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Alternity: The Elements of Eternity - Ep. 1 (v2) - Destiny in Motion


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-----The following takes place about eight months after the events of 'Keep the Home Fires Burnin''. Although it was done using the Alternity Rules set and we're now using Futrue d20 all the events therein are considered 'canon'. Take some time to review, it couldn't hurt.-----

Star*Date 2711 (Earth Reckoning), in orbit around Anadia, an earth-like planet in the Realm Sector.

The Machiavellian Rue soared among the endless sea of stars. It's sleek black profile catching the occasional light from a distant star as it orbited the beautiful planet of Aradia in what was collectively called 'Realmspace' by the starfaring community. It's verdant forests and expansive mountain ranges seemed almost untouched by time and technology. This was untrue. Aradia was one of the fore most exporters of rare and exotic animals and plants that were sought after by the majority of the Omniverse, but their technology was on par with that of a majority of the systems around it. It helped them to fend off raiders, strip miners, and poachers.

No one among the crew knew why they were in this part of space. Three days ago Erebus requested that Shiro plot a course and once they arrived he simply declared that they were waiting here until further notice.

Gabriel sat in his quarters, mediating and cleansing his mind. Listening to the stars, the worlds, everything, still searching in hopes that somewhere among them he'd find his path in life. Adrian Kord, the ships new medic and scientist acclimated himself well to the crew in the past three months, and now stood over his research and side projects occupying time as best he could.

Shiro worked in the cargo bay, constantly working on his mecha trying to find new and interesting ways to modify it and after their last run in with a Thuldan gunship he was determined to perfect his baby. Isis rested comfortably in her quarters with her systems on stand-by as the crew waited here in orbit per their captain's instructions.

Cpatain Jon Erebus sat alone on the ship's bridge. The lights were dimmed and all that flickered were the near-infinite holos and displays that fed constant information into the systems from the sensors about the lush planet below. Upon his 'throne' he stared beyond the ship and out into the vastness of space.

A blip sounded that broke him of his reverie. "Alright people, we're on. Everyone to the bridge."

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Adrian put aside his Myrgosian Zyogomite, secured its container for zero-g conditions (you could never be too careful) and made his way over to the door. Beside it, he took up his pistol and field medkit (you never knew when someone needed healing and Shiro said keeping a gun on him was always wise in WildSpace).

He quickly made his way up to the bridge not really noting whether he was first or last. His mind was too much occupied in the matters at hand - everyone's physical/cyber-organic conditions - and what this might mean. His bright eyes blinked to see he was the first 'on station' but put that off to not having much 'real work' to do while others did.

"Medical reporting," he chimed away cheerfully. Adrian knew he could pull his weight.

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Rising smoothly to his feet from the lotus position he had been meditating in Gabriel smoothly made his way to the bridge, entering he nods to Erebus and Adrian as he takes up a post at a workstation and starts checking the Sensor log.

"Sensors on-line"

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Everyone to bridge.

A simple interpreter subroutine captured the intercom message and matched it to one of a series of patterns that Isis had input as important enough to interrupt her rejuvenation cycle for.

She was standing straight in her cabin, pressed against some equipment that had been installed in the starboard wall, facing a viewscreen on the opposite wall. The equipment, basically just easy-access interface for the power port concealed under a flap of false skin on her lower back, looked a little like a Pharaoh's casket with the edges jutting a few inches out of the wall, and the rest recessed back into it. She stood in the alcove, apparently unconscious.

A series of green lights up the sides turned red in sequence, and a small clamp released with a momentary hiss of pneumatic air.

She opened her eyes. They were much like the rest of her...gorgeously beautiful, but in a subtly inorganic way. Admiring Isis was like admiring a finely made statue, at least for those who knew what she was.

"Isis reporting," she said in her eternally calm, mellifluous contralto voice. "I am en route to the bridge."

Pausing only to reach back and seal the flap of her jumpsuit over her recharging port, Isis then made good on her statement, leaving her cabin and moving swiftly through the ship towards the bridge.

Once there she moved to the communications operation workstation and logged in, then began sweeps of commonly used frequencies to see if there was a planet control broadcast they needed to get clearance from.

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Shiro closed the hatch of his Mech and sighed. Looks like it was finally time to work. He made his way to the bridge and slid threw Erebrus a weak salute as he made his way to his pilot's seat.

