Starpath: Scoundrels of the Interstellar Highway - Thread 2 - Games

While Iska and Iron went off for a drink, Constantine and Jag milled around a bit and eventually caught wind of the news the rest of the crew was now digesting. Dejected, Constantine endeavored to stay active to take his mind off his boss's troubles, and eventually stepped back into the elevator and rode it to the upper deck. He planned to get changed into some cleaner and warmer clothes before the imminent landing, but oddly, Jag came along as well, without any real explanation. This provided Constantine an opportunity. "So, now that we have a moment of privacy, what was it about that khergian woman that bothered you so much?" Jag stood perfectly still, apparently unaffected by the question. Slowly, it answered, "I am haunted by many memories, soft-carbon. Lingering memories." For a moment, this was all the explanation the sanghvi would provide, and Constantine, staring up at it with his tired eyes and greasy skin, wondered if he had really just experienced the same day as the monolithic brute beside him. Jag, still sounding lost in another place and time, continued: "Not all of them are mine." "...What?" Constantine asked. Jag finally turned to meet his gaze and a chill ran through the man's spine. Until the pair had crossed paths with Iska, Jag had been pleasant company. Constantine didn't know any of the crew beyond simple acquaintance, but he had just begun to enjoy the sanghvi's assistance when this sudden change in demeanor appeared. Now, Jag seemed very alien to him. "You are human, superior Constantine. You do not possess a connection with the void, as I do," Jag explained, and Constantine began to remember what he had learned about the sanghvi race many years earlier, before he departed for service in the northern quadrants. "You speak to the dead," he commented. "What you call dead is merely in slumber, soft-carbon. Consciousness and physical form are only temporarily linked; the bond is neither exclusive nor permanent. That which is destroyed in physical form... may linger on for all eternity. It speaks and it listens, but in a language far beyond comprehension. What I perceive, in the form of words and images, and what I know to be true are constantly in conflict; and I have tried many times to transcend myself, to seek answers from those innumerable voices. I have failed, over and over. What we know as the Void, the ayr know as the Deceiver. I am beginning to know why they use that term." The doors opened into the upper deck, and the two comrades stepped out. But by now, Constantine was captivated and stood his ground, wanting to finish this discussion before going on with his business. "But what does the khergian have to do with all this?" Jag hung its head. Its response did little to answer the question. "...Lately I wonder why I go on living, and what value my existence has ever served. ...I see nothing but the pain I have inflicted on others and I feel overwhelming guilt. I no longer understand my past decisions and my violent path. I do not know why I came to this company, and I do not know why I stay. And yet, something within the Void has demanded I stay. Something is promising me peace if I stay, and I believe I am getting closer to understanding that purpose." Constantine waited for Jag to get around to answering his original question, but the sanghvi never did. As soon as Jag was finished speaking, it walked directly toward Yanim's cabin, and, realizing that the Boss was not in her living quarters, turned and went away toward the cabins of lesser crew members, on a correct assumption that Yanim was with Arkadam at the moment. Constantine stood bewildered for a moment before shaking his head and moving on. --- Outside, the sun had set completely and shrouded the icy ground in darkness. The crippled Aurikha finally set down in an open patch between two jagged rifts in the terrain which helped to hide its profile. They had finally arrived.

Iska watched as the hangar door opened and took out her transmitter, "[Nyck, bring the truck out to the gap, we got some folks who need to get into town.]" Not seeing Yanim around, she walked up Taylor, "Truck will come to bring people into Stalnazyp, Iska will tell engineers where ship is. They will come, start to fix." she said in a neutral tone. --- Sting had been wrenching on her ship for some time, and a myriad of swearwords when it simply made a buzzing sound and refused to start. She went into her sleeper and got her jacket. An excursion into town would be a good time for her to get some parts. --- Markus followed the strange musical noise to Moloch's door and knocked on the doorframe , "Oi, towelhead, ya got time to make an input on this?" he said as he waved a tablet in his hand.

