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Post by John Darklight on Jul 1, 2016 18:49:22 GMT -8
Principle Authors: John Rackham
Who can post in this thread: John Packham
Do I wish to receive Critical Responses: via msg
Do standard Universe Rules apply? No
Timeframe: Unknown
Info: After many years, a colony ship arrives to a familiar Galaxy, far, far away.
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Post by John Darklight on Jul 1, 2016 21:24:59 GMT -8
When you are born in space you are left hollow as if there is a longing to belong, something is missing. There are very few who can still remember their moment of consciousness, when we are released from the stasis tube to be given purpose. We are reminded everyday of our lives of this purpose, that we are the columns of Atlas, the grand colony ship that has been sailing through the big empty for generations. The truth is always hard to accept, especially when the lie is our lives itself. Upon the day of our creation, new borns are stripped of emotion. Our new, frail bodies are punctured by a dozen injections. Several which manipulates our nervous system, one in our undeveloped spinal cord and the last, behind the ear all the way through to the centre of our beautiful untouched minds. The crying fades as we become grey. Our longing to belong fades with it...and so we float continuously, quietly. My existence is one I can never understand. I was never taught right from wrong, how to love or to accept another's love. I can never understand what emotions are, even if I am the only with who can feel it. I ask myself what would happen to me if everyone knew that i could feel what no one else could? I've been hiding in plain sight all of my life. In the sight of society, the sight of a girl who's eyes stare deep into mine only to pass through as if i were never there.
When you're surrounded by the emotionless, you are alone and sometimes if you stare into their eyes long enough, if you listen carefully, you can hear them screaming on the inside. Sometimes...i feel like they're crying for help as if they can see the flare inside of me, they want that flame. The fury in our eyes that makes us human. As i stand here and watch her while pretending like i still have work to do she finishes up, both knee deep in water after one of the cooling units ruptured. I once watched someone drown to death without the look of fear in their eyes as their bodies spasmed, attempting to breath. The memory still keeps me up at night. Her set of tools slipped from her hand, falling into the water. Let me help.
I said before she could could react to the situation. Even small mistakes were not taken lightly, we were almost engineered to be the perfect workers. After i reached beneath the surface for the remaining tools i stood up to face her. While your assistance was not necessary, i will keep note of it. Many Suns to you. There was never often interaction during the 15 work hour rotations. Physical contact with another was illegal, accidental was tolerant in a close quarter workplace. When she took the pale...i couldn't help myself. My hand brushed across hers, it was almost as if she had reacted to it. Her pupils dilated slightly. Fluttering back to normal. Was this hope that even those who seem lost, can always find their way back? I've been trying to find ways, but when contact is illegal, its never easy. She moved past me without another thought, our 15 rotation was at an end.
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Post by John Darklight on Jul 2, 2016 21:55:35 GMT -8
''I'm not even sure if anyone understands what the prime mission of Atlas was, the day it was launched from the galaxy. Some say it's as old as a thousand generations, constructed to be a self-sustaining world ship to carry a civilization from one galaxy to another. I work in the depths of Atlas, we are those who hold the planet on our shoulders even though it's suppose to be 'self-sustaining' as i have already mentioned. We were taught about this place, how it's core mimics that of an actual planet, giving the ship it's own gravity & atmosphere. We learned everything about it except the truth of why we were sent all the way out here in the first place, the council of nine know of this truth. ''
Headquarters could be seen from all over one side of Atlas. The massive spire reached out and beyond the surface atmosphere, the spire itself could shift it's location over the planet based on the direction Atlas was moving in. There were hundreds of hanger bays for ships to launch directly into space along the upper neck of this spire. The main deck at the very top was built so those present could stand parallel with the planets surface, facing the direction Atlas was heading in. So the lift ride up was a rather interesting one. The doors shifted open. All Officers who looked quickly diverted their gaze back to their stations at the sight of Juno the Masked One. She had the highest authority next to the council of nine, below her in rank, General Tyche. Who oversees all activity here on the command deck, who Juno approached. Turning her head, her ominous wide eyes were set upon him behind the faceless mask.
> I speak for the council of nine, the time has come.
