The Last Stars - IC

by **Harkback Union** » Mon Mar 16, 2020 7:37 pm

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

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

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

Curiosities.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Which path to choose
- Deep scan: Consumes another expedition worth of time
- Find a way inside: Immediate results.
- Watch and Wait: Appoint a special task force. Let noone touch it. We might return later.
- Obliterate: Use bigger charges this time. We're taking no risks.
- Bury it back: Perhaps this was a mistake.

by **Harkback Union** » Mon Mar 16, 2020 7:55 pm

Danceria wrote:G-0, known locally as Flaia
Elystamar AKA G- 0- III - R

Leadership
--->[Independent Research] for ATOMIC POWER

The mystery of the atom would not be solved in a day, but 30 years was plenty of time.
Early attempts show promising signs of feasibility, but more time would be needed. That much is clear.

+20% chance for next research attempt.

by **Harkback Union** » Mon Mar 16, 2020 8:01 pm

The GAmeTopians wrote:The Sunrider

"Sector L-0, single planet, extremely close to its star. Our shielding won't hold up at that range." The scanning officer reported to the pathfinder, an image of the scorched world appearing on the main screen. The Pathfinder grimaced, dreading the eventual inevitable exploration of that world.
"We're done here for now. Move on to the next system."
"Sir, do you have a common designation for this system?"
"Hades."

"Sector F-0, white dwarf. Five orbits plus asteroid belt. Habitability unknown."

"A better start than Hades. Astrogator Tannon, bring her in. We'll scan the system top to bottom."
The Sunrider began its approach, scanners at the ready.

"Sir. Designation?"
"I'm withholding a designation until we know what the system holds. Don't hold your breath."

Action: Explore Sector F-0, Planet I.

Scanning...

300K
N2, O2, He
Hydrosphere
Eden (Water), Desert (Silicon), Desert (Water), Desert (Water), Mountains (Metal), Wasteland, Ocean,

Scan Complete
Analisys: Habitable
Resources: Poor

by **G-Tech Corporation** » Mon Mar 16, 2020 8:50 pm

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

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

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

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

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

Option B: Enter the edifice

by **Theyra** » Mon Mar 16, 2020 9:19 pm

The Remnant

How long was it been since they left Icarran Space, days, months, how long since that battle where the Remnant choose to flee that losing battle. How long since they choose to give up fighting for a corrupt empire and turned to the stars to find something new. Something worth fighting for in the uncharted space of the Omega Cluster. For Captian Thenkai Nakneox, he just hoped that his people can find somewhere to settle and start anew. Far away from the Icarran Empire and he was going with a routine check of his vessel the Pathfinder's systems. Traveling to the Omega Cluster was a long journey and now that they have arrived, everything needs to be working right or something bad could happen. They can't take risks and once the system check was green, Thenkai relaxed into his chair. Then he received alerts that the fleet's systems were green across the board and he gave the order to begin exploring nearby systems for planets to settle. They got three systems to explore and one was bound the have a habitable world. At least that's what Thenkai hoped and the ship jumped to the nearest system.

by **Yuzhou** » Tue Mar 17, 2020 12:06 am

Harakpa morphed down and slunk along the dry spore grass. Less than 20 lengths ahead grazed a massive kurul, unaware of his presence. Harakpa raised his spear and aimed, then stopped, letting the warm sun of Yuluk bath upon him. A breeze swam by his nostrils smelling of dust, and carried his pheromones away from the kurul's attention.
A kaloo began to sing on a branch nearby.

Harakpa turned his gaze towards it. So too did the kurul. The kaloo, a small flying creature, continued to beat its tune. It was Yasulai's totem.
"Flee!
Flee!
Fatal self looms!"
The kaloo cried to the kurul. The great beast then turned it's gaze to Harakpa. The two met eyes. The kurul was Harakpa's totem.
"You should not be visiting me" Harakpa said, his cover clearly blown.
The kurul spoke only in ideas. Images flashed before Harakpa. With such a large beast, it said, he would have more than enough meat for a week to feed Yasulai, the children, even some of the tribe. For just a few hours work, he could gain the benefit of days worth of hunting. Yasulai could even cook it with vegetables from her garden. In one swift throw, he could have achieved all his duty as man.

Then the kurul, kaloo, and universe went silent. The ground began to shake, gently, as it did. Harakpa could feel the vibrations of Yuluk beneath him, a steady heartbeat that took breath from all the world. He looked up. The kurul was gone.
"Flee!
Flee!
Fatal self looms!"

Memory of Yuluk

Destroyer Gabshuh
Edge of Omega Cluster

Harakpa awoke in his bed, the dream passing as quickly as it came, the vibrations of Yuluk lingering in his mind before subsiding to vibrations of another. Even in the total blackness, he knew where those vibrations came from -- their destinations. The last refuge.
The Gazrok moved to his door, not bothering with any light, he could traverse the dark just fine. The press of an unseen button slid the metal door open. The bridge right outside his quarters was already filled with activity. He, and everyone else, already knew arrival day had come. After countless decades traversing the cosmos, the Bal'ahkai had finally made it to the last brightly illuminated portion of the charted universe.

