The Last Stars (IC) [Closed]

by **G-Tech Corporation** » Mon May 04, 2020 10:30 am

The Last Stars
Edge Of Time

Soundtrack

- IC -

OOC
Science Central
Starmap

THE PRESENT
- Generations 13-15 -

A Timeless Signal

For Billions of years, scientists across the cosmos were perplexed by a distant pulsar, its light redshifted almost beyond visibility, Its unnaturally slow, far away from any observable objects, seemingly stationary relative to its neighbors. Many dismissed the mistery as mere measuring error or an artificial signal. Only a few thought of it as an interesting curiosity.

Still, Millions of starships used the pulsar as a useful point of reference. It refused to go away, even after many of her sisters have long faded into nothingness. Some Navigational computers went as far as to designate it as the very center of the universe. And yet, nobody would ever bother to visit.

But as the background radiation was nearing 0K and many galaxies were extinguished by war, The outlines of a star cluster begun to show around the pulsar. It was also discovered the that cluster has an unnaturally strong gravitational field.

Eventually, some species thought the place might be worth a visit, and have sent out expeditions to map out the area. Others thought of it as safe refuge from their pursuers. Noone would hear from them again.

Finally, as the rest of the universe went silent, the cluster became the only visible object in the never ending night.
The last light in a sea of darkness. The last refuge for sentient life. Anyone with a space-faring vessel would set course to...

The Last Stars

-

A Grand Anomaly

Upon arrival in the Omega cluster, all would find out that it is no ordinary star cluster. It is in fact a giant nebula, shrouding much of the area in a blueish fog, illuminated by the light coming from within. At its very edge lies the timeless pulsar. Its redshift is no more, and its beat and spectrum now fairly average.

Looking back outside, early arrivals would see a bright universe in full motion, absolutely unlike anything seen at near light-speed travel, but the sensation would not last long. All gone, within an hour, replaced by nothingness. They would also be exposed to not insignificant levels of radiation, but nothing to be concerned about.

A general survey of the cluster reveals and outer rim of stars, only partially shrouded. It still takes some effort to locate them, but not as much as if one was to go deeper into the shroud. Once a star is located however, the shroud seems to offer no resistance to travel, save for the occasional cosmic turbulence that comes with traversing nebulae.

Those with the hardware for exploration would be aware of several stars upon arrival, possibly habitable worlds.

Those without would be left in the dark.

by **Lunas Legion** » Mon May 04, 2020 12:53 pm

The Armarda of the Forgotten
System Designate: F-0

It was odd, the silence, Adral reflected. The emptiness where half-remembered memories indicated there should be ever-distant light. How long had it been, so that everywhere would be dark? One system was very much like another, at least on the vast star chart laid out on the armoured box of a bridge aboard... He did not even remember this ship's name. Perhaps it had been daubed on the outside, once, but there was nothing left on the outside of their ships but shiny silver metal, radiation shielding long since scoured of any cosmetics by space debris and radiation from ever-distant stars.

But they couldn't stay in space forever.

Their cryogenic systems would fail eventually, automated repair sequences would become corrupted, nutrient feeds and temperature regulators would fail...

The only question was where to go, but fortunately they had a little piece of technology that would help with that. Chrona. They were odd little things, tiny blue crystals wrapped in metal, but run just the right amount of electricity through them and time itself would twist. It was relative, after all, but used the right way... Things could be done faster with no risk of loss to relativity. He didn't understand the exact science behind it, the theory; but it let them all do more within the confines of a ship powerful enough to power them.

"Power up the Chrona." The words felt alien in his too-dry mouth, holding back a spluttering cough. He hadn't gotten the knack of talking again quite yet, even if the language itself flowed naturally. "Begin charting a survey course." There were no sounds of acknowledgement, his bridge crew instead grinding into life in silent ordered perfection as the ship hummed with power. He couldn't feel it move, but instinct told him he was. He had the last remnants of a dying universe to explore after all, and it would wait for no man.

"Any destination?" Vat’a, the ship's helmsman, asked.

"Take us through all the systems." Adral said. "No particular order. We need to know exactly what we're dealing with before we make any decisions." They couldn't afford any mistakes, not with their survival on the line. Potentially not even just their own survival, but the survival of life in general. They might be the last living life in the universe, potentially. It would take a colossal idiot to risk that.

27 November 2022

Xetan Opus

Hieran studied his hypertime wristwatch, which was calibrated to measure a simulated twenty-five hour day. He knew, of course, that much more time was passing in reality, but it always moved too quickly for his eyes to follow.

How long had he been on this ship...two years? It felt like two years. At least, that was what the biological monitors informed him. He'd aged two years over a span of what was likely many centuries. Yet all the days blurred together, the daily grind of running a research vessel blending into the ceaseless black....

Now there was a solar system. Three, actually. Three systems for him to examine. At least one of them was bound to have the resources necessary for restoring Earth Colony #659b. If Earth Colony #659b still existed.

"How should we go about this, Captain?" Hieran's second-in-command, a Dano-Polish man named Svennosław, scratched his beard. He peered out the radiation-shielded windows at the three visible stars.

"First, we will do a preliminary exploration of the star in the center. It's the one most similar to Tuan, and seems to have the greatest probability of containing a resource-rich system. Beyond that--"

Hieran's watch beeped. It was a comms request from one of the physicists aboard, Luana Ping. This didn't come to him as a surprise; there was often an issue with the physics department, especially considering the most recent development. The beeping, though irritating, meant it was a non-emergency request. Still, he accepted her call.

"Good evening, Dr. Ping." He struggled to keep his tone neutral.

"Yes, good evening, Captain. There is something...well, not urgent, per se, but it still requires your immediate attention. Our monitors have picked up electromagnetic signals indicative of star systems. We're not sure yet, but there seems to be interference suggestive of planetary bodies--"

Impatient, Hieran cut her off. "Doctor? Have you checked your messaging tab recently?"

"Yes, Captain, I--"

"Your superiors made this aware to me fifteen hyperminutes ago."

Dr. Ping faltered. "No, this is a different development. This could be what saves our planet."

Her words gave Hieran pause. She didn't know the true purpose of the expedition; then again, why would she? Only he and his top officers were aware of what they were really searching for. "Thank you for your time, Dr. Ping. I will look into the data from the physics department immediately." With that, he ended the call.

