Call of the Void [Closed, Sovereign Charter Only]

by **Myraxia** » Sat Jun 08, 2019 7:26 am

The Object arrived without warning or fanfare. It was first detected by a Myraxian Deep Space Radar installation in orbit of the planet Origin, but within minutes reports were being rushed onto desks all over the Charter. Rapidly being determined as Extrasolar in origin, many assumed the worst - a repeat of the First Contact War, wherein a vast alien Federation invaded the planet several years before. Bunkers were prepared, governments relocated, whatever assets the nations of the Charter had in space rushed to ready status. But then, further reports began to be delivered.
The Object was slowing. Slowing rapidly. Before long it had stopped completely, just inside the orbit of Origin’s second moon. It hung there in space, motionless and inactive. The first images were transmitted to the surface by a telescope mounted on the exterior of Quvarond Station, a captured asteroid hollowed out into a permanent orbital base by the Myraxians. For the first time since it had entered the periphery of the Origin system, the leaders of the world laid eyes on The Object.
It was circular, seemingly constructed from some non-reflective material, a ring of alien material that spun in such a way that it always maintained the same orientation relative to the ecliptic. And yet, for all the unfamiliarity of the construction and material, it was what lay inside the ring that captured the interested of scientists and observers all over the planet below. For inside the ring, as far as any instrument planetside or in space could discern, was nothing. Not merely the void of space, but something far emptier - sheer nothing.

Questions abounded regarding the object. Where had it come from? Who had built it? Why was it here? Was it dangerous? Answers, beyond speculation of course, were few and far between. Three days after The Object had arrived, acting on behalf of the international community, the Myraxians shot an automated probe into the Void within The Object. It vanished from all sensors, as had been fully expected, no telemetry being received or any sensor readings of any kind. There had been no change in data as it crossed the boundary of this Void - one moment the probe had been there; the next, it was not. The various scientists who had been monitoring the probe wrote it off, and returned to remote observation.
The unexpected part came twenty one hours later, when the probe reappeared and immediately began transmitting data. The probe’s data revealed something astonishing - in the moment that it had passed into the Void, it had found itself somewhere else entirely: the periphery of an entirely new, apparently uninhabited, star system. Pulsar triangulation revealed something even more extraordinary - this star, with its attendant planets, lay far beyond the galactic fringe. A rogue star was rare, but one with a planetary system, let alone one as densely populated as this, was unheard of. The probe’s report saved the most extraordinary to last - from it’s brief survey of the system, many of the planets appeared habitable
It would seem, most scientists agreed, that the Void was in fact some kind of wormhole. And with such a potentially rich system now so easily accessible, a scramble for territory was considered to be all but inevitable.

Rules

- Sovereign Charter only, but you're welcome to join the region if you want to participate!
- There are no sign up sheets, characters should be described and named in their posts.
- Feel free to describe, customize your environments. This is your story as well.
- There is no such thing as god modding, only poor writing, let’s write a great, exciting story. Other writers will let you know (or I will) if there's a problem.
- Keep posts to a reasonable length, paragraph (with space in between) as needed.
- One post a week at least please.
- Any questions? Please ask me, Myraxia
- Ruleset Shamelessly stolen from Enfaru
- Maybe this will be the Space RP that doesn't flop. Who am I kidding?

by **Myraxia** » Sat Jun 08, 2019 7:28 am

List of Planetary Bodies:

Apate (G Class Star)

Apate 1: Molten World - Habitability Rating 10%
Resources: Unknown
Notable Features: Claimed as 'Kremen' by the Slavacian Federation, Hosting the Zarya-2 Orbital Station

Apate 2: Toxic World - Habitability 0%
Resources: Unknown
Notable Features: Unknown

Apate 3: Temperate World - Habitability 80%
Resources: Unknown
Notable Features: Claimed as 'Epiphron' by the Dominion of Drekhi

Apate 3A: Forest Moon - Habitability 80%
Resources: Unknown
Notable Features: Orbitally visible ruined structures, Claimed as 'Goldguard' by the Principalities of Aurum

Apate 3B: Barren Moon - Habitability 0%
Resources: Unknown
Notable Features: Unknown

Apate 4: Oceanic World - Habitability 60%
Resources: Unknown
Notable Features: Megafauna; Claimed as 'Neptuna' by Asgar/Rome Space Exploration

Apate 5: Gas Giant - Habitability 0%
Resources: Unknown
Notable Features: Unknown

Apate 5A: Temperate Moon - Habitability 80%
Resources: Unknown
Notable Features: Claimed as 'Yaldvurst' by the Iryllian State

Apate 5B: Temperate Moon - Habitability 80%
Resources: Unknown
Notable Features: Claimed as ‘New Myr’ by the Myraxian Union

Apate 5C(b): Planetary Belt
Resources: Unknown
Notable Features: Claimed as 'Ašrati Kippatim' by the Atrahasian Republic of Shuraya'

Apate 5D: Temperate Moon - Habitability 80%
Resources: Unknown
Notable Features: Claimed as 'Nykhtis Nauvi' by the Noctish Realm

Apate 6(b): Asteroid Belt - Habitability 0%
Resources: Unknown
Notable Features: Conflicting claims by the Valarisk Imperium and Asgar/Rome Space Exploration

Apate 7: Gas Giant - Habitability 0%
Resources: Unknown
Notable Features: Unknown

Apate 7A: Ice Moon - Habitability 40%
Resources: Unknown
Notable Features: Claimed as 'Hell' by Asgar/Rome Space Exploration

Apate 7B: Ice Moon - Habitability 40%
Resources: Unknown
Notable Features: Presently hosting a Research base operated by Asgar/Rome Space Exploration. Unclaimed.

Apate 7C: Barren Moon - Habitability 0%
Resources: Unknown
Notable Features: Signs of artificial landscaping

Apate 8: Dwarf Planet - Habitability 25%
Resources: Unknown
Notable Features: Unknown

System Map Coming Soon

by **Auruum** » Sat Jun 08, 2019 10:00 am

It was a swift wave that washed across the Charter. When news from every nation’s space program reported the object so close to one of the moons, the reports from the Myraxian probe. And when the return ping spoke of an extra galactic star flush full of planets, asteroids, and moons, Aurum became a frenzy of activity. The brightest minds from all over the Principalities pitches their designs for manned space craft, Corporations made their requests to sponsor programs, and volunteers from all over nearly clambered over one another for a chance to see the new Apate system.

The Ascendancy cannon saw a lot of use in the months following the discovery. Communications relays, Highly advanced sensor probes, and finally, one marker. As it stood, Aurum had a probe orbiting Apate 1, 3A, 4, and 7C, with another probe reporting data on the Asteroid belt as well.

The Marker, a small landing drone that broadcasted Aurum’s official claim to the planet it was currently sitting on, was resting on Apate 3A, redesignating it as ‘Goldguard’, named after the biggest contributor to the Colonization effort, Meex Goldguard.

And now, Aurum’s first Manned Spacecraft to enter the wormhole gateway plotted a course for the forested planet, aiming for a small clearing between two rivers, just a few miles from one of the ruins. The craft was packed with everything it needed to set up a permanent base. Not quite a colony ship, But it was a start. Around a thousand or so crewmen and women, Of all races within The Principality, many were scientists, engineers, technicians, Archeologists (Who now we’re called Xeno-Archeologists, they were all too eager to point out), And a few mercenary personnel for security. Using the data from the probe they had sent to the planet, several vehicles were created to assist in surveying, exploring and logistics.

Goldguard had an atmosphere comparable to Origin’s with a gravity about two-thirds of that found on Origin. The environment was fairly stable, very little seasonal or climate changes were observed outside of some areas getting more rainfall than others. The moon was nearly completely covered in in a great canopy only broken up the occasional clearing, mountain, lake, or ruin. Despite the generally calm and peaceful weather, much of the moon was bathed in an eternal shadow below the canopy. The Probe could only gather so much data from orbit, and so it would be the duty of the Pioneers on board to fully catalog the findings on this moon.

One such Pioneer, one of the Xeno-Archeologists, a Goblin by the name of Rixxi Smughammer, was practically vibrating in her seat, eagerly waiting for the craft to land as it approached the green moon. She looked at the image of Goldguard on her Slate Tablet, zooming in on one of the ruins that was seen from space, a large complex of some sort, prof of a civilization’s work here, and bound to house some ancient secret or treasure to discover and study.

She just could not get her boots on the ground fast enough.

by **Iryllia** » Sat Jun 08, 2019 8:23 pm

"So it's a... What?"
"An Out of Context problem. Capitalised for emphasis. Sir."
"And what does that mean?"
"It means... It's an out of context problem?"
"And what in the bloody fuck does that mean?"
"Well, uh sir, it means it's a problem outside of the context of well... Everything we know."
"Like aliens?"
"No no, we know about that. Something that utterly violates all known understanding of universal principles. Something that is entirely unknowable. We only know it's there from what we can't see. Something that if we could merely catch a glimpse of it would funda-"
"Yeah yeah, can we use it as a weapon?"
"What? Were you listening?"
"No, can we use it as a weapon?"
"Ah... No..."
"Can the Myraxians?"
"No..."
"So why the fuck are you telling me?"
"Because it's opened a wor- A hole, in space, to another place. A doorway if you would, to another system. Which we can travel too instantly and it's got habitable worlds in it."
"And...?"
"Well... Uh, sir. The Myraxians got there first."
"Well what are you blithering on about! Get on with it man!"

The Ship was rickety by Iryllian Standards, a deathtrap by anyone else's, shook violently as it hurtled through the bleakness of space. Thrown together in record time. Record breaking in of the fact it was the first one on record. It carried five hundred brave and very, very foolish souls on a one way trip to the system known as Apate, the first moon of the 5th planet had been identified to be in prime orbital alignment for the deathtrap to ~~crash~~ forcefully land on. The ship was named Arvus. Why? Someone at the dockyard thought it sounded nice and it stuck. On board were enough souls, food and supplies to hopefully last until they could build another one and send it that way. Provided they didn't all die on landing, which they very nearly did.

Luckily however for this narrative perspective, it all went swimmingly. The ship broke up in atmosphere almost exactly as planned. Everyone landed safe and sound, which was also, almost exactly to plan. The supplies dropped intact and even the wheel of fine cheese the first officer had smuggled aboard survived the journey with only a slight bit of battering. Like everyone was saying. Almost, exactly to plan.

Only a few people knew the entirety of that plan. A triumvirate of three officers, a Brigadier Kreppes, with a few dozen security detail and several more back-line fops under his command, Commodore Rale-Faust who had neither ships, or the facilities to construct them and an Air-Commodore Pollisova who to their name had a pair of aerial survey drones and little else. With them many of those exploratory or scientifically minded. This was a colonisation mission after all.

A pair of weeks past, construction was on going. The first communications had been established as well as a basic power grid and the beginnings of what was necessary to survive. No one had thought to name the colony. A lot of people had honestly expected to burn up during the entry process so all in all, living day to day wasn't so bad. The future was then, lets focus on the now they said to allay their worries. Suggestions had ranged from Falkhursts land, to new Iryllia and other more inappropriate names. Some majestic, some camp. Others entirely unsuited. In the end, the name of the colony was settled upon. Yaldvurst. A name who's original meaning had been lost to time, most viewed it as a quaint saying of old Iryllian. In actuality it roughly translated to "Disaster" but in a wholly worse and more horrible way then we view it today. Like how saying the apocalypse is a disaster. Undersells it a bit don't you think?