Harakpa looked around. Everywhere moved and worked Gazrok across the bridge of the destroyer. They were a smattering of color against a metal and glass hull. Blacks, liquid silvers, pinks, oranges, ethereal whites, all mingled about their stations. The array was only augmented by the multitude of stone types many wore over their skin. Despite the number of them, the entire space was mostly quiet, with the few voices whispered into the air.
Harakpa moved towards the command post where a smattering of officer stood transfixed over a chart display. Even with their distance out, the blue nebula cluster was visible with the naked Gazrok eye, and among it, a small yellow dot -- the star they were moving towards.
As he neared, an officer silently reached over and touched Harakpa upon the shoulder.

"Greetings, captain." the officer said through the touch.

"Lomok." Harakpa replied. "We've made it."

"Yes. We are looking at a G-type star system ahead of us, captain."

"Why the chalk gazing?" Harakpa nodded towards the rest of the officer cadre.

"Well, the nebula...its strange. Even when we can see it, it's taken our nav some time to latch onto the G-type star. The whole thing is mentioned in most old charts, but, not actually charted itself as you know. And.."

"And the pulsing."

The officer nodded wordlessly. All the Bal'akhai had been called to it after the Breaking, in one way or the other. This in itself is not too strange, the Dreaming calls to everyone at least a few times in their life, but on a scale such as this, even the Black Man did not know exactly what to make of it. Of course, the nebula itself did not vibrate, as far as anyone knew, but the Bal'akhai were reacting to it the same.

Harakpa joined the other officers, who were all connected by touch to each other.
"Morning, captain."
"Captain."
"Sir."

"Ion core went out earlier." One of the officers said, still scrolling at the navigation screen with his free hand.
Harakpa looked over to see a team of Gazrok working on a breaker and vent that he knew lead to the thruster department. He was pleased to see the crew working hard and quickly on the repair. He watched as two men held up the grate with their rock-clad hands as a third blasted away with a torch on the panel. A fourth, a woman with no stone clothing, naked and bare, melted up into a slim vent grate.

"This star up ahead is the same class as Yulukalu. If it hosts any planets in its habitable zone, we may have finally..." the officer stopped, not wanting to think the words should the event flee shyly from his recognition.

"Maybe." Harakpa said dryly.

"Do you..do you think we should focus on surface exploration of any potentially habitables we find, captain?"

A loud crash echoed through the bridge room. Harakpa peered over with the entire community to the ion core repair team. The woman peeked from between the vent slits.
"Sorry!" she exclaimed, her gray skin suddenly tinting a deep green in embarrassment. The others all shook with excitement.

"No." Harakpa answered the inquiry, turning back to the charts. "The system could prove desolate. Our ships show there is not much time remaining for us if we do not find refuge soon. I want as broad a sweep as we can get. From our speed, we should be able to survey this system we are coming into, and another in reasonable time. After that, we will make further decisions. For now, get me Yasulai on the communications, we will send her to scan."

His officers all nodded in compliance.

"and..." Harakpa paused, motioning to flight deck and then opening his mouth to speak. "Control, signal to the others. Jump us into the system!"

The bridge erupted into audible cheer.

by **Lunas Legion** » Tue Mar 17, 2020 3:04 am

The Armarda of the Forgotten
System Designate: Tlene

If there were words to describe this in the language of the As'kaqa, they had long since been forgotten like everything else had been, lost to the vast emptiness that was time in cryogenics. But words wouldn’t help here.

Adral didn’t panic, he didn’t bother yelling orders, not with the chaos and pandemonium around him as he stormed upwards through packed corridors towards the bridge.

They didn’t have many options. Communicating what little they’d found would be worthless. Simply abandoning ship would leave them scattered across a barren moon with little chance of survival or rescue.

“Vat’a, do your best to bring us down in one piece.” He commanded. He’d figure out what to do next once he was on the ground. Hopefully the source of the gravitational waves would save them, otherwise it seemed like their expedition was doomed from the start.

by **Harkback Union** » Tue Mar 17, 2020 5:59 am

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

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

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

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

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

Option B: Enter the edifice

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

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

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

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

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

What could it be?

Artifact recovered:
Alien Memory Bank

Anomaly warrants further investigation:
Rust Mountains

by **Seno Zhou Varada** » Tue Mar 17, 2020 6:11 am

The Ones who Hid

Turn 2

Tension filled the soils and airs of this new world, now called New Depths. Despite the name, the depths weren’t very deep, well that wasn’t true either. The depths may have been deep but they turned to hot stone instead of warm soil, a place no Double One could survive. This shallow habitability fueled that tension. Separations became more common, despite attempts to reduce splitting via their usual methods. They were not fit for this world and it wasn’t fit for them.