How much time has that brief call wasted? he pondered. How many days? Weeks, months? He wished there was a way to slow down time....

The exploration of the central star system, which was classified as a G0, revealed what appeared to be five planets, two moons, and two asteroid belts. Now the question came as to whether Hieran should explore the system further or examine what the other two star systems had to offer.

"This...this is truly what we left our homeland for." Fourth Officer Genlian Twomatsi paced back and forth ecstatically, twiddling her thumbs. "Three star systems, each with the potential for multiple habitable satellites. And that first expedition...wow."

Third Officer Minhu Lin attempted a smile that did not quite reach her eyes. "If I may be the first to state the obvious, there are two other systems to investigate. We need to explore all of our options before we take a closer look at the planets in this one."

Hieran frowned at the master control panel. The words of his officers buzzed in his ears, but he wasn't paying attention, not really.

"How do we know if the other two stars have planetary systems? An exploration would only be a waste of time and resources," Svennosław reasoned. "I say we check out this satellite right before the first asteroid belt. If that planet proves to be inhospitable, we investigate the next one."

"That would be the same as exploring the other two systems, would it not?" Officer Lin asserted.

"Perhaps...." The word escaped Hieran's lips before he was aware of it. "It may prove wise to delve deeper into this system before studying the other two. After all, we have reason to believe these will be the only systems we will ever come across. However, investigating the other two systems may reveal potential resources not accessible in this system. It will take us more time to colonize, but we will at least have a better understanding of what we are facing." He ran his finger along the control panel, careful not to apply pressure lest he jeopardize the entire mission. "There are drawbacks to both options...if we are in agreement that we will colonize in one of these three systems, that is."

He glanced around the bridge, seeking approval from his subordinates. Hieran preferred not to engage in conflict if avoidable. "I will use our deep exploration technology on that L-system, there. We have the capacity to perform such an expedition. And...as for the K-system, I will investigate in person. Something about that system gives me...I have a premonition."

"Premonition is not a substitute for reason," objected Lin. "We must apply all of our logical capacities, as this is a very delicate situation--"

"Officer Lin, if I may." The sullen lead scientist of the physics department cleared his throat. "The signatures from our data readouts indicate something unusual in the K system. Whether this is an anomaly has yet to be revealed, but there is clear evidence that something over there is out of the ordinary."

"Perhaps we shouldn't send the Captain over there, then. If it's unusual."

Hieran offered his officers a grave smile. "If there is an anomaly in either of these systems, it does not matter if I am present. Such an object could produce catastrophic consequences if we are reckless." How much time were they wasting? How many weeks had gone by? What distant star systems were being destroyed--

"Nevertheless, I will explore the K system. First Officer Olofowski will be acting captain in my absence." Again, a grave smile. Hieran doubted he would live to see the outcome of the explorations, and he knew he would never see the end result. Perhaps an alternative version of him would, someday....

"Svennosław, execute Order 69420. We are going into the stars."

by **G-Tech Corporation** » Mon May 04, 2020 8:01 pm

"Nascency is our last chance. There are no more ports of call in the storm. No more lights left in the sky with a warm glow to chase. We stand, or we die. It really is that simple."

Rotation 5009B - Timestamped 91:80.1:170
Coordinates Indeterminate - Pending Ret. Aut. Dis.
Log Relevance: Asc. Conf. Cont.

The growling form of the Remembrance descended through the atmosphere at speed, prismatic hues of broken light flying off of her hull as she spent the last energy of her long sleep in the Space between Space. Deep within her core only a few souls were yet awake, minds returned to the netherworld by the necessities of command - their brothers still dreaming in cocoons of soft light and spun metal. The Second of Ivory watched over the parameters from his throne of obsidian glass, silent face of flawless alabaster drinking in the details of their new home as a dying man thirsts after the oasis spring.

Before him the First of Violet danced in the midst of the sea of globes that was the heart of the Nexus, a carefully picked strand of aquamarine here, a touch of emerald there, a ping of carnation to bring the descent surfaces online. Her lithe body moved with an economy of energy only one of the Firstborn could achieve, a synchronization of form and function in elegance the Makers had intended, not the crude mimicry the Architects had yet to improve upon.

Voiceless the twain spoke, musing about the trajectory of the vessel. This world, this jewel glittering in the void, was so much more than they had hoped for. Survivors, scavengers, long ago the Architects had given up on any hope of finding a place such as this, where creatures could flourish and the Shaping begun anew. They had cannibalized worlds of organic detritus, pyre-processed planets of barren rock and bone for the power to continue the ceaseless symphony of their last respite... but never looked to again gaze upon a place where the soil was green and the seas pale azure, the embrace of the wreath of life so welcome as to stir unfamiliar motions once more in the breast of the Second of Ivory, where he had never looked to feel them again.

First, across a field of endless verdant forest. From the underbelly of the Remembrance it fell, a glittering rain of silver that broke the light of the distant star. Shards of those who once were, consciousnesses within each grain of sand, a swirling echo of the ages to come. Upon leaf and bough it fell, hillock and stream, and here and there the tempest glowed gold before the sunset.

Second, across a nearby range of shattered mountains of deepest nightshade, endless snowcapped peaks that stood as venerable ancients under the stars. There the rain had a tinge of crimson, the ship high overhead reflecting scarlet the light of dying day, the fine mist settling on sighing pine forests and solitary fields of ice above where beast or bird walked. Not much to look at, a swirling tableau of weather as unnatural as any other, split intermittently by flashes of lightning and the rollicking thunder of the storm the particulate induced.