The Triumvirate met under the stars, bright and alien, at the end of the second week. Though the term was highly subjective and really didn't mean what it did before, they all used it to preserve their sanity.
"So," The Brigadier started, "Progress is going well. I suspect we'll be able to receive visitors within the month."
"Well, about that." The Air-Commodore, "Space Forces Command said estimates on the next ship would be six months. Unmanned equipment and supplies in two."
"So we have two months! What's the hurry Pollisova!"
"No worry Kreppes, just making sure you're aware of the facts."
"Good good, Rale? What about you?"
"Business as usual, though, monitoring the sensor array we got working last night. I uh, well, we're not the first ones here right?"
"No, command said something about goblins?"
"Ah who cares."
"Yeah alright Pollisova, Anyway, you were saying Rale?"
"Well, if I've been reading this right..." And he looked up into the night sky, the sister moon hanging low and dark in the sea of stars.
"Well... There are bloody Myraxians on that moon over there!"

by **Myraxia** » Sun Jun 09, 2019 4:48 am

Myraxian Union

For the three days following the successful return of their probe through The Void, a series of Myraxian launches took place, rockets carrying cargo payloads into orbit from a number of hastily constructed auxiliary launch sites in Northern Epilo - the primary launch site on the Grayhaven Peninsula remaining out of action following an Acadien aerial strike on the facility some weeks before. These payloads were left in close orbit with Quvarond Station, the rockets themselves falling back towards Origin on deteriorating orbits - these were cheap, one shot rockets built for purpose and with no further use remaining. A vessel - the first extra-orbital warship ever built by the Union, constructed many years before in fear of a repeat of the First Contact War - was brought to full readiness; for the first time since it's shakedown cruise, the Noha Sonda'ryr [International: Victorious Star] would leave it's berthing. Built as a carrier, most of the external docking ports designed for the highly advanced orbit-capable strike craft would instead carry large, vacuum-sealed cargo containers; carrying everything from Myraxian colonists expecting a brave new world to 3D printers and a disassembled nuclear fusion reactor. It would also carry two atmospheric-capable shuttlecraft, more repurposed designs from previously abandoned programs designed to both transport the colonists and supplies from the carrier to the surface of their new home, as well as conducting manned exploration missions of the surrounding system.
Command of the colonisation mission was given to Colonel Cassyr 'Cass' Argyn, considered an up-and-coming figure in the ranks of the Myraxian Orbital Force, who was given full discretion to transfer any personnel she wished from whatever branch of the MCF they happened to currently be assigned to, into her own detachment. She ended up with a mixed force, mostly Pioneers but also a company sized contingent from the Orbital Marines under a Captain Mihay Demyn, who would also serve as her executive officer.

Their departure, four days after the probe’s return, was a moment of great fanfare across the Union. The first Myraxians deployed beyond the confines of the Origin System - the Orbital Force had never attempted something so ambitious. Even now, entirely new doctrines of interstellar logistics were being drawn up - maintaining even the initial colony mission of some six hundred personnel would be something never before attempted, let alone the follow-on missions once the initial settlement was established. But in the moment of departure, all that was forgotten - the smiling faces of the colonists as they boarded the shuttles, the roar of afterburners as they punched into the midday sky to make their rendezvous with the carrier. Quvarond Station piped the traditional ‘Patrol, departing’ signal in the clear as the Myraxian vessel made it’s final approach to The Object. A final message of farewell was cut short as the carrier crossed the threshold of the Void, and then it was done. Well, done for those left behind, at least.

For those in Colonel Argyn’s crew, however, the work was just beginning. A few days filled with tension and excitement crammed into the passenger bay - really, just a cargo container refitted with seats - as the Noha inserted itself into orbit above Apate 5B, followed by a further wait as the ship’s crew verified the initial scans and confirmed the colony site. Once this was complete, however, shuttle flights could begin, and first ground was shortly thereafter broken. The first settlement, imaginatively (and optimistically) named ‘New Myr City’ was established on the eastern coast of the moon’s primary continent, in a sheltered bay surrounded by mountains - both creating, Colonel Argyn’s personal report back to Origin would go on to state, an easily defensible position and allowing easy access to whatever resources could be found underground here on New Myr. A central administrative compound, housing twin landing pads for the shuttles, the colony’s fusion reactor as well as communication and detection equipment, along with various offices, served as the hub for the new settlement, along with temporary dormitories until more permanent and personal domiciles could be erected. It’s transport mission complete, the Myraxian ship remained in orbit, lending it’s more powerful sensors to aid in surveying their new home paired with reconnaissance overflights from the colony’s two shuttles.

Gamemaster

Apate 1

Probe Results: Molten surface of Apate 1 revealed to be almost entirely comprised of hitherto unknown iron/nickel alloy, in liquid form. Deep scan results inconclusive.

Apate 3A ‘Goldguard’

Initial Survey Results: Ruins, towering and cyclopean, will require extensive investigation. It appears the structures continue subsurface. Local fauna features dog-sized spider and beetle analogues. No contact with sentient life. No threats to colony.

Apate 4

Probe Results: World covered in Origin-equivalent water, albeit with a lower salt content than equivalent Origin oceans. Initial contact with oceanic Megafauna - shark and whale analogues, largest thus far recorded being 70~miles in length.

Apate 5A ‘Yaldvurst’

Planet is seemingly devoid of animal life above the microbial level. Cause unknown. Flora appears unaffected. Unknown mineral discovered - initial analysis describes structure similar to crystallised crude oil. Further analysis required for more details. No contact with sentient life. No threats to colony.

Apate 5B ‘New Myr’

Unknown mineral discovered - initial analysis describes intense, localised magnetic field generation. Further analysis required for more details. No contact with sentient life. No threats to colony.

Apate 7C

Probe Results: Analysis of stellar wind drifts indicate that planetoid has been undisturbed for at least 500,000 years. Initial evidence of artificial landscaping confirmed as non-natural.

by **Auruum** » Sun Jun 09, 2019 11:37 am

The Landing was a resounding success, The Pioneers of Goldguard quickly set to work establishing their new home away from home, raising pre-fabricated and collapsible buildings, and setting up a small inflatable tent city just far enough from the space-craft to avoid being blown away by it’s launch. Soon a Launch pad would be constructed, where future craft would land and take off from, cargo was unloaded and sorted to their respective places, Vehicles were assembled and before long, a small base of operations was made.

=============
Diary of Dr. Rixxi Smughammer.
Entry: 0529 ‘Day 1 on Goldguard’

“This is the single greatest day of my life, therefore I am going to indulge my pride and tell my good for nothing ex to eat shit and die for saying I wouldn’t amount to anything special digging up old bones and rocks. I’m on an alien world, soon to be looking over more bones and rocks, while your back home working at your dad’s fishery.

Loser.

Anyways, This is the coolest thing I could ever experience. The gravity is a little weaker here so it’s a bit disorienting, a small hop to reach a tall shelf sends me up a little farther than I plan, but nothing a little getting used to wont fix. The Base is coming along nicely, just a few finishing touches for power and plumbing and then we can finally get the ball rolling. Already they are sending small teams out to study the surface, but we can’t go too far just yet, not without vehicles and everyone busy still building our home.

*Fig C Daytime deeper into the forest, various flora and fauna have bio-luminescence, making for a beautiful if alien landscape.

According to the first two survey teams, Beneath the canopy is a dark and shadowy world, not unlike our own underground capital. The sun barely ever touches the ground here. The local flora and fauna appear to have developed bio-luminescence, atleast some have. The Bi-Sorry, Xeno-Biologists have already cataloged several large insect species, similar to the beetles and spiders of Origin, but bigger, dog-sized even. Requests are already being made for containment spaces, so that specimens can be gathered for study, or adoption if rumors are to be believed.

*Fig D Beetle Analogs, observes moving like a herd of wild cattle. The larger specimen is presumed to be the bull, a breeding male protecting the group of presumably female beetles as they move across the forest floor. He(?) is estimated to be the size of a mastiff or malamute dog

*Fig E Either a female (Or Male) of the same species or an entirely different species being herded by the larger specimen. These brightly colored and glowing specimens are estimated to be the size of a bulldog. All observed specimens have a love for eating the many glowing fungus that grows on the base of the trees here. Samples are to be gathered where possible without agitating them.

A few survey drones sent us images of the ruins. They are not the shiny and smooth metallic obelisks that most thought they would be, vaults of advanced alien technology. Nope. Just stonework. Granted, whoever built them definitely knew how to put the rocks together. When the base is more secure they are going to send a few teams over to the nearest complex. I cannot wait.”

*Fig F The Ruins, particularly an underground entrance found near the central tower of the nearby complex. Further investigation is on it’s way.

=============

Soon enough the base was complete and the vehicles and survey teams were prepped and ready. Piling into one of the newly assembled Dragonfly VTOLs. A number of Xeno-Archeologists and Security troopers were taken above the canopy towards the closest ruin, several of it’s towers rising above the near endless sea of green leaves. Rixxi once more vibrates in her seat. This bird could not fly fast enough.

*Fig G Goldguard Dragonfly VTOL craft.

Meanwhile, another team drove in the rover, exploring the twilight beneath the canopy. Taking plant samples and snapping pictures of various flora and fauna. Most of the time, lamenting their inability to capture specimens at the moment. Still, it was a strange new world...

*Fig H Goldguard Off-road rover.

by **Nocturnalis** » Sun Jun 09, 2019 1:53 pm

The same wave of flurry and excitement that had gripped much of Origin quickly reached the halls of Neustri. While a not-insignificant portion of Nocts were not too keen on space exploration, the most religious of them calling such acts nothing short of heresy, the more strategic-minded within government, scientific, and military communities almost instantly realized the potential value in securing entire planets for the realm – and the potential value it might have to its enemies. With that in mind, weeks were devoted to the construction and deployment of unmanned spacecraft and probes to explore the new-found system, only the first generation of spacecraft that would inevitably flood into the Apate system in the years to come.

It took days of travel for the first wave of probes to find a planetary body deemed suitable for future exploration and eventual colonization, a temperate world orbiting a gas giant – officially designated as Apate 5D. The discovery of a new world capable of supporting large-scale human colonization led to a boom in the field of exploration and space travel. A fault in the navigation computers led a large chunk of the second wave of unmanned probes failed to reach the temperate world, instead finding themselves millions of kilometers away and in an entirely different biome – the moon identified by earlier Myraxian probes as Apate 7A. The troop of probes on the temperate world quickly got to work in exploring the planet's surface, their movements being directed by - and data being sent back to - controllers an almost impossibly-large distance away.

On Apate 7A, near-frozen probes swept slowly across wastes and mountains of ice and snow, occasionally battered by seemingly endless snowstorms. Life in the frozen north of Origin was harsh enough as it is, though with tremendous difficulty the effort could be successful. Nevertheless, the decision was made to focus efforts on the temperate moon, while letting the probes continue to explore the ice-world for as long as they could survive the coldness. Eventually, a manned expedition would have to be prepared to scout the ice-world more thoroughly, but that would not be for a long while.

A few months of unmanned exploration followed, delivering precious information on the barely-known terrestrial body. The temperate moon - as it was now called, given that it orbited a gas giant - was covered in forests, hills, and mountains, vaguely akin to those found on the Noctish mainland and the northern fringes of Eristys. A cursory scan from space showed several large continents were divided by even larger oceans, and both gravitational and atmospheric conditions sufficiently close to those on Origin. In the meantime, a proper exploration and colonization vessel was carefully constructed back in Eristys - the island-continent having become a flurry of activity since its location gave plenty of room for spacecraft to be launched without worry - and shot forth into the barely-known. This colonization vessel carried its valuable cargo - roughly one thousand five-hundred colonists in total, including crewmembers, along with a paltry count of vehicles and enough supplies to survive for a period of two months - to the temperate moon. A suitable landing location was found in a clearing along a large, tumultuous river among the large forests of the planet's largest continent, and the ship issued forth its occupants onto the new land. A transmission was sent back to Neustri, informing the entire Noctish nation of the ostensible success of their colonization mission, as well as a prospective new name for the moon - Apate 5D would now be called Nykhtis Nauvi.

by **Iryllia** » Sun Jun 09, 2019 5:33 pm

"So, it's a wormhole?"
"Well... Yes? But not really. It's our best guess at the minute."
"Meaning you have no idea."
"Yeah pretty much, can I ask what happened to the last guy?"
"No."
"Alright... uh, sir?"
"Yes?"
"We're only calling it a wormhole because well... It's a hole to another bit of space. Where it is we have no idea. It'll take us years to determine the star positions and that's even if it falls within the bounds of the observable universe, and each pixel of the image we have to adjust for potentially trillions of years of stellar drift. We probably will never have any idea where that place actually is."
"Right."
"And there's another point which has been concerning my team..."
"And that is?"
"Wormholes don't move. Wormholes don't accelerate or decelerate. Or just happen to fall into a perfect orbit with the second moon. Wormholes aren't completely undetectable yet allow unmolested travel through them."
"So it's alien?"
"Everything is alien, this would be alien to the aliens. This would be alien to the very gods themselves."
"How very dramatic, what does that actually mean?"
"It means we won't know a damn thing until it does something."
"And will it?"

