Imperial Academy of the Psionic Arts [IC]

[Meritocratic States]

Aria Tannhauser
IAPA Campus

"My nation has always been cosmopolitan in nature." Aria shrugged "I think they'll make a law about that. Last time I heard from my mother, who happens to be a politician, they're making some kind of a law about that." she rubbed the back of her ear.

She shifted her shoulders again, moving her bag on the other shoulder. The Clank mentioned the classroom she was heading, she grinned "It seems your right." she smiled "I was almost lost when you came along." She put her hands on her pockets. and followed Norah.

[Zarkenis Ultima]

Imperial Academy of Psionic Arts
Classroom F1-B

Soon the ten minutes before the class started were up, and as the students began to enter, they would notice that the teacher in question wasn't there yet. About two minutes later, however, the instructor finally arrived, though it wasn't the person that anyone expected at all. A Zarkenian man, tall even by Zarkenian standards and with a long brown mane for hair entered the classroom. He wore an attire similar to the rest of the staff, though under his cloak's emblem there was a badge, and the cloak itself was not white, having a silvery color instead.

The man looked at every single one of the students, his presence unspokenly demanding attention, and spoke only after he was done with that.

"Greetings, students." He said, with a voice that indicated authority. "Due to certain personal difficulties, Professor Devian, your instructor of Psionic Defence, could not be here for this class. As such, I will provide the class instead. My name is Rigunvalt Maedrus, director of this institution." He explained.

"This class will teach you all methods of defence against the Psionic Arts. Since we can not guarantee that these arts will be used for benevolent means at all times, a way to defend oneself from them is an important thing to have. This class will deal with these methods of defence, as well as training to improve said methods. Now, before we begin, would any of you have any questions that you wish to have answered?"

[Starkindler]

She went to Classroom F1-B with Aria. As Politics in her age is considered highly inappropriate to debate, she didn't comment on Aria's last sentence. She restricted her steps for the human girl to be able to follow her, being 3,200 mm (~ 10' 6") tall, nevertheless, she maintained a good pace to make it to the classroom in time. She had a seat in the first row, and when she tried to activate her holographic notepad, she found out that her holographic output is also down. When the director introduced that the class will be about Psionic Defense, as a routine, she turned on her defense systems:

Code: Select all

Interface Defence Systems ... will now start!
Encryption engine.... OK
psi0 redirected to secure layer... OK
Adaptive Anti-Malware Defen&3F56C2
0E0E0E

Then, she started to hear someone else singing in her mind... For a brief moment, as her hair blinked, then a loud crack could be heard from her torso, as if a high-voltage line was being disconnected with an arc. The limp robotic body then fallen onto the table, with her hair revealing its true color, the color of unlit glass fiber.

[System-Lord Baal]

Memnet-Re arrived at class a couple minutes after the others and instantly began to rebel at the command this teacher seemed to radiate. With a flip of her headdress she sat down. Still, defense was an excellent thing to learn although Memnet-Re felt that she would be unchallenged within the Goa'uld Empire. She smiled when she thought of it.

She turned slightly to see how Norah would respond, what with her recent malfunctions. She jumped involuntarily when she heard the crack of electronics and the Clank fell forward. With a startled look she snapped her gaze towards the teacher.

"She's not dead is she?"

[The Kangaroo Republic]

Ingeborg looked confusedly at the unconscious, malfunctioning, crashed, whatever the hell she would have to call it, student who was sitting just a row in front of her. "The bloody hell was that?!" she exclaimed a bit shocked. Did her batteries die or something? Did the new teacher do that with her mind as some sort of demonstration? Well, she hoped that the robotic girl would be okay, and she didn't just have a major meltdown there. It only dawned to her a few seconds after the girl fell headfirst onto the table that there actually was some cyborg individual at this school. Well, after the shit she had seen so far, she sort of lost her surprisal at seeing these kind of otherwordly things now.

[Meritocratic States]

Aria Tannhauser
IAPA Campus, Classroom F1-B

Aria took the seat on the second row of the classroom close to the window. She set her bag aside and went to her materials and pulled out a tablet and stylus. Her headphones are put away and looked towards the window. The scenery is familiar, like the mountain-side residence in which she and her mother live during the summer. Soon the instructor arrived and she sat straight and paid attention. She then realized her first subject today is Psionic Defense.

She was about to turn to her psionic implants when she hears the recognizable slam to the table. Aria turned to the source of the sound to find the Clank on the table, deactivated.

