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The Maiden's Record
Since the earliest days of Terran history, Terrans have looked up and wondered what was beyond their little sphere of isolation in the galaxy. For thousands of years, all they could do was wonder what was out there and imagine walking the stars. Humanity would make their first big step many thousands of years after first looking up. In the midst of the Cold War, on October 4, 1957, this first step would come in the form as the Sputnik I, the first Terran made satellite in space, and the start of the space race. A few years later, on April 12, 1961, the next big step was taken when the Soviets successfully launched Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin into space. Four years later, cosmonaut Alexey Leonov would make the first spacewalk on March 18, 1965. On December 24, 1968, Apollo 8 would be the first Terran space faring vessel to make it to the Moon and back. The next year would mark the biggest step for humanity in space travel. July 20, 1969, a date that would forever go down in history as Neil Armstrong would step foot on the Moon. After that, a few more milestones in space travel; the first space station Salyut 1 on April 19, 1971; the first reusable space shuttles on April 12, 1981; November 2, 2000 saw the first crew members on the International Space Station; and then the rise of commercial space travel.
The final major stepping point for humanity's journey to the stars, was the development of the first FTL Drive. It was created by one Dr. Marius Sydow, who would go on to found one of the five megacorps that would dominate Terran society in the future. The drive was developed in 2149, and the first flight of a ship with the FTL Drive was on October 4, 2157. The date was chosen symbolically, to show that humanity had entered a new age of space travel, unfortunately, what Dr. Sydow thought was the beginning of a beautiful new age, would end up being a time of war. War erupted across the Earth, with states falling as fast as new ones rose. As wars raged across states though, the mega corporations rose, offering people safety and started to look beyond Earth for new worlds. Worlds for colonization and more importantly resources.
The mega corporations would make first contact around 2182 with many alien races. A few conflicts would begin, everything from simple disagreements to full out wars as Terrans began to expand. This would stop however around 2265, when news from Earth made it to the top levels of the mega corporations, and the mega corporations looked back home. A new war began as the mega corporations sought to claim their home. This war would end with many former colonies of the mega corporations seeking independence, and the rise of the Terran Authority. After that war, which would be known as the Corporate War, not much would happen. Terran territories started to see a rise in crime rates, and the era of chaotic space piracy. By 2324, a new faction started to rise in the galaxy, the Court of Five, and brought a sort of order to the era of space piracy.
But the galaxy would face a new sort of chaos years later, with rumours of a new Terran organization, Whisper. At first the whispers about Whispers were just that whispers, but come 2400, these whispers became screams. Attacks began across the galaxy, and the mysterious organization Whisper stepped into the light. While its agenda remained unknown, the fear associated with it became well known. A new war was raged across the galaxy, and by 2418, Whisper was believed to have been destroyed. However, their are rumours that they are still around, recovering and waiting for their next chance.
The current date, according to the Terran Gregorian calendar, is May 13, 2543 CE. The crew of the Celestial Maiden is about to find themself in the centre of a series of galaxy changing events, with the opportunity to change the course of history.
May 13, 2543 CE, about 0700 Standard Earth Time (SET)
The Celestial Maiden, Bridge
Ryker Arion
Ryker Arion. Son of a well known black market dealer on Piyria; now amoung the most well known smugglers and feared mercenaries. He was known across the known galaxy for his many jobs, specifically the high profile ones. Unlike other smugglers and mercenaries in the galaxy, Ryker had a reputation for possessing something rare amoung the scum of the galaxy, a moral code. Now, his code isn't perfect but it is far better than no code at all. One of his more famous jobs was back when he had no ship of his own, and was hired by a group of Praux smugglers, or that was at least what they called themselves, but in reality they were slavers. So, when Ryker learned this, not only was he disgusted by them, but pissed that they kept information about his job from him. Those two feelings together lead him to killing his employeers, taking over the ship and freeing the slaves. He would then sell the ship to make up for the fact he wasn't going to get paid.He would eventually get his own ship, the Celestial Maiden, as payment for a job he did for a certain Elyzian noble.
And now here he was, on the bridge of said ship. The bridge was fairly empty, a rectangular window ran across the front and back, rounding the corners and giving slight coverage to port and starboard sides. Two doors could be found in the centre of the space that lacked the view port on either side. In the centre of the bridge was a pilots seat. This seat was not like other pilot seats, for this was an Elyzian made ship. A semi circular consle surrounded the seat, but the controls to fly the ship would not be found there. The controls to fly the ship were found as two orbs at the end of the seats arm rest that changed between colours like a jewel shimmering in the light. In that seat sat Ryker, with his feet up on the consle, looking out the window as the ship flew towards its destination in FTL.