The Colony could almost be described as idyllic. A large river ran near by into a not so distant ocean, open plains by the river banks gave way into sparse woodland and gently rolling hills. Like a post card, or those old travel posters you saw in Iryllian train stations waiting for your usually late train. The Aerial survey team had began forming a topographic map of the area, displayed on the only slightly faulty holographic table in the centre of the base. Word was with the next ship inbound it would detach four satellites to both assist with mapping of the moon, as well as maintain full communications across the moon. It was due soon.

The Geological survey team had turned up something interesting. A very excited looking captain was explaining their finding to Kreppes, who was mostly blanking the man. "So, we expected mineral deposits in line with what we'd projected for a planetary body of this size." The man babbled excitedly, wild hand gestures flying all over the place. Kreppes nodding blankly. "But we found something unusual. A purplish looking substance, Crystalline in structure. It's under our feet pretty much wherever we look but until we can get the heavy duty geological survey equipment in with the next shipment we can't determine the true scale of it."
"There's a but in there isn't there?" Kreppes asked on autopilot.
"Yes sir, for a long time, we used whale oil for light stuff like that. Bit of Paraffin. But as time passed, we found oil in the ground. The locals sold it to the government for a packet of biscuits and a high-five. Just a bit of lamp oil you know? That oil fuelled the latter industrial revolution. Even though we have largely begun to move to nuclear power in recent decades and the large deposits of heliu-"
"Enough of the history lesson. So this is like oil?"
"Yes! And... no... It's a solid. Like Iron or whatever. It contains enormous potential energy. The few samples we've excavated have returned some extraordinary results! I can't even begin to explain the stuff it can do! It's got more potential explosive energy if triggered right in a single pound of the stuff then a kilogram of TNT! You could burn it, particlize it... It could revolutionise... Well... Everything!"
"I'm sure it will captain, let me take a look."

The Commodore and his aide we taking a walk on the beach, happily eating away at some cheese sandwiches. "I gotta say," The commodore started between mouthfuls, "in the long time I've known you, smuggling that cheese was the best decision you've ever made." the aid, Lieutenant Yarrel, simply waved their hand in dismissal. "Call it inspiration. But anyway, the report I mentioned."
"Ah yes, get on with it."
"Have you noticed something off about this planet?"
"Other than it being completely alien?"
"Well... Yeah but. Well, I know you grew up on ships and in the cities. I come from the country right? Well, this place looks exactly like it doesn't it? But it's quiet."
"Yeah, we're the only ones here."
"Exactly! We are the only ones here! Have you seen a single bird? A fox? Rat? There's nothing here but the trees and grass. Yet it looks like a perfectly normal field back in Iryllia. I checked with our survey teams. There are zero animals. No flies, no bugs no pests no nothing. Nothing but the plants and the trees and that's just... Not how it should be... It's unnatural. Completely alien and unnatural."
"But why is that such a problem?"
"Well... In the mean time. No hunting, no meat, I'm not sure if we've found any plant life that's edible yet. There's not even any fish in the sea! Surely you must realise how odd that is..."

As darkness fell during the half night of the moons eclipsing each other, a great burning streak crossed the sky of Yaldvurst as the second ship decelerated in atmosphere. It's cargo landing scattered, but intact to the north of the colony. With the equipment enclosed the colonists had four months to establish a firm enough foundation to receive the next batch of colonists.

by **Drekhi** » Mon Jun 10, 2019 3:52 am

Forstark, Drekhi
The arrival of the Object had not gone unnoticed by Drekhi. Not long after the discovery of Apate, the council convened, for once all in person. In a room so well buried that it didn’t even appear on the official plans for the city, the Three Generals, along with the Princeps himself, sat around a table reviewing the information.
General Ulfric stood up, pulling up a hologram of the Apate solar system. “Several of the moons have already been colonised by other members of the Charter, I suggest we move fast to stake our own claims. Where should we start? The planet known as Apate 4 is already known to host megafauna.”
“That may be true, but I suggest we avoid it for now,” cautioned General Turin, brow furrowed. “Drekhi may have some naval capabilities but we’re much more comfortable in the skies and subterranean. Megafauna tangling with research equipment could prove to be a very expensive disaster. The asteroid belt is much more likely to harbour useful resources for us to mine.”
“Mining isn’t much of a concern, Hektor,” General Viono studied the map, her head on one side. We have plenty of resources from our excavations on the hyperloop. I suggest we look for places to colonise. Apate 3 seems to be reasonably habitable, and we have much in common with the Auruumites on its moon.”
There was a pause as everyone waited for the Princeps to speak. Just as everyone in the room was beginning to become uncomfortable, he rose from his chair.
“You are all missing the point. The fact of the matter is that this Void, if we are to call it that, is clearly the creation of intelligent life. This isn’t the first time we’ve encountered extraterrestrials, but it’s the first time they’ve offered us a trip beyond the reaches of the galaxy. I for one don’t trust this one bit. Our primary objective should be to work out why the Void arrived in the first place, and why it takes us to this solar system in particular. As such, I propose three separate research efforts. The first will be to set up a base on Apate 3, we’ll need somewhere to base human operations eventually. Secondly, we must scan the Apate system for signs of intelligent life. If they were sending us here it stands to reason they must know of this system and if they didn’t come from here, then at the very least they likely left traces behind. And thirdly, I want a team to attempt to investigate the object itself. Regardless of whether it reveals the extraterrestrials’ purpose here, the technology required is far beyond our current science, and if anyone should have this technology it should be us. Are we all in agreement?”
There was a nodding of heads. “Good, then get to it!”

Apate System
Over the course of the next few months, research efforts began. First, a communications relay was set up just inside the entrance to the system. Whenever data needed to be transmitted back to origin, it was first transmitted back to the relay, which would then move back and forth through the gate, allowing for slightly cumbersome, but effective, communication, much faster than having each individual craft having to fly back out to transmit. Soon after, unmanned craft began entering the Void, one contingent heading to Apate 3, the rest spreading out through the system to survey all planets, moons and asteroids. It wasn’t long before the strange markings on the surface of Apate 7C were discovered, and over time, more satellites, probes and drones were dedicated specifically to the barren moon. A satellite was set up in orbit, and full-scale scans began to get under way.
Meanwhile on Apate 3, a crew of autonomous drones began work, setting up a secure area, walling it off from the outside, and beginning to construct habitable domes. The planet’s atmosphere was discovered in short order to be breathable to humans, and flora and fauna were present, however the domes remained, as a thorough testing of the air for hostile microbes had not yet been completed. The planet was eventually designated as Epiphron after much debate among the scientific community.
After some time, the first crewed ship, the HPS Veritas, carrying two hundred and forty three scientists, engineers and soldiers, landed at the new base on Epiphron, commanded by Captain Nael Hildir. Their mission: To explore the planet, and create sufficient infrastructure for a permanent population, possibly even full colonisation in the event that the other missions revealed such a project to be safe.
Meanwhile, in a team split on either side of the Object’s gate, Drekhi scientists in small research vessels circled the ring, and began to take measurements. Determining whether this gate was safe was of critical importance, as that would determine whether further investment of resources would be forthcoming.

by **Romae in Perpetuum** » Mon Jun 10, 2019 9:13 am

Despite the necessity of adaptation over the years, even those at the very upper echelons of the Asgar Roman Space Exploration force remembered its original purpose: the monitoring of space for extra solar threats. As soon as The Object entered into range of Lunar Station, the entire Admiralty was put on critical alert and all of A.R.S.E’s formidable resources had been scrambled to defend Rome and Asgareth, and maybe the rest of the world...if they had time.

They did not.

Now, in truth, A.R.S.E. had been well aware of extraterrestrial life for some time. Indeed, 50 years before first contact, the monitoring staff had noticed several new alien lifeforms walking amongst humanity. The first, had been a Cambrian, by the name of Mr. Russel Brand. He had been the local shephard, who tended to his flocks with such care, and such tenderness, that some suggested his wife was secretly a sheep. Mr. Brand had been safely extracted from Cambrius, and taken to an undisclosed location. It would not be too long before A.R.S.E. caught its second alien; the seventeenth son of Emperor Vilhelm XVIII. Vilhelm had never noticed that his seventeenth son had disappeared overnight; most likely because A.R.S.E. had him killed the very next day, for being a xenos sympathiser.

Whilst sceptics within the admiralty believed that Section 30, the department tasked with hunting potential infiltrator xenos, had been overzealous in their sworn duty (particularly as they were under audit in an attempt to understand why an office of a hundred people required a budget of 20 million denarii a year) these naysayers were shouted down, and the Admiralty began making serious preparations for a potential invasion.

Funding for three spaceships was swiftly pledged, with the intention that they would be finished within a year. Unfortunately, A.R.S.E. had never built a spaceship before, and had not yet grasped the mechanics behind the design, or how blueprints worked. Work was not helped when it was discovered that these blueprints had been drawn up by one of the commander’s three year old children. Surprisingly, these blueprints were actually far more advanced, and far more technical, than the ones that A.R.S.E. would eventually end up with, impressed with the child’s design acumen he was promptly assassinated for suspected xenos influence, and his replacement - a 37 year old failed architect was brought in. His blueprints were far more simplistic, and far more affordable. Despite some, literal, gaping holes in the ships design, A.R.S.E. swiftly signed off on the plans and the ships finally went into production. It took 17 years; nearly 2000 work-place mortal injuries and 849 billion Cambrian Standard more than budgeted, but eventually the A.R.S.E. Progredimur was ready to launch. It would take another 5 years, before all three ships were finally battle ready.

Progredimur Class Warship

Not one to rest on their laurels, however, A.R.S.E. quickly commissioned another twenty ships, with the intention of having a fully ready battle fleet within 6 months. Unfortunately the extreme budget requirements of the newly established Vesuvius Research Base, the helicarrier and solid gold toilets in the admirals mess means that more recent projections have predicted that the fleet will finish construction “when hell freezes over or the Skjdolurians discover fire, whichever comes first.”

Due to emergency refits required on the Vokatrov and the Custodiemus, however, only the A.R.S.E. Progredimur was ready for action upon detection of The Object. Luckily the ship had been equipped with a prototype and unique refractive hull armour, rendering it all but undetectable on long-range scans. Using this the ship was able to gather extensive data on The Object, and would have attempted to delay, or destroy it, if a reactor malfunction had not forced the ship to withdraw and observe passively.

Whilst the nations of origin were scrambling to assess the new arrival, Rome and Asgareth included, A.R.S.E technicians and analysts, deep inside Olympus base, worked around the clock to process the immense amount of data recorded. When the Myraxians launched the first probe, the Olympus supercomputers had only scrutinised a mere fraction of the collected data, thus the Admiralty was as surprised as anyone to discover The Object was in fact a portal to a rogue system, which supported inhabitable planets.

Well aware that their many enemies were already making plans to inhabit these planets, A.R.S.E. faced little choice but to force the newly repaired ships to prepare to cross into the void. The Progredimur had already been called into service above the island of Harren, forcing the crews of the Vorkatrov and the Custodiemus to partake in their unceremonious maiden voyages. Both ships had been hurriedly prepared for offensive warfare, and consequently were already running low on food and toilet paper after 20 minutes. They are equipped for both space combat and terrestrial support. In accordance with A.R.S.E General Order Twelve, however, both ships are also equipped with enough biological, chemical and nuclear weapons to destroy an individual planets biosphere, should an uncontainable xeno threat be detected though both are easily tracked by the extreme radiation trail left behind by their impulse drives. The Vorkatrov and Custodiemus, in addition to their regular crews, also carry a complement of around 500 researchers, engineers, scientists and technicians, as well as a company of 150 marines, tasked with establishing A.R.S.E offworld facilities to determine the potential resources of their assigned worlds and establish viability for future colony ships, which are already being prepared. The two ships are tasked with protecting a planet each. Whilst A.R.S.E. Vorkatrov under Captain Flavius Marius Maecenus will explore Apate 4, dubbed Neptuna, A.R.S.E. Custodiemus, under Captain Belonca Yultsin, is charged with venturing further than any known vessel. It’s job will be to establish an outer base on Apate 7B, before establishing a primary outpost on Apate 7A. These two moons have been officially named “Hell” and “Hull” following a secret Asgarthian public poll.