But from such humble things came many beginnings. High above the jewel of blue and green the Remembrance waited and watched, a guardian of the Seeding.

by **Piscina** » Tue May 05, 2020 7:27 am

Turn 1, 0APF-32APF

"As we go forwards, we must ensure our survival on this alien world through unity and cooperation! We are no longer Ellara, or Imyan, or Yaesuna, or members of any other of our old nation-states, but Pinnarum! We must be a united species if we are to tame this planet and reach for the stars once more!" -Steadfast Voidrider-Steadytongue-Uniter-Nationrender, first Chancellor of the Federation

Captain Faraun gradually regained consciousness, the thawing cryo-gel that surrounded her draining away as she struggled to contain her exitement. Was this it? Had the fleet finally arrived? She exited the cryopod, passed through a sonic cleanser to remove the remaining gel in her plumage, put on her jumpsuit, and finally checked the systems on the bridge. Optical scans confirmed it. The fleet was approaching the Omega Cluster, after around forty million years of travel, and almost directly on their course was a planet with hints of blue and white colour, hinting at clouds and liquid surface water. She then checked the status of her own ship, and the others in the fleet. Her ship, the Farlander, had no major problems. The huge umbrella shaped UltraSteel shield that protected the ship from impacts had acquired a large deformation at some point during the journey, probably from hitting some stray grain of sand at the near-lightspeed velocities the fleet had been travelling at. Two other ships were absent, probably having disintegrated from hitting larger objects at the same speed. She sent a communication to the other ships, and began the process of thawing the rest of the bridge crew.

by **Piscina** » Tue May 05, 2020 7:46 am

Turn 2, 32APF-64APF

"It is imperative that we establish service infrastructure and adopt other measures to improve quality of life. Failing to take care of the people is a losing proposition in the long run, and establishing robust education systems is of vital importance to the wellbeing of future generations." -Perilum Futurekeeper-Focusedmind-Peoplesorganiser, third Chancellor of the Federation

Several decades had passed. The Pinnarum had largely adapted to their present conditions. The blue light from their host star was of a different frequency than they were used to, and was strong enough to force anyone going outside to wear darkened lenses, as despite their distance from the star, its high luminosity more than compensated for that. The gravity was stronger than they were used to, and combined with the thinner atmosphere flight was impossible there. As a result, the wings of many of the settlers had atrophied and shrunk, beginning to become normal arms. Despite this, the colonies that had been set up shortly after the initial landings filled with life and productivity. Since the first landings, the Chancellor's office had been held by four different people. Many of the Pinnarum had decided to have children, and said children were now old enough to join the workforce, swelling it by an additional hundred million souls. Construction of service infrastructure had also been completed, providing work for the growing number of people on the planet and making life there much more tolerable.

The new generation considered conditions on New Lachrima normal. The impact of old Lachrima's destruction had faded somewhat, but was still prominent in Pinnarum culture. People were beginning to start new lives.

by **G-Tech Corporation** » Tue May 05, 2020 8:42 am

"Assume nothing. Hold no axiom sacred. In dogma we assumed the light of civilization would cleanse, would purify, would persist. In dogma we nearly perished from the face of the universe. Question all. Suspicion is wisdom."

Rotation 5009B - Timestamped 95:07.3:17:920
Coordinates 0014:9450 - Classification Nascency - Subclass Quintus Range
Log Relevance: Ano. Unc. Upl.

A hand rested on a sphere of brilliant cerulean, and the Remembrance gradually settled down through the layer of fluffy cloud, ice crystals forming and simultaneously shattering as her speed flaked them away. The First swam across the sea of effervescent stars, eyes of violet and mauve narrowing as the echoes of her probes returned from the skin of the world that the Second of Ivory had chosen for their destination. There was much that made sense, the familiar tapestry of creation that sang of the Divine Hand behind all to those who could hear the song - but also a few aspects which did not. Wefts in the weave, alterations by lesser artisans, abnormalities. Not in their own way a terror, an altered note here, an asynchronous note here. Curiosities.

Curiosities.

High above the ice-capped peaks the vessel of mirror-smooth silver came to a rest, invisible throwplates redirecting the energies of creation to hold her as motionless as a spider above the greatest peaks of the primordial range. One step, two, and the First crossed the pool of smoky obsidian, walking the infinite depth to a recess in the wall. A paroxysm of light engulfed her ephemeral form, a transfer of information and synchronization across the gasping void, and her eyes opened anew.

Snowflakes drifted down out of the nearly-clear sky, heralding a storm to come. A few melted upon her dark black lashes, and the First mused at the field of ice that stretched about her bare feet. A form like a man but not clambered out of a hole nearby, incarnate flowmetal inclining its head toward the Scion; all was in readiness for her inquiry. A slender hand tapered after the manner of a pianist she held upright, and in a gathering globe of pallid emerald light a small globe manifested - after a moment it caused her hand to dip slightly, physical mass making the transfer.

A more cautious individual would have descended into the pit bored by the Servitors to place the charge personally, but the First of Violet was not so untrusting. As one of the Awakened, not a memory of vanished flesh, she had no such quibbles and archaic inclinations. The fragments of her mind placed carefully below would guide it to the necessary position. With a gesture that looked casual to any observor, she tossed the pulsing sphere of silver light into the pitch-black tunnel, and then paced away from the entrance.

A breath, two breaths, and a journey of unbounded time and space. What had the ancient Bard spoken? O God, I could be bounded in a nutshell and count myself a king of infinite space, were it not that I have bad dreams.

Again the First sat upon the throne of smoky obsidian at the heart of the observing vessel, and she waited patiently as the sensors placed across the range waited for the conclusion of her inspection. A dozen sonic charges, calibrated for geological strata, detonated sequentially to build a picture of the composition and coordination of the strange tectonically-young range. If there was a secret to be ferreted from the soil, the Explorer would know soon.

27 November 2022

Xetan Opus

We've wasted more time.

The hypermorning after the initial explorations were complete, Hieran found himself determinining the vessel's next steps. Which star system offered the greatest potential for sustaining life, and among that system, which planets? He needed to establish a colony, today, lest these stars disappear outside the lonely windows of the Xetan Opus.

That was the name of their vessel. The name the rogue scientists had come to refer to themselves as. They were the final vestiges of a people long obliterated by now, along with the rest of the star system.

Hieran was no fool. He had known Earth Colony #659b was about to die. The damage caused by the Oultverians was too great, the resources too drained, the people too scattered and sick. This research vessel was, as far as anyone on it knew, the final accomplishment of the Xetanian people before everything they knew vanished.

Surely, they had been gone too long for Earth Colony #659b to still exist. Were they to return, they'd likely find nothing. The universe was expanding faster than anyone could calculate, save for the AI. The coordinates of home would be very different than they were when the Xetan Opus left.

Two planets. He would send exploratory systems for two planets. If either was sustainable, he'd make the preparations to colonize. If not, he'd either explore a third planet or implement the ship's biotech system to create a sustainable atmosphere. Either way, he had to operate quickly.