"Ready to rock and Roll Captain. What's up?"

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Although she hadn't quite gotten the hang of it yet Kit was pretty sure she could get the long eight barreled minigun's crystal placement set just right to increase the over power of the weapon by nearly 80%. The problem was that she couldn't get the damn thing to quit overheating... or shooting in a random forty degree cone... or just exploding outright once the trigger was pulled.

She set down her soldering gun and waved away a few stray wisps of smoke when the intercom called her to the bridge. "Oh yeah." She grinned wryly. "It's go time baby."

With the departure of Anywn Corso to spearhead the Weapons Development project on Bluefall, The Rue found itself with one less engineer. As if by fate the Captain and his crew managed to save her and her from a lonely salvage vessel's crew and a jerk wad captain with wandering hands and halitosis. It was almost like they knew she'd be right there in that sector at that time, just needing to be saved... wow man, you know? Just... wow.

Added up all together she'd seen Captain Erebus for only about thirty minutes total since she hired on three months ago, and honestly spent so much of her time buried in the workstation in the engineering dept (these guys never seemed to have a shortage of things to fix... sheesh!) that she really didn't know much of the other people aboard the ship either.

"Who we blowin' up today Cap'n?" She said with a chipper grin and a cheery tone as she looked upon the lovely planet of Anadia.

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"We'll see soon enough Shiro." Erebus shifted his weight in the captain's chair as Isis informed him of an incoming transmission. "Patch it through."

The holo display bleeped on to reveal a lovely woman with long dark hair and an executives glasses. The veteran's of the crew knew who she was, they'd served with her on a mission several months back. Bethany Chang, the StarMech Chief Engineer who was promoted to an officer shortly after the events on Cauldron Station, greeted them with a polite grin. She always felt that she owed them for her current success and never could stop grinning like a child every time she saw them. "Greetings Captain Erebus," she smiled and looked around. "Gabe, Shiro, it's good to see you."

Her attitude certainly seemed more cheerful than the when the two parties had first met. "I have unfortunate news. I'm sure, as you well may know, despite the on going war withthe Thuldan Empire across the Omniverse, that the stellar nations of the Fraal and the T'sa are currently facing a diplomatic crisis and may go to war themselves." She sighed a bit and looked distressed. "Four days ago we dispatched an Emissary to meet with Ambassadors from both nations in hopes of quelling hostilities and winning their favor against the Thuldans. Well, the Emissary never made it and I'd like for you to help us find her. We believe she was taken somewh-"

"In Realmspace?" Erebus cut her off, replying with a devilish grin on his face. "Planet Anadia?"

"Y-yes..." Officer Chang seemed both impressed and confused at the same time. "H-how did you know?"

""C'mon Beth, look who you're talkin' too, eh?" He motioned around the bridge to his crew. "We know... let it be enough. Standard rates apply, we'll call you when we're done."

"Bu-" she attempted a protest but Isis cut the signal.

"Isis, scan the planet's surface for any activity along the equator, preferably the rain forests near any large mountain ranges. The rest of us... it's time for a plan." Erebus was considerably more knowledgeable than usual about the events that were unfolding aboard the Rue than was usual. We was almost, almost an efficient leader... even if he wasn't explaining what the hell was going on. "Shiro and I are going to cause a distraction while the rest of you are going to sneak into the base, when Isis finds it, and rescue the Emissary. With most of their forces worried about us, you'll have an easy time of it. Trust me."

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Well, he was about as useful in a fire fight as a newborn soldier, but who was he to question. Adrian was really missing that combat armor he had an opportunity to buy two hops back. Oh well.

"Captain Erebus, what race is the Emissary? I'll need to tailor the right meds in case he/she is unable to move under their own power."

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"Scanning," Isis acknowledged. She imported the sensor controls to her panel and trained the eyes of the Rue onto the equatorial mountain ranges, methodically hunting for electromagnetic anomalies, unexplained thermal spikes, or neutrino sources that could indicate the presence of a reactor or other power plant.

If she was curious about the captain seeming to know so much about where to look, without knowing exactly where the target was, she didn't mention it immediately.

(Taking 20 for a result of 23. It'll take 20 minutes, I believe.)

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"Hell if I know Adrian," Erebus said as he looked over Isis's shoulder while she scanned the planet's surface. "If I was a Xenobiologist I sure as hell wouldn't need you around, would I? Whip up a cocktail, and pray you don't need it... if you do, pray a little harder for it to work."