However, despite this unfitness, they yearned to spread and multiply. More continents began to feel their touch across them. From the edenic landscapes full of life, to those in cold stone mountains, and even the colder ice sheets, unfit for much in terms of life. Mycelial bodies split off from others, creating new Double Ones. In a way they sought to ease their own tension by splitting themselves up into multiple, new beings. Not sustainable in the long-term, nor a true solution to that tension, but it was understandable.

In this conflict between Savior and Destroyer, however, began to emerge notable beings. While at first The One who United was the only species wide known being, more began to pop up, sometimes literally. One of the newborns on this planet, The One who Observes, began to appear as well in the public consciousness. Being one of the first to emerge upon this world, instead of upon their own or upon the ships, they had a new perspective. One of further exploration and discovery. One of further growth and expansion. They should not seek to simply build here in these unideal conditions, but to look further for more ideal ones. A far more mobile mindset shared between both bodies of their existence. Despite the tension, they rose to the forefront as a unified being, one which could take on the challenges and push on to the Ideal world they wished to see. While not yet in charge of any exploration vessel nor in any proper command, they would most likely take command given time.

by **Harkback Union** » Tue Mar 17, 2020 6:48 am

Theyra wrote:The Remnant

How long was it been since they left Icarran Space, days, months, how long since that battle where the Remnant choose to flee that losing battle. How long since they choose to give up fighting for a corrupt empire and turned to the stars to find something new. Something worth fighting for in the uncharted space of the Omega Cluster. For Captian Thenkai Nakneox, he just hoped that his people can find somewhere to settle and start anew. Far away from the Icarran Empire and he was going with a routine check of his vessel the Pathfinder's systems. Traveling to the Omega Cluster was a long journey and now that they have arrived, everything needs to be working right or something bad could happen. They can't take risks and once the system check was green, Thenkai relaxed into his chair. Then he received alerts that the fleet's systems were green across the board and he gave the order to begin exploring nearby systems for planets to settle. They got three systems to explore and one was bound the have a habitable world. At least that's what Thenkai hoped and the ship jumped to the nearest system.

Explorer Vessel(Pathfinder) - Captained by Captian Thenkai Nakneox - explore systems A-0, L-0, Y-0[ /spoiler]

[spoiler=Technology]Tech Tier 1 - Atomic Power

Tech Tier 2 - Unknown

Without Giants

Rings upon rings of asteroids, space dust and ice. Without gas giants to swallow them, they are free to roam around for an eternity.

A-0

I - Asteroid Belt (Unprospected)

II - R (Unexplored)

III - R (Unexplored)

IV - R (Unexplored)

IVa - Asteroid Ring (Unprospected)

V - R (Unexplored)

Va - R (Unexplored)

VI - R (Unexplored)

VIa - Ice Ring (Unprospected)

VII - Asteroid Belt (Unprospected)

Kuiper Belt (Unprospected)

by **Harkback Union** » Tue Mar 17, 2020 8:20 am

Yuzhou wrote:Harakpa morphed down and slunk along the dry spore grass. Less than 20 lengths ahead grazed a massive kurul, unaware of his presence. Harakpa raised his spear and aimed, then stopped, letting the warm sun of Yuluk bath upon him. A breeze swam by his nostrils smelling of dust, and carried his pheromones away from the kurul's attention.
A kaloo began to sing on a branch nearby.

Harakpa turned his gaze towards it. So too did the kurul. The kaloo, a small flying creature, continued to beat its tune. It was Yasulai's totem.
"Flee!
Flee!
Fatal self looms!"
The kaloo cried to the kurul. The great beast then turned it's gaze to Harakpa. The two met eyes. The kurul was Harakpa's totem.
"You should not be visiting me" Harakpa said, his cover clearly blown.
The kurul spoke only in ideas. Images flashed before Harakpa. With such a large beast, it said, he would have more than enough meat for a week to feed Yasulai, the children, even some of the tribe. For just a few hours work, he could gain the benefit of days worth of hunting. Yasulai could even cook it with vegetables from her garden. In one swift throw, he could have achieved all his duty as man.

Then the kurul, kaloo, and universe went silent. The ground began to shake, gently, as it did. Harakpa could feel the vibrations of Yuluk beneath him, a steady heartbeat that took breath from all the world. He looked up. The kurul was gone.
"Flee!
Flee!
Fatal self looms!"

Memory of Yuluk

Destroyer Gabshuh
Edge of Omega Cluster

Harakpa awoke in his bed, the dream passing as quickly as it came, the vibrations of Yuluk lingering in his mind before subsiding to vibrations of another. Even in the total blackness, he knew where those vibrations came from -- their destinations. The last refuge.
The Gazrok moved to his door, not bothering with any light, he could traverse the dark just fine. The press of an unseen button slid the metal door open. The bridge right outside his quarters was already filled with activity. He, and everyone else, already knew arrival day had come. After countless decades traversing the cosmos, the Bal'ahkai had finally made it to the last brightly illuminated portion of the charted universe.

