"Yeah, I do. What sort of stuff was built down there before you lost contact? Anything that might, I don't know, explode and bury us under a hundred tons of rock?"
"Like my colleague, I would appreciate some additional background information. For instance, when did you most recently send forces to the planet and have any returned?We've been sending daily unsentient probes to check for any changes on the situation. None returned so far.
If not, has any orbital or surface debris or similar sign been detected that might give some hint as to their fate?Negative, no such vestiges have been observed. From orbit, no signs of conflict or acident can be observed.
Additionally, assuming we reach the planet and some members of your forces remain, might we have some kind of contact information or official writ that would allow us to prove who we are and who we represent?"
"What is the evacuation protocol?"
What are the Götterdämmerungdeployment orders ? I suggest strongly I should follow them in low orbit. Whatever danger is lurking down there, the glorious sight of a Battleship deployed might prove a deterent enough against hostile actions. And offer heavy support for our recon group.That would be indeed the reason why you were selected as part of this group. Your battleship is to escort the remaining members into the planet's surface.
Besides, how many colonists were dropped down there, should we need to launch a rescue & evac mission ?"In the last population report we received, there were 3785 registered colonists.
"Rescuing survivors is always a priority! It'd be terrible to just abandon them, and I would definitely promise to find your sister and bring her back to you."
"If there's someone to rescue, what the hell are we waiting for?"
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"Does being this tall and capable of shouting REALLY LOUD count as a communications device?"
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"Me? I'm Amaterasu. I'm the one that got you out of that thing. Nice to see you're unharmed by the explosion,"Incorrect.
"I am known here as Mao. Deployed for investigation and personnel retrieval."
Looking at her from a bit closer, she seemed awfully military type. Like her.
"What are your objectives and status, Erinye Prototype?"
"Fuck yes, that's the stuff."
The still-invisible Hugo will proceed to poke the massive red crystal, expecting it to shatter and release a treasure trove of wonders.
As to the purpose of this room, Mao took a second look around, wondering.The central terminals seem to have been removed, but we should be able to operate the security systems from the peripheral ones.
"There are many terminals around this room. Do you suggest that this room is no longer the security control room?"
She'd help scan the room for something of use. A mean to connect to the security controls, perhaps.The wall terminals seem perfectly operational. Front panel menus show a series of security options, such as self-repair protocols, energy routes, subterranean bot production facilities-Acess denied!!!
Dragon defeated, Amaterasu sheathed her blade, and turned he attention to the rubble. Now that the pressing threat of being eaten alive was dealt with, she should probably check to see if their guide was still under there or had gotten out and into hiding, somehow...Amaterasu's full size form allows her to easily get to work, and then under a specially large piece of Debris she finds Erineye prototype laying down, mechanical eyes open and staring into nothingness. Amaterasu fears she may have suffered critical damage, but then Eriney Prototype's gaze narrows and focuses back at her.
Step one: assume full size.
Step two: crouch by the rubble.
Step three: start manhandling it out of the way. Stuff wasn't that heavy, getting to the bottom of the pile would be child's play.
"We have already collected enough information on the situation for a conclusive report. Primary objective now is the rescue of all survivors found on Ragol. Securing the perimeter is secondary. Resolving this outbreak is secondary."
"I'll see if I can do something to stall our opposition. What do you know about the Hunters who were coming in after you?"
"I could try, can't guarantee any kind of precision, though. And that doesn't keep any other robots that might come afterwards from coming our way.The security room should have an emergency telepipe beacon as per the standard safety protocols. It's the fastest way to get us out of this forsaken tower. I don't know how to activate it tough...-says Elle.
I'd much rather we simply get the hell outta dodge NOW."
She walked up to Erinye Prototype. If Elle knew her, then she was another survivor in a strange condition, but a survivor nonetheless.
"You are an uncertain factor. Your objectives are unclear and the commander issuing them is unknown. Until all the unknown factors are resolved you are listed as an hazardous element. You are now requested to provided the data required to be acknowledged as 'safe' or to submit to the authority of our commander."
She pointed at Hugo.
"As a survivor, you are entitled to be rescued. As an hazardous element, you are seen as a potential danger that shouldn't be left unattended. Until your situation is cleared you are to seize what you are doing and cooperate. Effective immediately."
"Man, what a pain in the ass.
Listen, Erinye or whoever you are. I may not understand what you think you're doing and what you think is going on, but fact of the matter is, you don't have the security clearance to access anything relevant here; I do. That's how I reconfigured the lasers so they'd stop healing that freaking dragon.
