The Last Colonies - Prelude

[Harkback Union]

The Last Colonies, Prelude.

OOC



The Captain is dead and the first officer is missing. The 12 remaining conscious man and woman on board now carry all the responsibility for the success of the mission...

During the Prelude, the leaders may Investigate the Harmony for clues of the Captain's death, interact with one another and develop their own character.

Everyone may:
- Freely introduce new material objects, ship sections.
- Write history of earth prior to 2067
- Make attempts to find out what happened on the harmony.
While nobody may:
- Godmod (RP harm and injuries to other characters)
- Introduce new human characters.
- Write history of Earth after 2067
- Write what clues he finds regarding mysteries (that's my part).

One liners are not a problem. In fact, I do encourage short posts to improve flow of the RP. The Prelude will end in 24 - 48 hours.

[Shyluz]

Weiss had yet to upload himself into a chassis, so a the moment he was simply observing the humans and the wonder they held over the corpse of his father. The corpse was bleak, and from a thermographic view, still warm.

How odd, the AI thought to himself, My datalogs don't seem to have a camera recording at his estimated time of death.

Below the corpse, which lazily sat on a chair, overlooking the deep darkness of the void, the old revolver which the Captain had used to commit suicide with laying nearby. With the tapping of a few virtual keys, the younger man's consciousness was dropped into place in the chassis.

The chassis itself was almost identical to a human body, with the exception of the roman numeral denoting the model on the back of the neck. It was a young man, with dirty blond hair, striking blue eyes, wearing a black pinstripe suit with a tie.

[Dixmix]

" The body... it was a suicide." Jeremiah said when he took a look at the corpse. He saw Weiss look over his " father" and it was maddening. He was hacked and nothing was shown. He looked outside the window and saw the cold vastness of space. The Harmony was getting near the planet and its moon but they still have a long way to go.

" Weiss, I am sorry about the death but are you still able to pilot the ship towards our destination? Can you give us a ETA on when we will arrive?"

[Shyluz]

"Three years, thank you for your concern, sir. I can handle the ship, so if you'd prefer to stay in coldsleep, that's acceptable. Or you can assist me in maintaining the ship. The time is relative, that is, if we don't have any unforeseen complications." The boy said, standing beside the deceased, arms behind his back. A glint in the almost organic eyes hinted that the boy was trying very hard not to cry.

[Dixmix]

"Three years, thank you for your concern, sir. I can handle the ship, so if you'd prefer to stay in coldsleep, that's acceptable. Or you can assist me in maintaining the ship. The time is relative, that is, if we don't have any unforeseen complications." The boy said, standing beside the deceased, arms behind his back. A glint in the almost organic eyes hinted that the boy was trying very hard not to cry.

"No, I will help you. Just tell me what to do . Besides, after what has transpired that you would want some company." He saw the Android trying not to tear up and started to speak in a apologetic tone," My name is Jeremiah Burke, historian and the first person to wake out of cold sleep it seems."

[Shyluz]

The boy nodded.

"Thank you. I'm terribly sorry for causing you to go through this time with me, just a bot." He whimpered politely, crouching over the revolver and picking it up. He examined the surface carefully, wondering what would cause his father's suicide.

"Guns are such ugly things, don't you agree?"

[Dixmix]

The boy nodded.

"Thank you. I'm terribly sorry for causing you to go through this time with me, just a bot." He whimpered politely, crouching over the revolver and picking it up. He examined the surface carefully, wondering what would cause his father's suicide.

"Guns are such ugly things, don't you agree?"

" Hey, you not just a bot, your a unchained AI who is able to show complex feelings. So of course you need help to cope right now." He looked at the android and remembered the Asimov Trials of the 2040s that were the Civil Rights-era for Androids and other Replicates to have rights that show the amount of complex feelings and self-awareness in the eyes of the Governments and scientist of Earth.

When Weiss picked up the gun and asked him a question, he snapped back into reality and responded. " Yes they are, but they are a necessary evil. The gun itself is merely a tool to achieve an end for us and could be either a peacemaker or a warmonger. In history they are both things and no matter how much the Old Governments tried to get rid of guns form the common man, they will still have a killing urge to use things like guns to show dominance." He explained to Weiss about his opinion.

[Shyluz]

Weiss nodded. In theory and practice he understood, but it didn't stop him from thinking his opinion. He slid the revolver into his back pocket, and stood before the grisly scene.

"I suppose I'll have to dust off the rec room then." He said with a sigh.

[Dixmix]

Weiss nodded. In theory and practice he understood, but it didn't stop him from thinking his opinion. He slid the revolver into his back pocket, and stood before the grisly scene.

"I suppose I'll have to dust off the rec room then." He said with a sigh.

" Hey, don't be like that. We have three years worth of traveling ahead of us so their probably be some pool or some hologames to play with. I mean you should've have played some while you were overlooking the ship?" Jerimiah said as he tries to cheer Weiss up even though it would probably be a while to see if anything happens onboard the ship, like someone else waking up.