Moloch set down his setar, and turned his head to the door. "[I]Come in, Markus.[/I]"

Markus stepped into Moloch's room, "Just wan'ed ta know what, ya bein a mystic or somethin', think about this. Markus handed Moloch the tablet, which had a Intergalactica snippet, [quote][B]Mystery derelict found by Ayr Patrol Ship[/B] A empire ship on patrol on the northern border found DSF Ostrobothnia on aimless course. One survivor and dead man found aboard, rest of the crew unaccounted for. General Surgeon Fernando Montez had been dead for two weeks. Cargohandler Roger Forsmark was still alive but in a nervous state and refuses particulars of strange events in deep space. Odd idol found in his possession.[/quote]

"[I]Hmm...[/I]" Derelict ship? Almost the entire crew disappearing? Strange idol? Definitely something very strange. But, Moloch being the mystic he is, he didn't think much of it. "[I]Now, Markus, I mean no offense but I never thought of you as someone who would be interested in a subject such as this. Either way, I believe these people stumbled upon something awful. Very awful indeed.[/I]"

Bucky enters the hangar amidst a cloud of holograms. She's got diagrams and schematics of the whole of the carrier and the Cataract rotating around her as she studies them, and her eyes are that odd illumunated off-grey that coincides with her accessing ship systems. All around the hangar little beeps and boops echo around as the different parts and pieces of the carrier sound off in response to diagnostic queries sent by Bucky. It's almost unsettling, seeing the android walk about with a blank expression while she ship talks to her in its own binaric way. Like some odd techno-witch communing with spirits.

Amy wasnt at the hight right now. Yes, they won and got out of that mess with their lives intact, but it was hard to celebrate with everything else going on, from the bounties on their heads to needing a new ship. 'Maybe I should talk to Alex, maybe he can think of something.' She though with some hope that her brother can pull a miracle out of a hat. "Where did he throw that helmet?" she muttered while looking for said gear. With a combination distraction and thinking of a way to get themselves out of this mess, she managed to collide with Bucky. "Oh fuck, sorry, I wasnt paying attent...Since when can you walk around with headlights?"

Bucky flinches and takes a second to close down all of her holographic windows. Her eyes turn back to their usual bright, friendly green after she blinks a few times. She smiles at Amy once she's done rekajiggering herself and shrugs. The ship itself stops its odd beeping speech for the moment. "All the time. I usually look like that when I'm working by myself. People don't usually bother with me, so when I'm not socializing I kinda don't care what I look like. How can I help ya, Amy?" She asks, regaining her usual bubbly social tone and posture.

"Well, where do we start? Yanim is dying from a toxin. Everyone here has a bounty on their head. We need to find a new ship and my brother threw his helmet away in a fit of anger." She looked at Bucky with a tired look. "Can you pull off another miracle?"

Chemosh was a little irritated by Bucky's lightshow in the hangar, and distracted him enough he almost flew into the wall while turning. "Stupid robot..." he uttered to himself.

Bucky makes an exaggerated shrug and a mirthless chuckle. "Sorry, Amy. My miracles work with machines and social settings only. But I tell you what, I can probably use the internal sensors around here to find that helmet for you. Sound good?" She asks with a cheerful expression tone. She sounds a lot like an older lady trying to cheer a youngster up. Already, her little holo-player is lighting up with a display of the local area.

"Heh. It's a start. Maybe he wont be so mad when I give it to him."

[QUOTE]"Truck will come to bring people into Stalnazyp, Iska will tell engineers where ship is. They will come, start to fix."[/QUOTE] "Understood. I'll alert the others." she said, drawing out her holotablet and firing off a message about it to the others. Once she put it away, she looked back up to Iska. "So, old friend of the boss?" she asked, folding her arms. - - - - - - - - - - - [QUOTE][video=youtube;TnLAC5AJPuM]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnLAC5AJPuM[/video][/QUOTE] As music blared nearby from her holotablet, Valkyrie was finishing up her hard work on the body for her new Eve drone. Maddox's 3D printer had made things pass much quicker, as she already had the materials needed and just needed the parts to be made. Afterwards, she'd have to test it to make sure it was working properly. After a minute or two, she was done. She stepped back and looked at the drone, grinning, before stepping over to the workbench and starting up the diagnostic programs. Everything checked out so far, so she might actually start up clean. She went through several lines of code, checking for errors, then checked various programs. Including killswitches that she herself had made. Finally, she was satisfied. She stepped back and hit the power switch. The drone slowly lit up, before a feminine voice spoke. "Valkyrie Drone EVE-001, activated." it spoke, bearing a bit of a Terran accent. Valk smirked. This time, she actually had the ability to play around with vocal mods, since the ADAM AI drones lacked those subsystems. "Lookin' great, Eve." said Valkyrie, happy that this one actually started up with no malfunctions. "Indeed. You did craft me afterall, ma'am." responded the drone, as it stepped off the rack and looked around.