There was so little time....

by **Lunas Legion** » Tue May 05, 2020 9:48 am

The Armarda of the Forgotten
System Designate: F-0

Nothing unusual. Or, rather, nothing unusual so far. They hadn't exactly bothered to investigate deeper, instead simply conducting brief surveys to determine planetary composition. They wouldn't be able to live on a gas giant, after all. Equally, they didn't know what each planet had, it could be a desolate hellhole or a paradise in waiting. Until they observed it, both were simultaneously true and false.

He tapped his thin, scaly fingers on the edge of his seat. There was no urgency, no need to panic. They had plenty of time, and to choose a poor world to settle would be the height of idiocy. Their future as a species depended on it, after all. No stupid risks would be taken in the pursuit of science, despite his very genetics coding him to the pursuit of the unknown, the curiosity to investigate and answer.

"We survey the rocky worlds in system designates F and L." He eventually said, his free hand flicking through the haptic display of all the planets they had found thus far. They could survey the other planets, and delve into whatever anomalies they found, once they had found somewhere to settle the colony ship.

by **G-Tech Corporation** » Tue May 05, 2020 12:23 pm

"Persistence is a virtue, even as is intelligence. The stubborn man may triumph where his more enlightened fellow long ago gave up a cause as lost. Do not be afraid to spend honest labor in folly, for labor is oftentimes her own reward."

Rotation 5009B - Timestamped 95:07.3:19:009
Coordinates 0014:9450 - Classification Nascency - Subclass Quintus Range
Log Relevance: Ano. Unc. Upl.

Tremors, cracks, echoes... and a breathtaking avalanche of ice and rock. Seismic data is no longer interpretable. The ship and her crew is safe, but the experiment is ruined. Smoke and dust enshrouds the valley, causing much delay.

As visibility is restored, a monolithic metal structure is revealed where a mountain once was, about equal in size. Its rusty exterior still partially covered with soil, snow and rocks. Where the rust is less pervasive, its surface recalls memories of industrial hubs. Piping, containment tanks and exhaust ports. No signs of an entrance, although the lower parts of the monolith are still obstructed by rubble.

The avalanches had crushed a dozen Servitors, but the Explorer had no shortage of the mechanical homunculi to spare. From atop a pile of rubble the First watched introspectively as dig-teams cleared away wreckage, the sun and stars wheeling overhead. One day, two, three, seven - two weeks she sat in her position of repose, immobile as a graven image, snow wreathing her head like some ancient god and the patience of statue in her hand. Strategically, working from the last scraps of datum that had been salvaged from the sonic imaging, the hundreds of labor-forms ground and sifted and dusted away the bones of the mountain.

Who - or what - could have left such a facility buried on what was an otherwise unspoiled world was a matter which the First of Violet considered at length. Despite even the finest of extrapolations, and the speculation of the other Voidborn who were filtering the data from above through their various neural nets, no permutations that they arrived at solved the question to a satisfactory extent. There simply wasn't enough information to arrive at a conclusion, beyond the obvious, which didn't even really need stating.

Slowly but surely the work progressed, until nearly a month after the first imaging attempt, a variety of access points were unearthed. Oh, most organics wouldn't have noticed the minor aberrations in the surface of the monolith - but the First was no mere bag of bones and blood, so weak and unaltered as to scarcely comprehend the edifice before her. At length she approached the most viable entrance and played her hands over the curious apparatus, seeking some means of opening the hidden gateway that stood flush with the metallic mountainside

27 November 2022

Xetan Opus--Still Turn 2

Hieran's eldest son, Xian, lounged in the Cultural Archives during his break. Although he was (biologically) fifteen, he was already taking university-level courses and had an unpaid internship in the physics department. Xetanians often noted that he seemed to have inherited his father's intellect. In short, Xian Matsumo was what the ancients would have referred to as a genius.

His eardots were connected to the ancient music database. He'd selected the eldest playlist, which meant he was listening to music from the distant land of his long-dead ancestors from Earth. Not an early colony, but the true origin of his species. The planet that had ushered forth stellar space technology in their year Anno Domini 5270.

Despite extensive studies of long-dead Earth languages, Xian only had a rudimentary understanding of English. Most of the lyrics that rolled through his brain were beyond his comprehension. Yet he recognized the melodies, the instrumental nuances of people long ago turned into cosmic dust.

Black hole sun
Won't you come
And wash away the rain
Black hole sun
Won't you come
Won't you come

Haunting. That was the word he used to describe this song. The ominous melody seemed to hint at a dying world, an approaching tragedy. This song predated earth's initial space colonization by centures, but it was as though the humans already knew that the Universe was drawing to an end.

Xian's eyes welled. He clenched his fists, picturing his two best friends as he saw them last. Dirty and sick, their faces hollow and filled with terror, their bodies emaciated from hunger. The dread and shock they expressed when Xian informed them he was leaving forever.

How did they die? Xian wondered. How did it end? Was it from the illness? The starvation? Exposure? Was it from the Oultverian aggression? How long did they last after....

With a shout, Xian slammed his hands into the nearest table. It didn't break, didn't even bend, for it was built to withstand apocalyptic affronts. Of course it wasn't affected. Of course. The stupid thing would be around to witness the death throes of the Universe.

Why was Xian the one to live when everyone else had to die?

Black hole sun
Won't you come
Won't you come

by **Holy Tedalonia** » Tue May 05, 2020 12:54 pm

Uvik-Nal
Homeworld, Age of the Siva-Khar.
The Uvik-Nal a people unbound to the land. Raised off the food of the fields, and the way of the nomad. Long had they roamed the lands of their god. Long have they lived in content, knowing not of the world beyond. All that had changed when the Khars were brought under the heel of Siva-Khar, the Khar of Khars. He would enlighten the people and teach them of the worlds beyond. Other lands that their god, Siv-Nala, had provided them. That was centuries ago, and yet the Siva-Khar remained ruling over his people.

Now old and elderly, he relies of his many descendants in matters of administration. Using his dynastic influence to maintain stability in the great Kharnate. Chuluun Jinang, was his most trusted advisor, often delegating tasks to his most trusted descendant. The youth was to be trusted, he burned with passion and youth, that the Siva-Khar once had, and was bound by a great sentiment of loyalty.