Rising from her seat, she approached her. "Y-you okay?" she asked. She wanted to help, but her knowledge with robotics is limited to maintaining her robotic dog. Feeling her way through, she touched the synthetic's back and patted it. Not a dog, Aria. she thought, shaking her head. "Anyone know anything about robotics in here?"

[Zarkenis Ultima]

Capital City of Xevaris
Zarkenian Starport

The technicians of Garm's crew listened to what Aiwendill said and then went to study the two shapes that had appeared, as well as the lists of repairs and materials, before getting to work. However, they didn't have technology or resources to make a Wand, as Aiwendill called them, so that was out of the question. The instructions were clear enough to be understandable despite the differences in technology, though, so that helped the technicians a lot.

Shortly after the repairs began, Garm walked over and tapped Aiwendill on the shoulder. "Ms. Aiwendill, I just received instructions to escort you to the Imperial Academy of Psionic Arts. Please follow me." He said, and began walking towards the Starport's exit, while the two guards were positioned behind Aiwendill once again. They would escort her through Xevaris, and to the Imperial Academy.

As Garm walked, he pulled a small device from one of his pockets and placed it into his ear. He said and did nothing unusual afterwards, continuing to escort Aiwendill to the IAPA. After a while, he took the device and placed it in his pocket once again, only to continue on his way.


Imperial Academy of Psionic Arts

"Students, calm down." Rigunvalt ordered, and immediately most of the whispering voices that emerged when the Clank collapsed died down once again. "It is unlikely that an inorganic creature can die irrevocably, at least without being destroyed. Regardless, she must be taken elsewhere. Remain quiet while I'm gone." The director said and then, with some effort, used the Psionic Art of Telekinesis to lift the Clank. He walked out of the classroom, carrying Norah with him, and headed to the equivalent of an infirmary. Once there, he placed her on one of the metallic beds, and explained the situation to the staff members present.

Around the same time, he felt a vibration coming from one of the pockets that were inside of his robe, so he took out a small device and placed it into his ear. After several moments, he pocketed it again. Then, instead of heading back to the classroom, he used the art of Telepathy to send another instructor to the F1-B classroom, and he himself headed towards the Academy's entrance instead.

[System-Lord Baal]

The Goa'uld placed her hands on her hips and remained standing while Norah was taken out. Having recovered from her initial surprise, she turned to the two new students. She noticed one was human, and the kangaroo appeared to be more startled.

"It should be alright," she explained in a matter-of-fact tone. "She was malfunctioning earlier and no doubt fainted. Clanks can be repaired."

She swept her hair from her face with a rattle of bangles and addressed Aria proudly. "I am Goa'uld. My name is Memnet-Re." Then, she sensed the approach of yet another teacher and she sat down.

[Meritocratic States]

Aria Tannhauser
IAPA Campus, Classroom F1-B

Aria scratched her thumb as the instructor left with Clank. She looked towards the Kangaroo, who was clearly shocked, and the Goa'uld, who calmed down following the events. Sighing, returned to her seat, powerless to help. When the Goa'uld told that the Clank would be alright, she scratched the back of her neck and nodded in agreement.

The Goa'uld identified herself as Memnet-Re. She turned to her and replied "Aria," she replied "Aria Tannhauser." she smiled weakly when she detects an instructor appear on her proximity range. She then sat straight and paid attention.

EDIT: Will be away for the next 24hrs. Sorry guys.

[Nature-Spirits]

Sufan had been a bit amused when Norah had confusedly tried to explain to him in terms that she though he would understand what she was, but had simply nodded with a smile and gone on his way.
He'd then proceeded to class and sat down at the back of the class, though when the "professor" had introduced himself as in fact being the "director" he'd stood up and briefly performed a 45-degree bow before sitting down again.
Then Norah'd collapsed. He half stood up, but stopped himself and slowly lowered himself back down into his chair, expressing worry on his face and in his thoughts (which Patno replied to with a mental snort of derision) as the director took her out of the classroom.
So now, while waiting for a professor to return, he closed his eyes and immediately fell into a meditation. With ease he pushed away his thoughts and worries, his surroundings fading away. He almost felt as though he were falling, falling down through a dark, bottomless body of water with naught but him inside it. In this half-sleeping, trance-like state he mentally looked down, and saw, far below him, the ground, dotted with tents and smouldering ashes contained within small circles of rocks, and as he slowly fell closer to it, himself, standing motionless while a female Witch spoke to him, her lips moving but no sound coming out.
Suddenly he realised that he was falling faster, and faster, and the ground was coming up beneath him, and he reached up to claw his way back up, but it was no use, and -