Harakpa looked around. Everywhere moved and worked Gazrok across the bridge of the destroyer. They were a smattering of color against a metal and glass hull. Blacks, liquid silvers, pinks, oranges, ethereal whites, all mingled about their stations. The array was only augmented by the multitude of stone types many wore over their skin. Despite the number of them, the entire space was mostly quiet, with the few voices whispered into the air.
Harakpa moved towards the command post where a smattering of officer stood transfixed over a chart display. Even with their distance out, the blue nebula cluster was visible with the naked Gazrok eye, and among it, a small yellow dot -- the star they were moving towards.
As he neared, an officer silently reached over and touched Harakpa upon the shoulder.

"Greetings, captain." the officer said through the touch.

"Lomok." Harakpa replied. "We've made it."

"Yes. We are looking at a G-type star system ahead of us, captain."

"Why the chalk gazing?" Harakpa nodded towards the rest of the officer cadre.

"Well, the nebula...its strange. Even when we can see it, it's taken our nav some time to latch onto the G-type star. The whole thing is mentioned in most old charts, but, not actually charted itself as you know. And.."

"And the pulsing."

The officer nodded wordlessly. All the Bal'akhai had been called to it after the Breaking, in one way or the other. This in itself is not too strange, the Dreaming calls to everyone at least a few times in their life, but on a scale such as this, even the Black Man did not know exactly what to make of it. Of course, the nebula itself did not vibrate, as far as anyone knew, but the Bal'akhai were reacting to it the same.

Harakpa joined the other officers, who were all connected by touch to each other.
"Morning, captain."
"Captain."
"Sir."

"Ion core went out earlier." One of the officers said, still scrolling at the navigation screen with his free hand.
Harakpa looked over to see a team of Gazrok working on a breaker and vent that he knew lead to the thruster department. He was pleased to see the crew working hard and quickly on the repair. He watched as two men held up the grate with their rock-clad hands as a third blasted away with a torch on the panel. A fourth, a woman with no stone clothing, naked and bare, melted up into a slim vent grate.

"This star up ahead is the same class as Yulukalu. If it hosts any planets in its habitable zone, we may have finally..." the officer stopped, not wanting to think the words should the event flee shyly from his recognition.

"Maybe." Harakpa said dryly.

"Do you..do you think we should focus on surface exploration of any potentially habitables we find, captain?"

A loud crash echoed through the bridge room. Harakpa peered over with the entire community to the ion core repair team. The woman peeked from between the vent slits.
"Sorry!" she exclaimed, her gray skin suddenly tinting a deep green in embarrassment. The others all shook with excitement.

"No." Harakpa answered the inquiry, turning back to the charts. "The system could prove desolate. Our ships show there is not much time remaining for us if we do not find refuge soon. I want as broad a sweep as we can get. From our speed, we should be able to survey this system we are coming into, and another in reasonable time. After that, we will make further decisions. For now, get me Yasulai on the communications, we will send her to scan."

His officers all nodded in compliance.

"and..." Harakpa paused, motioning to flight deck and then opening his mouth to speak. "Control, signal to the others. Jump us into the system!"

The bridge erupted into audible cheer.

Actions:
Exploration Vessel - Survey systems G-0, L-1

Turn Leader:
Yasulai - Exploration Vessel

Faith, Liberty

Technology:

Tier I -
Ion Drive
- Required for Colony ships and Destroyers.

Tier II
-Unknown

Ships:

System G-0
1 Colony ship
1 Exploration Vessel (Action taken, leader)
3 Destroyers (2P, No Maintenance)

Yellow Star

Initial scans reveal that despite the large amount of matter orbiting the star, only a few plantes have formed in this system.

Unusual forms of debris was also reportedly floating around the system during approach, but was quickly lost track of. Nothing to launch an investigation on.

by **The Knights of Azorea** » Tue Mar 17, 2020 8:34 am

~ The Dance ~
- Cycle 60 -

Amidst the desert sands, the dance was a true delight. Synthbone limbs gleamed with the light of a baking, equatorial sun, and clacked gently as the dancers met. Hundreds moved in the shimmering web of it, taking so dizzying an array of forms as to resemble the true mirages with which the desert surrounded them. One pair of dancers swirled with greater intensity than most, their sensors closed to all but the gentle hum of background radiation and the swishing of synthbone on sand. As they waltzed together like droplets upon glass, each stirred with memories.

The humanoid, Hundredth Harper, was of the second iteration, and could recall little of the gestalt memory. To them, the world began in the dark, but for flashes of colour beyond context from half-touched memory banks not their own. Its counterpart was serpentine - its frame of interlocking synthbone plates chattering with rythmn as it span and twirled. The Locus, Fifth Dancer, was considerably more ancient. In its core a web of nerves and flesh still dwelt, and at its centre something like a heart still beat. It was slow, endlessly slow - metabolic processes trailing off over millenia to the barest, gentlest essentials as the synthetics took over more and more. More, though, Fifth Dancer still had some mind-in-flesh. A memory all his own still turned in the midst of his frame, and it knew that he had not always been as he was.