A.R.S.E Vorkatrov, Orbit around Neptuna

“Initial scans completed Captain.” Reported the science officer. “Our initial probes appeared to be correct, the surface is mostly salt-water, though its less salty than originally predicted which should make desalination much easier, and the described Megafauna appear to also be present, though more numerous than originally predicted.
“How Mega?” Asked Captain Maecenus, frowning slightly.
“Well the probe recorded a Cetacean like creature of seventy miles in length, and that’s just on the surface. Neptune alone knows what’s deeper down…”
“Seventy!” Exclaimed Commander Persoli. “We’re going to make a fortune in the perfume industry at least.”
“A.R.S.E. Own-brand perfume?” The captain replied dryly. “I don’t think it’ll sell that well, but stranger things have happened I suppose, any landmasses?”
“We’ve identified a chain of tropical islands near the equator, sir.” It should be a good place to establish the initial outposts, but there is an issue of water displacement caused by…”
“Over friendly whales.” Persoli interjected.
“The main objective was to construct an underwater base anyway.” Maecenus replied. “At least initially, I hear the boffins in Vesuvius are working on some sort of floating city but that’s neither here not there. The prefabbed bases are designed to be airtight with inbuilt life support and are supposed to be sturdy enough to withstand orbital attacks, I hardly think big waves will be a problem. Is the first wave ready to go?”
“Yes sir.” The officer smiled. “The marine biologists have had to be practically restrained…”
“Good to hear. Well then, Captain to Hanger bay’s one and two, let’s get this done.”

During its hurried retrofit before it’s maiden voyage the ship’s two hanger bays had been filled with all the equipment required to establish an oceanic military base: smaller deep sea exploration vessels; aquatic survey bots; surface patrol craft and, most importantly, the drones and material required to build a whole underwater base. Following A.R.S.E’s acquisition of N.O.D.E, experts in underwater construction, designs had been drawn up for a disassembled underwater outpost and a prototype was even built some years before, but shelved as unnecessary due to the lack of Ocean worlds around Origin. Now, however, the prototype was taking up half of bay 2 awaiting the discovery of an ideal spot. This was far from the most unusual item in the Vorkatrov’s inventory; however, two Charybdis class Nuclear submarines had also been partially disassembled and crammed into a hanger bay and were being prepped to be shipped to the surface to protect the new base and investigate the deepest depths.

These items however were earmarked for the third wave, and at the captain’s order transport ships, carrying materials for the island outposts, emerged from hanger bay one and began their descent towards the island chain. Whilst the first wave contained mostly material, supplies, drones and some overseers they immediately got to work constructing a main outpost on the largest island, and secondary outposts on another three islands. Automated scouts were sent to investigate the landmasses for any signs of land-based life. Should no initial problems arise the second wave, comprised of the bunk of the expedition’s personnel as well as the light vehicles will be deployed.

As the first wave reported a sucsessul landing and the A.R.S.E. flag put up, a solitary relay probe was deployed from the Vorkatrov broadcasting the same message over and over again: “This world has been officially claimed by the Asgar Roman Space Exploration force. Any attempt to intrude on A.R.S.E. property, as defined by Section 10 of the A.R.S.E. charter, without prior permission will be interpreted as a hostile act and dealt with as such.”

by **Greater Slavacia** » Tue Jun 11, 2019 7:02 am

Slavacian Main Centre for Missile Attack Warning, Gornyy-56
It was a relatively uneventful night at the missile attack center, the radars were clear and nothing was amiss. The newly launched orbital satellites were operating as expected and the armed space station above had no indication of any unusual presence in the system. That's when the radars of the Zarya-2 station detected a gargantuan object heading towards the planet at an absurd velocity.
- Zemlya, this is Zarya-2 we have unidentified contact bearing 236, elevation -45, Doppler shift analysis put's it's velocity at... My god...
- Zarya-2, is everything alright up there?
- Zemlya, this can't be right, it just stopped and entered orbit. All of it's speed is gone. ...your mother, Pasha, look at the size of that thing. It must be at least... Fuck!
- What? Zarya-2 please clarify.
- Zemlya this is Zarya-2, the object has entered stable orbit, orbital parameters are being transferred now. Permission to launch an interceptor?
- Negative Zarya-2, keep monitoring the situation.

Military Headquarters, Novosergeevsk, 2 hours later.
... that is all for now, I take it all of you understand the severity of the situation."
"Comrade Marshal, I believe you are overreacting. We should make this pubic, or at least use the official space program to investigate!", the director of Slavacia's Space agency, the only non-military or MGB man present, said, after the lights in the room returned to normal and the projector screen dimmed.
This caused all of the uniformed men at the table to frown.
"With all due respect comrade director, but I believe that the space program is ready or wiling to handle this level of secrecy", the director of the MGB spoke up, "We have no idea that thing is and it could be dangerous, we need to use the military first, civilians second."
The director began to try and speak again before being cut off by the head of the aerospace defense.
"Comrades, since this matter was first brought to your attention by us, we should be the ones to deal with it. We have the first I-125 fighter on standby at Golinka airbase."
- That's absurd!
- The PVO!, why not the Navy while we are at it!
- Sending a man first, that's barbarism!
"Enough" the head of Slavacia's general staff bellowed, "While you have been bickering like hens, the Minister and I reached a conclusion"
The men looked at the marshal and the plain clothed men with a mix of emotions
"We have decided, to fulfill the PVO's request, the I-125 will be going up. Tell the men to get it ready, also," the marshal said, turning to the Space force commander: "You will cooperate with PVO on a joint mission, since it is your area anyway, and the station is subordinate to you. Get me a recon satellite up ASAP, the rest. Dismissed."

Golinka AFB, Golinka, 6 hours later.
- Reactor?
- Check
- Laser fusion initiators?
- Check
- Weapon consoles, cannon ammunition
- Check and check
- Flight mode?
- Mode 2bis is initiated, prepared for take off.
- Mode checklist?
- Takeoff: Mode 1; Climb: Mode 2; Orbit: Mode 3; Approach: Mode-4; Checklist complete, check.
- Understood.
- Tower, this is 101st, requesting permission for takeoff and climb according to flight-plan.
- This is tower, 101st you are cleared for takeoff, wind near ground is 4 m/s bearing 010, good luck out there!
- Understood, tower. Thank you
The fighter roared down the runway, lifted off, and soon, disappeared in the gray morning sky.

Object orbit, 1 hour later
- Base, this is 101st, beginning approach for visual identification
- Copy 101st, once again good luck.
- Base, I'm getting something strange here
- Go ahead?
- The object is not a circle, it's a hollow torus, my path takes me straight through the middle.
- Go ahead, get as close as you can.
- Something's off. I can't quite put my finger on it, but something's off about the hole in the center of the torus?
- Please clarify.
- Oh god, you can't see any stars though it, it's not hollow oh god...
- 101st, report!?
Only static could be heard on the channel now. Then, suddenly as clear as day:
- Base, base, I made it through. Only, I'm in a different part of space, a different star system perhaps.

Zarya-2 space station, same orbit as 'The Object', five days later.
- Earth, the I-125 is secured, we are ready for transit through gateway.
- Once you are through, send the probe to the closest planet to the sun, with the following message on it:

Code: Select all: To All Nations: Apate 1 (Kremen') is property of the Federation of Greater Slavacia, please do not interfere.

- Understood
- We are converting a shuttle to transport engineers to build a surface settlement, but, it will be a one way trip. We need a base in orbit so we can stage a rescue op id need be. We are counting on you.
- Copy Earth, beginning transit...

Code: Select all: I-125 (T-100) Prototype High Altitude Aerospace Interceptor: General Characteristics: - Crew: 1 - Length - Wingspan - Height - Engine: 1 x UVD-01 Multi-mode fusion engine: 4 modes - Mode 1: Standard Liquid Kerosene + Intake Air (Afterburner Capable), intake air is passed through the reactor to cool it, and improve efficiency - Mode 2: Economy mode, ramjet powered by reactor heat and intake air, near-limitless cruise distance - Mode 2bis: Same as mode 2 but limited amount of fuel is injected into the afterburners. - Mode 3: Kerosene/LOX, limited fuel mode for orbital maneuvers - Mode 4: Fusion Pellet Drive - long range space ops (Not implemented on the T-100-1 and T-100-2, will most likely not be implemented on mass produced series of aircraft) - Powerplant: 1 x ETRM-01 Fusion-reactor Performance: Armament: - Guns: 1 x 30mm Spirinov Sp-30 autocannon in retractable mount - Hardpoints: 10 (8 x internal in three bays (2-4-2), 4 x external). Able to carry a combination of: - Missiles - Air-to-air missiles: - VR-50 (Close-range, heatseeking missile) proximity fused continuous rod warhead - VR-80 (Medium-range, active radar homing missile), proximity fused HEF warhead - VR-100 (Long-range, passive heatseeking, active/semi-active radar homing, optically guided hypersonic missile) only carried internally, one per bay, proximity fused HEF warhead - VR-100K (All-range, passive heatseeking, active/semi-active radar homing, optically guided space missile) only carried internally, one per bay, proximity fused HEF warhead, RCS steering, unusable in atmosphere - VR-150 (Close-range, heatseeking, packet missile) x24 per pylon, proximity fused aerosol (thermobaric) warhead Avionics: - G-250 'Raduga' multifunctional integrated radio electronic system (MIRES) - L-56 'Rubin' radar (600km, simultaneous: 80 target tracking, 20 target firing) - L-56 frontal active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar - L-56B side-facing AESA radars for increased angular coverage - L-56Z rear facing AESA radar for rear hemisphere coverage - L-56L Slat radar arrays for IFF

by **Myraxia** » Tue Jun 11, 2019 8:40 am

Myraxian Union

[Message forwarded through Apate Relay]
Myraxian Combined Forces Internal Communication
CLR: CMSN
TO: Marshal Coros Sar Rynkae, Representative to the Strategic Oversight Council, Myraxian Orbital Force
FROM: Colonel Cassyr Argyn, CO: Myraxian Orbital Force/Detached Task Force Apate
RE: Mission Update

Marshal,

Colony development is proceeding entirely according to schedule. We’ve completed the phase 1 infrastructure projects - the reactor and 3D printers are all fully operational as of two days ago; I’m told there was a slight error in the datafiles for the printers but the technicians caught it before we tried to use it. As I’m sure you’re aware, vessels registered to a number of nations have been transiting the Object - one of the satellites we left in orbit has been tracking them as they come through. Drekhi, Aurum, even Iryllians - who, somewhat concerningly, appear to have set up shop on the sister moon to our own. As far as we can tell they don’t yet have any orbital presence, but we’re keeping a close eye on that.
Reports have been received from some of the other colonies about some of the previously undiscovered elements they’ve been digging up - we’ve got one of our own, as it happens. Some kind of highly magnetic mineral - and I mean, extremely magnetic. Some of the scientists insist they can manipulate the magnetic field in a number of fascinating ways (their words, not mine) so I’ve attached a copy of their findings so far [FILE APPENDED]. The one that caught my attention was the claim that they can use it to deflect projectiles - something I figured the eggheads under Mount Kyrashi would be interested in. Once we have regular shipments set up going back and forth, I’ll send a sample of the mineral itself back. We haven’t named it yet, though some of the mission personnel have suggested some… interesting choices.
We've also been getting a number of interesting returns on our attempts to scan the planetary belt (designation 5C(b)). It's far too dense for our shuttles to fly through safely, so I've ordered two sections of Captain Demyn's marines to conduct their own sweeps of the nearest sectors in the powered suit prototypes. I'm not expecting anything dangerous, but caution pays.

We expect to have the housing space for the second wave built within the week, and will be able to accept additional colonists soon after that.
On a personal note, sir, I’d like to take this opportunity to ask you to pass my personal thanks on to whoever recommended me for this mission. It’s a uniquely challenging opportunity, and I doubt I could have ever found such a challenge remaining in our own solar system.