While Siva-Khar was ruler of the nation, he often stayed in his ancient palace. The place where both he and the oracle resided. Only ever leaving when he needed to address his people, or visit relatives. Chuluun Jinang would manage the Kharnate in his forefathers stead. He represented his fathers authority and wisdom, and would often be delegated orders by the Siva-Khar himself. He knew he could not fail his forefather, nor his people. He was Jinang, the crown prince of the Uvik-Nal, failure was not an option.

by **G-Tech Corporation** » Tue May 05, 2020 1:09 pm

Beams of artificial light pierce through the darkness within, gradually revealing a labyrinth of corridors, vertical shafts and machines rooms with a purpose unknown. Inside, the rust has been overgrown by some kind of fungus, feasting on the metallic remains.

The interior's dimensions are quite similar to those aboard the Remembrance, and the the vertical shafts are reminiscent of a planetside elevator system. Although the lifts are without question inoperable, the builders have included other means for upward travel.

Having climbed several hundred floors and passing through numerous machine halls, Violet has found her way to a rather extraordinary place. Icicles hanging from above, centered around a crystal orb. A quick scan revealed the Icicles to be a mix of glass and electronics, deformed by time, whilst the orb was a sophisticated holographic display. Right around the corner, she found another room containing several identical units of an alien machine interface, the walls covered with engravings in an enigmatic language.

Violet's attempts to decipher the language were without fruition, and during an attempt to further analyze the holographic display, a freak accident involving a rather careless servitor and some cables hanging from above caused several icicles to break off and crash directly into the fragile crystals below, shattering the display.

In the end however, Violet did manage to extract the memory banks from an interface. The digital codes recovered was nearly impossible to make sense of, except for a pattern that repeatedly appeared within some sectors.

What could it be?

Artifact recovered:
Alien Memory Bank

Anomaly warrants further investigation:
Rust Mountains

"Our ancestors flourished on a thousand worlds in the midst of the tempest, ten thousand stars. Blasted wastes, jungles that ate men alive, fetid toxic swamps that dissolved the very ground on which they stood. Why should this world be any different? Bless the Makers, and their coming and going."

Rotation 5039G - Timestamped 14:91.5:22:770
Coordinates 0180:0094 - Classification Nascency - Subclass Archaic Plains
Log Relevance: Col. Est. Pro.

The Sower, the Third of Emerald, walked the dryland. Twining stalks of glistening gold turned as she paced, following her as a flower follows the very sun, her form clad in ephemeral silks of the color whose name she bore, her long chocolate-brown hair done up in braids of extravagant patterning held in place by fastenings of jade. She stretched out a hand, and took up one of the gossamer threads of gleaming gold - a meal fit for a king, a holy fusion of machine and life that sustained the Voidborn.

Now, on this, as on many worlds, the biosphere would be shaped to serve the faithful. From beneath the boughs of the great trees that had already inhabited this Eden, this paradise, silver fruits nodded where strange and exotic crops would have otherwise beckoned to the watcher. Veins of resilient silver traced their way through the bark of the trees, an echo of the mastery that had been exerted upon the local flora and fauna, and at a glance from the Sower the fruits began to fall from the branches. It was a symphony of song to walk such a landscape, that which had been bound to the will of the Makers and their hundred gifts to their progeny.

A pale rose of vivid white and red bloomed alone in a clearing in the heart of the forest, and the Third of Emerald knelt, carefully plucking the bloom. As she did so a suffusing scent of a half-remembered incense filled her senses, and the Sower laughed in that moment as another form molded itself away from the branches of one of the enfolding trees. The form smiled, his alabaster teeth flawless in the noonday sun, and his wife merely walked over to him holding the engineered blossom, pleased with the effort.

Others might reap, others might sow. The Pattern held no such concerns for those whose existence was woven into its very fibers.

by **Ralnis** » Tue May 05, 2020 2:29 pm

The Anchronox,
Gen 1

In the light of the Manifold, are intergalactic pulse was sundered by destruction. Our symphony had been left on one note. We did not ask for war, but it did not ask for our permission. We once grew in peaceful serenity and empowered ourselves in our song. Now we are but a spark in the winds of a starless void, trying to grow our song again.

-Thoughts in the Manifold

It has been an unknown amount of cycles since the last of the Anchronox had sent the last of their kind in the seedling ship. Time had became irrelevant as the stars had went away due to the destruction brought to the greedy and the bloodthirsty. There was nothing that could be measured anymore and the brainpower that the ship needed had cast aside time in exchanged for making sure that the Manifold didn't burn out. It was once great, spanning multiple galaxies but now war has burned its brilliant light to a single ship, reduced to hundreds of millions of heartbeats that are carried through the fleshwalls of subliminal speed stretched in mass towards the Cluster.

Still, as it bend reality with the last of its power that the Manifold could muster to the last dust of twinkling starlight that could save the minds. However the push to the Cluster cost the bioship dearly. It had to pull from the very souls that it was trying to connect, but it was with consent. Their minds were ever connected via the Manifold and had been aware of each other since the very part of this travel, pouring in their mental power to their very voyage and know that their sacrifice will be better for the whole.

Their sacrifice was not in vain as they pushed through and directed the ship towards a planet in system that had a suitable amount of biomass to help activate the transformation mods in the ship and start bringing out the builder drones. The ship allowed itself to be pulled in the planet's gravity well and started to scan the planet with its spores and array. It was a tropical world with a hydrosphere, suitable for advancement beyond just the constrains of the ocean. The biomass needed from this world will be the foundation of the new Manifold and the rebirth of those that had been left.

The ship crashed landed in the jungle island continent of one of the two Edens that made it beautiful in all seems. Once the ship was secured into the ground it began to detach itself and wrap around the environment as the ship started to dissolve and become large, shoggoth beings that started to get to work in fusing themselves with the flora and fauna of the lands. They fused their DNA and modifications, twisting it and imprinting it in the commands of the Manifold. The shapers were not mindless, but were akin to robots as they work their amorphous forms worked the land to make it suitable for building.

As the years went by, the first beings were revived and formed again to occupy the land. These humans who were the last of their kind, the last of the Manifold's minds that were connected in their shared ability to act as one, but in their individuality as a people. It was a strange mix of a hive mind with their humanity being placed among them still. They only looked vaguely human though and will never consider themselves such anymore, they are Anacrhonox.

The first generation of their kind were the minds that thought within the Manifold and got to work to tend to the fields. Acquiring biomass and making the first biofarms that can be used to breed more of their kind to enlarge the Manifold and to build more extensions to fully exploit the planet. As of right now the minds of the first people had been naming themselves and finding friends and even mates. It was strange for them to do so as all were equal and bound to be birthed from the spawning pools but it didn't matter, they believed to keep their human traits all the same.