He could remember flesh, first, and music. He remembered the warbling of true voices, the soaring force of lights upon a performer, the eyes of millions fixed upon him. Green, snake-slit eyes stared in his mind still, though he had long forgotten their face, their name, though not their love. He knew they had sung to him, and with him, but more... the fog was too great. As flesh withered away, the machine slipped in further and further. Inexorably, he had leant more on it, and more, until his memories began to blend and split. He supposed himself lucky, at least, to remember such eyes, though he envied the second iteration, that could forget the dark. That had not done as he had done, in those black halls. Had not eaten as he had. The dance rolled on, as towers rose in the desert sun.

by **Harkback Union** » Tue Mar 17, 2020 9:13 am

Lunas Legion wrote:The Armarda of the Forgotten
System Designate: Tlene

If there were words to describe this in the language of the As'kaqa, they had long since been forgotten like everything else had been, lost to the vast emptiness that was time in cryogenics. But words wouldn’t help here.

Adral didn’t panic, he didn’t bother yelling orders, not with the chaos and pandemonium around him as he stormed upwards through packed corridors towards the bridge.

They didn’t have many options. Communicating what little they’d found would be worthless. Simply abandoning ship would leave them scattered across a barren moon with little chance of survival or rescue.

“Vat’a, do your best to bring us down in one piece.” He commanded. He’d figure out what to do next once he was on the ground. Hopefully the source of the gravitational waves would save them, otherwise it seemed like their expedition was doomed from the start.

A Speedy Descent

Despite the exceptional piloting by Vat'a, the ship continued its plummeting through the sky. Without the nav computer they weren't even sure how long until impact. The planet's atmosphere was exceptionally volatile, powerful lightings struck the ship several times per minute. Wherever Adral look, alerts, warnings and errors flashed on flickering screens.

Then they saw the surface.

Its too late.

Adral was awakened by an electric shock administered from faulty wire submerged in his own blood.

How is he alive?

Having patched his bleeding wound with his own cloth, Adral took a look around. The bridge was in disarray. The rest of the officers, Including Vat'a, butchered by a rather frightening collection of metallic spikes piercing through the hull. Smoke and fire slowly engulfed the ship. It was no longer possible to breath. He had to find a way out.

The escape pods were all gone, including the one reserved for officers, but there were still breathing masks and hazard suits. After having equipped them, Adral forced open an escape hatch. Chilling, wet air forced its way in.

At the very edge of the hatch, Adral was welcome by an astonishing sight. The ship was suspended a kilometer above ground. Now he could remember clearly what he saw seconds before the crash.

From the deserts below, Towering metal spires reached towards the sky. Every second or so, one was struck by lighting.

They landed atop one such spire. It piereced a hole through the hull, then friction slowed the ship down significantly. There was still a slow, but steady plummet towards the ground, accompanied by the roars of a dying ship...

Once at ground level, Adral would be on his own to explore an entire planet...

It was then when he noticed that he made a mistake. He did not properly seal his suit. He's exposed to the planet's atmosphere, yet he's still alive.

Drops of water fell on his helmet.

Rain.

Then he heard a voice form his suit. The muffled sounds of his shipwrecked crew. They were reporting from across the planet.

Some were cries of joy, other desperate calls for help.

by **Lunas Legion** » Tue Mar 17, 2020 9:59 am

The Armarda of the Forgotten
System Designate: Tlene

There wasn't much Adral could do about the situation he'd found himself. He sunk to his knees, water running down the front of his helmet, streaks of water and dust left behind on it. He could breathe. Well, he'd have been dead very quickly if he couldn't. Gravity seemed to be about fine too, the thermometer in his suit was holding steady at a tolerable temperature. Was this planet perfect and ideal a new eden for them? Most likely not.

Did they have any choice in the matter?

Also no. This was the hand they'd been dealt and they had to play it. It was what they had. Still, from the mix of distress calls, panicked reports, occasional proper survey results... His mind processed it all, churning, calculating. No, no, he... He could work with this. Well, less could, more had to. He stood up slowly, face in a pained expression as he turned to head back into the ship. Hopefully the long-range transmitter was still intact. The fact that he was alive and not dead also meant the Chrona was intact and hadn't detonated into a temporal rift.

Silver linings.

Still, he staggered his way inside the ruined, tattered remains of the ship, searching for the comms device. He had orders to give, both to the scattered remains of his crew and the distant colony ark floating in space. Once he'd managed to get a concrete survey of the planet through his admittedly unintentional seeding of the entire planet with forcibly volunteered scouts. Then, well, then he'd see. From what he was hearing, though, he doubt they could have gotten any luckier. They'd landed on a habitable planet, admittedly with a not perfectly ideal atmosphere, but better than a toxic one. There was even water too!

