discreet if you would please." The man swallowed but nodded an affirmative.


... a few minutes later


The Kukri fired two projectiles about a kilometer away from the terran ground party. They shrieked overhead and landed northwards of the humans.


with the smoke and dust still heavy in the air from the two impact sights, two pairs of six red glowing eyes burned through the debris like the devil himself had come from the sky.


"Bahhhahhhaaha" echoed a mocking, horrific throaty laugh or wheez of some sort


The double pairs blinked, and then vanished. A blur was all that might have been noticed as whatever had landed, quickly left and all traces of it disappeared along with it.


@Assailant

 

[Assailant]

Maxwell Teller

Human: King of Remnant

Max ordered his men to stop with a start as he looked up at Galumora's ship as two things streaked down from it and landed near them. Well... near relative to a planet.


"Sir, do you think those are drills of some sort?"


"No," Max responds, narrowing his eyes. "They looked more like drop pods." The men glance at each other before glancing back to him.


"Do you think whatever's inside could be a threat?"


"Sir!" Another man yelled from the back of the party before Max could respond. The others turn towards him as he holds up a scanner. "Scans reveal that the atmosphere of this planet is safe to breathe." Max nods and presses a button on the back of his suit as it retracts, leaving them exposed to the elements. Many of the men sigh with relief as they give a little stretch. Max thinks about the drop pods before yelling back to his men as he turns to them.


"We can only hope that Lady Galumora will be more diplomatic. However, on the chance that she sent something to eradicate us, we must be prepared. Keep your weapons primed... who has their grant weapons on them?" All but two men yelled in assent. He turns to the two men. "What do you have?"


"Basic pistols and medical kits, sir!" One of them yells. "As a backup!"


"What build?"


"Mark VII sir!" Max grins. Good, that'll heal almost anything we can come across. "Stay sharp men! We don't know what we're up against!" They all yell in affirmation as they continue their trek, with many keeping a tentative eye on the horizon in the direction where the pods fell.

 

[Jarkov Malachai]

It wasn't long after that movement was seen on the horizon, but any attempts at a closer look revealed that nothing was there, nothing substantial any way. But no matter where the Terrans went, at least one soldier would always swear he saw something in the distance but whatever it was, it would always vanish. Eventually however, unbeknownst to the Terrans while they were staring off at whatever it was that just popped up on the hill to the north for what seemed the 30th time... something else had slithered in close, well to be exact it had dug in earlier and waited like some damn antlion for its prey.


Some random guy (don't give a fuck who) Suddenly felt as if the world had crushed its weight on his shoulders but, other than that didn't seem to be feeling anything else other than slightly lethargic all of a sudden. The feeling passed quickly and whatever it was stopped popping up and stayed down.


@Assailant (because fuck it, nothing else is happening lets do this)

 

[Assailant]

Maxwell Teller

Human: King of Remnant

The crew continued walking towards the energy source, ever so slowly nearing it. Max's men kept insisting they saw something, and with the foreign pods launched Max was on his toes. Once or twice even he would see a flicker of movement. After awhile, suddenly he heard something behind him.


"WHAT ARE THESE?!" The whole crew turns around to see a soldier panicking about tattoos that had suddenly appeared on his body. Everyone rushes over to him as the medical officers examine him and Max looks him over.


"Briggs, I don't remember you having those tattoos moments ago."


"Neither do I sir!" The man said, slowly calming down. Max looks the tattoos over multiple times before grunting and talking once more to the scared man.


"Do you or did you feel anything?" The man thinks for a moment before shrugging, most of the fear having left his body.


"I felt... really heavy and tired for a moment... but now it's all gone." Max frowns before contacting the soldiers who had remained behind at the site to tend to the wounded.


"Status report!" After a few moments the crackle of feedback plays and a voice returns.


"Sir! The two injured have almost completely healed. While we wait for them to finish up we've been checking the ship. It still seems flyable. It'd be very dangerous to fly, but if need be we could fly out. Once we left the atmosphere we'd be good, it's just leaving."


"Comms system?"


"Yes sir, fully functional. Due to the extreme magnetic field of this planet, it'd be hard to communicate outside the planet, but nonetheless."


"Contact Lady Galumora. Strange tattoos have appeared on Briggs' body, and we need to know if she had anything to do with it, or can recognize it."


"Yes sir!" Came through the radio before silence. Maybe what was in the drop pod somehow relates.

 

[Equipoise]

ABOARD THE T.N.S. VALIANT



​

Mere milliseconds after the six ships engaged warp, the ship's AI brought them back out again. The ships were now past the fighting, rapidly descending towards the planet's surface. The bridge was, once again, a flurry of activity as the crew began to quickly slow the ship's descent.


"Engaging dampers!"


"Cut power to primary engines, engage secondary propulsion in 3...2...1...NOW!"


"Increase angle to forty-five."