The two set their eyes upon the deep. Something was out there, shining brighter then anything else out there. Several massive silos opened around the spire when suddenly large cylinder shaped rods launched out into space beyond Atlas. After leaving the atmosphere these cylinders broke apart, leaving its's shell in orbit before the thrusters kicked in with a set course outwards and away towards the glimmering light in the distance. As they gained distance, once again they began breaking apart into smaller pieces. Thousands of probes continued on course, racing towards the light at great speeds, but at this distance this light could now be recognized as a Galaxy to the naked eye.
A JOURNEY'S ORIGIN
Part I
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Post by John Darklight on Jul 3, 2016 21:01:14 GMT -8
Even though the majority of the people on board Atlas were without emotion, that did not remove the ability to think for themselves. She was moving through the north corridor above the maintenance sector the next day, thinking about that man who offered help. Iris stopped, mid corridor with her eyes set upon the dark sky. The image reflected into her eyes as she stared at it, for a moment she felt strange. Such a sight was one to behold, something people have only read about. A Galaxy. From which she came, the doors shifted open along with the sound of rapid foot steps against the steel floor. She snapped back to reality to continue her way down to the workstation until she heard that familiar voice. It's something isn't it?
Eos worked with her in the depths of the maintenance sector, and this was just another day. Except now something different for the first time in their lives, something was about to change Atlas forever. After hearing him speak up, she stopped to look at him before retuning her glare at to the sight of it. Of course it's something...it's literally something. Something out of all of this...emptiness. Though it's not our place to ponder upon such thoughts, we mustn't be late Eos.
He grew quiet, planting his hands against the emergency railing along the wall. Looking out with curiosity overwhelming his mind, he knew what happened to everyone here. Though he didn't believe it was possible to erase the only thing that makes us human. You know you're totally right. For the first time in generations...there is something out there. I can't help but to wonder, is this our new home? He looked at her again. You can feel it can't you. I think everyone can.
She looked back out, giving in to the urge of curiosity. From the outside, little did they know there were hundreds of other individuals who caught sight of this...something. Looking out, looking up into the beyond towards their possible destination. The thousands of probes would also act as planetary satellites, sending back detailed information to Atlas of possible lifeforms & habitable planets. Juno's face appeared, light casted across her mask when a holographic model of the galaxy appeared in the centre of the room. The council of nine surrounded her, wearing black robes which completely covered their entire body. Juno The Masked One was startling to most even without the ability to feel, though the mind was made to involve. Feelings were bound to fall through the cracks and nothing except the council of nine startled Juno. Their stare was directed to the tiny red dots which marked the locations of the Atlas probes when suddenly she reached out, triangulating on one signal a probe picked up. > Shall i send out the scouts to investigate, my lords?
She said after coming across the strange signal before looking over the grid coordinates. The only sign she got were the turning of their heads, towards each other amongst the silence as they communed in some way. She awaited until the one, nodded to her. Meetings with the nine were always brief, and quiet. As she left, the grid coordinates continued to blink as the selected target, which read as '' G-11''.
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Post by John Darklight on Jul 4, 2016 20:43:04 GMT -8
Cue music.. THE MECH A blue glow emitted from the many hanger bays lining the spire high above the surface of Atlas, the many squadrons were preparing for launch. The blue glow & fumes became a short burst of blue flames from the back of each and every AS-T Assault Mech. Eos sighed, but turned his frustration into anger as he continuously smashed the large bolt further into the exhaust line frame. He wiped his face of oil & dirt to get a better look at Iris, who reframed from working, still on the spot, staring at her hands.
::Serpent Squadron systems working to full capacity::
The Squadron leaders Mech spoke briefly. Ocussu gave the launch order when suddenly every Mech in the hanger bay began sprinting, leaping into outer space, at the same moment shifting into Starfighter form. Dozens upon dozens launched from one hanger alone, 300 Mechs launching.Initiate the Hyperthruster countdown! Every Squadron leader executed the countdown order.((HUD)) >HYPERTHRUSTERS CHARGING<:::::::::3....2....1:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: OVERHEAT :
::ALL MECHS AT READY::
GO!! GO!! GO!!
**WABOOM**
Within seconds the mechs looked like nothing more then shooting stars trailing the night sky above Atlas. Racing towards coordinates G-11. Juno witnessed the launch, standing next to General Tych. A mission older then Atlas itself had just begun.
...Iris? Eos spoke up after several seconds. She turned slightly before coming out of...whatever this was. He approached her until she turned around completely as if nothing strange had happened. She gave him a faint smirk. Yeah?