If he believed in a higher power, he would have thanked them most profusely, but he did not. The transmitter was broken beyond repair, at least for actual messages, but the automated distress beacon had broadcast its signal during the descent. The colony ship would come to investigate, and their communications, despite the atmosphere, would be able to coordinate with it. Bring it down in an ideal location.

"I christen this planet Zatha." The words were barely a whisper, but they held meaning. Zatha, the close call, the barely avoided disaster. It was a fitting name, given how they arrived, but it also held the connotations of a lesson to be learned from, of progress and evolution. The new start that they had here.

by **Harkback Union** » Tue Mar 17, 2020 10:05 am

Yuzhou wrote:Exploration Vessel - Survey systems G-0, L-1

L-1, Derelict System

Asteroids.

Nothing but asteroids.

A Cosmic graveyard, or a system in birth? Either way, no signs of livable worlds.

I - Asteroid Belt (uncharted)

II - Asteroid Belt (uncharted)

III - Asteroid Belt (uncharted)

by **The GAmeTopians** » Tue Mar 17, 2020 11:22 am

The Directorate (Turn 1, Continued + Start Turn Two)

"Pathfinder, this world is habitable. Resources poor, but present."
Murmurs coursed across the bridge, the first habitable world in this new land an amazing discovery.

"Good scanning, officer. We'll carry on to the next planets, but send word to the Korra. This system should be their destination."

Turn 1:
Colony Ship moves to F-0
Leader Action: Research Tier 1 Tech: Ion Drive (Explorer is passive and already assigned, so leader action still available)

Turn 2:
Exploration Vessel scans F-0 Planets II, III, IV

by **G-Tech Corporation** » Tue Mar 17, 2020 12:08 pm

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

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

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

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

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

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

by **Harkback Union** » Tue Mar 17, 2020 12:11 pm

The GAmeTopians wrote:The Directorate (Turn 1, Continued + Start Turn Two)

"Pathfinder, this world is habitable. Resources poor, but present."
Murmurs coursed across the bridge, the first habitable world in this new land an amazing discovery.

"Good scanning, officer. We'll carry on to the next planets, but send word to the Korra. This system should be their destination."

Turn 1:
Colony Ship moves to F-0
Leader Action: Research Tier 1 Tech: Ion Drive (Explorer is passive and already assigned, so leader action still available)

Turn 2:
Exploration Vessel scans F-0 Planets II, III, IV

Several planets were surveyed in one swoop.
The 2nd world from the sun seems a promising for colonization, but will pose many challenges.

The Ion drives of the Korra came without documentation. The theory is known, but attempts at building a prototype have offered minimal performance.

Still, some progress was made.

by **Harkback Union** » Tue Mar 17, 2020 12:26 pm

Seno Zhou Varada wrote:
The Ones who Hid

A Purple Giant

The unusual radiation spectrum hints at high levels of Rare Elements in the gas giant's upper atmosphere.

The results inspire to take a quick look at the orbiting asteroid belt, which seems to indeed contain traces of valuable minerals.

III - G
200K
H₂, Ne, Xe

IIIa - Asteroid Ring (Rare Elements)

by **Ralnis** » Tue Mar 17, 2020 1:01 pm

Armabad Logistics- Turn 1 and Turn 2 if Allowed

We come to this cluster with the dream, the dream of a paradise beyond the void. This dream may have been broken but it isn't destroyed. We have survived the apocalypse but we have not escaped it. The Sword of Damocles is above us by a thread and we will escape its cut before the very end of this cluster.

Memories of Thomas, Chapter 3, Page 42

Thomas was looking through the sensors of the ships around him. The sight of the dimensional fold that spread throughout the fleet was always something calm to look at. The colors of a linear prism that actually curved towards a straight line for the ships that move between two points was actually omnidirectional. Thomas wasn't a genius or a scientist but he still knew of the higher planes that move ships beyond the wall of light that was the universal stopgap for humanity for thousands of years.

Yet still they broke the chains of being planethood itself into the known universe. Still the idea of being more than what it seems before the end was always beautiful in the eyes of Thomas. But now there's nothing but the need to escape, the universe was over and there was nothing left to do but to rebuild and to continue the goal of escaping the universe. To Thomas the multiverse was the last hope of those that he still carries with him on his mission.

He never believed that he was close, but he had to continue with his mission and help escape this universe. This never stopped him but all things are to be done with time. With the colony ship his mainframe was in finally slip out of dimensional space so that it was time to see what data had been transmitted to him.

Three systems that formed a cluster on the outer ring of a large nebula. That's a very interesting thing indeed. Not even his instruments could see all the gaseous clouds that spewed across the stars that dot the cosmic landscape in the infinite void. Among the three systems, the explorer ship had prospected at least one of the planets but the rest of the systems were still a virtual unknown. Thomas had to figure out a planet that could be settled upon since there were billions in cryosleep and only low thousands have been working on piloting the two spaceports through the cosmos.