Oh, and one last thing - if at all possible, could you get onto the Aurumites about the possibility of a joint research project? I understand they’ve found a number of alien structures, and some of my team would give their… well, let’s just say they’re very eager to get a look at those structures.

Prosek’ryr noha! [Auto-translation, Myraxian: Vigilant amongst the stars]
Colonel C. Argyn

"All KOBOLD signs, this is BEHOLDER. Radio check, over."
"BEHOLDER, this is KOBOLD-1. Loud and clear, over."
"KOBOLD-2 here. 5 by 5, BEHOLDER. Over."
"BEHOLDER copies all. Continue sweep. Out."

With the brief exchange over, silence washed back over Corporal Saren Antys in his Phalanx-A pattern Exo-Atmospheric Powered Armor - not that anyone called them that, the marines that used them simply called them ‘Suits’. The Suits were the product of a five-year developmental program with the aim of creating a powered infantry battle armor for use as line-breakers and shock troops. The final product, however, whilst being on paper very effective, had been far too heavy to be operated in a gravity well of any significance. The revised version, which Corporal Antys and his fellow Orbital Marines presently operated through the planetary belt, was still deemed ineffective for planetary use, but for operations in space? It was perfect. It functioned as a self contained, heavily armoured, space suit.
The developmental life of the Suits aside, though, it was still damned quiet here in space. And that was exactly how Corporal Antys liked it. It was why he’d volunteered for the Orbital Force, after all - get away from all the noise. Another signal cut through his blessed silence.
“Hey, Antys - this formation look natural to you?” The voice of his combat partner sent over an image file to his HUD. He looked closer. “You may be onto something here. Hold on, I’ll get a view for myself.”
Antys kicked off from the chunk of ice he’d been stood on and pulsed his RCS thrusters lightly, wary of his depleting reaction-mass reserves. He gently glided through the belt to where his partner floated, tethered in place to another chunk of icy rock, and then past and around. What he saw there made his eyes widen.
“That’s definitely not natural. We’re gonna need to run this up the chain.”
“Why, what do you see round there?”
In answer, he captured the image on his visor and sent it down the link.
“Are those… ships?”

Gamemaster

Apate 1 ‘Kremen’

Slavacian probes reveal a number of other liquid alloys mixed with the primary iron/nickel. Initial analysis suggests properties beyond Origin-norms if said alloys can be extracted and processed.

Apate 3 ‘Epiphron’

Initial landing parties uncover entrances to extensive underground caverns - exact extent unclear. No threats to colony.

Apate 3A ‘Goldguard’

Examination of ruin site near initial colony reveals central building of suggested importance. Exterior buildings contain signs of long-abandoned habitation - proportions suggest a diminutive, agrarian race. Additional species of fauna discovered, ranging up to cow-sized insectoid and arachnoid analogues.

Apate 4 ‘Neptuna’

Initial colonists report no issues with island outposts. Megafauna has maintained a distance of approximately 50km from outposts since landfall. No threats to colony.

Apate 5A ‘Yaldvurst’

No significant change. Previously discovered unknown mineral reported in significant quantities. No threats to colony.

Apate 5B ‘New Myr’

No significant change. Previously discovered unknown mineral reported in significant quantities. No threats to colony.

Apate 5C(b)

Multiple destroyed/disabled vessels of unknown design discovered. Signs of conflict evident. Ring itself appears to be mostly ice.

Apate 5D ‘Nykhtis Nauvi’

Initial Survey Results: No anomalies found. Some extreme weather patterns detected on far side of planet. No threat to colony.

Apate 7A ‘Hell’

Initial survey results: Whilst planet appeared from orbit to be solid, surface is actually revealed to be several continental-shelf sized ice floes free-floating on a sea of unknown liquid - high nitrogen content recorded. No threats to colony.

Apate 7B

Initial survey results: No anomalies recorded. No threats to base.

Apate 7C

Strange markings on the surface of this moon can all be carbon-dated to exactly the same point, just over 500,000 years ago.

by **Haja-Mishu** » Tue Jun 11, 2019 10:29 am

Shuraya

The news of the newly discovered monolith seemed to have no effect on the Shurayu populace, not until it was discovered that multiple major powers had already began colonization and exploration efforts that people even began to care, that was how people usually tended to feel about space, it was just a decoration in the night, nothing more. However the government knew in order to stay competitive and relevant it’d have to dick around in the cosmos as well so it had already had a number of fairly decent ship designs stolen off of online images for such a day that space exploration/colonization was possible. It’d’have taken quite a while to build any of the ships however, they were in luck, Ṣillan dol Kubšāni, a private citizen had a large spaceship, the Ašrati Magallum just sitting around in his warehouse at the southern end of the city, right under everyone’s nose. He said the government could use it so long as he was made captain and was compensated to which the government promptly obliged and shoved a large crew on the large, unseemly vessel and told them they’d be headed to Apate 5C(b), a probe had already been sent and had discovered the ice ring was as treacherous as it was bountiful, for it was rich in several rare alloys such as cerium and palladium along with many other metals. The brief and vague instructions were relayed by a very unenthusiastic Minister of Heavenly Affairs informing the crew that is was their duty to expand the glory of Shurayu Civilization into the heavens, mine the ice ring, and explore. The whole affair was clearly rushed leading the crew to believe the government definitely knew more than it let on. So, with a large, untrustworthy ship with a bounty of questionable supplies and a large inexperienced crew with a very small amount of actual interest in exploration they began their voyage.

Aboard the Bridge of the Ašrati Magallum

Captain Kubšāni stood stoically looking out the front window of the bridge, looking at the gradually approaching ring of Apate 5C(b) with utter disinterest. The first mate a woman clearly too young for her station approached the captain with a nauseating and quite frankly disturbing amount of enthusiasm about the mission.

“So, what do you think?”
“About what?”
“Space, of course! Isn’t it amazing?”
“No, not particularly, I only got the ship just so I could say I owned a spaceship, I couldn't give an Asgarthi’s unwashed arse about space.”
“Then why did you want to be captain?”
That question seemed to break the captain out of his stare-off with Apate 5C(b) as he stared at his first mate like she had just asked him the dumbest question on the planet, “Because it’s my ship…”
The first mate appeared crestfallen by her captain’s apathy towards their mission “We’re about 15 minutes out from the coordinates of our destination, Bēl.” The first mate quickly left the bridge and the captain went back to staring out the window “What an airhead…”
“Bēl! Approaching Apate 5C(b) now!” the navigator yelled
“Very good. Go slowly, this ring is very treacherous, while the armor on this thing is tough, I don’t want any scratches.”
“Understood, Bēl!”
As soon as the ship entered the ring an ungodly screech could be heard as both sides of the hull scraped against the ice, the whole crew went quiet and cringed at the noise, the captain death staring the navigator into oblivion. However, the display at the front showed minimal damage and the trip to the correct rock was surprisingly brief.

Ašrati Kippatim

They landed on a large, semi flat chunk of ice and quickly disembarked and started unloading building materials. The captain stepped away from the ship so he could get a good look at it as a whole from the outside and sighed. “Well shit.” The display on the bridge was evidently not correct, it seemed like almost half the ship was gone, thankfully most of what was destroyed was non essential, just some statues, some of the drones, most of the fuel compartments and the colony’s onion rations. Though it was clear the ship wouldn’t survive a trip back through the ring.
“Hey!” one of the crew yelled pointing near one of the ice rocks, many looked over to where he was pointing and it seemed the miasma of disinterest that enveloped the crew had dispersed in an instant, there were several skeletal ships along with various debris mixed in with the ice rocks, somehow the probe sent in advance didn’t find them, though the government did buy it on clearance at the black market so they weren’t expecting perfection, but that didn’t excuse the crew’s blindness. “Hell yeah, aliens.” The captain muttered, grinning. A tiny base with a comms array was quickly built by the remaining builder drones and a habitation dome was quickly being built. The only relatively undamaged Lamassu Statue, promptly named Phillip was placed out front of the base, to show that this sorry base (and ring) belonged to the Shurayu. A transmission was sent out to the surrounding area “Apate 5C(b) has been claimed by the Atrahasian Republic of Shuraya and has been renamed to Ašrati Kippatim. Do not attempt to interrupt Shurayu operations.” and other transmission was sent, this time back to Shuraya. “Coordinates reached, base being built, ship badly damaged, destroyed xeno ships among the ice rocks, send a followup group ASAP.”

by **Valyrien** » Tue Jun 11, 2019 1:21 pm

Greater Valyrien, Valyria, Rin

The room fell silent, the occupants staring in disbelief at young officer who was looking increasingly uncomfortable by their hard gazes, a certain transmission seems to have left the High Council of Valyrien in a state of confusion and distress.
“What did you say, boy?”
“Ser! An Extrasolar obj-”
“Not that! The last fucking part!”
“Yes ser! ‘Sent by: Marshal von Drake, Commanding Officer of the Imperial Lunar Installation.’ ”

Suspicious glances were exchanged in the room, looking for any spark of recognition in the eyes of their fellow officials.

“Is this a joke?”

It was common knowledge that a great many things had been forgotten in the turmoil of the coup orchestrated by High Marshal, though a lunar colony was too outlandish of a claim... That was till an ancient-looking man was brought up from the depths of the winding corredors dedicated to Sfvarttrupperna, accompanied by seemingly century old documents outlining the landing zones, construction supplies and names of individuals who had been named M.I.A or K.I.A in official records, or simply been completely erased from archives.

After a few weeks of communicaiton with morse code, the equally confused lunar colony and Rin seemed to have been brought up to speed and preparations were underway to send much needed supplies to their long lost brothers and sisters. The question was how they'd be able to handle to a such sudden leap in technology.

Greater Valyrien, Valyria, Rhenstadt

With the scramble for Apate, Valyrien and her allies took the initiative to call a conference in Rhenstadt, inviting delegations from around the globe to attend and come to terms with how to handle this amazing discovery.

General Act of the Rhenstadt Conference on the Apate star system, 2019 ICE

Signed by the representatives of Valyrien,

General Act of the Rhenstadt Conference on the Apate star system, 2019 ISC

Signed by the representatives of Valyrien, Khyrene, Aurum, Harren SSR. Slavacia

GENERAL ACT OF THE CONFERENCE AT RHENSTADT OF THE PLENIPOTENTIARIES OF GREATER VALYRIEN, KHYRENE, AND AURUM RESPECTING: (1) FREEDOM OF TRADE IN THE APATE STAR SYSTEM; (2) FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT TO APATE THROUGH “THE OBJECT”; (3) FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT WITHIN PLANETARY SYSTEMS; (4) RULES FOR FUTURE OCCUPATION IN THE APATE SYSTEM

In the Name of Peace and Progress.

Her Imperial Majesty the High Marshal of Greater Valyrien and Iron Harbour, Empress of Aurum, Khyrene, etc; His Majesty the King of Aurum; Her Majesty the Grand Governor of SSR Khyrene, Crown Princess of Khyrene; the President of Slavacia;

WISHING, in a spirit of good and mutual accord, to regulate the conditions most favourable to the development of trade, exploration and civilization in the Apate system, and to assure to all nations the advantages of free navigation through “The Object” and between the planetary systems within the Apate star system;

BEING DESIROUS, on the other hand, to obviate the misunderstanding and disputes which might in future arise from new acts of occupation (prises de possession) of celestial bodies in Apate; and concerned, at the same time, as to the means of furthering the preservation and study of native fauna and flora;

HAVE RESOLVED, on the invitation addressed to them by the Imperial Government of Valyrien, in agreement with the Government of the Aurummite Principalities, to meet for those purposes in Conference at Rhenstadt, and have appointed as their Plenipotentiaries, to wit:

[Names of plenipotentiaries included here.]

Who, being provided with full powers, which have been found in good and due form, have successively discussed and adopted:

1. A Declaration relative to freedom of trade in the Apate System.

2. A Declaration relative to the neutrality of the territories of Apate

3. An Act of Navigation.

3. A Declaration relative to the freedom of movement within planetary systems of the Apate system, which, while likewise showing regard to local occupying power’s, extends to scientific expeditions who seek to further the collective understanding of the Apate system’s lifeforms, previous civilisations, “The Object” etc.

4. A Declaration introducing into international relations certain uniform rules with reference to future occupations of celestial bodies within the Apate System.