[isis, Computer Use - Success] Since Isis only needed to scan a third of the planet (its equator), it wasn't long before a (very) small, well hidden Thuldan military bases came into focus on the holo screen. A few soldiers maintained the hover vehicles and scout mecha outside the base's garages. Tucked in close along the wall of a mountain the base was only accessible on three sides and only two look out towers connected by monofilament wire.

All in all it didn't look like it'd too hard to crack, even if they weren't doing it the sneaky way. It must rely on it's seclusion to act as a defense all in itself.

[shiro, Military Occupation, Intelligence - Success] Considering the small size of the base and the lack of visible personnel it must be some sort of secret supply depot for refueling or rearming ships in this sector.

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Gabriel nods his undestanding of the plan, "Very well Captain, I will go and equip myself for the mission." and leaves the bridge fo his quarters. Once there he puts on his armour and weapons, grabs some water for his bottles, puts his first aid kit in a pouch and checks he has his spare ammo and power packs.

Given that this mission could require stealth he also makes sure that his melee weapons are ready.

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Gabriel had the right idea; while they searched for the military base she followed suit with the Battle Mind and withdrew to her quarters to gather the things she'd need for the mission ahead.

Once she had her gear prepared she sat on her bed, nervous. Her hands quivered slightly at the anticipation of finally getting see some action with the crew planet side.

You can do this. She thought, bolstering her courage. These guys are pros, but you didn't have what it takes, the captain wouldn't have hired you on. Show em' what you got girl.

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Shiro smiled weakly. "So I go play distraction in the mech while you do so with the ship and the rest sneak in and find our missing emmissary?"

He chuckles. "Some things never change do they Captain?"

He looks to Erebrus. "I've got the maitenence done, and the munitions loaded. Let me know when you want me to head out."

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"If you attack from the flank," Isis said as she examined the display and pointed to one of the base's two exposed sides, "we can infiltrate from the opposite side. Your mech is large enough to demand most of their attention to deal with."

She looked at Erebus.

"It is possible there is a ship already on its way though. This base is too small and weakly protected for long term storage of a high-value prisoner. It is likely they will be seeking to transfer him at the earliest opportunity."

With that she stood up.

"Reasonable haste is advised."

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"Not quite Shiro, you and I will be going in together, on foot." A strange proclamation considering that using the ship would provide the best tactical advantage.

"Agreed." Erebus replied calmly o Isis. He turned to those remaining on the bridge and his voice bellowed across the Machiavellian Rue. "Get your gear and be ready to leave in twenty people, if you ain't ready, you're staying here."

With that everyone vacated the bridge and got geared up.

20 minutes later... a hundred miles from the Thuldan Base.

The cargo bay lowered onto the verdant soil of Anadia. The lush forest and humid air hit the crew and immediately they appreciated the ships air conditioned interior. Far from the base the crew needed to land away from the planet and out of sensor range, allowing the life within the forests to act as a natural scrambler to anything less than an active scan.

The four members of the rescue team mounted hover bikes, Gabriel and Kittani on one and Isis and Adrian on another. The sleek speed machines hummed to life as their gravity cushions lifted them from the surface of the ship's hold.

"Get your asses in position and wait for us to arrive." Erebus told them over their unicomms. "Trust me," He and Shiro both grinned at the same time. "You'll know when we get there."

The hatch of Shiro's mecha (which really needs a name) closed and sealed with a hiss. Erebus leapt up (nearly 16 feet) and landed gracefully on its shoulder.

"Alright people..." He grinned again. "Let's bring the noise."

The mecha's boosters kicked in and they shot out of the roof hatch, the Captain holding on tightly and the two hover bikes launched out of the cargo hold and down the ramp at break neck speeds into the dense forest.

Click to reveal..

Hover Bike 1 - Kittani (Driver), Gabriel (Passanger)

Hover Bike 2 - Isis (Driver), Adrian (Passanger)

Code:
Name 	      Crew    Pass    Cargo    Init   Maneuver   Top Speed   Defense  Hard  Hit Points	
Hoverbike 1	1	1	D	+1	+2	  410 (41)	10	5	15
Hoverbike 2	1	1	D	+1	+2	  410 (41)	10	5	15

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Gabe just hung on to the hoverbike. Although he had been a passenger before he still wasn't very comfortable with the vehicle.