He knew, ever since they arrived. Things were changing, but to what degree? He planted his hand against the wall when suddenly the bolt he should of been fastening to the frame, burst open as oil came spewing out of it. Dammit!! He shouted and returned to his job. She rushed over next to him as the oil rushed out, splashing against their work clothes & everywhere else. She grabbed the large bolt, which was heavier then it looked. He grabbed it from the other side as the two worked together to get it through against the rushing current. That strange sensation overcame her once again when suddenly the rushing oil stopped, proceeding through the pipe line, completely missing the exposed hole. For a split second he caught her reaction of sudden shock just as they got the bolt back in it's place. He grabbed the large power tool with both hands, planted it over the bolt and pulled the trigger as the bolt was fastened tight into it's spot. The deeper you went into the depths of Atlas, in it's interior, the older the technology was. No one understands how all the gears click and make this massive structure work, all they knew was their job. Let's get cleaned up & get out of here. She looked to Eos with a nod as if nothing strange just occurred.
The Satellite probe closed in on it's given coordinates D-11. Juno watched the probe approach a lush green planet from a holographic screen just as the probe had begun picking up the Mech signals on approach. Currently this planet was showing zero activity.
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Post by John Darklight on Jul 11, 2016 20:55:09 GMT -8
Eos positioned himself at the edge of his bed, sitting in the dark & silence. He rubbed his eyes, burning the moment he awoke. Lately enough sleep had become something of a luxury. There it was again, every rotation on Atlas the galaxy got much closer. From what he understood the plan was to scout most of the galaxy before taking Atlas in, but from there what would happen? The Council of Nine had been a shroud of mystery, every generation of council members, their identities were always kept a secrete. That would mean they were groomed from birth to play their future role, anyone could be a future member, Iris or even something as simple as someone who works janitor duty. The system was just as confusing as the end game to this mission, anything goes.
He stood up out of bed when suddenly he felt his feet become wet, it was to dark to see anything. Every step was ankle deep, it felt sort of smooth. He stopped to listen, hearing something odd all around him and that's when he realized, Eos turned on the light to discover he was ankle deep in oil. It seeped out of the walls and door frame but the moment he took notice was when the oil level began to rise out of nowhere, he rushed to the door but it was no longer there. Nothing but the wall as oil rolled down from the ceiling. Eos smashed his fist against the wall and screamed for help but it wasn't long until he was floating in it. Until his face looked to the ceiling for air just before the room filled. You must see . . .
It sounded like being underwater, as if you were smashing rocks together hard enough, except this was a cracking sound. A pressure weighed in on Eos as he turned away from the would be door to the wide view of outer space, to the very wall cracking. To him it might as well be the very fabric of his reality, the passage between life and death. It trailed all along the wall, the sight of the galaxy was no longer dimmed with his burning eyes engulfed in the black substance, the entire wall burst open, the oil was thrown into space as Eos felt the intense pull & pressure of being sucked into the vacuum of space. One moment he prepared himself for this unexpected death, but the next moment found Eos looking up towards the rays of light shining down on the surface of the ocean. He found himself surrounded by more water then he’s ever seen, yet something told him he wasn’t dead. Somehow he wasn’t. He intended on staying that way the only way he knew how to, he pushed himself towards the top and reached for the surface as if he took the very light for himself. The very moments of surfacing he could hear a thousand voices. Strange voices speaking of dark ages, the rise & fall of Grand Republics, Empires, even the sudden screams of the trillions as planets became obliterated. There was one voice that stood out, one so clear. ‘’T h e F o r c e.’’
He looked each way after reaching the surface, discovering a vast ocean in every direction with no land in sight. It was just himself, afloat. Alone in the middle of something he could never of imagined he’d ever see with his own two eyes. As if outer space had a surface & that’s where he was. He looked up when suddenly it came falling from the skies, blazing through the atmosphere, a meteor half the size of Atlas was seconds from impact. ‘’L e t i t g u i d e y o u.’’ Countless of voices spoke as one. The meteor collided with the planet, smashing the ocean to pieces. The aftermath blocked out the overwhelming heat of the twin suns shining down upon the blue water, the waves reached the clouds. He watched, helplessley afloat as the colossal wall of water approached closer & closer. while it took only a moment as it approached him thousands of miles per hour, it seemed like eternity. The moment he was taken by it, he opened his eyes. He found himself back in his room as if he had gone nowhere, slowly peeking over the edge thankful to see a dry floor to set his feet upon.