And deeming it expedient that all these several documents should be combined in one single instrument, they (the Signatory Powers) have collected them into one General Act, composed of the following Articles:

CHAPTER I

DECLARATION RELATIVE TO FREEDOM OF TRADE IN THE APATE STAR SYSTEM, INCLUDING PLANETARY SYSTEMS AND

Article 1

It is expressly recognized that in extending the principle of free trade to this far flung region of space the Conference Powers only undertake engagements for themselves, and that in the territories belonging to an independent Sovereign State this principle shall only be applicable in so far as it is approved by such State. But the Powers agree to use their good offices with the Governments established on the celestial bodies for the purpose of obtaining such approval, and in any case of securing the most favourable conditions to the transit (traffic) of all nations.

Article 2

All flags, without distinction of nationality, shall have free access to the whole of the star system. Those trading under such flags may engage in all sorts of transport.

Article 3

Wares, of whatever origin, imported into these regions, under whatsoever flag, shall be subject to no other taxes than such as may be levied as fair compensation for expenditure in the interests of trade, and which for this reason must be equally borne by the subjects themselves and by foreigners of all nationalities. All differential dues on vessels, as well as on merchandise, are forbidden.

Article 4

Merchandise imported into these regions shall remain free from import and transit dues.

The Powers reserve to themselves to determine after the lapse of ten years whether this freedom of import shall be retained or not.

Article 5

No Power which exercises or shall exercise sovereign rights in the abovementioned regions shall be allowed to grant therein a monopoly or favour of any kind in matters of trade.

Foreigners, without distinction, shall enjoy protection of their persons and property, as well as the right of acquiring and transferring movable and immovable possessions; and national rights and treatment in the exercise of their professions.

CHAPTER II

DECLARATION RELATIVE TO THE NEUTRALITY OF THE TERRITORIES OF APATE

Article 6

In order to give a new guarantee of security to trade and industry, and to encourage, by the maintenance of peace, the development of civilization on the celestial bodies mentioned in Article 1, and placed under the free trade system, the High Signatory Parties to the present Act, and those who shall hereafter adopt it, bind themselves to respect the neutrality of the territories, or portions of territories, belonging to the said countries, so long as the Powers which exercise or shall exercise the rights of sovereignty or Protectorate over those territories, using their option of proclaiming themselves neutral, shall fulfil the duties which neutrality requires.

Article 7

In case a Power exercising rights of sovereignty or Protectorate in the countries mentioned in Article 1, and placed under the free trade system, shall be involved in a war, then the High Signatory Parties to the present Act, and those who shall hereafter adopt it, bind themselves to lend their good offices in order that the territories belonging to this Power and comprised in the Conventional free trade zone shall, by the common consent of this Power and of the other belligerent or belligerents, be placed during the war under the rule of neutrality, and considered as belonging to a non-belligerent State, the belligerents thenceforth abstaining from extending hostilities to the territories thus neutralized, and from using them as a base for warlike operations.

Article 8

In case a serious disagreement originating on the subject of, or in the limits of, the territories mentioned in Article 1, and placed under the free trade system, shall arise between any Signatory Powers of the present Act, or the Powers which may become parties to it, these Powers bind themselves, before appealing to arms, to have recourse to the mediation of one or more of the friendly Powers.

In a similar case the same Powers reserve to themselves the option of having recourse to arbitration.

CHAPTER III

ACT OF NAVIGATION

Article 9

The navigation through “The Object”, shall remain free for the merchant ships of all nations equally, whether carrying cargo or ballast, for the transport of goods or passengers. It shall be regulated by the provisions of this Act of Navigation, and by the rules to be made in pursuance thereof.

In the exercise of this navigation the subjects and flags of all nations shall in all respects be treated on a footing of perfect equality.

These provisions are recognized by the Signatory Powers as becoming henceforth a part of international law.

Article 10

The navigation of the Apate system shall not be subject to any restriction or obligation which is not expressly stipulated by the present Act. It shall not be exposed to any landing dues, to any station or depot tax, or to any charge for breaking bulk, or for compulsory entry into port.

In all the extent of the Apate, the ships and goods in process of transit on through space shall be submitted to no transit dues, whatever their starting place or destination.

There shall be levied toll based on the mere fact of navigation, nor any tax on goods aboard of ships. There shall only be levied taxes or duties having the character of an equivalent for services rendered to navigation itself, to wit:

1. Harbour dues on certain local establishments, such as wharves, warehouses, etc, if actually used.

The tariff of such dues shall be framed according to the cost of constructing and maintaining the said local establishments; and it will be applied without regard to whence vessels come or what they are loaded with.

2. Pilot dues for those stretches of the space where it may be necessary to establish properly qualified pilots.

The tariff of these dues shall be fixed and calculated in proportion to the service rendered.

3. Charges raised to cover technical and administrative expenses incurred in the general interest of navigation, including lighthouse, beacon and buoy duties.

The last-mentioned dues shall be based on the tonnage of vessels as shown by the ship's papers, and in accordance with the rules adopted by the Imperial Navy.

The tariffs by which the various dues and taxes enumerated in the three preceding paragraphs shall be levied shall not involve any differential treatment, and shall be officially published at each port.

The Powers reserve to themselves to consider, after the lapse of five years, whether it may be necessary to revise, by common accord, the abovementioned tariffs.

Article 11

There is instituted an International Commission, charged with the execution of the provisions of the present Act of Navigation.

The Signatory Powers of this Act, as well as those who may subsequently adhere to it, may always be represented on the said Commission, each by one delegate. A delegate shall have no more than one vote at their disposal, excluding the cases of a delegate representing several Governments.

This delegate will be directly paid by their Government.

Article 12

The members of the International Commission, as well as its appointed agents, are invested with the privilege of inviolability in the exercise of their functions. The same guarantee shall apply to the offices and archives of the Commission.

Article 13

The International Commission for the Navigation of the Apate shall be constituted as soon as five of the Signatory Powers of the present General Act shall have appointed their delegates. And, pending the constitution of the Commission, the nomination of these delegates shall be notified to the Imperial Government of Valyrien, which will see to it that the necessary steps are taken to summon the meeting of the Commission.

The Commission will at once draw up navigation, law enforcment, pilot and quarantine rules.

These rules, as well as the tariffs to be framed by the Commission, shall, before coming into force, be submitted for approval to the Powers represented on the Commission. The Powers interested will have to communicate their views with as little delay as possible.

Any infringement of these rules will be checked by the agents of the International Commission wherever it exercises direct authority, and elsewhere by the riverain Power.

In the case of an abuse of power, or of an act of injustice, on the part of any agent or employee of the International Commission, the individual who considers himself to be aggrieved in his person or rights may apply to the consular agent of his country. The latter will examine his complaint, and if he finds it prima facie reasonable he will then be entitled to bring it before the Commission. At his instance then, the Commission, represented by at least three of its members, shall, in conjunction with him, inquire into the conduct of its agent or employee. Should the consular agent look upon the decision of the Commission as raising questions of law (objections de droit), he will report on the subject to his Government, which may then have recourse to the Powers represented on the Commission, and invite them to agree as to the instructions to be given to the Commission.

Article 14

The International Commission of the Apate, charged with the execution of the present Act of Navigation, shall in particular have power-

1. To decide what works are necessary to assure the navigability of the Apate in accordance with the needs of international trade.

2. To fix the pilot tariff and that of the general navigation dues.

The levying of the various dues shall be seen to by the international or territorial authorities on whose behalf they are established.

3. To appoint officials for the general service of navigation, and also its own proper employees.

It will be for the territorial authorities to appoint sub-inspectors on sections of space occupied by a Power, and for the International Commission to do so on the other sections.

In the exercise of its functions, as above defined and limited, the International Commission will be independent of the territorial authorities.

Article 15

In the accomplishment of its task the International Commission may, if need be, have recourse to the war vessels of the Signatory Powers of this Act, and of those who may in future accede to it, under reserve, however, of the instructions which may be given to the commanders of these vessels by their respective Governments.

Article 16

The war vessels of the Signatory Powers of this Act that may enter the Apate are exempt from payment of the navigation dues, unless their intervention has been called for by the International Commission or its agents, in terms of the preceding Article, they shall be liable to the payment of the pilot or harbour dues which may eventually be established.

Article 17

With the view of providing for the technical and administrative expenses which it may incur, the International Commission created by Article 17 may, in its own name, negotiate loans to be exclusively guaranteed by the revenues raised by the said Commission.

The decisions of the Commission dealing with the conclusion of a loan must be come to by a majority of two-thirds. It is understood that the Governments represented on the Commission shall not in any case be held as assuming any guarantee, or as contracting any engagement or joint liability (solidarité) with respect to the said loans, unless under special Conventions concluded by them to this effect.

The revenue yielded by the dues specified in paragraph 3 of Article 14 shall bear, as a first charge, the payment of the interest and sinking fund of the said loans, according to agreement with the lenders.

Article 16

The provisions of the present Act of Navigation shall remain in force in time of war. Consequently all nations, whether neutral or belligerent, shall be always free, for the purposes of trade, to navigate the Congo, its branches, affluents and mouths, as well as the territorial waters fronting the embouchure of the river.

CHAPTER IV

DECLARATION RELATIVE TO THE ESSENTIAL CONDITIONS TO BE OBSERVED IN ORDER THAT NEW OCCUPATIONS IN THE APATE SYSTEM MAY BE HELD TO BE EFFECTIVE

Article 17

Any Power which henceforth takes possession of any tract of land on celestial bodies outside of its present possessions, or which, being hitherto without such possessions, shall acquire them, as well as the Power which assumes a Protectorate there, shall accompany the respective act with a notification thereof, addressed to the other Signatory Powers of the present Act, in order to enable them, if need be, to make good any claims of their own.

Article 18

The Signatory Powers of the present Act recognize the obligation to ensure the establishment of authority in the regions occupied by them in the Apate System sufficient to protect existing rights, and, as the case may be, freedom of trade and of transit under the conditions agreed upon.

Article 19

The Signatory Powers of the present Act recognize the importance of the preservation and documentation of alien fauna and flora native to the Apate system.

CHAPTER V

GENERAL DISPOSITIONS

Article 20

The Signatory Powers of the present General Act reserve to themselves to introduce into it subsequently, and by common accord, such modifications and improvements as experience may show to be expedient.

Article 21

The Powers who have not signed the present General Act shall be free to adhere to its provisions by a separate instrument.

The adhesion of each Power shall be notified in diplomatic form to the Government of the Valarisk Empire, and by it in turn to all the other signatory or adhering Powers.

Such adhesion shall carry with it full acceptance of all the obligations as well as admission to all the advantages stipulated by the present General Act.

Article 22

The Powers who have not signed the present General act nor adhered to its provisions by means of a separate instrument are not subject to any of the freedoms or conditions outlined in the General Act.

Should the non-signatory Powers be deemed to interfere with the mandate given to the International Commission or fail to honour their duties and obligations to humankind outlined in the General Act such as Article 19, the High Signatory Parties are compelled by morality and ethics to deny them transit through the Object and prevent any further harmful behaviour through economic sanctions or military action.

Article 23

The present General Act shall be ratified with as little delay as possible, the same in no case to exceed a year.

It will come into force for each Power from the date of its ratification by that Power.

Meanwhile, the Signatory Powers of the present General Act bind themselves not to take any steps contrary to its provisions.

Each Power will address its ratification to the Government of the Valarisk Empire, by which notice of the fact will be given to all the other Signatory Powers of the present Act.

The ratifications of all the Powers will be deposited in the archives of the Government of the Valarisk Empire. When all the ratifications shall have been sent in, there will be drawn up a Deposit Act, in the shape of a Protocol, to be signed by the representatives of all the Powers which have taken part in the Conference of Berlin, and of which a certified copy will be sent to each of those Powers.

IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF the several plenipotentiaries have signed the present General Act and have affixed thereto their seals.

DONE at Rhenstadt, 2019 ISC.

[Signatures included here.]

[Signatures included here.]

Given the unsavoury nature of several nations now rushing through The Object for control of the Apate system, the order to being construction of a grand fleet had begun. The engineers in Valyrien were hard pressed to come up with functional designs, their lunar counterparts gracefully leanding their expertise after the first shipments of equipment and food had made it's way to the installation.