Many of us here are either exhausted or seriously hurt. We've got incoming enemies and if we don't move right now, then any efforts you put forth would be for nothing.
You can come with us - right now - or we will drag you out."
Then quickly turned to Elle.No... Do you mean we cannot leave until we find the Maia one?-replies Elle, suddenly with a worried face.
"Your sister came here to find the Maia unit. Ideally we would recover her before we leave. I do not perceive her here. Do you know where she is?"
"Hugo Lotushand, Guild Card number 42006663981. Requesting Ryuker service for all IFF positive Hunters on the vicinity, I'm feeding you the codes now. In addition, requesting emergency medical support, we've got wounded, at least one in critical condition."There's some more seconds of static before the guild attendant replies:
Once she'd have the box in hand, she'd connect it to her mecha body. She'd put her main interface on display to get constant feedbacks off it.Soon after Mao plugs in the box in her mecha, words start appearing on the display screen:
Her energy output was pretty strong and should be enough to supply the device.
"Debriefing can wait, ma'am. We still don't have all the facts and it would be premature of us to consider this mission over without going through a lot of data.Maia 279 smiles at Hugo:
For example, I would love to know why your sister is in pieces, why her presence at that hotzone was not introduced to our briefing, and who the two Hunters we've just remanded into Medical's custody are.
I do not appreciate being sent with insufficient intel to a dangerous mission. We ended up dealing with one too many unknown factors that, if we had been the least bit incompetent about, would have meant this gleeful reunion would not have taken place."
Observations and scannings from orbit don't reveal anything in particular-the structures that had already been built are still there, but otherwise there's no sign of any sentient life, ours or native. We tried sending in scouts and probes. They all disapeared whitout trace as well.
We did however learn that a mysterious disruption field seems to have formed around the planet. The forces we sent into the planet were quickly cut off from any and every communication channel once they entered the atmosphere.
Your job would be to drop into the first colonizer's landing zone and seek out for any clues you can find about the mass disapearances, then return to protectora XVI to report your findings. Everything indicates this will be an extremely dangerous job, but all of you have high recomendations from the Hunter's Guilder itself or other important organizations. We expect you'll be able to produce results where others failed.
...
If you worry about rescuing survivors, then I'll have an extra request to make of you.
My sister-unit Maia 486 had been sent into the first colonization wave. She looks just like me.
Should you manage to find and evacuate her, you'll be awarded a significant extra reward for your efforts.
Even if you just find her remains... You'll receive the same reward just the same for bringing them back.
"I'm a lot more interested in the fact there was a very violent, very angry dragon in there."
"Bits of it turned into weapons. Still doesn't explain what it was doing in the middle of the building."The behavior of dragons is one of the great unknowns of our time. But it wouldn't be the first time such powerful beasts have been recorded as choosing to nest in places of great importance. They may have no civilization of their own, but many times they show an attraction for it. Was there anything else of high value on that room you found it in?
"The occasional memory lapse is a small price to pay for the freedom of a brain that can't be hacked into, ma'am. The structures themselves were hardly civilian in nature, and surely a quick scan of the shipping manifests to the surface would have revealed materiel smuggled in from overburden or outright authorized. I find it difficult to believe the first wave of colonization was completely autonomous from the administration, too.Indeed it is not true. We had several contigencies to make sure the colony would keep serving the Android Administration, since it was the one financing it and to make sure they wouldn't ruin the ecosystem. But since they've clearly failed, it was decided to resort to you.
Perhaps we should ask Waber and Laurent what happenned. Well, gentlemen?
Furthermore, Waber and Laurent didn't have any survivors or corpses near them when they were found. Not even Hunter section IDs belonging to former comrades. Therefore, they were sent there independently of any rescue or reconnaissance effort. We've encountered enough resistance that the two of them wouldn't have been able to get inside on their own.
The ship we were in was forced to make a crash landing, we managed to survive and slip trough the forest, tought we would have a better fighting chance inside the dome inside the central dome than outside against those unknown mechas that shot our transport down. Been inside here fighting those bots ever since. They're being brought in by telepipes from some other place, always appearing near our position... Figure they've got some kind of automated vigilance system still going. We ran into the latest wave almost half an hour ago... It should be less than half a minute until the next one shows up. Also, there were some other guild Hunters that made it inside with us. We got gradually separated while fighting the bots and didn't find any traces from them ever since. Plus someone or something cleaning up the wrecks. We only ever find the remains of the latest wave we defeated
Which reminds me. Hunter's guild, I'm going to send a little data your way. I need any information regarding possible matches of the creatures described in this pack."