Various flaps and slats positioned around the ship quickly lifted up from their lowered positions, catching in the atmosphere with a solid jerk. Seconds later various small engines at the front and bottom of the ship also engaged, slowing the ship down even farther. Then, seemingly as one, the fleet lifted the noses of their ships until they were at a forty-five degree angle against the atmosphere. The result of this was the rapid slowing of the ships. They hovered there, a couple thousand feet off the ground.


"Rapid descent has cea-"


A small vessel suddenly disengaged warp and began hurtling past them. Unlike the Tal'ed ships, this ship either did not have the ability to slow itself rapidly, or it wasn't able too. It pancaked solidly into the ground below, the crew near simultaneously grimacing in response.


"That looked like it must've hurt..." one of the crewmen said.


"Irrelevant. Descend towards the surface and commence scanning."


"Yes, sir."

 

[Jarkov Malachai]

The Kukri hovered on the horizon line, just out of sight and out of mind. Those on board continued their scanning and review of said information they were receiving. They had found several openings into the planet just none seemingly large enough for a cruiser to go through. However, if there was a on-planet mechanism to open the world up like before it was most likely in a secure underground facility. Hence the reason that the Lady of Ravens had sent one of her own out to tag-along with the Terrans. The other was... well lets just say that there wasn't just five men in that Terran ship, there were six living things there. One of which, was slowly making its way to the engine room, slowly, silently, like a phantom it hid in the shadows, like a ghost it passed through locked and broken doors so it seemed.


(short post I know.)

 

[Assailant]

Max's Men

Humans: Soldiers of Remnant

Killian sits atop the wasp class fighter, soaking in the sun with a grin. Looking at his arm, where only ten minutes or so ago there'd been a huge gash, he smiles at the smooth skin. He'd heard about the wonders of Remnant medical technology, but he'd never seen it himself until today. His smile still on, he turns around and gazes over the huge grasslands of this strange planet when he notices something strange: There's a trail of grass that's shifting and moving making it's way towards the ship. He looks down at the men below him.


"Guys! There's something strange moving through the grass!" He looks back up at the trail and it's gotten significantly closer to the ship, the speed astonishes him. He looks back down at them. "It's moving really fast!" By the time he looks back up however, the trail is gone. "Everyone be on your guard!" Everyone rushes to the doors of the ship, not knowing the thing was already inside.


The men inside the ship hear the warning as one continues to establish contact with Galumora, and signals the other to take guard. He presses a button on his neck as his suit grows to full size. Red sleeves slip over his body as a metal mask forms over his face. The whole thing grows and adapts to his body, and soon he's in his full suit.

((imagine this, but with differences I'll get into soon enough))


Light's flicker on the sides of his head, and soon the hallway in the ship is illuminated by bright lights.


It may be their space suit, but it's also their combat soot. He's ready.

 

[Atom]

The grass soon began not only not moving there but everywhere in that general direction. The ground began shaking and quite soon the grass erupted open as a multitude of six legged horned animals began hopping over the humans and their ship. It appeared the beginnings of a stampede was moving in and it could only get worse from here. But what caused the stampede was what truly would matter.

 

[Assailant]

Max's Men

Humans: Soldiers of Remnant

"What the hell?!" Killian yells as he jumps off the ship and gets hit by one of the beasts. "What do we do?!" He yells to his commanding officer, Lero.


"Inside the ship everyone, now!" All of the men scramble for the doors, getting knocked around by the beasts as they do. When all the men are inside, they quickly shut the doors and all sigh, relieved.


"It's dark-"


"No shit captain obvious, the electrical wiring's down." Another soldier responds. They glare at each other as Lero steps before them.


"No arguing. Where's our engineers?"


"He died in the crash."


"We only had one engineer?! Who planned this party?!" They all shrug, not knowing who. Leo grips the bridge of his nose in frustration and sighs. "We'll have to try to fix it and hope it works."

 

[Jarkov Malachai]

The creature which had snuck inside the ship during the chaos listened with a tilted head from the darkness directly above them. So the ships power grid was offline... that would need to be fixed before it could finish its mission, other wise it couldn't access the data Lady Galumora wanted. Moving slowly, whatever it was slithered over to one of the ships maintenance shafts and silently slipped inside. Once there it made its way to the engine room where it detected a control panel which controlled most of the power junctions for the ship. using a single razor blade sharp talon, it cut its way inside and then opened that double jawed maw of its. A delicate little tongue, with hundreds of waving slender tentacles wormed its way into the control panel. The creatures eyes blared red for a second before dulling.


Ahh this wasn't so different from a living things neural system, just with a lot more delicate ones and fucking zeroes. Now... to turn on power, power power.


It rummaged through the many systems before identifying the problem. Multiple systems were not receiving power, lines and cables had been knocked loose during the crash and several key functions were offline due to that. The ship had power, it simply wasn't going beyond the engine room for its directories had been wiped out.


The Creature withdrew its slender tongue from the box and continued on its way, humming slightly to itself as it became occupied with what it felt as a worthy challenge.