Throughout the Manifold they found their sense of belonging, friendship and hope to rebuild their peoples. A collective breath of harmony wrapped around them as they start thinking of new ideas through their network. One of them was what to name the planet. A new home for them to mark the rebuilding of their people. The name Shin-Tokyo was named, a prudent name from their first city that was converted into a biological mass of urban sprawl.

The company that supported their homeworld's growth was known to have come from a city known as Tokyo so they wanted to venerate the city in name of their new homeworld. The next phase of their talks came at the expense of the new biomass that had been stockpiled. Such resources needed to be invested if they were to be of any use. The voices inside the Manifold were thinking about the growing spawn and the abundance of water in the atmosphere. They know that the obedience of the Manifold will make sure that there is no dissent in the general network but that only means through a certain range.

The plan became clear then, it would take some time but they had to keep up with food production in order to make up for the colonization efforts. Some believed that they should keep from eating the food in order to accelerate the expansion. Such an idea was met with hesitation. They were the only ones in their generation and if they were to die then so goes the Manifold. Of course such a plan shouldn't be taken into advisory just so easily when they started.

Still, they have more than enough food to send the tool Amglyas, the shoggoth blobs themselves, to build half of the growing pods and mixing connections. The Amglyas had started to come together and fuse together to make their hatchery pods and sculp the inners of the jungles they incorporate and connect with the first source of biomass. It had strained its tendrils to the buildings it was sculped from the colony ship and became like an umbilical cord that fed nutrients to the growing eggs and movement that had been growing from the sustained biomass.

The Manifold burst with the idea of it being halfway complete to being hatched and completed. This come with a reminiscent of the past. A shard of times once was. An empire the spanned beyond a death world and then grew with eldritch structures and creatures of simple memory. Yet as beautiful as the memory was, the memory was fleeting. What it did provide was the memory of their growing procedures, the use of mixing the gene mods to grow orbitals that can house the people and work on much more sophisticated forms. Things that were broken simple back in a younger age so long ago.

Such techniques can provide them the stations to stretch themselves out to the stars themselves. It was this type of building that could help in the future generations. For now the minds in the Manifold are happy, more than happy to work together to see what the future holds.

Gen 2

The second generation had grown from the vats and were adopted by the prior. They considered them children and the like but their connection to the Manifold was strong and vibrant. However this also strain the Manifold with their questions. They asked about their fractured history and found only remorse, they asked about the universe and found only dread, they asked about their culture and found only sadness.

These negative emotions is sent through the Manifold to every mind on the planet. Hundreds of millions felt the sadness of the newest generation. However it was a small pull from the network to get them to experience the joy of being on Neo Tokyo. The older generation know they will need to be brought into the fold and learn how to work within the confines of their new connections.

On the next task of building the newest extensions to the farming nodes, the umbilical cords that feed the ever expanding eggs had started to deliver the nutrients to them and watch as they evolve. The eggs started to fuse into each other, tendrils join together as they started to shape themselves in the final stages of building the centers. Already the inside looked like a city or various cities and roads together. The Manifold telling the Anchronox that it has entered the final stages of development.

It had been going with the use of food being consumed to keep up with the maintained population. It was a bit of a hassle as the food is needed to complete their need for the sake of expanding their needs. However the minds were still not going to hold back food in fear of lower productivity and even disharmony in the Manifold. They had already made their case that the network had been weakened severely and they need not weaken it with the hasten of getting their production nodes set up.

Gen 3

The final feeding of nutrients came with the hatching of the new city-growth that became an extension of the growing of new biomass. Already the extension to their nodes had the markings of their city and there's even more to be poured into a new cultural city-growth. This alone had became a great extension of the Manifold. The new generation itself had been a new strain on the Manifold as the network tries to strengthen itself from its cripple state.

It was a zero sum however as the extension of the eden had managed to induce happiness in the Anacrhonox. This helps to alleviate the network as the Manifold has to go through the hive mind equivalent of growing pains but this was because of how wounded it had become. Even if it would take more than ten generations to make the Manifold strong enough to be considered stable enough for expansions to other planets outside the core city-growth.

As of right now the people of the Anachronox had grow in some peace and quiet, rebuilding from those who have built for them prior. The Cluster was still a mystery, even this system was a true mystery. The first thing they started to understand was the need of an exploration craft to be grown. Such a thing wasn't beyond their scope to shape but they will try to work that in their schedules.

27 November 2022

Xetan Opus

Anomalous

Anomaly.

The word flashed on the datascreen. A glimmer of hope, perhaps--or a warning.

"The planet is inhospitable," Hieran murmured to himself. "But there is always the chance...." No time. No more time.

He anxiously ran a hand through his flawlessly gelled hair. Was there really any other option? Who knew if the star system would evaporate before his eyes....

Hieran squared his shoulders and set course for the anomaly.

by **G-Tech Corporation** » Wed May 06, 2020 4:48 am

The Hole in the World

The Xetan flypast of the small rocky body designated II-R had revealed anomalous magnetic readings in an otherwise devastated area - anomalous readings sufficient to pique the interest of the band of wanderers and merit a full scale expedition. Back over the baking, arid surface of II-R the Xetan ship cruised under the command of Hieran, sweeping the region to pin down the exact origin of the disruption...

And then they saw it.

A yawning gulf, a chasm descending into the soil. Nearly as regular as the design of their ship itself, a borehole had been gashed into the surface of the otherwise undisturbed mud and char, wide enough to fit a dozen exploration craft. It descended with unnatural regularity into the earth, straight down into the darkness. Scans became disrupted a few hundred meters down the shaft, blocked by heavy magnetic soils in the region, but the air samples from above the chasm told an interesting tale - trace bioaerosols could be found on the thermals rising from the fathomless depths, alongside nearly pure oxygen...

Actions!
Block it up Whatever is waiting in the depths, we have no desire to meet it. Detonate the cavern rim.
Prepare an away party Nothing like some good spelunking to solve a mystery.
Downwards ho! Pilot the Explorer itself into the depths. No sense in walking when such a wide and spacious route to the below exists.
or
Take another action...

by **G-Tech Corporation** » Wed May 06, 2020 5:00 am

Whilst the creeping growth of industry were encircling the Rust Mountain, Violet and her servitors were working around the chronometer to map the interior of this vast complex. There was much to be learned from the architects of this place. The engineering was efficient and standardized. Nothing was wasted.