The first order of business is to try and get a through understanding of the system the colony ship was in and the habitable planet that was prospected before he was here. He shifted his mind in the software of the explorer ship to see the system for himself as he directed the ship to do a system scan for anything that was worth noting or anything that can be built upon.

by **Harkback Union** » Tue Mar 17, 2020 1:19 pm

Ralnis wrote:Armabad Logistics- Turn 1 and Turn 2 if Allowed

We come to this cluster with the dream, the dream of a paradise beyond the void. This dream may have been broken but it isn't destroyed. We have survived the apocalypse but we have not escaped it. The Sword of Damocles is above us by a thread and we will escape its cut before the very end of this cluster.

Memories of Thomas, Chapter 3, Page 42

Thomas was looking through the sensors of the ships around him. The sight of the dimensional fold that spread throughout the fleet was always something calm to look at. The colors of a linear prism that actually curved towards a straight line for the ships that move between two points was actually omnidirectional. Thomas wasn't a genius or a scientist but he still knew of the higher planes that move ships beyond the wall of light that was the universal stopgap for humanity for thousands of years.

Yet still they broke the chains of being planethood itself into the known universe. Still the idea of being more than what it seems before the end was always beautiful in the eyes of Thomas. But now there's nothing but the need to escape, the universe was over and there was nothing left to do but to rebuild and to continue the goal of escaping the universe. To Thomas the multiverse was the last hope of those that he still carries with him on his mission.

He never believed that he was close, but he had to continue with his mission and help escape this universe. This never stopped him but all things are to be done with time. With the colony ship his mainframe was in finally slip out of dimensional space so that it was time to see what data had been transmitted to him.

Three systems that formed a cluster on the outer ring of a large nebula. That's a very interesting thing indeed. Not even his instruments could see all the gaseous clouds that spewed across the stars that dot the cosmic landscape in the infinite void. Among the three systems, the explorer ship had prospected at least one of the planets but the rest of the systems were still a virtual unknown. Thomas had to figure out a planet that could be settled upon since there were billions in cryosleep and only low thousands have been working on piloting the two spaceports through the cosmos.

The first order of business is to try and get a through understanding of the system the colony ship was in and the habitable planet that was prospected before he was here. He shifted his mind in the software of the explorer ship to see the system for himself as he directed the ship to do a system scan for anything that was worth noting or anything that can be built upon.

Fleet:
1 colony ship
2 mobile spaceports
1 explorer ship

Have Thomas direct a system exploration with the 1 explorer ship in the system with the one habitable planet is on that has been fully prospected.

End of a voyage

The initial survey reported turned out to be overly optimistic. The planet below is one of dust and ice, save for a small pocket of alien vegetation around lakes of liquid water.

Still, The air is breathable, and one will not freeze to death outside during the day. But it will be a challenge.

K-0

I - Asteroid Belt Unprospected

II - G Unexplored

IIa - Asteroid Ring Unprospected

IIb - Asteroid Ring Unprospected

III - R
300K
N2, O2
Dry
Eden (Water), Desert (Water), Desert (Water), Desert (Silicon), Desert (Silicon), Desert (Silicon), Ice (Water), Ice (Water), Ice (Carbon)

IV - L Unexplored

V - R Unexplored

VI - R Unexplored

VII - Kuiper Belt Unprospected

Y-0
Uncharted

G-0
Uncharted

by **Yuzhou** » Tue Mar 17, 2020 1:23 pm

Memory of Yuluk

Destroyer Gabshuh
Shambuk system

"Nothing but dust." Yasulai said. "I'll reverse back, scan the planets there?"

Harakpa gazed down at the holographic image of her. She was beautiful. Even through the blue fuzz, he knew the shining metal tone of her skin, the black and copper stones she wore -- the way she fashioned a slender nose between the eyes of an otherwise featureless face.
"Yes." he replied.

The secondary system he sent her to survey proved completely devoid and disappointing. It was nothing but hunks of cold stone circling a L-class star. Grave or cradle, it did not matter, the Gazrok could not use it in the lifetime of the remaining universe. The captain of the Gabshuh gazed out at the brilliant yellow star the fleet floated outside of. It was blinding, yet so incredibly warm to his soul that it nearly outshone Yasulai. The fleet had decided to bear it "Shambuk", after the great predator of Yuluk, who reigned king over the land for many eons before the Bal'ahkai came into intellect. It was, more than anything, the first symbol of hope in generations.

"We will start with the second closest to the star. Your systems reported the third as a liquid world. Disappointing, it was the best placed for life-conditions." Harakpa said.

"The moon is rock though. Perhaps it may hold something."

"Perhaps. But if not, would the time not be better spent surveying the next system?"

"I don't know, Love. It is your decision. Kamaka gave you flight command."