Bucky nods and starts scanning around the hangar bay with Amy. She finds the helmet after a few minutes. Bucky points to a maintenance pit, one of the places a starfighter might be parked over so an engineer can work at its underbelly more easily. She talks to Amy as they walk over. "So, what's got your brother so peeved? I know we had a close call, and believe me I know how close it was."

"One of the people who attacked us was Vakarus." Amy said as she climbed down the pit. "I dont know how long you have been with the company, but from what he told me, they were good friends." She picked up the helmet and started to climb back up. "Guess he isnt taking the betrayal so well."

Bucky doesn't seem at all perturbed by the name. "No, don't think I knew him. At least not well, if I did. It sucks that your brother is going through that though. I hope he feels better soon, drek like that is never good." She finishes what she's saying, then jumps down into the pit and retrieves the helmet. Bucky hands it to Amy and then clambers out of the pit. "I was gonna have a 'WE DIDN'T DIE' party later at my place. Vidya, snacks, movies. Wanna come? You're the first person I've invited, just haven't had a microsecond to send out the message to the others."

[QUOTE][I]Meanwhile, on Nyx...[/I][/QUOTE] "[Lady Strye, the council meets in a few hours. Shouldn't we be departing for Hemera soon?]" whispered a well-dressed bodyguard as he leaned in close to Vehha Strye, the newly elected President of the Upyri Federation. "[Yes, soon. But not right now. I'm watching the race, and I am not going to miss the finish.]" she said, tilting her head back slightly. She didn't dare take her eyes off the race, as she had money riding on it. Two hundred thousand credits on the current circuit champ, Aesha Drach, winning the race. The problem was, Aesha was tied for first place with her rival, an Ayr racer named Marata Kadiri. And it looked like it was coming down to a photo finish. She hoped Aesha could pull something off like she always did. Vehha swirled the scotch in her glass around a bit, before taking a sip as she watched the holoscreen. Just another lap, and the race would be over. She was on the edge of her seat, eager to see the outcome. And it came a few minutes later. The pair of racers zipped across the finish line, Aesha's craft just edging out Marata's. Vehha grinned. "[Pretty great race. Terrible about what happened to those two racers on lap 6, though. Hope they're alright.]" she said, glancing up to her bodyguard. "[I'm sure they are, ma'am.]" he responded, nodding. "[Mhm. Well, time to head back home. And prepare for three hours of debate and arguments.]" said Vehha, as she stood. Moments later, she was being escorted out of the building and out to her waiting limo. She slipped in, after smiling and waving for a few pictures from some nearby photographers. [QUOTE][video=youtube;sYYK0GOm2m4]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYYK0GOm2m4[/video][/QUOTE] Her bodyguard slipped in across from her, quietly taking a seat by the window at an angle from her. "[Nyxia Intergalactic Starport, please.]" she said, loud enough for the driver up front to hear. He responded with a thumbs-up gesture, which was followed by the feeling of the limo leaving its parked position outside of Strye Enterprises. She had decided to pay the building a visit, checking in on how her father was doing during her visit to Nyx. Though she came to Nyx often, she never really visited her father's workplace all that much. She usually found herself attending exclusive gatherings and parties set up by her fellow politicians, often featuring musicians and actors as well. A perks of being an Upyri aristocrat, now further enhanced by her status as President of the Federation. She glanced out the window of the limo, watching the building fade into the cluster of buildings below as the vehicle ascended. Then, the limo proceeded forward, heading off in the direction of the starport. As it began its journey, she reached over and tapped the small icon on the arm of the seat next to her. A holographic touch screen appeared before her, with the emblem of the Upyri Federation emblazoned across it. She tapped it, and tapped a little icon that popped up in the corner. A news app came up, marked with the traditional Intergalactica emblem. She glanced over the headlines, reading each briefly before cycling through to the next set. Nothing of real interest to note. The trip didn't take very long, taking the express route straight to the starport. From there, she boarded her personal ship and soon was off towards Hemera. In midflight, she was alerted of an incoming hail. "[Forward it to my quarters.]" she said into the intercom on the wall, before an image popped up on the large holoscreen on the wall of her personal quarters. The emblem of the Sol System Government appeared onscreen.

"That would be great. Might even-Hold on." She noticed the message send by Taylor. "Huh, a truck is comming by to pick us up and take us to town while the ship is getting fixed. Wanna make a trip arround town for anything good?"