---

Sufan had tuned out the words of the Witch several minutes ago, though he noticed her voice droning on in the background. He took another deep breath and, once again, visualised the energy rising around his body to form a bubble. He reached out again, but felt no tingle of Magick against his hand that he should have felt had he succeeded in creating the shield.
Dimly, he heard the Witch ask him if he'd succeeded.
He ignored her. Which would prove to be the wrong thing to do, really, considering that the woman simply assumed that he'd succeeded when he didn't answer and he was Magickally knocked back and thrown to the ground, the air pushed out of his lungs. His eyes flew open and he desperately tried to suck air back through his mouth; it was a few seconds before he could breathe again.
He heard the Witch grumble before she instructed, "enfatò!"
His nostrils flaring in anger, Sufan stood up and began the visualisation again.

---

He gasped, his eyes opening as he broke free of the memory to find himself still sitting in his seat at the Imperial Academy. After a few seconds of hyperventilation his breathing returned to normal, however, and he sighed as his cerebrations calmed.

[The Kangaroo Republic]

Ingeborg eyed the student, not far from her, the strange emotions she could only assume were those of fury and anxiety immediately drew her attention to the young male student. It was like he startled awake from some nightmare and was gasping for breath, which was incredibly weird given that they were in a classroom. Worried that he might be having some sort of seizure, she stood up and hurried over to the student. "You're not gonna have a breakdown too, are ya?" she asked worriedly. She saw the student's breathing return to normal slowly. "Y-y-you're okay again?" she asked. She was beginning to half wonder whether she was the only one at this school who wasn't going to have some mental breakdown on her first day. Although, she wondered whether she wouldn't already go insane in just a few hours from the emotions she could perceive from the other students having their seizures of the day.

[Michael Kenmore]

The Wraith Queen had quietly taken her seat and sat perfectly still through the Clank's "malfunction". With both hands laid out on the desk in front of her she glanced at the reactions of each student in turn remotely. She focused on the moving threads of their minds instead.

She recognized Sufan and Aria as human beings. Memnet-Re made her own species clear, and it was not one unknown to the Wraith. The Clanks had never before been seen but their kind was also known. The large rodent seemed genuinely shocked by all these events.

Turning her right hand over she quietly inspected the muscular slit in its palm and the curved fingernails. The smell of humans was obnoxious but not unlivable.

[Nature-Spirits]

Sufan was surprised at Ingeborg's appearance; he'd not previously seen anything of the sort. But, having grown up seeing strange-looking Faeries, and having become accustomed to the appearance of the Zarkenians, he quickly got over his surprise and went to answer her question with, "I am perfectly fine, thank you. I simply... recalled an unpleasant memory. Well, not really unpleasant, but not really pleasant either. xeɱ, English can be confusing." Realising that it might be considered rude to not introduce himself, the boy abruptly stood and performed another 45-degree bow, extending his right hand and saying, "My name is Sufan of what in English is known as the Nomadic Tribe of Nature-Spirits. May I inquire as to your identity?"

[The Kangaroo Republic]

Ingeborg let a tiny smile escape her, when Sufan assured her he was fine. No worries then. She took it Sufan's first language wasn't English, and nearly let out a chuckle at his overly formal manner of speech. "Well, you certainly may inquire as to my identity," she said. "I'm Ingeborg Portar. From the Kangaroo Republic." She found it a bit weird for the guy to bow, but she was not going to question the customs of his country. She shook hands with Sufan when he extended his hand, and she reciprocated his gesture with a light bow too, "Pleasure to meet ya."

[Nature-Spirits]

"And you as well." He straightened, looking down at the kangaroo with a nervous smile. "Ehm.... I hope that you don't take offence, but what is your species? Your appearance is unfamiliar to me."
Well that was rude.
Sorry, but I'm genuinely curious, and I don't know her people's customs, so she might think it rude for me to simply sit down and ignore her.
Well you don't just have to ask what she is.
Oh, blent! However, despite the telepathic argument going on between Sufan and Patno, his retained the smile.

[The Kangaroo Republic]

Ingeborg shrugged. He asked it nicer than Memnet-Re did a few minutes ago in the hallway. She turned her head slightly, giving her a short, clandestine glare, before she returned to Sufan. "I'm an eastern grey kangaroo," she said. She then raised an eyebrow when she inspected his mood change to something she couldn't understand. Was he arguing with somebody? She could just make up a second entity emanating a scolding vibe which seemed to be directed towards Sufan, as his state of emotion reacted to it. She shook her head and blinked a few times. Her sense was probably playing tricks on her. There was nobody else there, though she could swear she sensed something, and Sufan didn't seem like the type to have a multiple personality disorder, right?