That said, she bowed and presented her preliminary debriefing.
"R0S-3774 operation summary for the Ragol investigation order: Forced landing following the destruction of our ship by the unidentified invading faction. We eliminated their defense and breached into the central dome they had taken over. They took control of the dome's security systems and taken over most of the experiments and projects under way there, probably adding a few of their own. I am sending you an attachment containing my visual records of their equipment. I detected eight active lifeforms within the dome: two were the hunters of a previous expedition, Laurent and Waber; two were survivors of the first wave of Ragol colonists, Enne and her babe. The other 4 are unknown to me but the others here might well have interacted with them. Enne and her infant had been contained in a Code Purple cell, isolated underground by what I believe were facilities. Interaction with them indicate that a monolith of unknown origins was found on Ragol and then covered up by the governor as a monument. The structure would appear highly impervious to damage and made of materials unlike any in the region. Its purpose is unclear but it could be a sign of the presence of another sentient species unrecorded on Ragol. Enne as the coordinates of the monolith. Additional reckon on Ragol may serve to find other remnants of that species."
She opened a file and a few hexagons moved in front of her visor.Maia's expression changes to a cold, serious one:
"A system in the central dome ended up releasing many entities that I believe to be corrupted mutations of the first colonists. Some probably tempered with biologically and/or mechanically. Attachments are being sent for visuals. Besides the wave of piloted mechas met around the dome, I have not made contact with others that would register as the unidentified invading faction. The dome's main systems were protected by a dragon. Video attachment of its observed behavior is now sent. The dome apparently was being swarmed by the mutants, which soon led to our evacuation and to the autodestruction of the dome core. Amaterasu managed to retrieve the Maia 486 black box. It thus appear that Ragol may have been overtaken by this unknown invading faction, which has then contained and experimented on the colonists after taking over their facilities. Video footage of their assault on the dome has been retrieved by Baha - attachment is being sent. It seems to indicate that the unknown invading faction has excellent military training, likely trained to take the installations over and prepared for it for a very long time. It also suggests that the Parum forces have either been heavily infiltrated to facilitate the invasion, that some of them might have gone rogue or that they received orders that have directed such actions. I have noticed no Cast units within the dome, nevermind the black ones. Motives are unclear. There may be a connection with the remnants of that other civilization that left the monolith or perhaps there was a need for a large sample of organic beings to make mutation studies and so Ragol was targeted for being easier to isolate between the colonization waves. End of mission."
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"Maybe dragons are civilized and in their long and powerful lives a couple decades away to play is summer camp." she tells the stranger with a smile.
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"Oh, right, the experimentation... I found the scientist behind all that, you know? He was in two pieces even before the dome exploded. Let his latest creation free, too." she said, seeming quite calm, "Going to explain why you were authorising a scientist to illicitly turn people into sleeper agents and living weapons?"There were 219 scientists assigned to the first colonist wave. My records don't show any authorization for any of the them to experiment with bio-weapons.
After Laurent's explanation, she suggested: "Was the perimeter equipped with an automatic waste disposal system? If this process was introduced by the invaders it could perhaps be profitable to observe it and discover where the debris are either either disposed of or recycled."Automatic waste disposal system was included in the basic specifications of the different colony facilities. Organics can be such messy beings after all, constantly shedding off their dead cells. Any such debris should be recycled into a variety of utility chemical compounds.
Regarding Enne, or rather, Elle, Min-Yung seemed unmoved.We'll keep such fact in mind during our interrogation. As for the monolith coordinates, didn't Elle give them to you already? If not, we'll make sure to interrogate her on that matter, and inform you as soon as we have them.
"She introduced herself as Enne. Your confirmed matches fit her described duty. What were the coordinates of the monolith?"
"Someone high up is behind this."I concur that some powerful organization is backing this incident. I just don't see why it would be someone from the Android Administration. We started the colony project, we wouldn't want to ruin it.
The glowing sword was pointed in Maia's direction--that, really, because its wielder was left-handed, "So it's up to Maia here: the Administration doing things it shouldn't?"That statement counters itself. The Android Administration operates on logic. It only does what it calculates it should be done. It is organics that almost ruined their own planet due to their erratic chemical-based decision makers.