"You're the exploration leader here." Harakpa said. Just then Yasulai's signal faded out. He buzzed softly in disappointment. It was common of the holograph comms to glitch just so. Like almost every other system in the ship, they were growing old and going out, and few had been around when the crews still knew firmly how to repair them. They were simply another reminder that the Dreaming Ones were running out of time. It gave the gypsum clad Gazrok time to ponder his decision. At least the magnetic shields worked.

Moments later, the signal flashed back on, a lightning blue.
"I'm back."

"That you are." Even after so long, Harakpa could see his skin hue a slight, exciting pink.
"I don't know if any of these bodies could support life, but it's wise if we scan the best two chances first. If they are a bust, we will move together to avoid wasting further time."

"So planet and moon first, then clear the next system and decide from there.

"Indeed."

"Any word from Kamaka?"

"I will see him when we have something to report."

by **The GAmeTopians** » Tue Mar 17, 2020 1:49 pm

The Directorate - Turn 2 Continued

"Nothing else quite as good as the first, Pathfinder. The Korra just arrived, as well."

"Then I suppose our decision is made - we can't afford to wait any longer. Give the order."

A frantic amount of activity began as the orders were made, and off in the distance the Korra descended towards Planet One of the F-0 system.

"Oh, and here are the system and planet designations."
"System: Fortuna."
"Planet: Haven."

Turn 2 (Continued):
The Korra (Colony ship) lands on Haven.
Leader action: Facilitate colony development - +2 Credits

by **Ralnis** » Tue Mar 17, 2020 2:53 pm

Armabad Logistics- Turn 1

Thomas was not the most happy hologram. The first survey turned good, the Eden itself proved to be the source of fresh water for the entire planet. A jewel in a desert that was too small in comparison to everything so dry and too light for his liking. Still lakes and rivers came from thunderstorms and rain so the desert was still saturated with some flora and fauna. With that in mind he still wanted to visit his neighbors to try and see what is out there.

He went back to the central mainframe and gave the orders. It wasn't the best planet but they came far too long to try again. He didn't even have enough power to try and recover a lot of the corrupted data that was the library of knowledge that he collected at one point. But he did have enough power to try and organize the new people that were about to come out of the cryopods. They were in the hundreds of millions and would have to be put to work due to their lifelong contracts.

The giant colony ship started to descend upon the sparse clouds of the world into the Eden around one of the lakes that dot the world. When everything was set up then they started to put the gmos and clone the animals for farms that was measured to work with the local ecosystem. Already though the leader had to get to work on figuring out on making more centers to try and build homes for more colonists. The large silicon was enough to compensate for the lack of raw metal so he could work that out.

With the constant organization he started to grab what little power he had to start scrubbing the corrupted data in order to figure out how to construct underground settlements, enough to resist the dry climate and to maximize the mining of the of silicon on the planet. With the building of the planet he christen the planet to be called Beacon, as in the beacon of hope for Armabad.

The exploration ship was sent to the rest of the system working on the next rocky planet that could be able to help the company get themselves back up and running. But without better deep scanners than it will just be a good surface sweep. Better than nothing but right now he needed to get ready for building the colony.

Armabad Logistics- Turn 2

With the rise of a new population from cryosleep and the near completion of the mining settlement came with new needs. There was a hundred million people who were living in tent cities but were at least getting food and services but that wasn't enough. Thomas hated slums with a passion as it looked bad for a company whose workers or citizen-workers in supreme squalor. Still they did not dissuade themselves away from being nothing but patient with the wait of the mining centers to be done.

Turn 3

The exploration ship had not came back and Thomas was getting worried, even more so that another cryopod had just came out and only when the first mining settlements were up and one part of the slums can be cleared out in exchange for another one. The hologram ceo just sighed, he had tried to keep up with the people coming out of their sleep to find a new world but not what they expected. It didn't matter for they could be among the very last aliens in the universe. But it didn't matter as they need work and work is what they will give them.

As silicon was being tapped in the very large deserts of Beacon, factories needed to be made. It was these factories that will be powered by the access of silicon but one had to be careful with the aspect of pollution on the planet. However it didn't matter, Thomas believed he had it covered as he started to divert the surplus of labor into starting more construction.

by **Theyra** » Tue Mar 17, 2020 3:19 pm

The Remnant

No, gas giants, that is a first. Captian Thenkai thought as he gazed at the solar system data. He had never heard of a system that did not have gas giants and without them, several as asteroid rings had formed with one ice ring. So these rings could be rich with resources but, unlikely to be exploited if there is not a habitable planet in this system. Which Thenkai had named the Xiaki system, names for the planets will come later, once they have been explored. Thenkai sat back in his chair and looked at the data. Six worlds and given how hot the star is, perhaps any habitable world would farther away from the star. He waved his hand and scrolled through the holographic project of the planets in front of him and stopped at the fourth planet. Thenkai sat up in his chair and looked intently at the planet. Maybe this world could be it, after thinking about it, he decided on exploring that world first. Thenkai ordered the Pathfinder to make their way to the rocky planet and start exploring the system.

The Last Stars - IC

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