[Shyluz]

"Would you believe me if I said that I played chess against myself?"

[The Grim Reaper]

The faint sound of music issued through the halls. One of the classics, Beethoven's 'Fur Elise'. No doubt from the rec-room.

Leon played, on a small piano. It was no doubt obsolete, and somewhat out of place. But it had real sound. Even with decades of audio engineering, there was an ethereal quality to Leon's playing that a mere speaker would not replicate. The deformations in the piano strings, and the aged wood, made his playing unique.

His timbre exquisite, his dynamics pained, and his tempo mournful.

[Dixmix]

He shrugged and laughed, " hell, with everything that has been going on right now. I think you would be beat me easily in chess, but what about poker? Or Texas Hold'em? I know back in my day when I was out on the field with friends in historical work in Turkey that I was the champ. Though that was eighty years ago and all I have been doing is sleeping my ass off in cryo." He was looking at the door in the center in the hallway on the left and asked Weiss," so it's down here on the left?"

[Shyluz]

Weiss nodded, and followed the sound of the music. It was ghostly, even to the AI.

Logically, Weiss knew there was no difference in the sound of a holographic replication of a piano, and a real one. But still, it was unique. A trait which he very much valued.

He opened the door and was greeted by a man playing a piano.

"Hello, you're very skilled, sir."

[The Grim Reaper]

Professor Leon Salvador da Venetia's attuned ears heard the door open behind him. His last note hung in the air, as Weiss spoke.

There was a moment's silence, and he resolved the chord. Balance returned.

Leon turned slowly, and bowed his head to Weiss. He left yet another moment hanging in the air.

And then, he stood.

He stepped forward, with ease. One foot past the other, a carefully rehearsed stance. Heel to toe, heel to toe, heel to toe. It was then he responded to Weiss' compliment. "I try my best. Professor Leon Salvador da Venetia, science officer, specialist in personnel training. You are both welcome to call me Leon."

Leon considered his conversational partner, and the man standing at his side.

"Good to see there are others awake. It was getting too quiet for my tastes. What were your names?"

[Dixmix]

Professor Leon Salvador de Venetia's attuned ears heard the door open behind him. His last note hung in the air, as Weiss spoke.

There was a moment's silence, and he resolved the chord. Balance returned.

Leon turned slowly, and bowed his head to Weiss. He left yet another moment hanging in the air.

And then, he stood.

He stepped forward, with ease. One foot past the other, a carefully rehearsed stance. Heel to toe, heel to toe, heel to toe. It was then he responded to Weiss' compliment. "I try my best. Professor Leon Salvador de Venetia, science officer, specialist in personnel training. You are both welcome to call me Leon."

Leon considered his conversational partner, and the man standing at his side.

"Good to see there are others awake. It was getting too quiet for my tastes. What were your names?"

" My name is Jerimiah Burke, historian, I specialize in Western and Middle Eastern history and cultures. Near me is Weiss, the ship's Navigational AI. Is good to see you awake but we have a problem." Burke starts to get a bit serious and tensing up a bit but it had to be said," one of the escape pods is gone and we believe the captain committed suicide. The corpse is fresh and we don't know the reason. Weiss' mainframe has been hacked and there is no recording of what has transpired."

[The Grim Reaper]

" My name is Jerimiah Burke, historian, I specialize in Western and Middle Eastern history and cultures. Near me is Weiss, the ship's Navigational AI. Is good to see you awake but we have a problem." Burke starts to get a bit serious and tensing up a bit but it had to be said," one of the escape pods is gone and we believe the captain committed suicide. The corpse is fresh and we don't know the reason. Weiss' mainframe has been hacked and there is no recording of what has transpired."

Leon nodded slowly. His warm demeanor did not waver for a moment, and his tight, subtle smile did not give way.

"Ah, a corpse? If you'll excuse me, I do wish to take a look at it. I'm not sure what I can add to our understanding, but when the time comes, it would be good to have an impression of this event memorized. At any rate, we may be able to deduce something something from the context surrounding him."

He pulled a pen from his pocket. This was something more befitting a space expedition - pressurized to write at the merest touch, and aerating its ink to print evenly and precisely without wastage, creating miniscule dots like a printer. A sleek, simple device that exemplified minimalist engineering. A small toggle on the side allowed for the aeration to be controlled at the flick of a switch, so to speak, giving easily adjustable depth of colour.

Perfect for the occasional sketch, or for complex notetaking. The visual arts were not a forte of Leon's. That being said, even his pianissimo was flawless.

The pen twirled without cessation as he scanned both of his conversational partners. Weiss and Jeremiah got the feeling that he was comparing them, in some way. How? That was uncertain.

"There is, though, no rush. Perhaps you would prefer to take the opportunity to relax. One assumes that the coming days will not leave one time to waste."

[Camelone]

Akim walked through the ship dressed in his cassock and his soft footsteps echoed through the ship, his Bible tucked underneath his arm as he walked towards the sound of people. Entering the room he heard people he looked around with noninterest on his face "Hello my friends I am Father Akim. Do you know why we have been taken out of cryo? It must be an emergency to free us so soon." He said in his quick sentences so he doesn't have to talk all that much.