[i]Wokaar, SDF Field HQ[/i] "We're what?" Yelled Ares in disbelief. Lord General Cross had a stern look on his face. "I realize that this is not the optimal solution nor is it the outcome we had hoped for. However as of now I have received direct orders directly from Wayford and the rest of the council to wage this war efficiently." He gestured towards minimal reinforced windows letting in a thin ray of light from the outside. "Currently we're losing too many forces here and despite the tactical value of Wokaar I can't justify deploying more boots on the ground when we're losing territory by the minute." Ares frowned and shook his head. "So what is the plan, sir?" Cross turned towards Zhaneys and nodded. The lord admiral stepped forward activated the holomap. "With the SNV Mjolnir and the rest of the battlegroup which followed we now have enough vessels to both provide enough cover for a mass-evac but also enough firepower to knock out the FFR-E facility and severely cripple the USRs ability to mobilize their fleets for weeks or even months to come." "Alongside the Mjolnir the SSOID were kind enough to send along one of their latest weapons which is currently being mounted on the SNV Shadow as we speak." Continued Cross. "To be completely honest we're not sure how it works, infact the SSOID didn't tell us if it even works at all." Ares and several of his soldiers exchanged looks with the other officers currently present inside the room. Gladius remained silent with his arms crossed. "Regardless of the weapon we won't be moving in to engage untill the bulk of the evac is finished. Worst-case scenario includes ditching all of our gear should the USRs fleet decide to move in and rain hell on us, however since we're not planning to come back here we're hoping to get as many and as much off the ground as possible." Cross then turned towards Ares and Gladius. "After we're done here the STWG, as well as captain Reed and her vessel, will accompany the SNV Redstar for a high-priority SSOID mission." Ares looked up. "Sir?" "Williams think he's found some people which could help us get Warren and Mercury." Replied Cross with a smile on his face. ----- Several hours later and the evacuation was well underway. After the Mjolnir had arrived to reinforce the SDF lines the bulk of all USR forces, both on the ground and in orbit, had retreated. During the first two hours of the evac at least five hostile fleets had arrived in the system to refuel before heading back. Meanwhile the SSOID relayed continuous updates of USR incursions closer to Sol territory. Valerie had a stern look on her face as she observed dozens of tiny holographic dropships ferry troops and material from the SDF forces on the ground back to the Mjolnir. The base on the ground had become tiny in comparison to its previous state and currently it consisted only of a handful of storage modules, mobile utility buildings and the last marine forces called back from the frontlines. In the skies above was a ever-vigilant metal shield; the fleet had formed a dome above the base with all transports and damaged vessels safely protected at the center. It was a risky move, a longshot, but it was the only way to get everyone out of there in one piece. Hendricks looked up from his screen. "Ma'am! The SSOID weapon is ready." Valerie looked up. "How's it looking?" "Stable for now, minor power fluctuations. Shouldn't affect weapon performance though." Replied the weapons officer. Valerie nodded. "Alright, let Zhaneys and Cross know that we're ready." Hendricks nodded and carried out his orders. Soon a direct line between the Shadow, Mjolnir and Redstar had been established. Valerie did a quick salute. "Lord admiral, lord general." The two men nodded. "Is the Shadow ready for combat?" Asked Cross. "Yes sir, weapon is online and all crewmembers are accounted for." Cross nodded. "Zhaneys, what's the status of the evac?" "Evac is near completion. We estimate that it will be done in ten minutes." "Alright, then let's seal the deal." Said Cross. "Battlegroup Mjolnir, form up on me. We're going for the strike. Shadow, stay close." Valerie nodded. "Yes sir." She stroked her chin. "Helmsman, form up on the Mjolnir. Maintain cruise speed. Gunners, eyes peeled." One of the pilots nodded. "Aye captain, formin' up on the Mjolnir." Soon a third of the SDF vessels had broken off and we're moving quickly towards the USR lines. It didn't take long for them to get to the designated rally point which was right outside the killzone. Infront of them was a swarm of military vessels hailing from both the Fist of Sol and the Divinity Creed. The enemy fleetgroup was at least five times as big. "Fleet is in