Ryker however was not the only one on the bridge, as of to his side looking out the window as well was one of the few members of the crew that he trusted with his life. He trusted her because he knew her for her entire life, she was the crews Android, Anastasia. Ryker however jsuty called her Ana. He did not have the level of trust that he did because she was an Android though, since she did have a highly advanced AI. He trusted her because he had no reason to distrust her, unlike most others on this ship. Trust was a hard thing to some across in his line of work, and seeing as most of his crew for this job were new to him... well you could see why his trust was lacking.
Other than Anastasia, he only trusted three others with his life. One of those was a friend of his mothers, an old man known as Reverend Rackham. The only reason that Ryker did trust Rev was because he knew that his mother gave Rev the job of protecting him. That leaves two others that he trusted with his life. Akina Koizumi, the ships small genius engineer, and the ex-Paladin Lorcan Virrieth. He meet Akina during a job, and when she told him her story, he helped her escape and a great friendship was born. As for Lorcan, Ryker knows that he can trust him, as he has seen what is in the Elyzian swordsman's mind.
"You know you can be anywhere you want on the ship right Ana?" Ryker said and looked at the Android. "Surely there is something more interesting than this bridge..."
"I know." Anastasia spoke and glanced at Ryker, "But seeing as everything is running at maximum efficiency right now, I am not needed anywhere... besides, I enjoy the view."
"Have you introduced yourself to the crew yet?" Ryker said, "It would be good for you to get to know them."
"Why?" She said and turned to face Ryker, "You haven't introduced yourself so how do you know it will be good to get to know them? I don't need to know anymore than what the database says about them..."
"Why? Well... Umm... Oh, look at the time. It doesn't matter now because your going to meet them anyway, its time to call a crew meeting and discuss the mission." Ryker said and pushed a button on the consle. Throughout the ship, his voice would be heard. "Good morning. This is your captain speaking. All is good in FTL... we will be arriving at Scichi Station above Scichi B1 in the Alhena System within the hour. So all of you get up and meet in the mess hall in ten."
With that Ryker got up and left the bridge, with Anastasia following behind, and headed for the mess hall. The mess hall of the Celestial Maiden was nothing more than a large room with a large table in the centre of it. In the back wall of the mess hall were cupboards of food stuffs, and rations. Each cupboard was kept at the correct temperature to keep the food as fresh as possible for as long as possible. They had almost anything. On one of the side wall was a small microwave like device that would cook the food stuffs, and beside it was something very rare, for any type of ship, a coffee machine. Ryker didn't grab anything as he ate a while ago, and stood at the front of the room an waited.
May 13, 2543 CE, about 0700 SET
The Celestial Maiden, Akina's Quarters (the Drone Lair)
Akina Koizumi
Ryker's voice woke Akina up in a bit of a fright. Well, it would have if she didn't wake up stuck between the bed and the nightstand. Normally people would freak out of they woke up in such a possition, some may be impressed but freak out afterwards. Akina was no normal person though, and this wasn't the first time she woke up like this. So, she did not freak out, but instead sighed and did what she always did to get unstuck.
Once she was freed she stretched slightly and looked around her room. To say her room was a mess would be an understatement. Things were everywhere, covering every surface and the floor. Most of this mess was not dirty clothing as some would expect, but was mainly parts of drones or robots. The one table she had in the room was covered with piles of parts and semi built drones. You see, Akina was a tinkerer, a builder. So when ever she wasn't working she was making, keeping herself busy. And of course making is not clean, but messy.
After a few minutes of getting ready, she left her quarters, and the soothing sounds of the near by engine room behind as she made her way to the mess hall.
May 13, 2543 CE, about 0700 SET
The Celestial Maiden, Lorcan's Quarters
Lorcan Virrieth
Lorcan was up long before Ryker called the meeting. In fact he was up earlier than usual, as he had the dream that had been plaguing him for so long once again. He heard screams and crying and saw black figures dragging children away as those who screamed where killed. He then saw a battle, hundreds against five figures, with the five victorious. He then saw the five walking, one heading in a direction opposite of the others. He then heard the sounds of a hammer striking an anvil as fragments of what looked to be a blade came together, and a hilt was attached. The sword was black as night, with ancient Elyzian runes that emitted a sickly green glow. He then saw a large room with little light. Massive statues of warriors stood by and looked down on the room, as in the centre a pedestal stood. A new figure, some how darker than the others, took the ancient sword and stuck it into the pedestal. He then saw the stars in the sky start to go out one by one as the sound of battle raged and joined with screams of horror and pain. Finally everything wnet silent and dark, but a low growl broke the silence as crimson eyes appeared and a single phrase was uttered, "OUHKAJ RAK ELIZYI!" There the dream ended and Lorcan would wake with what was best described as a feeling of primal fear.
After he woke up, he begun his morning routine, some light meditation followed by some practice, and then a meal. In fact, he was already on his way to the mess hall when Ryker called the meeting, so he was the first one their after Ryker. Lorcan did not get anything fancy, and just sat down with some alien looking fruit and a ration pack. He started to eat as they waited.