When she pointed her weapon, knowingly or not, toward one of her own, Min-Yung stepped in front of it.Half of Maia's bots swiftly surround Amaterasu from the other sides, while the Android keeps her diplomatic smile:
She barely moved then but her eyes were fixed on her.
"How long has contact been lost?"Thirteen solar cycles, sixteen hours, two minutes and five seconds, by the Algol time system.
you're part of the Administration, and I was on the other side in the war; nobody would listenListen to what? What does that have to do with anything? We ended the war back then, someone had to. Now we are determined to stop whatever terror is being bred in Ragol.
We'll keep such fact in mind during our interrogation. As for the monolith coordinates, didn't Elle give them to you already? -this happens before Elle is taken away-"No, she said she would give them to me once we'd leave the facility, which is why I am asking her for them now."
"One every two hours... fine, but I'm going to try and find out what's going on."Maia keeps smiling.
Maia looks at Elle and the woman lets out an audible sigh before speaking:Quote from: MaiaWe'll keep such fact in mind during our interrogation. As for the monolith coordinates, didn't Elle give them to you already? -this happens before Elle is taken away-"No, she said she would give them to me once we'd leave the facility, which is why I am asking her for them now."
Once Amaterasu would be gone, Min-Yung would turn to Maia. There was more to be said.As always your logical process is quite sharp. Meet me in an hour at my office in the ship. I'll be waiting there, Min-Yung. -winks Maia.
"There is more to report, but what conclusions are to be made of the following observations are most likely all very high in the confidential levels. I prefer transmitting them while the rest of the investigation group isn't around to avoid unnecessary emotional responses. Requesting your selection of transmission method. Even here I do not particularly fancy discussing these matters openly."
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AKA going to work on his followers a bit.
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But I must ask you why are you sound admired for she to be enjoying her new form.The thought was already freshly registered so it was a simply thing to copy paste it directly back to Maia to answer her question.
"Anyone have any idea what's going on yet?"She figured replying to the message while the drones were advancing was a good moment to do so. There wouldn't be much time in-between communications if the action ahead needed a report of its own, which was quite likely.
"I suppose this is what a nuclear reactor must feel like for normal people,"She herself had a very good experience of prolonged nuclear reactions and had to agree that for others it probably felt very different.
Crimines? Abominations? When did you metal brains started to think you have the right to pass judgement upon anything? We are ARCAS, and we are no longer tolerating your interference in our project!"Our Code, or spirit, is a manifestation of Law. The Law grants us rights, protects us and binds us to follow it or be judged ourselves. We are a part of its system and so our members may be peacekeepers, lawyers or judges. An organic judge or panel of judges could preside the court, though an android one would likely be more fair considering your crimes against humanity."
But then I remembered we're literally protecting black market dealers right now and have already lost the moral high ground!The drone looked slightly disturbed by that statement.
Hey drAg-n kiD! Your mo#my nEver tºLd you ab*ut us? I tHought yºur f@mily waS coºl! Or hOt. WhaTe^er. The only laW that m∀ tters is s+reNgth. Persºnal. Strength.An attempt at misdirection or a slip-up? No matter. It roused suspicion and the Administration would now have to cast its attention on Colony Ship Dragão. Perhaps there was truth to this alleged connection between the head branch and ARCAS.
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"Brave words from the one running home to mommy!"(click to show/hide)
"Oh, they didn't get away, then. They just exploded. Maybe there's something useful in the debris?""They didn't?"
"Shit.
Protectora, this is AAIS officer Hugo Lotushand requesting immediate tachyon sweep* of the debris. I had their warp drive locked, but it's possible the target teleported away while we were fighting the stealth ship. Be advised, tacrange scanners are showing signs of live ammunition around us, belay salvage crew until further notice.
Amaterasu, Kathryn, this has the looks of a minefield tactic. I think they're trying to buy time to get some cargo ported away to safety. We blunder in, and the cargo's gone, plausible deniability style. We take too long and they're gone. Ideas?"(click to show/hide)
<<This was meant to be their escape route. They still have warriors stranded inside that will have to find another escape point or someplace to hide. Maia, please report the location of the hunters still fighting them off. I crossed some on my way here.>>"Deployed hunters inside the ship are spread out and searching for the remants of the unknowns. They report successfully engaging 17 of them so far, all of which self-destructed when cornered."
Quote from: Amaterasu"Oh, they didn't get away, then. They just exploded. Maybe there's something useful in the debris?""They didn't?"