position. Shadow, you may begin." Said Cross calmly over the comms. "Understood, Shadow powering up." She nodded towards the weapons officer. "Order confirmed. SSOID weapon at sixteen percent and climbing." Throughout the ship a strange humming sound could be heard. Meanwhile lights began to flicker as the weapon continued to power up. "Detecting major power fluctucations throughout the ship!" Yelled Hendricks. "Weapon at eighty seven percent!" Valerie gripped armrests on her chair tightly. "Keep the reserve generator on standby! Divert power from rear shields to the weapon." Underneath the Shadow the newly installed weapon, a large cannon with a round cap covering the muzzle, began to move slowly. Several tiny pieces were in motion and soon the cap slowly retracted, revealing a large orb which appeared to be darker than the deepest of space. "Weapon charged! Standing by to fire!" "Open fire!" Yelled Valerie. As soon as the weapons officer slammed the button on the console infront of him the orb was released. Inside the ship power went out for a brief moment untill the backup kicked in." "Status?" Asked a concerned captain. Hendricks skimmed through the text on his screen. "We're good, just a brief loss of power. All primary systems have been restored. SSOID weapon is non-responsive, looks like it fried itself." The weapons officer looked up. "Weapon discharge successfull, awaiting splashdown." Outside the dark orb soared through the sky. It looked harmless, almost beautiful, as it made its way towards the massive refueling facility down on the ground. Valerie, Hendricks and everyone else onboard the Shadow as well as all the other vessels watched in silence. Down on the ground shocktroopers from the Fists of Sol rushed up on the roofs of the many bunker-like structures. "Section! Defense!" Yelled a squad leader as she and her troops aimed at the orb. The orb passed by her and her soldiers without a sound and continued down towards the ground. The soldiers rushed towards the edge of the roof to track it and were accompanied by a group of engineers who looked on in awe. Gently the orb landed and placed itself on the dark asphalt before getting surrounded by security forces. "What is it?" Asked one of the engineers as a squad of soldiers approached. One of the soldiers used his rifle to try and nudge the orb but to no effect. He lowered his weapon. "Looks like it's harmless." That's when the orb imploded. With the force equal to a miniature star imploding on itself the orb turned into a tiny black hole which devoured everything in proximity within an instant. People, vehicles and structures began to move unwillingly towards the orb and soon the entire central infrastructure was tearing itself apart. As if it couldn't get any worse the massive fuel reserves began to explode as a response to soldiers discharging their weapons through panic and vehicles catching fire as they were turned into balls of metal. "By Sol..." Muttered Valerie. Above the facility ships were seen racing towards orbit as more and more structures collapsed. Suddenly a massive bright flash blinded everyone within range as the main fuel reservoir was detonated. The shockwave sent many of the USRs smaller vessels up towards the atmosphere while the shields of the larger ships and the SDF fleet were triggered, forming auras of energy around them. "Report!" Said Valerie. Hendricks looked up. "Captain, the trarget is gone." He wasn't lying. Down on the ground was massive crater surrounded by debris, partially collapsed structures and a triangular defense line of bunkers, trenches and walls. The entire fuel facility was gone. Valerie suddenly felt very sick. Meanwhile Hendricks and many others onboard the bridge grew pale. "This weapon... the destruction..." Muttered the first officer. "Hendricks" began Valerie as she tried to regain her focus, "report splashdown success." "Let's get out of here." ----- High Councilor Wayford appeared on the screen infront of President Strye. "Greetings president!" Begun Wayford. He was dressed in his formal attire (a suit with a blue tie) and appeared to be sitting inside his office. "First off I'd like to once again congratulate on you on winning the election, I must say that I followed your campaign closely." He smiled. "It's always nice to who's going to be your neighbour." Wayford's face then turned into a more serious expression. "However as much as I'd like to discuss everyday politics with you I'm actually contacting you regarding something much more serious." "I trust you have heard about the so-called 'United Sol Resistance' and their aggressive military efforts currently spreading chaos throughout the eastern quadrant?"