I must get round to learning how to drive sometime, then I wouldn't be quite so dependent on the others.

"Hey Kitty, when you are going to put some weapons on these things? I assume you know where you are going?"

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The hoverbike shot through the forests as speeds that were just not safe by any stretch of the imagination. Kittani was a thrill seeker if ever there was one and every opportunity she had to wiz under, through or over obstacles she took it. The world around her and Gabriel shot past in a brown and green blur.

"Soon as the Cap lets me," she spoke through her unicomm. "He's still mad about the colors I changed the pudding in the food dispenser into, like I knew adjustments to the injector sequencer could induce vomiting. I mean, c'mon... I'm not a chemist. Ya know?" She shook her head, still astonished she got in any sort of trouble for messing up something that was outside her realm of expertise.

A holo display projected from her er piece 'unfolding' over her left eye. "I downloaded the coordinates Isis discovered for the base into my GalPos, trust me Gabe, I'll get us there." She launched under a low branch actually laying the bike down on it;s side as the two slid underneath it only niches from the ground. She joked with him a bit. "And no getting frisky back there! At this speed you'll kill us both!"

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Gabe laughs with Kitty's infectious good mood, "Did it ever occur to you that if you don't know what effect it's going to have you shouldn't do something?"

At Kitty's joke he pats her bum and replies, "Damn kitty I thought it would be the perfect time. You and me, alone in this lovely forest what better time?"

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Shiro gnned it, amazed at how Erebus could hold on on the outside. The man wasn't human, at least not in the way Shiro was. Glad he's on our side.

He chuckles as he checks everything off, and makes his way into position. Once he arrives at the operation point he lets Fly with a pair of missiles into the right Flank wall of the base in an attempt to get their attention. "Hang on Captain, I'm not gonna give them a stationary target."

He launches the Shikon into a series of evasive maneuvers.

Click to reveal..
init

(20:00:24) ChatBot: (Shiro) rolls 1d20 and gets 7. +4 =11

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vuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuummmmmmmm

The gravity drive of the hoverbike made a constant droning noise that gradually sank into the bones. Isis, in her dull grey skintight stealth suit was eerily motionless in the driver's seat, staring unblinkingly ahead and only moving to nudge the craft to one side or another to avoid oncoming obstacles.

After a moment she said over her shoulder to Adrian, "Hold on more tightly. There is a possibility we will have to use evasive maneuvers as we approach the base."

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"We have this thing, It's called Radar Love. We've got this think in the air ...", Adrian sings just above a whisper. He thinks he got it from some junk-borchure on Sepiant Terrans and their discovery of the personal propellant device ... and how society tried to control those who loved too much. He hugged tighter. The song didn't go well, he recalled.

"Isis," he called out. " I can only make redimentary repairs on you aboard the enemy base, do don't get hurt there. Is that clearly understood?"

It was a poor joke, but was bursting to get to the post-misson, just-got-paid wrap party.

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  • 1 month later...

Alarms sounded as the huge blast doors slid open. Deep within the base as his crew handled other business Erebus tore through the interior in a path of carnage that could have made the Devil weep. Bullets had torn through his armor and clothing and by this point he was wearing shredded leather rags as his seeming 'immortality' regenerated even the most grievous of injuries the soldiers had done to him.

With a 'click' the scabbards upon his back magnetized and locked his blades firmly in place as the blast doors closed concealing a hallway filled with the corpses of dead soldiers. Cautiously but with some measure of haste he lightly jogged over to a glimmering screen that was mounted into the front a massive computer core that took up as much space as an auditorium. Quickly he went to work as the sounds of explosions and the occasional flickering of the power grid told him his crew was up to what they did best: fucking things up.

All that displayed was a blank screen.

"Keeper override." Erebus spoke as he walked to the console. "Designation 'Lucifer'."

The screen blinked to life displaying a humanoid face. "Welcome Keeper Lucifer. How might I be of assistance to an agent of FATE?"

He folded his arms as trace signs of recent injuries continued to seal up and heal beneath his tattered clothing and battered ceramic armor. "Information. I seek the Eye of Cronus. It is not here, to where was it moved?"

"Far from here it lies," The face shook back in forth like a mournful human might. "Within the ruins of the Albatross."

"Damn," he murmured. "The Albatross was destroyed, there's nothing left. I saw to it myself Oracle, I was the one who destroyed it."