Mao's attention narrowed on the debris. She doubted the Marauder had simply teleported away by other means that he wouldn't have used by now already.
"This is a stealth ship. Stealth is to be expected."
And why not make sure? She signaled C-25 to launch another charge at the debris and then approached them herself. She brandished her blade and swept it in quick successions down in waves of energy throughout the area, trying to feel the impact of her attack off matter she sees not.
Hoping that was it and that the time used to check had been unnecessary, as they would have to contain and subdue the remaining warriors. Ideally there would be at least one they'd get to bombard with questions for a few days.
"Deployed hunters inside the ship are spread out and searching for the remnants of the unknowns. They report successfully engaging 17 of them so far, all of which self-destructed when cornered."<<Please send us the coordinates of the engagement if any other is found. I'll search for them as well until then.>>
Baha. What's your take on this mess?""There has always been a fleshy vs robot conflict but this is more a short-lifer thing. We found something someone else found interesting and now group paranoia has set in. It doesn't matter what the discovery is or who is doing what, someone is doing something and therefor they think it's important they do something too."
“We'll send you all relevant data as soon as it is available.”
“Command, I would like a detailed, non-redacted report of the salvage crew's work once they're done. Especially anything that might relate to a mech unit designated 'Marauder'. I'm pretty sure our headaches only started if that pilot got away. Lotushand out.”
"Black markets and stealth technology. Why does nobody connect arrests and undetected infiltration to how that being precisely how those two things are related to these two things... Or am I the only one who doesn't expect perfection from robots just because robots?""Thank you." It was always reassuring when organics cared about the feelings of artificials. She made a mental exercise of possibilities, absurd as they could be.
"Ahm, sorry, she turns to Mao. "I mean androids.
"...You asked how the invaders even got in undetected? Didn't you? Stealth mode. Yes? We all saw the ship."It was an effort at imagination.
"...You asked how the invaders even got in undetected? Didn't you? Stealth mode. Yes? We all saw the ship." She bounces back Baha's odd look with a questioning head-tilt.Mimicking the questioning head tilt but unable to hold back the smartass grin, "Yes, I saw the stealth ship too."
"I got some scumbags to 'interview'. You're welcome to come along, I could use some help with intimidation. Was actually the reason I had eyes on the black market in the first place." Hugo replies to Baha.Turning back to Hugo, "Oh we can make a game of it! Everytime one of them says they didn't do it we all have to take a shot."
Baha surveys the crowd to see if any of the media vultures were low enough to bring sweets in attempt to bribe Baha into an interview.Baha is not disappointed as several reporters push through the crowd and pull shiny candies out as if trying to draw Baha's attention.
There are suspects currently in custody and being interrogated.
As your administrator on Ragol, I am currently devoting myself fully to the situation and keep the people of Parum at the forefront of my mind. We have assembled a most impressive team for the task and are confident we'll gather positive results.The crowd cheers at Mao's statement, snapping thousands of fotos at each word. Clearly they're all big fans of her (or at least pretty good at pretending it), although it's no secret virtually all of the colonizers on board were picked from the population segments that showed greater liking of the Android Administration.
"Greetings."Hello. That you have time to visit me means whatever problem was on the ship has been solved. That's somewhat tranquilizing. Wouldn't been very nice to die trapped and forgotten in here.
"I imagine you may well have pressing questions. You are aboard the Protectora XVI, a ship of the Parum Administration stationed to follow Ragol's orbit. The central dome we were in has been destroyed and so we left the planet for now. Your sister and her child are well. They escaped with us. We are aware that your family has been sent among the first colons as a contact for an Esper cell, but that you were not a magic user yourself. You seemed clear-minded when we first met although we are yet unsure of the effects what they did to you may have had on your mind. We still have the results of the psychological evaluations every candidate passed before the journey so expect another run through to confirm anything is not beyond what we'd normally expect considering what you went through on Ragol. How do you feel?"To be completely honest? Caged. After so many time living in Ragol, to be back on a ship, let alone a prison cell, is suffocating. Back in Parum that was all we knew, but in Ragol we finally had open space. Rivers and oceans. Clean rivers and oceans where we could just jump in for a swim. The unexplored green forests, open mountains. Even the deserts. No need to worry about leaking radiations or the daily peak of ultraviolets or flying too high and hitting the city's protective dome. No ads or security warnings everywhere I turn my eyes to. No need to return to crowded dormitories every night.
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