Bucky looks extremely pleased at the news and nods. "Yeah! Might even find some new snacks for the party! Lemme call up Valk, she might like to come along too." Bucky fires off a message to Valkyrie. [QUOTE]Hey, some of us are going into town and I need a hand to prepare for a party I wanna host at my quarters. There's some drinks in it for you if you go![/QUOTE]

Iron, who was standing next to Taylor, nodded towards Amy. "A trip sounds good. Better than a flying metal coffin."

"Party time in the robot house." [QUOTE]A trip sounds good. Better than a flying metal coffin.[/QUOTE] "A grouned one is worse." She said before changing the subject."Iron, you got access to the bounties, right? How large is mine?"

[QUOTE]"I trust you have heard about the so-called 'United Sol Resistance' and their aggressive military efforts currently spreading chaos throughout the eastern quadrant?"[/QUOTE] "Indeed I have, High Councilor. The insurgency that plagues you has now started to breach into Federation space as well. Word from my commanders in the region is that they've started to attack [I]our[/I] colonies in an effort to create outposts to flank your forces." responded Strye, folding her hands behind her back as she stood in front of the screen. "...And I've been awaiting this very conversation. You would like the Federation to assist Sol in crushing the USR."

Iron chuckled underneath his mask. "You don't want to know." ----- Wayford frowned. "I am terribly sorry that these barbarians have ventured into Federation space." "To be honest with you President I am reluctant to ask both the Federation and other neighbours for help as that would only lead to more aggressive actions from the USR." "What I want to do however is to warn you and your people, as a friend, that should the conflict continue the citizens of your nation may be targeted further. I promise you that even know as we speak the SDF and the SSOID are hard at work combatting this insurgency. However I feel that it would be wise for you to mobilize your forces in the east as well, not only to limit your own casualties but also so the the SDF can focus one one flank rather than spread its forces thin."

As Jag approached the door belonging to Arkadam, the latter and Yanim suddenly exited and came walking up the hall from the opposite direction. Jag attempted to get the boss's attention, but she shook her head. "It'll have to wait, Jag. Speak to me when I get to the hangar." Her tone carried an urgency that warned the sanghvi not to interrupt again. It stood there a while, as if lost in its own thoughts and feelings. Yanim and Arkadam entered a stairwell as they continued their discussion. "...so was he real or was he not? Because, you bring up all these questions and fears and yet you say you knew someone-" Arkadam argued before being interrupted. "Lion was a real person insomuch that he physically existed and that I knew him," Yanim replied, "but that fact alone doesn't answer any of my concerns. Was he really the same, or did his life end when he was placed in that body? Was his virtual mind really his? Or was it merely simulation? Deep down, was it just a computer, pre-loaded with a human man's thoughts and memories?" "What does it matter, in the end?" Arkadam shot back, rounding the rails to the next flight, "if you're going to die anyway, why not take the chance?" "Because if it turns out I'm really gone, then what does this [I]thing[/I] do without [I]me?[/I] Does it love you the way I do? Does it try to contact my parents?" Yanim stopped just before the exit and looked her companion in the eye. "Would you love a robot if it looked enough like me? Acted like me?" she asked, accusingly. Arkadam shrunk back a little, finally grasping what she was talking about. Yanim spun around and slid the door open. "I get it. Whatever happens, you want it to be real for you, and not just real for everyone else, or else there's no point to it. But the way you won't even try to look at the science, the way you won't seek help, it doesn't make sense to me. I'm sorry. Hell, there are people on this ship who might have the know-how to extend your life at least a few years." "That's true, shdatra," Yanim replied, sliding open another door into the engineering workshop. The two passed by numerous tables and workstations, currently unused, on their way back to the secured room where Yanim kept the Archive. "But I'm already reliant on my own neural implant. If this computer pack I carry is ever separated from me, I'll seize and die. It feels like hell to live this way, one error, one failure away from the end. If you're saying I should go on like this for years..." "You're strong, Yanim." "Not strong enough," she said, opening the mysterious door. The two entered the darkened room and Yanim turned, popping open a nearby toolbox. Inside, an assortment of various narcotics greeted her. She grabbed a handful of small pills and handed just two to Arkadam before sitting down on top of the Archive. The gentle blue light glowing from its crystalline surfaces gave the whole room a calming atmosphere. Arkadam stood alone near the doorway, looking at the pills. "These don't change anything, Yanim. When we come back down, we'll still be us, and we'll still have the same problems. I don't know if I want to feel good right now." "It stopped being about feeling good a long time ago," Yanim replied, swallowing as many as she could in one gulp. She put her head in her hands. "It makes things bearable, that's all." Arkadam sat down with her and put his arm around her, and the two stayed together for a while in the quiet room. Finally Arkadam spoke again, feeling the effects of the drugs. He took a long, wavering breath before saying "I love you." And he paused for a moment. "There has to be a way." Yanim leaned back, looking at the ceiling, and how her and Arkadam's shadows looked like angels looking down. "You're sitting on it, love," she said, and she immediately regretted it. The Archive was the ultimate temptation, and for a moment, it seemed all too convenient that it had somehow wound up in her possession. But now, she had inflicted the same temptation on another. She looked at Arkadam and shook her head sadly. "But I can't. It's not-" "What..? No, tell me," he begged.