Little did it know was that well... its humming kinda echoed in the ships ducts and airways. Like a creepy part in a horror movie except the humming was just plain awful instead of creepy.

 

[Assailant]

Max's Men

Humans: Soldiers of Remnant

Killian glances around as a light humming begins echoing around the ship. All of the soldiers, almost at once, activate their suits and turn on their lights. One man pulls out a sort of pistol, while the others pull out automatic plasma rifles and begins making their way to the power generator, where they could from there trace the lines to the disturbance and fix it.


Howard, the soldier sent off alone, heard humming coming from down a nearby hallway he quickly ran around the corner and saw a beast before him. Nonetheless, hiding his fear, he pulled out his gun and aimed at it.


"Identify yourself," he said with a voice rippling with authority. "I do not wish to harm you, but you are trespassing on Remnant property. Identify yourself, and state your reason for being here."

 

[Jarkov Malachai]

Whatever it was glanced over its shoulder and sneered. It placed a single back foot on the wall directly behind it and grabbing the doorway in front with three clawed hands, the chitin which covered it rippled distorting the creatures image and then kicked off with the horrendous sound of metal screeching and tearing as the alien propelled itself at a tremendous speed vanishing down the next hall way as if it was never there save for the chest shaped dent in the wall from where it kicked off. All that happened in about the span of half a second. What the creature was doing in this corridor however was readily obvious from the hastily smashed, and duct taped together power couplings. Lights flickered on but died quickly as the ship tried re-routing power but was still unable to do so. Not enough systems had been restored the creature supposed.


It grunted, its job had gotten slightly more difficult, carelessness had gotten it spotted but... all was still well, yes, all was well... (Yes... duct tape, helping electricians across the galaxy since 1946, true its duct tape 4.7v, but who gives a shit DUCT TAPE!)


 

Galumora


The Lady of Ravens
​

For a long time there was nothing but silence then suddenly a crackling and the com came to life. "Oh come now Captain Max, is that any way to say...hello? After all I watched your spectacular decent to the surface err... great job on not dying by the way. I would have been very put out if you had." The sounds of creaking and one could almost just imagine that predatory grin upon the Dredge Matriarchs face.

 

[Assailant]

Maxwell Teller

Human: King of Remnant

By the time Galumora responds, Max had been patched into the chat so both the injured man who stayed behind (and was currently manning the comms) and Max could hear the conversation.


"I would have been rather put out myself," Max responds with a grin himself. He wasn't a very tricky or comic guy, but something about the air Lady Galumora let out merely in her speech brought it out of him. "It was rather spectacular, wasn't it? Now on to the reason I called. You see, we observed two things strongly resembling drop pods come from your ship a land a ways away from us. My men kept noticing movement out of the corner of their eyes, and now one of my men has a strange full body tattoo that he didn't have before. This wouldn't be related in anyway to you, would it?"


As he says that, back in the ship, the lone soldier radios everyone.


"There's a strange alien lifeforms in our ship. It's messing around with the electronics, it seems to be repairing them, but hid away from me as soon as I spoke up." The man quickly describes it, and as he speaks all of what he's saying gets relayed through the call. When he's done and signs off, Max sighs.


"You wouldn't have anything to do with that either, would you?"

 

[Jarkov Malachai]

Galumora


The Lady of Ravens
​

"I am sorry to say Captain Max, but there are no drop pods aboard this ship." Came the slightly aristocratic voice in what some might have called a bored tone. "Our cruiser is no troop transport, we are people of...higher taste and design than such." A rattling sound came from the com, much akin to when someone rattles their fingers atop a desk or hard surface when bored or thinking, perhaps she was both.


"But, mayhaps I have something to do with your uninvited guest, but whatever gave you the idea that I had the power to... ink your men... or that unless some random fancy struck my mind, I would want... to." she continued in a rolling, low voice that kept the same pitch, rhythm, but the tone was one of a cat playing with a mouse. A very juicy mouse, which was still being sized up. The comparison probably wasn't a good one but bad it was not either.

 

[Assailant]

Maxwell Teller

Human: King of Remnant

Max thinks over what she said. Though slightly angry, he does admit that it was rather foolish to think that one could do that. However, as he's looking around, thinking about what to say next, he sees one of the men looking frustrated. He recognizes it as the man who recognized the Dredge race. He muted the call with Galumora for a moment and looked at him.


"Is something wrong?" The man nods.


"I've done some research on the Dredge: it was my job to research alien species back before the abandoning. From what I've heard, they have the ability to turn two-dimensional as tattoos on someone's body and begin feeding off of them." Max looked concerned as the soldier who the tattoos were on began borderline hyperventilating.


"Does it hurt the possessed person?"


"No sir, not that I've heard anyway." The soldier breathed an audible sigh of relief as Max turns back to the call and unmutes it. Deciding to hold off what he just learned until later, he mentions something else.


"Knowing you, even for as short as I have, I am led to believe you most certainly do know about the intruder. What's he, or she, or... it doing, and why does it concern us?"