Still, the purpose of this place eluded Violet. The giant cylindrical exhaust of a hundred floors tall at the very center of the structure reminded her of a hydrocarbon refinery. Everything else inside was somehow connected to it. Piping, for either liquid or gas was linking it to the machinery around the monolith, and at the very bottom of the structure, the pipes were connected to giant air turbines. Their blades sharp and made of a non-corrosive material.

There was much talk of demolishing the Rust Mountains and purify its metals for industrial use. Violet had to fight these single-minded materialists on a daily basis. Pressure was mounting to extract valuable knowledge from the site to prove her point. Stress does not help make one think.

But then... Another avalanche.

Triggered by a mining operation just across the valley. As the smoke cleared and the rubble was carried away, another rust ridden monolith was unearthed. Not at all identical to the mountain found earlier, much smaller and bulky, but with a tunnel system leading deep underground. Curious miners quickly venturing down discovered a massive underground cavern filled with Industrial-grade graphite.

Another similar structure was discovered at a construction site nearby, and another many miles away beneath a sinkhole.

The largest of reservoirs turned out to be directly below the rust mountain. Its exploitation would no doubt involve demolishing the monolith above.

This would not help Violet's case, but it was a clue nonetheless.

"Respect for those who have come before is not foolishness, not hidebound traditionalism. He who must break a thing to understand how it is made has traded wisdom for arrogance. And there is but one step removed from arrogance to error."

Rotation 5039G - Timestamped 14:62.5:89:120
Coordinates 0014:9450 - Classification Nascency - Subclass Quintus Range
Log Relevance: Ano. Unc. Upl.

The Mistress' feet crunched through the layers of shattered ice and stone unconcerned, her mind barely noting the chaotic landscape she traversed. One artifact was a puzzlement, two a coincidence, three a pattern... what did that make four? The more they excavated, the more it became apparent that there was more to learn, a redoubling of questions even as a few small answers could be found.

Fifth of Soot stalked alongside her at a respectful distance, his slate-gray coat untouched by the howling winds that gusted here and there in the lonely peaks. His concerns ran in different streams than those of the First, assigned to extract value from this pitiless range of the teeth of the earth instead of knowledge. But no member of the Voidborn was unmoved by such curious edifices, as tall as mountains, delved deep into the rock beneath their feet - they were reminiscent in many ways of the Mainframe, of Home, of the world constructed so all might flourish upon her surface in harmony.

But that did not mean the Fifth's arguments were without reason. Base metals were useful, the foundation of any society. Base metals, added to a wealth of carbon - a wealth of graphene, just itching for integration? - ah, that way was sweetly seductive. Feedstock for the lathes, for the bubbling pools of creation, the building blocks of milisteel and the spinnerets. A few controlled detonations, a past erased, and projections indicated an uptick in production worthy of an entire continent covered in the thin spires of industry which the Architects favored.

The First of Violet came to a rest at the edge of one of the avalanche regions, where some servitors were still working to clear away the most recent rubble and retrieve those of their number buried beneath the crumbled earth. A near-flawless gray surface beckoned from above where they labored, nearly identical to the structure that the First's team was already mapping, though the great palm-thick tendrils of silvery metal scattered nearby said it was also rich in useful ores. Capillary veins to some distant engine.

One of the featureless creatures climbed clear of the rubble as the others moved a block the size of a small house off of it. Crumpled features made it inhuman to look at, limbs bent at inactive angles, but others took it up and carried it off in some direction, hands fusing lightly with the construct of technology and magic, infusing it with newfound will and form. The First nodded, entanglement reaching across the boundless ether to confer lightly with the others that were overseeing this process.

There is still too much to be learned. We must understand Nascency if we seek to tame her. The Project must move forward.

Languid moments passed, the Fifth of Soot inclining his head respectfully as he awaited the decision - and then the answer came back, an atonal chorus of minds.

As you say, it shall be. Delve deep honored daughter, and tell us soon of these mysteries.

27 November 2022

G-Tech Corporation wrote:
The Hole in the World

The Xetan flypast of the small rocky body designated II-R had revealed anomalous magnetic readings in an otherwise devastated area - anomalous readings sufficient to pique the interest of the band of wanderers and merit a full scale expedition. Back over the baking, arid surface of II-R the Xetan ship cruised under the command of Hieran, sweeping the region to pin down the exact origin of the disruption...

(33)/(70)

And then they saw it.

A yawning gulf, a chasm descending into the soil. Nearly as regular as the design of their ship itself, a borehole had been gashed into the surface of the otherwise undisturbed mud and char, wide enough to fit a dozen exploration craft. It descended with unnatural regularity into the earth, straight down into the darkness. Scans became disrupted a few hundred meters down the shaft, blocked by heavy magnetic soils in the region, but the air samples from above the chasm told an interesting tale - trace bioaerosols could be found on the thermals rising from the fathomless depths, alongside nearly pure oxygen...

Actions!
Block it up Whatever is waiting in the depths, we have no desire to meet it. Detonate the cavern rim.
Prepare an away party Nothing like some good spelunking to solve a mystery.
Downwards ho! Pilot the Explorer itself into the depths. No sense in walking when such a wide and spacious route to the below exists.
or
Take another action...

Prepare an away party--The Xetanians are sending a small party of geologists and biologists to investigate the hole.

27 November 2022

Xetan Opus, Still Thriving in Turn 2

by **G-Tech Corporation** » Wed May 06, 2020 9:06 am

The Hole in the World

Prepare an away party--The Xetanians are sending a small party of geologists and biologists to investigate the hole.

Down the shaft the explorers descended, synthfiber ropes thick enough to carry their heaviest equipment spreading like spiderwebs up and down the sides of the chasm in gossamer hosts. It took hours of climbing, hours which gradually turned into days, but by the end of the first week the teams had descended almost two kilometres straight down into the depths of the world with no casualties.

Reports were curious. The shaft descended, as near as the explorers could tell, straight down into the darkness. There were no signs of machines or tectonic forces having bored the yawning gulf - indeed it was so perfectly circular that they had to rely on fractures in the stone to site their anchors and wires, for no aberrations were apparent in the monotonous uniformity. Deep within the crevasse the explorers began to report that the stone was growing slick, beaded with moisture in places, but otherwise very similar.

That was, until, they came upon the Door.