"Then you did a poor job Keeper Lucifer, or we speak of different things." The face looked over Erebus's shoulder. "We have company Keeper. My wisdom is meant for none but FATE's agents. Shutting down."

A sigh of irritation could be heard as Erebus spoke his greeting. "Been a long time, Testament."

The heavy footfall echoed in the chamber even over the commotion that went on throughout the base. "How'd ya know it was me?" Replied a high pitched whiny voice that reeked of sarcasm. Its owner shared a lot in common with Erebus, roughtly the same build but several inches taller at nearly seven feet. Long black hair trailed down to his waist obscuring his face but revealing wide eyes that stared with an unblinking insanity. Every muscle was honed to combat practiced perfection and on display with nothing covering his torso but a simple black ceramic protector. He reached back as he walked forward and pulled a large staff decorated with carvings of runes and skulls at its top. "Here was thinkin I'd be all sneaky and surprise ya..."

"You never could sneak up on me," He turned and faced his old 'acquaintance'. "Workin' for Him now are you? Figures." He gripped the twin high-frequency swords on his back and the scabbards released their grip.

"They promise a cure!" Testament's staff exploded to life as a crescent laser 'blade' arched out from the top of the staff followed by several smaller 'blades' that plumed out opposite to it in a humming bright red. "More than you ever could!" With madness gleaming in his eyes followed by a high pitched scream, Testament ran forward with berserk fury.

"I got yer cure, right here." His blades sliced forward and the echoes of battle filled the archives room....

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  • 1 month later...

Machiavellian Rue - Medical Bay

Isis waited. She lay motionless in one of the Rue's sickbeds, with gelpacks attached to the places where plasma had burned off her pseudoflesh skin. The constant osmosis of enzymes and nutrients from the packs helped speed the artificial flesh's regeneration...but it was still by no means a fast process. The damage to her endoskeleton and systems had already been repaired...it was easier to do without skin in the way.

She was dissatisfied with her performance during the altercation. The subject she'd been ordered to protect had come unacceptably close to destruction, and she'd been powerless to intervene. Of course, the missile would have been an effective weapon. Neither she nor Kittani had anticipated that an unarmed, unarmored diplomat would charge forward at a battle tank. Had they been in error not to anticipate that? Did it reflect a flaw in their reasoning? Was it something that could be corrected?

After replaying the event several times, Isis decided that the diplomat's action had not been rational. Rational minds therefore had no means to anticipate such action. Therefore she had not been in error to attempt to use the missile.

But even with that conclusion reached, Isis still experienced dissatisfaction. Other tactics...getting a grenade, engaging the tank with only her integral weaponry...were clearly inferior in that they were less likely to result in a desirable outcome. Surely then, the reasonable course of action had been to seek the tactic with the best probability of achieving a kill on the tank. A tactic she'd attempted, but through no fault of her own had been unable to complete.

So why did she experience a nagging sense that she'd done the wrong thing?

The gelpacks pulsed slightly and gurgled. They would need replacing soon, but not long afterwards she'd be able to take them off and let the phony skin complete the process on its own. Until then...she waited.

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M. Rue, Shikon Storage bay

Shiro looked over the damage incurrd in the mission on his Shikon and frowned. It wasn't serious, but it meant more time spent repairing the nasty little mech. Considering Kittani was in the med bay, this meant having to do it largely by himself.

He hadn't been yelled at for his mistake, yet.

He gathered up the tools he'd need to remove the damaged plating and pull out the damaged parts, hoping his own skill would be sufficient.

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Machiavellian Rue - Medical Bay

"Ow!" Kittani flinched as Adrian's finger once again found the tender spot in her side. "It hurt the first three times you stabbed me in the ribs, seriously, what makes you think its changed in forty seconds?"

The Doctor grinned and took a few notes on his data slate. "Stop complaining. If you would have listened to Isis your ribs wouldn't be broken, now would they?"

He walked away and procured from his supply cabinet the necessary items he'd need to repair her broken bones. Science had come along way, and broken bones were now something medical science treated as commonly as the flu.

She looked over to Isis who was plugged into the diagnostic server. "She, okay? I could have a look at her."

"She'll be fine." Adrian replied. "Like you, she just needs some time to recover."

"Yeah, I suppose..." She winched slightly as the Doctor approached. This was so going to be a long visit to the clinic...

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