Strye nodded. The war was going to get a lot bigger from the looks of things, and they couldn't afford to just sit by and simply defend themselves from the USR advances. They needed to get aggressive and actually fight back, or more Federation citizens and innocent civilians were going to die. Some of the Federation soldiers, namely the Marines, were itching to get into a larger scale fight instead of simple skirmishes. There was already growing support from the Council to go on the offense as well. "I'll speak to the Council about forming a military alliance for the time being, and alert the Grand Admiral to ready our forces for offensive engagements. ONI will also be tasked with assisting Sol's intelligence division with their endevours should they need the assistance." she said after a pause. Then she continued. "...I believe this war was started over Sol's religion ban, correct? The Federation suggests that Sol [B][I]thoroughly[/I][/B] rethink its stance on affairs of faith. Unless you wish for Sol to go through another war much like this one down the line."

Wayford nodded his head in agreement. "I thank you and the Federation for your support." "As for the decisions made by my predecessor I can't agree more. However Sol does not, and will never, negotiate with terrorists." "Thank you for your time President Strye, my people and I will stay in contact."

[QUOTE]"Thank you for your time President Strye, my people and I will stay in contact."[/QUOTE] "Have a wonderful day, High Councilor." replied Strye, with a smile. The screen then switched to blackness. Well, the Federation was about to be involved in its first intergalactic war since the Division War. [I]Wonderful.[/I] She sighed, then tapped a few icons on a small screen next to the large one. A moment later, the Federation's emblem appeared on the larger screen. Then, Grand Admiral Tirell Metais appeared. "[Good afternoon, Madam President. Is there something you need?]" "[Tirell, you know you can call me Vehha. We were friends before I was elected President.]" "[Eh, yeah. Just used to the formalities and such. What do you need, Vehha?]" "[I recieved a request from the High Councilor of Sol about the Federation getting involved in their war with the USR. I told him that I would speak to the Council about forming a military alliance. I need you to ready our forces for war, and instruct ONI to assist Sol with whatever they need.]" "[Alright. Do you want everything ready?]" "[Everything. Including the [I]Kästner[/I]. If its needed, then it will be ready to go.]" "[Understood. I'll get it done. Also, are we still on for dinner Saturday? Janus is wondering if she'll need a dress or not.]" "[Yes, we're still on. Tell her to go simple. We're not going to some fancy event or anything. Its just dinner.]" "[Alright.]" he said, before giving her a faux salute and ending the call. - - - - - - - - - - - As Valkyrie finished getting Eve up to speed on everything, she recieved a message which she checked quickly. From Bucky. [QUOTE]Hey, some of us are going into town and I need a hand to prepare for a party I wanna host at my quarters. There's some drinks in it for you if you go![/QUOTE] She couldn't turn down a drink. Maybe she could buy a pack of smokes too. Fuck quiting. "Follow me, Eve." she said, grabbing her jacket and heading for the hangar. "Understood, ma'am." After a minute or two of walking, they finally arrived where Bucky and the others were. "Bucky, Eve. Eve, Bucky." said Valkyrie, introducing [URL="https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/209144165093736448/300179046803963904/Eve.jpg"]her newest drone[/URL] to Bucky. "She's the first of her kind."

Bucky offers a hand to Eve to shake cordially, smiling all the while. She seems genuinely glad to meet a fellow synthetic person. "Pleased to meet you, Eve! And welcome to the world!" Once the formalities are over, she looks at Valkyrie with a mock-serious expression and says in a joking harsh tone: "I hope you aren't trying to replace me, Valk.~" Bucky's tone indicates a little subtle concern, but she otherwise seems like her bubbly self.

[QUOTE]"I hope you aren't trying to replace me, Valk.~"[/QUOTE] Eve tilts her head a bit as she shakes Bucky's hand. Valk shifted a bit, slipping her hands into her pockets. "Nah, she's not going to replace you. She's here for a different reason." Eve looked to Valkyrie and nodded. "I serve as a sort of bridge between the Captain/Boss and the Adam drones that Mistress Blackwell will construct in the near future. An officer of sorts in an army of Generals and Grunts. I recieve orders, and make sure those orders are followed in the most exceptional manner by the Adam drones."