It was forbidding, massive, large enough for a starship to pass between its arc. Manufactured seamlessly into the wall of the chasm, it was composed of some highly durable material, and bore no apparent inscription, forbidding and colored roughly the hue of rust.

Hieran led efforts to bore into the surface of the Door, but their small tools proved unable to scratch it or gain any purchase. Stumped, the explorer teams are at a juncture.

Ascend. Now. Whatever is lurking down here, we do not wish to disturb the builders of such architecture.
Bring the blasting charges. Broken doors don't stop the intrepid.
Continue the descent.
or
Take another action.

27 November 2022

G-Tech Corporation wrote:
The Hole in the World

Prepare an away party--The Xetanians are sending a small party of geologists and biologists to investigate the hole.

Down the shaft the explorers descended, synthfiber ropes thick enough to carry their heaviest equipment spreading like spiderwebs up and down the sides of the chasm in gossamer hosts. It took hours of climbing, hours which gradually turned into days, but by the end of the first week the teams had descended almost two kilometres straight down into the depths of the world with no casualties.

Reports were curious. The shaft descended, as near as the explorers could tell, straight down into the darkness. There were no signs of machines or tectonic forces having bored the yawning gulf - indeed it was so perfectly circular that they had to rely on fractures in the stone to site their anchors and wires, for no aberrations were apparent in the monotonous uniformity. Deep within the crevasse the explorers began to report that the stone was growing slick, beaded with moisture in places, but otherwise very similar.

That was, until, they came upon the Door.

It was forbidding, massive, large enough for a starship to pass between its arc. Manufactured seamlessly into the wall of the chasm, it was composed of some highly durable material, and bore no apparent inscription, forbidding and colored roughly the hue of rust.

(83)/(50)

Hieran led efforts to bore into the surface of the Door, but their small tools proved unable to scratch it or gain any purchase. Stumped, the explorer teams are at a juncture.

Ascend. Now. Whatever is lurking down here, we do not wish to disturb the builders of such architecture.
Bring the blasting charges. Broken doors don't stop the intrepid.
Continue the descent.
or
Take another action.

Action: Use lasers to bore a hole into the door large enough for the explorers to pass through.

by **Aidannadia** » Wed May 06, 2020 11:13 am

by **G-Tech Corporation** » Wed May 06, 2020 6:52 pm

The Hole in the World

Western Fardelshufflestein wrote:Action: Use lasers to bore a hole into the door large enough for the explorers to pass through.

It took hours for the specialized equipment to be brought down from the surface, and then the hot work was begun - even the technicians accustomed to the devices standing back behind protective shields, the heat pouring off of the intersection of Door and coherent light formidable. Whatever alloy or composite the immense portal was composed of it, it took the better part of a day before the incipient radiation began to heat it to the boiling point, and the cherry red metal cast an ominous glow over the chasm as it began to slough away from the impact point.

At last the first section of the Door gave way, and a sudden storm of overpressure ran past the explorers and scientists. Only the most scrupulously affixed guidewires prevented the Xetans from being swept away by the wall of compressed air and water-scented vapors - but after a short period the release of pressure subsided, and the drilling could begin again.

After another day the entryway was finally large enough for the scientists to pass through the Door, and what they found beyond was a marvel indeed: an entire underground ecosystem! Vast acreages of simulated forest, faux-grassland, and other arboreal vistas stretched in all directions about the chasm, sustained by artificial lights and what appeared to be phenomenally complex interplays of fauna and flora, innumerable uncategorized species tending to the trees and bushes and filling the air with song and the flutter of wings and beating hearts.

The breach of the Door, however, appeared to have immediate deleterious effects. Even as the explorers moved through the immense subterranean cavern, stretches of lights began failing, and their pathways were strewn with the corpses of dead and dying animals. Whatever particular micro-climate this paradise had been designed to emulate, it must have been relying on a very carefully maintained equilibrium here, sealed away from the world. And now that Seal was broken... well, at least it would be useful for colonization space.

[Anomaly Resolved] (Free Subterranean Colony added to II-R if another Colony is established)

27 November 2022

Xetan Opus--Transition to Turn 3

Multiple hyperweeks were passing. As the gravity of the discovery set in, Hieran realized that there truly was potential for new life. They could form a sustainable colony. Fix the Seal (he really regretted breaking the Seal). Improve their technologies, understand the planet's resources, and, someday, fulfill the mission.

Hieran wasn't sleeping anymore. Instead, he began planning a way to colonize the underground ecosystem. They had somehow, through their explorations, violated what had been installed by an unknown race. That had never been Hieran's intent. He only wanted his people to survive.

There was a way to solve this problem of a biotechnological scope beyond what the Xetanians had ever achieved. Surely, a research colony would be able to function within the system. It would unlock the secrets of this planet over time. The Xetanian people were so ecstatic over this discovery that they had already christened Planet II-R New Xetan. Whether that enthusiasm would carry over to research and exploration, only time would tell.

"Hieran."

"What." He pulled himself away from his thoughts.

"I brought you some gea." His wife, Saian, proffered a mug of steaming liquid. "Figured you might want some of this if you are staying up."

"Oh. Yes. Thank you." Hieran did not attempt a smile; it would only betray his exhaustion.

"I was going to bed, but you may leave the study lights on. They will not keep me awake."

The surface of the planet was so inhospitable. How would a sustainable colony be established? "Goodnight, then." He gave Saian a hug.

Hypernight. The proper term was hypernight.

"Goodnight." Saian planted a kiss on Hieran's temple. "Don't forget to eat something while you're working." She exited his personal study, footsteps silent as she disappeared.

Whatever technology was there, they had broken it. Of that he was certain. They'd ruined an oasis, and now an idyllic alien ecosystem was imperiled.

Hieran continued contemplating the repercussions of breaking the Seal late into the hypernight. His gea, like much of the food that had been distributed to him lately, remained untouched. He'd grown thinner over the past hyperweeks; his cheeks had sharpened, and his uniform had begun to hang from his frame. He'd tightened his belt to the point that he would have to bore a new hole in the synthleather if he lost more weight.

Explore New Xetan. Truly, that was all his people had at this point. Explore New Xetan, conduct research, build colonies for his brethren and their descendants. Hope for the best.

If there was one thing Hieran had yet to give up on, it was hope.

by **Aidannadia** » Wed May 06, 2020 10:20 pm

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