The Moon, Valarisk Lunar Colonies, Colony 01

Marshalk von Drake stood motionless in his office, processing the weeks event. In the man's right hand was a steaming cup of coffee, a previously rare beverage traded on the blackmarket for a heafty price... now worthless after the first supply ships had crashed the economy. A vintage map of Valyrien decorated the wall across from his desk and he had trouble coming to terms with the size of the comparably now colossal modern empire. The simple photograph of the dull looking old chairman was replaced by a framed portait of the new Valarisk Empress, looking like someone stolen straight from a legend.
Someone from planetside joked that Imperium now consisted of goblins, orcs and trolls, sure they had spent a good few decades in outer-space, but it was still offensive to think his people were dumb enough to buy it.

An expeditionary force was to be assembled and follow the trail of several overly eager nations who'd charged head first into the unknown. Marshalk von Drake had volunteered to lead it, taking command of the von Morgonstjârna Class ship, a legacy from their ancestors which they'd been repaired and retrofitted countless times. The ship was upgraded with modern equipment and renamed "Sif" in honour of the first Lunar Marshal. He'd spent far too many years getting choked in the crampped colonies and now sought to breathe amongst the stars. According to imperial decree, the crew was to mirror the ethnic diversity of the Imperium, though the Lunar Valari were still to number in a slight majority, compared to the Harrenese, Half-blodt, Khyrenean and Aurummites delegations.

Probes were sent to Apate 2 and Apate 6 as Sif passed the event horizon, the ship remained near the Object, waiting the results and attempting to establish contact with Goldguard in the meantime.

by **Asgareth** » Wed Jun 12, 2019 1:05 pm

A.R.S.E Custodiemus, Orbiting around Hell

There had been some, amongst A.R.S.E., that believed the mission onto the ice moons of Apate 7 was nothing more than the dream of a fanatic. There were few exploitable resources on the moons, and their climates were far from pleasant; though a few Asgarthians and Romans had announced an intention to visit the two ice moons on their next holiday. Indeed, many within A.R.S.E. had believed that Apate 3 was a far more viable target. It was on the orders of Yasley Besci Yultsin – commander of the Epiloan division, that A.R.S.E.’s attention finally focussed solely on Apates 7A and 7B. His reasons for doing so were obvious. Two of his sons had captaincy over A.R.S.E. vessels; the A.R.S.E. Progredimur and the A.R.S.E. Custodiemus. It had been Yasley’s hope that both of his sons would captain a ship to one moon. Unfortunately, the war for Harren had forced the Progredimur to be called into action, forcing the Custodiemus to make the journey solo.

A.R.S.E. Custodiemus had been chosen to venture to the two ice moons. The new ship had already sustained its first piece of damage; a small piece of debris had dented some paint at the front of the vessel. Whilst Captain Belonca Yultsin had been keen to turn back so as to get it fixed – he was something of a perfectionist – his crew had talked him out of it. Yultsin’s father, had played a major role in ensuring his son had been awarded commandship of the Custodiemus, but the crew still respected their captain. Or so he hoped. In truth, the crew didn’t actually realise that Yultsin was their captain. They had made the easy mistake of assuming the coffee guy, a pleasant young Achaean called Astrabacus, was the captain. Matters weren’t helped when the First Officer, Commander Oppius Sestius Arminus, believed Americano was code for “Launch 50 missiles at the planet below.” Through a minor miracle (or a blocked sandwich), the launch had failed, and all continued to be well on the ship.

The ship was currently in orbit around Hell, having already deposited a small crew and limited resources on Hull. Hell was to be the location of a considerably larger base than its sister moon, and therefore required a larger contingent from A.R.S.E. Unlike N.O.D.E. Stonelight, which held domestic aliens, the base on Hell would priorities extra-terrestrial aliens, if and when they were discovered. The experiments that could be conducted on Hell, would be regarded, at the very least, as immoral, if not completely unlawful by many civilised states. Thankfully, Asgareth and Rome had long turned a blind eye to the workings of A.R.S.E., and effectively gave the command free reign to do as they pleased.

A.R.S.E. Custodiemus hadn’t been in orbit for very long at all. The initial probes had provided little detail, other than the surface was composed of ice layers. It would be up to the landing party, comprised of 42 men, to discover more. Lieutenant Asolva Perkita was the man in-charge of establishing the base on Hell. The builder drones had finished assembling the first part of the base by the time the crew had landed, providing the crew somewhere to head to. The manned pod had landed within yards of the base, providing only a limited exposure to the cold temperatures outside. Upon entering the base, Perkita wasted no time in yelling orders at the various men around him.
“Sergeant Pavoli, get in contact with the Custodiemus. Let them know we’re all in one piece. Rancos, Trinca… set up the monitors. Erkine, you’re on watch. Astrabacus, get the coffee on.”

A.R.S.E. Outpost, Hull

Apate 7B, colloquially known as Hull, was the third, and final body that A.R.S.E. had successfully managed to establish a base on. The A.R.S.E. outpost there was considerably smaller than the base on Hell. The outpost was, for lack of a better word, a shed.

Whilst the Asgarthian contingent on Hell was considerable, Hull only had a limited number of occupiers. Three unfortunate souls had been chosen to be live on Hull, under the command of Sergeant Plyn Artille. While the Custodiemus maintained its presence in Hell’s orbit, the souls on Hull could count on nothing but sheer dumb luck to survive this ordeal. They had not volunteered for this mission; having been chosen through a series of gladiator tournaments, where the victors were given the honour of landing on the moon. Sergeant Artille and his men had arrived just as construction of the outpost finished. The trio had successfully made contact with the Custodiemus, and were busy setting up the interior of the base. From there, they were to assess any risks to the moon, and provide hourly reports to the mothership. With limited resources, the men on Hull were A.R.S.E.'s sole line of defence on the moon, leaving it vulnerable to hostile attacks. They were alone, and damn near helpless.

by **Romae in Perpetuum** » Wed Jun 12, 2019 3:30 pm

A.R.S.E Outpost: Atlas, Neptuna, Apate System

Bloody hell this place is beautiful, thought Major Ceneaus as he surveyed the vast tropical ocean. Granted he wasn’t quite used to seeing this much water and so very little land, and when, what he had originally taken to be a distant mountain range, began to move he’d been slightly discontented to say the least. But after a week or so he’d almost gotten used to the oceanic ‘titans’, as his team had started calling them, which so far were maintaining a cautious distance from the island chain. Whether they had always done this or somehow recognised an alien presence was totally beyond a solider like him though, he would have to ask one of the boffins, speaking of which…

“Major! Major Ceneaus!”
“Doctor Pyrrha.” He acknowledged, trying to keep his voice neutral. “What can the A.R.S.E. Marine Corps do for you today?”
“One of your thugs is refusing to let my team set up on the far end of the island! I tried to tell him that we’re attempting to track one of the titans that we believe to be circling us but…”
“He told you that its too far from the base…we’ve had this discussion doctor.” Ceneaus met the smaller woman’s fierce gaze, with the practiced face of one who had been forced to wrangle a few dozen teams of overexcited intellectuals for what seemed like a year and a half. “Its simply too far from the outpost, if one of your monstrous friends out there splashes around too much you and your team, not to mention some very valuable equipment, will drown.”
“Look around you Major!” The doctor said exasperatedly. “Trees! Grass! Or at the very least something incredibly similar! Does this place look like its regularly submerged? Do any of the islands we’ve established outposts on?”
Ceneaus did have to concede that she had a point, and had mentioned as much in his report to the Vorkatrov, but the ship had left to survey Apate 6 for potential mining operations and to see what passive scans it could pick up from the foreign colonies on the moons of Apate 5, and it would look awfully bad if he overrode the captains safety protocols only to lose a science team or two…
“Not to mention I don’t have enough equipment or personnel to determine why the titans aren’t approaching!” She continued, pressing her advantage. “The mōrós underwater base seems to have all it needs, but the actually important science…”
“The A.R.S.E Utilis will be here before the end of the day.” Interjected Ceneaus, determined to regain control of the conversation. “It’s a big transport ship, doctor and will have everything your teams have requested and more. And once Perseus base is up and running in a week or so, you’ll have more lab space than you know what to do with. Feel free to disseminate that information by the way, as much as I’m looking forward to having similar conversations with your colleagues.” He added sardonically.
“But…”
“Look.” The Major interrupted. “If you’re so determined to investigate, ill assign you one of the larger research vessels and you, and your team, can investigate your tracked titan personally. It should do until the observation satellites arrive on the Utilis anyway.”
“Oh, very well then.” Dr Pyrrha said, trying and failing to hide her enthusiasm at the prospect of closer examination. “But I want to have a word with Captain Maecenus about those stupid protocols!”
“As you wish, doctor.” Ceneaus replied cordially, trying to imagine just how poorly that conversation would go. “May I suggest you don’t skip lunch today? Some of my men have caught some prawn-like crustaceans the size of cod and the chefs are planning a hell of a barbecue.”

A.R.S.E Vorkatrov, approach to Apate 6

“Well, I must say there have been some fascinating discoveries around Apate 5…” Remarked Captain Maecenus, to no one in particular. “Ruins and now even ships!”
“I just hope whoever they belong to is as dead as that gods-awful moons the Custodiemus is operating out of these days…” Muttered Lieutenant Ignatius, the helmsman. “A friend of mine from the Academy sent me pictures of Hull.” He shuddered at the memory. “Last thing we need is a bunch of very irritable xenos wanting to know what we’re doing in their system!”
“As long as they’re less repellent than the greenskins, I shan’t complain.” Replied the Captain.
“Not that that’s too hard, mind.” Added Commander Persoli, who had been reviewing the data. “Do you think the admiralty will order us to seize the ships, Captain?”
“I’m not even sure the gods fully understand the admiralty, Number One. Depends if they have anything useful on them or if they’re salvageable. If so, I imagine we might have a slight incident on our hands…”
“That’s if the Myraxians and Iryllians don’t kill each other for them first.” Persoli added. “Aren’t they meant to be at war?”
“Who knows? The Drekhi even seemed to have even come out of hiding to nab a moon if these transmissions are accurate.”
“The Drekhi? I thought they all disappeared up their own ar…”
“Approaching the asteroid belt, Captain.” Announced Lieutenant Ignatius.
“Good, good.” Acknowledged Maecenus. “Ops prepare to launch survey drones. Science stations begin scanning, I want to see if there’s anything good out there.”

by **Auruum** » Fri Jun 14, 2019 6:12 am

Rixxi was practically jettisoned from the Dragonfly before it fully touched down, protective environmental suit sealed and ready to begin gathering data. She was soon followed by the rest of the Survey team. According to the plan, All non-combat personnel members had to be partnered up with at least one combat personnel member, For the young and excitable Xeno-Archeologist, there was the Troll mercenary, Ram’bani Alkalanji, her own, slightly more armored exo-suit helping her carry the large rifle-like weapon in her hands.

Aurum had learned it’s lesson with Friendly Island, and although extensive testing was done to make sure the air was safe to breath, the suit’s advanced filtration system would hopefully help them ward against anything in the air around the ruins. Which so far, seemed to be just as clean and safe as the rest of the atmosphere, leaving the Survey team to discover that whoever lived in the outer buildings, had to be closer to Goblin height. Doorways were small, windows being closer to the ground, what little evidence of furniture found added to the theory. For the Goblins, this seemed to be facinating and a unique experience, for the Orcs and trolls however, it proved a hindrance, forcing them to have to stoop down or flat out crawl and squeeze through. Often times many of the non-goblin Survey team just waited outside of the buildings and studied from there, or stood guard, as their smaller charges moved about the alien constructs freely.

*Fig A small ruined courtyard likely a marketplace or communal gathering spot.

There was a significant population here, by the estimated proportions of the builders, and the size of some of the buildings and towers, this was likely to be a full blown city. That being said the architecture definitely hinted at an advanced but distinctly agrarian species. No signs of any electronics were found, or expected to be found, but the stonework was certainly high quality. Many of the ruins still stood tall and sturdy, even as native vines and mosses attempted to reclaim them, others were of course collapsed and only hinted at their original structure or purpose. In several of the buildings were also found small hand held objects, presumably farm tools, all further hinting at an agrarian society, at their equivalent of the Stone Age.