[Starkindler]

"A moment, please."

The Clank then reached between her wings, and produced a small crystal from there. She powered it from one of the loose wires of the ship by using her tail, and the electric output thereof as an arc welder. The instructions flickered for a moment, then warning messages appeared within them, cautioning the organic beings whenever the step required manipulation with high-energy components of the vessel, or computer wires.

"Thank you for your patience." - she turned towards the technicians - "And thank you very much for your work."

Then she followed Cpt. Garm and the guards to the school. When they were in the city, her angel came out, and was in awe with the foreign architecture. Her mistress attempted to get her back, but she was adamant on being out, despite scolding that openly displaying their feelings might be improper. She walked into the Academy with her angel still out. As soon as she seen anyone looking like school authorities, based on an uniform, she would greet them with a curtsy, then ask for her daughter.

"Excuse me, Mr/Ms. (OOC: the appropriate) I'm looking for serial number 02F3 44CE 5EFA FFD2, my daughter. Could you tell me where's her alcove?"

[Zarkenis Ultima]

Imperial Academy of the Psionic Arts

Captain Garm led Aiwendill to the Imperial Academy of the Psionic Arts, finally stopping before the entrance, but he continued inside after a brief talk with the guards of the Academy. Once they were finally inside the Imperial Academy, they were met by none other than director Maedrus himself.

"Garm." Rigunvalt said to the Astral Captain, acknowledging him with a nod.

"Maedrus." Garm replied, nodding back. Rigunvalt then turned his attention to Aiwendill.

"Ah, yes. Student Norah Evenstar, is it?" He asked. "She is not in her alcove at this time, however. Follow me." He said, turning to lead them to the medical ward. As he walked, he began explaining the situation. "Some of the staff members reported that student Norah Evenstar was experimenting certain malfunctions. These malfunctions reached it's peak when Norah shut down in the middle of the Psionic Defence class." He explained. Soon afterwards they reached the medical ward, and Maedrus opened the door to let Aiwendill in, while Garm choose to remain outside.

---

A man with spiral horns protruding from his head, scars adorning his face, and horizontal slits for eyes hastily entered the F1-B classroom.

"Greetings, students. I apologize for some of the recent inconvenients, and hope that we can carry on normally with this class. My name is Gradian Marte and I will be substituting Professor Devian during this Psionic Defence class. Now, let's begin the class. For now, we will be focusing on the mental aspects of Psionic Defence. Naturally, for this to happen, we will need someone to attack the mind. Does anyone have any particular experience with this, or should I be the one to do so? If any of you offer to help, do keep in mind that you must control yourselves."

[Michael Kenmore]

"I believe I have such experience," the Queen said, "provided that entering and possessing another mind's perception and body is to be considered an attack." It was the longest sentence she had uttered yet. She cocked her head to one side and inhaled deeply, smelling the array of other beings in the room.

[Starkindler]

When one of the professors said the Clank's ORD in full, she stopped for a bit, and got her throat, along with her angel.

"It was supposed to be classified, however, I trust you don't know about what that name represents in the Empire. That means that the encryption engine was the first target, and either the composition engine or the emotional engine gave the command for decryption. Let's be optimistic, and..."

She did not finish her sentence seeing the lifeless body of her daughter. She ran to the metallic bed, and her angel, always giving her concealed emotions away, clasped her hand, and looked extremely worried, while the Clank herself attempted to put up a bad poker face of professionalism. She wiped her tears, and speechlessly connected her tail to Norah's.

She begin to softly sing a song to her. Her hair turned green, then glowed white with that, as an angel appeared next to her also. However, psions could feel both the presence of Norah, and her angel also, and could easily discern that she was a psionic illusion. However, she was also displayed by the Songstress' holographic projector, along with Ms. Aiwendil's angel, and a holographic interface. The Songstress' angel clasped her hand in pride, when she joined in the chorus, sung by three: Norah, and the two angels, while Eve kept up with the main theme leading the group, and watched the two sigils being drawn.

At the end of the song, most holograms were dismissed, and she disconnected her tail from the Clank. Norah's hair went blank, and both presences disappeared. The limp body was lifted by the winged Clank, with the aid of her tail, and her angel, who now radiated with pride.