:: Atlas Control, we are following Serpent Squadron in. ::
This was a tropical planet with a breathable atmosphere. Serpent Squadron came in for landing, the mech slammed into the sand. Squad leader Ocossu got out of his Mech and stood on the planet for the first time. We bring honour to the generations of people who lived & died on Atlas. Atlas Control, we're here. We made it. He knelt down to touch the sand, dragging his fingers threw it. The rest of Serpent Squadron joined Ocossu, breathing in the tropical air.
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Post by John Darklight on Jul 18, 2016 12:24:15 GMT -8
She noticed his absence for quite a while. Eos was nowhere to be seen and she couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. Raal was an older man who worked at a desk job under administration for this sector, maybe he knew of his whereabouts Iris thought. After leaving her work clothes behind & stepping into the decontamination room her nude body was cleansed completely, she then proceeded, giving herself an injection shot which contained a decontaminate substance that acted like a flu shot because everyone on board Atlas carried a virus that could prove to be life threatening. It was the reason why psychical contact was illegal in most cases, why natural reproduction was a thing of the past. Despite being created & grown, Atlas scientist have never cracked the mystery as to why everyone carries this virus that takes form during the puberty stages of life. Something that could prove to be deadly for other civilizations if there were any still around in this galaxy, every time, every shot, she couldn't help but to think of that.
She found the old man hunched over in his chair with his head on the desk. She planted her hands on the surface of the table & cleared her throat. Raal. She said briefly then waited. She didn't blame him for falling asleep as the only sound that could be heard in this room was but the ticking of the clock. Iris glanced down on his desk realizing that he had already been logged in, she moved quickly yet quietly around the desk just next to the old man. Everything in the systems were organized so finding things did not prove to be difficult. She opened up the list of workers which revealed the times they have punched in & out every day, if they are absent for medical checkups it would show which only was necessary once a month & everyone in this sector has had their checkup already. She scrolled down the list of those who were active today.
Asher - ACTIVE
Callum - ACTIVE
Jara - ACTIVE
Barris - ACTIVE
Iris - ACTIVE
Damon - ACTIVE
Eos - ACTIVE
She glanced at his name. ''Eos - ACTIVE'' which meant he must have punched in today. She knew he was up to something, if it wasn't for her working next to him no one would of known of this. A good way to appear in a place requiring your presence without actually being there...so the question was, where was he now? Raal grunted, almost startling Iris. She took note of the time understanding it was five minutes away from Eos getting marked. No matter the time, it was vital to punch in on time just as much as punching out on time. The next shift would show up for another rotation, three minutes and counting. She pressed his name [Eos - Active] which brought up his work hours and other detailed information. The code was nothing complicated given the old technology of this sector, everyones key card was equipped with the same coding. So Iris continued, manually putting in the punch out code since Eos couldn't use his own card on the scanner currently. She clicked enter. INACTIVE appeared, that would prove he punched out on time. Now the question was, where is Eos?
He didn't need all day. Just the hours of his rotation to do what he needed to do, it took all day and getting through the higher levels of security did not prove to be easy on the upper levels. He couldn't wait any longer, it was time to stop pretending. Follow his own path, leave Atlas once and for all. Entering the hanger bay he inhaled the familiar smell of fumes much like down in the maintenance sectors. Since the departure of the Mech squadrons there weren't many around except security crew & mechanics. Lucky for him, he could pass for a mechanic. Getting here in his uniform wasn't all to difficult considering he had clearance to use the freight ships that carried cargo throughout Atlas. As he moved throughout the hanger, he noticed dozens of Mechs getting constructed. That could only mean they would need a mass number of new pilots to train, but these Mechs were heavily equipped with weapons. Cannons as wide as a cargo container. They're building an army.. He whispered to himself, for thousands of years these Mechs were wholly for exploration, at least the All-Space Exploration Mechs were. AS-E Mechs were the very first. Later came the assault mechs, now they were like flying tanks. If his research proved to be correct, there should be one last Mech remaining in the hanger bay. A personally owned Mech of none other then Juno The Masked One. One of the very few capable of hyperspace jumps. Highly modified & deadly.