[Creataris]

Müller in his casual suit had quickly located rlthe small hospital the ship called a medbay, within one of the supply cupboards he could be found filling hypodermic needles with mild sedatives and calming agents to fill the spaces in one of the medical bags with him with some going into special holders within his jacket. He performed this task to the music of Wagner which he had long since made the medbays PA system play, he did plan to head for a surgical supply cupboard to make sure his scallels and such were still fit for purpose.

[Lunas Legion]

Ekaterina disliked this ship. She disliked it intently.  It wasn't just the... Recent events. The captain's suicide, the missing first officer and whatever else had happened... It was all connected. Somehow. There simply was no reason it couldn't be. Nothing happened without a reason.

She found herself in what she presumed to have been a diner at one point; dusty tables and benches were stacked along the room's edges. Shrugging, and deciding this was as good a place as any to wait until wherever they arrived, she pulled one of the benched out from the room's edges and sat, and began to quietly talk to herself.

"There's something I'm missing... Well, run through everything I know for certain. The captain's dead, killed by a revolver shot. First officer's missing. No records of captain's death in security logs. Nav AI was rendered useless by an unknown party due to the destruction of the ship's sensors shortly after said sensors detected a habitable planet. The U.N.E officer pod was launched towards said habitable planet."

"It's possible the first officer killed the captain, deleted the security logs and launched the pod towards the habitable planet with himself on board. But that explains neither the AI sabotage or the missing parts. With everything put together, it seems like we were arranged beforehand by an unknown party to settle this planet with the first officer acting as their pawn on the ship. But that doesn't explain why they would, and indeed how they knew this planet was here, and I won't make conclusions until everything's wrapped up."

She went back to silently musing.

[Camelone]

Nodding in understanding Akim said "Thank you for explaining my friend and I will do my best to preserve the safety and morality of the awakened." He looked around the room before sighing "I will give the Captain his last rites now and cremate the body in a little while so do your investigation quickly please." He said in a commanding tone and began walking over to the captains body to begin giving him his final rites.

[Shyluz]

Weiss turned to the newcomer who'd introduced himself as Father Akim. The boy had already known this.

"Mr. Akim, a few hours ago, I was given an allowance of eleven humans to wake from coldsleep. One of my primary directives as the ship's AI in charge of maintenance and human emotional status, I decided to release you along with some of the others so that you may assist me in keeping them sane. We have three years, after all." The short boy said bluntly.

"However, the XO is missing, the Captain is dead, navigation and sensors are offline. Truly a dire situation. One I by myself cannot succeed in. I have no datalogs at the time of the Captain's death, nor do I have any logs of who accessed the computer core."

[G-Tech Corporation]

Into the main area Dmitri strolled, sea-green eyes curious. He had been awakened rather rudely from his blissful dreamless sleep, and the briefing had said that would indicate the time of landing. But the Russian knew the ship, knew every seam and creak- this was not a Harmony busy landing, this was a Harmony still en route. Along the cool composite paneling he padded on the supple black leather boots he favored, emerging to find several of the other notable crew members awake and conversing in the piloting area. But what caught his attention was the corpse- his mouth transitioned from lazy smile to thin line, and he approached, then squatted down before the former captain to look over the scene.

[Camelone]

"My friend I do request that you step away from the body so that I may perform his final rites." Akim said stepping behind Dmitri and started speaking in Russian "Step away so I may allow this man to have final rest and make sure his sins are forgiven so he may enter the Kingdom of God." He said a bit more aggressively as he would not allow anyone to jeopardize the well being of the captains soul.

[G-Tech Corporation]

The industrialist raising an eyebrow at the approach of Akim. Religious fanatics had no place in the universe- Dmitri was a man of God, certainly, but to allow faith to cloud reason was folly. The Lord had created both in tandem to allow man to understand His creation- one without the other was seeing half the picture.

He smiled softly and spoke to the fanatic. "I would not worry for his soul, brother. It has long since departed this frail house. I merely look to commit to memory his face, and his manner of death, for when we find his killer."

[The Grim Reaper]

Leon looked at Dmitri.

"If you see anything of note, then do bring it up. However, I must echo the Father's concerns, just for the moment, until I complete this small task."

Leon was partway through committing the corpse to a notepad, with his pen. There were a number of sketches from different angles, notated with brusque indications and connections between elements. Most of the sketches came to life almost instantly, depictions in the most simplistic sense - some were much, much more detailed, an image of the bullet wound being almost photorealistic in greyscale.

"Your patch - I forget what it means, but I seem to recall it suggesting a knowledge of engineering. Perhaps you could investigate the gun? I can contribute with some basic understanding of anatomy, accounting for my work in lifeart, but I am afraid engineering escapes me except as a collection of angles. I have already taken a brief sketch of the gun's position, and there is nothing more I can add to it that would not be better achieved with handling."