"In the Empire, I would have to say that she is to be disassembled. She is, but here I would then reassemble her. Most of the power and the power control system is ruined, she made modifications to her food system, which need to be integrated, fifteen trillion gates need to be replaced, along with the entire power supply of the psionic interface. Oh, the operating system is to be rewritten, as now, they draw two sigils.

The malfunctions has been caused by she overexerting herself in... if I read the data correctly... Telekinetic Training. From her data gained, I will redesign her interface to allow raw psionic wave-table synthesis. I must note that she, operating at her design parameters couldn't have lifted anything, her interface was designed with only communication in mind. This overload has broken the seals I have placed on her egg, then she manifested an Angel. The process started about five hours ago.

She had cut the control wires in time to prevent a catastrophic meltdown, and efficiently utilized her computing resources, including Safe Mode to prevent irreparable software damage. In her situation, she, and everything around her being alive and repairable, and mostly, her keeping up a high level of function is unbelievable. I have placed this log in the Songstress' ACK signature preventing her disassembly.

I'm sorry for the downtime she experienced and she will experience. Repairs would take the remainder of the day, she would most likely be ready at 0600 local time. Cpt. Garm, would you please escort me to the storage yards? Where you keep her and her encumbrance? As per standard procedure, there are where spare parts and tools are kept we sent with her."

[The Kangaroo Republic]

Ingeborg eyed the wraith. Was she seriously going to volunteer for this. There was just no way in hell she was ever going to voluntarily let her even come near her mind. She honestly couldn't trust her for even a single bit. Already from the first moment she saw the wraith, she felt creeped out by her emotional patterns, which was to say, they were as cold as she has ever registered. Well, she was certainly not going to volunteer to be the first one to let her break into her mind. She took her eyes off the wraith, and instead tried to make herself less noticeable, passively staring out of the window.

[Zarkenis Ultima]

Garm was rather perplexed by Aiwendill's request, since it was not quite as appropiate to ask him to escort her to Norah's quarters as it would be to request the same of Maedrus or any other staff member, though he did not let this show. It was due to this confusion that he looked at Maedrus, as if asking him about the situation. And in fact, that is what happened. After a relatively short psionic conversation with the Headmaster, the Captain received Norah's keycard from Maedrus and then turned his attention to Norah once again.

"Of course, Ms. Aiwendill. This way." Garm stated, and then headed out of the medical ward, which was one of the rooms that were accross the Academy's entrance, on the first floor. Afterwards, he turned to one of the sub-buildings that were to his left and to his right, and began walking towards it. After another short walk they reached Norah's room, and Garm opened the door for Aiwendill to enter.

---

Gradian listened to the Queen's statement, and nodded once she finished. "Yes, forcibly wrestling control of a person's body from their mind or altering their perceptions would certainly be considered as a psionic aggression. However, I do not think it's quite an appropiate aggression for the purpose of this class, so I suppose I will handle this myself. Now, is there a student that wishes to volunteer themselves for the sake of a demonstration? I guarantee that this is perfectly safe."

[Michael Kenmore]

"I believe I would volunteer," the Wraith Queen said in her same unhurried manner, as if she would be every bit as willing to be attacked as to attack. She had been looking at the students who had just started classes with herself, but she rolled her eyes around to gaze at Gradian. "This class seems to go through an unfortunate amount of teachers," she observed almost irrelevantly or not.

[Meritocratic States]

Aria Tannhauser
IAPA Campus, Classroom F1-B.

Aria rested her chin against her palm as the Wraith volunteered herself to the instructor. She wanted to volunteer but was unsure whether it was safe or not. Looking around the classroom, she looked at the fellow students with her before turning back to the chalkboard. 'Okay... Maybe I'll just watch for now.' She thought as she watched the Wraith walked to the front of the class. Fixing her seating position, she took her tablet and stylus and prepared to take notes.

[Zarkenis Ultima]

Imperial Academy of the Psionic Arts
Classroom F1-B

Gradian watched as the Wraith Queen stated that she would volunteer even if it was only for a demonstration, and on the defending side. It appeared that she would be satisfied with either role. He then listened to her comment about the ammount of teachers that had been in the class thus far, though they were only two. Three if they counted Devian, who was having difficulties and thus could not show up that day.

"Ah, yes. There have been some difficulties as of late, such as the one that happened a few moments ago." Gradian stated. "But anyways, if there are no other volunteers, then I will accept the Queen's offer." He said, turning to her. "Please concentrate and form a psionic shield around your thoughts."