*Fig B collected tools and artifacts gathered from ruins, shapes seem hint at a focus towards tilling the soil or possibly harvesting crops. Further study is required before anything concrete can be stated.

Dr. Smughammer’s excitement grew significantly as they gathered the items, Ram’bani had to nearly restrain her from going to the central building without the rest of the team. Soon enough the artifacts were safely secured and taken back to the Dragonfly, the vehicle taking off to return to the base as a second one departed to replace it. The Team traveled deeper into the complex, making its way to the larger central tower structure.

“Just look at this place! They barely cut some of these boulders, and it still fits together like a giant puzzle set!” Rixxi snapped a quick photo of a section of the wall, displaying the pattern in which the stones were placed, and the rarity of a space causing a hole in the wall. In places where the stones didn’t exactly match up, smaller stones seemed to be specifically broken into shapes to plug them. Sure the builders may not have been a spacefaring empire, but these ruins were the evidence of a race that -definitely- had masonry down. There was no trace of any sort of adhesive keeping the stones in place, nor nails or bolts. Boulders were simply stacked on top and beside one another, and still these structures could be seen from space. Rixxi gave an inward squeal (Although, to be fair, there was definitely an outward squeal accompanying it) This was the best thing to ever happen. All her years of study and work, and it was being paid off by having another, more fantastical challenge thrown her way. In that moment she wished she could have thanked whoever had sent the Void-Gateway to their corner of the cosmos.

*Fig C wall section, showcasing how the stones fit together with little to no cutting.

========Meanwhile, deep within the forest.=======

A secondary Survey team was making its way in a spiral like pattern outwards from the colony. Their trek had led to the discovery of many new species of native flora and fauna. No official names were given just yet, as there was very little known about them, but that didn’t stop some of the team members from being creative.

*Fig D Beetle Analogue, seems to feed from tree roots, like an oversized aphid. This specimen’s body was estimated to be the size of a common dairy cow. Suggested species name: Wooly Cow Aphid, Xeno-Biologist Cogsworth wishes to announce his disapproval of the name, for the record.

The team did discover that the dog sized insectoids were by far not the largest found on the moon. The team had found several species that were the size of Origin-borne bovines. And some of those were deceptively fast. While one scientist was in the middle of snapping pictures of a beetle like creature, quicker than a blink of an eye, another specimen had pounced from out of nowhere and jabbed a barbed, tongue-like proboscis into it’s soft underbelly and quickly dragged it into the foliage. Needless to say, the team did not follow to see what happened next.

*Fig E Predatory spider-beetle analogue, incredibly fast despite its large size, video footage played back in slow motion revealed it lashing out its barbed tongue to entangle it’s prey and drag it away, presumably to it’s nest for eating.

In another area, a particularly tangled set of tree roots were covered in what appeared to be a waxy-spider web. This nest housed several Spider-like Analogues who poked their heads out and watched the team curiously, allowing for a few pictures to be taken before they retreated back inside.

*Fig F Spider Analogue, webbing appears to be used less for entangling prey, and more for constructing their nests. Not sure if this species even are predatory or not. Seems to be communal.

Requests for containment facilities were once more submitted, and then submitted again just to make sure it was clear the Xeno-Biology department was very eager to study these creatures up close.

========Back at the Base.=======

“For fucks sakes...If Cogsworth doesn’t stop asking for cages for his animals I’m gonna throw him in the first one we get.”
“He’s just excited, can you blame him?”
“His excitement is sucking up our bandwidth!”
Two engineers chatted as they relayed the data gathered by the Survey team’s back home to Aurum, as well as receiving orders and updates.
“Think we’ll find some hot alien chicks?”
“Dude, seriously?”
“It’s the whole reason I signed up man!”
“I’m just...not even going to finish this conversation. Incoming message, It’s...Valarisk but something’s off about.”
“Huh, Yeah says it’s from the Von Morgonstjarna class vessel, ‘Sif’. Is that on any of our recor- Oh we got another ping, this time from home. ‘Moon Valari are going to make contact soon, probably more racist than normal Valari, prepare accordingly.’ What the...?”

After some time wasted on figuring out what ‘Moon Valari’ meant, contact was indeed made. The Aurummite colony on Goldguard acknowledging Valryien’s presence in the Apate system and offering any assistance they might require. Meanwhile the colony’s administration were being debriefed on the existence of a lunar base back home that apparently even Valyrien had forgotten about.

by **Valyrien** » Thu Jun 20, 2019 3:58 pm

Apate, Apate 6, Sif

"I think they're taking this joke a little too far, Marshal."

"Can't help but agree with him, Ser, but I'm almost starting to think it isn't joke..."

"Look at the thing's realistic facial expression, the irritation almost seems genuine."

"Video technology has really come far, but couldn't they have picked a more realistic idea of a Goblin?"

The Lunar Marshal stood silent, stroking his chin as his crew discussed the creature on the monitor, feeling increasingly annoyed at this joke their earth-brethren insisted on playing on him.
The earth-born political commissar on the other hand looked like his head was about explode. The expression of absolute horror slowly gave way to anger, watching troops so openly insulting allies and fellow members of the Imperium and a Marshal not bothering to discipline them.

An hour, and some hearing loss later, the Lunar Marshal changed his focus, setting it on Apate 6 as his orders specified. The Sif was on it's way and with some foresight the Marshal sent a message to a traditional ally with the name of Slavacia, asking for possible assistance in asserting the Valarisk claim and offering the same favour in return. The Political Commissar after some smoothing over with the Aurummite-allies forwarded a similar request for assistance to Goldguard as well as New Myr.

Valarisk Broadcast

In the name of Her Imperial Majesty Sonja Casshandrhia von Ulvfstadt-Sfvarthoff, High Marshal and Empress of the Greater Valarisk Imperium, Valyrien claim the astroids collectivaly designated as Apate 6. Any trespassing will be considered an illegal act, subject to fines, imprisonment or execution under imperial law.

Valyrien, Rhenstad

Two characters walked on the wharfs, few words had been exchanged between the two so far, both transfixed by the beauty of the local sea.

"How come that sour Stâhlfalk isn't running the show? The grand political nature of the whole ordeal feels like his usual assignments." The elderly gentleman spoke first, stroking the newly trimmed and oiled moustache-beard combo, ashen in colour.

"Well, old friend... Apparently he's on leave, in Sôdergaarde seducing some pastry chef half his age. At least that's what his young ward Natashja told me in our correspondence, whilst she's stuck with the paperwork." The younger lit another of many cigarettes to come, glancing at the Ôfveradmiral’s ornately carved whalebone pipe.

“Found love late in life, isn’t that quaint. Found mine perhaps a little too early.” Gunnar mused as he gazed towards the waves breaking against the shoreline.

“How are the talks proceeding on your end?" He yanked himself back to the present and gave von Vittra a concerned look.

“Well, old friend...” Sigurd took a moment in silence, allowing himself to reflect upon the several hour-long session between the Apate-interested nations.

“Our old allies share a similar policy as ours on Apate as they do on most others, I see no issue there...” the younger von Vittra continuing, looking at his cigarette and cursing the Goblins who introduced him to the poison.

“I sense a but coming, Sigurd” von Rhenstad considered the absence of stubbornly hostile nations who’d bluntly refused. The two paused to spectate as a team of divers prepared to detonate an old mine within squinting distance of the pair.

“But... There’s a great deal of uncertainty concerning the stance of the joint Asgerthi-Roman endeavour. The Shurayu on the other hand are showing promise at least.”

“Mhm... This new era of exploration and discovery will only end one way otherwise.” The divers detonated the mine, the spectacular explosion adding a dramatic flair to the aging sailor comment, the two remaining for a moment longer to admire the angry sea.

"You have to teach me that timing of yours..." von Vittra stamped out the cigarette as the two prepared to returned.

"It's not something you can teach, comes with age, pöjk.

by **Romae in Perpetuum** » Fri Jun 21, 2019 8:41 am

A.R.S.E. Vorkatrov, Apate 6, Apate System

“Initial scans of the belt are complete, sir.” Announced Ensign Wekyll Serka, the ops officer. “Seems a standard enough belt, sir. Some interesting mining potential, if I’m reading this right, almost certainly worth further investigation.”
“Very good ensign.” Captain Maecenus replied. “Any word from the survey drones?”
“Not yet, captain. They’ve progressed deeper into the field and we’ve heard nothing so far.”
“Very well, we’ll hold position for a bit longer. Comms, send a message to Central Command inquire as to the status of Project Atlas and inform them…”
“Sir.” Piped up Ensign Serka urgently. “We’re detecting an unknown object entering the system!”
“Probably just a rouge asteroid.” Said Commander Persoli, not looking up from his crossword. “Say Captain, fifteen down, six letters, wife of Prince Octavius Drusus…”
“No Commander, its coming in too fast for that. It’s a ship sir!”
“Of Origin or Xenos construction?” Asked the captain quickly, relieved to be let off the crossword question.
“I’d say we’ll find out soon enough, Captain.” Said Lieutenant Ignatius at the helm. “Contact in twenty seconds.”
“Red alert.” Commanded the captain. “Ready all weapons, all hands to battle stations. Comms send an encoded message to the Custodiemus, inform them of our situation and advise them to be on standby and to be prepared to come to our aid.”
“Five, Four, Three, Two…”
“On screen.” Ordered Maecenus.
The bridge went silent as they absorbed the sight of the unknown ship entering the belt.
“Is…that it?” Asked Persoli.

The ship on the screen looked a hundred years old, though there were signs of recent work, it was hardly the xenos extermination fleet the bridge crew had been expecting. The Valrisk flag on the bow was unmistakable, however, and the tension drained from the bridge as fears of imminent rectal probing disappeared.
“Apparently it’s the best our northern friends can offer up…” Replied the Captain sardonically. “Open a channel, we had better see what they want.”
“Actually sir, they’re already broadcasting…” Said Lieutenant Silvanus, the comm officer. “Putting it through…”
The lieutenant was cut off however, by a crackling guttural noise that echoed around the bridge causing half the crew to wince painfully.
“What in Jupiter Maximus’ name was that?” Asked Lieutenant Ignatius. “Sounded like the washing machine when my nephew tried to clean his pet rock…”
“I believe that was High Valrisk…” Answered Ensign Serka. “If you’ll allow me Captain, I took a few courses at the Marius Academy: in the name of their Emperor, I think they’re inviting us to Sunday lunch… and we’re to tell them if we need a vegetarian option.”
“Don’t be absurd man!” Scoffed the captain. “Everyone knows A.R.S.E. has as strictly non-vegetarian policy! Any other suggestions?”
“Yes sir.” Started the comm officer. “They said…”
“Well it’s obvious.” Interjected another officer. “They said that in the name of their Prime Minister, they surrender this territory to us, since we were obviously here first!”
“Damn sporting of them!” Said the captain.
"Actually, Captain.." Silvanus tried again
“I think not, sir.” Announced Commander Persoli. “My great-grandfathers dog was Valrisk, so I have a unique insight into their language. They’re clearly claiming the entire solar system for their party chairman and are demanding we sacrifice our eldest children to the Spectre of Communism, then leave.”
“Leave! I think not!” Replied Maecenus indignantly. “We were here first! Tactical stay on high alert and make it obvious we’re armed to the teeth. Ops! Check my diary for the weekend, just in case, and start looking for some nice wines to bring to lunch…we aren’t savages after all. Comms! Open a channel to the Valrisk.” He cleared his throat. “Valrisk vessel. This is Captain Flavius Marius Maecenus of the Asgar-Roman Space Exploration force ship Vorkatrov. We have no intention of either sacrificing our children or leaving. In accordance with A.R.S.E General Order nineteen, sub section four, paragraph eleven, this asteroid belt, and all its contents, is now A.R.S.E. property and anything but immediate withdrawal WILL be interpreted as a hostile act. You’re outgunned Valrisk, for the sake of your crew and whatever hopes you have of operating in this system, I suggest you depart…Oh, and no we don’t require a vegetarian option and Commander Persoli here is allergic to parsnips.”

Call of the Void [Closed, Sovereign Charter Only]

Call of the Void [Closed, Sovereign Charter Only]

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