Landing Zone [N.E.A.R., FT]

[CATACOM]

"...annnnd LAUNCH!"

The FIMPS Heaven's Gate was released from its Orbit Clamp and took off towards the center of the galaxy.

"I can't believe it...a whole other hex...completely undiscovered by the advanced civilizations...and we will be the first to touch its stars." Stated Head of Security Starward B'chenti Nero.

The maiden voyage of the Foran Imperial Multi-Purpose Starship Heaven's Gate had just begun. The massive starship required about 700 personnel to maintain the 5 sections of the ship: the bow central section, outfitted for combat, the port section, outfitted for mining, the starboard section, outfitted for exploration, and the stern central section, outfitted for medicine and cargo, with the bridge on the top of it all.

The FIMPS Heaven's Gate:


"All engineering personnel, man your stations. We're going into warp in one deca," announced First Captain Tef Quro over telecom. "Commander Waro, speed us up to 90,000 Xurta per bideca. We're getting out of this system."

1.1 decas later, they had left the Petalli system. "We're out! Commander Waro, send us to warp five point two!"

"Aye, aye, sir!"

Suddenly the stars became a white blur and the Heaven's Gate took off for the next hex towards the galaxy's center.

"This is your Captain speaking," announced FC Quro over the telecom. "For those of you that are unsure, the purpose of this ship's expedition is to find a planet suitable for sustaining Robek life and/or find a planet with resources that would help Fora. Captain out." He sat back in his chair. They would probably be in the next hex in fifteen noven, and be home in about two octas. It was going to be a long trip.

[Kornosia]

///Ventorie Horde Armada Current Location\\\

With the talks still on going regarding the purchase of methane stocks from Solacias it was becoming increasingly clear that the horde Armada would need to restock its stores of platinum and other hard metals in order to prepare for their assault on the Arcturian homeworld as the current deal looking to be a metals for gas exchange. Though Dragas hated the idea of bartering it was easy to see its inevitability since most of the hot fusion cores of the ships required methane as the primary fuel source. The decision to interact and establish as trade route with Solacia wasn't popular armada wide as many of his former Warrior-Brothers in the Blood Prophets saw it as an afront to Khraawl. Dragas dismissed their whinning seeing as it was becoming nessecary to do what he was doing, and only keeping peace by promising to turn on Solacia once the deal had matured and new sources of methane could be found in great enough supply to keep the fleet running for sometime to come.

Despite this Dragas was no fool and knew that a plan needed to be enacted to ensure his domination of the Armada was not challanged. Step by step he paced around a large star map of explored systems as well as charts and readings about the surounding systems. Most of the planets mentioned only showed high levels of iron and nickle and gases which present no use to the Ventorie as a whole. That was until a single planet caught his eye and it was an easy one to miss. With a number of snorts he pulled the data pad to him for a closer inspection.

"Planet designate: ZZX-99-A1. Planet name: Aarasha. Survey accounted for rapid methane flucuations for nearly 2 weeks but readings bottomed out unexpectedly...Survey abandoned the planet as per Armada movements.... WHY WASN"T I INFORMED ABOUT THIS PLACE!" His shouted resounated throughout the halls of the already loud ship which prompted two guards to come rushing in both of whom where promptly blasted away by Dragas's Slug-thrower spraying copious amounts of thick gellious yellow blood against the matt grey walls of Dragas's meeting room. As the two guards slumpted over dead other came to see what the comotion was about. Dragas stood over the two fallen bodies and proceeded to place more rounds into their lifeless corpses, atleast until another spoke.

"Fleet-Master! What has gathered you to anger?"

Dragas paulsed as he reloaded his slug-thrower.

"This planet showed signs of methane yet was never brought before me as a possible means of exploitation. This was an error that someone needed to be held accountable for... Ready the Armada... we are going to claim this planet for ourselves!"

Without a word of protest the word was sent and the Armada was readied for the jump into the system. Ship after ship moved into its place and sent word back to the Master Ship that all preperations where complete and the ship was awaiting word to begin the jump. On the Master ship hundred of workers made ready and confirmed all was complete before sending word back to the Fleet-Master.

"Fleet Master! All ships are reporting 100% readiness for Warp Jump! Awaiting your command!" Announced one of the lower officers on the bridge of the command deck. Dragas nodded and simply waved his hand which was enough for that officer to understand to send the word to the other ships.

As a few second faded away the Armada leaped forth and vanished into Warp-Space all in transit to the small isolated system...

[CATACOM]

On the fifth noven of the journey, something went wrong.

During the routine bridge attendance, as Captain Quro sat in his chair, he began to choke. As he coughed, blood began to come out. The skin on his neck began to break open and he fell out of the chair, bleeding and shaking like a kyotan drying itself off. As his shipmates rushed to assist him, his eyes began bleeding and his blue blood found its way out his nose. He couldn't speak. By the time the medical team arrived, he was dead.

Two decas later, the Chief Medical Officer, Second Commander Boro, submitted a verbal report of the autopsy.

"It's like no disease known to Fora. This may sound insane, but...it could have been the result of a concentrated toxin affecting the nervous and cardiovascular system. I say this because it clearly had some effect on his nerves, what with the shaking, not to mention that his damn brain was bleeding. His brain. His hearts as well, all three of them. They showed multiple cuts and cracks. The coughing of blood was caused by blood leaking into breaks in his lung. I don't think this was an accident. If it wasn't, Var help the man responsible...Boro out."

Meanwhile, as the Heaven's Gate drew ever closer to its destination, Starward Nero grinned. He pulled out a small, thin vial of black liquid labeled BiAr toxin, or Bismuth Silver toxin, a liquid consisting of melted bismuth and silver. He took one last look at it, made sure no one was watching, and tossed it an energy core, incinerating it. No one would know. If they found out, they would die.