She was always seen as the unknown, mysterious woman. Cloaked, council material. Though Juno was built like a warrior. She trained her body to its limits, training with her Katana everyday. Each swing was fierce with speed yet precise. It was like a dance, moving in the darkness of her room, away from the exposure of people she could be herself. Without the pale mask that even gave her the chills, being hung on the wall as if it were staring back. She took one more step, carrying her swift strike into it, stepping into the light of the galaxy reaching into her room. Her short black hair fell down over her green eyes as she glanced out the window to the sight of the galaxy but more so to the sight of the tower. There was a strange feeling, telling her to go there. A sense of curiosity. Juno sheathed her blade then stepped in front of her mask. Despite the way things were, she could always feel the great anxiety before taking the pale mask.
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Post by John Darklight on Jul 20, 2016 10:30:47 GMT -8
The rest of the squadrons had arrived planet side with Serpent Squadron leading the expedition. Though there was one pilot who outranked Ocussu, who was now the first to pilot one of the new heavy Mechs. Zare was on par in rank next to Juno who only took orders from the council, there is no title for such a rank. Zare & Juno were chosen to be the voice of the council. Executing their orders without hesitation, their word was the will of the high master. There were no current orders other then setting a perimeter and scouting the surrounding area, though Zare had a mission of his own. Accompanied by two exploration Mechs, the three pilots descended beneath the surface of the ocean. They were given strict orders to follow him without question but he was the only one aware of why they were down there, his Mech received the longitude & latitude coordinates from the satellite orbiting D-11. Despite the extra weight, the heavy Mech would be more capable with the advancement of technology. He kept an eye on his radar and another through the depths of the wet dark, you could see better in deep space then you could down here. Beneath him, all he could see were the illuminated lights of the two Mechs until he spotted the outline of something of scale. The closer they got, the larger it appeared. From what he could see, something told him this ship wasn't built for deep sea exploration.
Whatever this was, they were on approach from the front as he could tell from each side of the ship meeting to a point on the far front. Zare activated his thrusters, pushing his mech in a forward motion just before the three mechs landed, now that they were down here, the entire ship could be seen. The two pilots noticed Zare's Mech arm reach out, pointing ahead towards what could possibly be a command centre. There. He said briefly. The bridge of this ship would be the precise coordinates given by the satellites, upon entry, the probes detected nothing more then this signal. They had no idea it came from a planet, let alone at the bottom of the ocean. The hull appeared to be in somewhat good condition, no doubt it was made to sustain high pressure. Send out the probes...I want a detailed scan. Blue laser lights trailed the entire ship after two probes ejected from each exploration mech. It didn't take long until a holographic display appeared on his screen after the four probes circled the vessel. The basic display revealed nothing more then the detailed measurements. It was no doubt a space ship based on it's size alone, crash landed here long ago. The question was, how was the beacon running on power if this was nothing more then a ghost ship. Zare & his crew maneuvered around a hull breach, a hole that exposed several levels. Too far down to see anything. A sudden crack of light appeared from the exposed hull just after they passed by it. Hear that?
Zare didn't hear anything, but one of them did. They decided to continue without delay just as all of them hear a quick rush of water current, something was moving down here with them. Zare outstretched his arm, the Mech's cannon aimed at the flush build up of bubbles but there was nothing to be seen. Nor did anything show up on his scanners. They all had eyes on that spot when suddenly from out of the darkness, a deep sea creature of monstrous size rushed at the pilot to Zare's left. It's electric pulsing tentacles wrapped around him just as a surge of lightening burst from the soft sides of it's tentacle. The beast twisted, yanked on his flaying arms just before tugging the mech off balance causing the pilot to lose control and fall over. Get this thing off of me. Shoot it! Shoot it now!
The second pilot unloaded on it's large head with his red laser fire. Suddenly Zare slammed down on the pilots arm, causing him to shoot into the hull of this ship. The pilot continued to struggle with the beast when suddenly another one of these things rushed at the Mechs legs, dragging the Mech down over the edge to this ship into the dark abyss as they could hear nothing more then the screams of the pilot being attacked just as the signal was dropped most likely due to system malfunctions from the electric surges. The pilot looked at Zare through the shielding of his Mech just before Zare pointed into a general direction. He looked in this direction only to find dozens upon dozens of these tentacle beasts, floating in the water all around them. Zare immediately noticed they were almost drawn to this ship, but the surge of electricity made it clear. These creatures fed off of electrical currents, so they must of felt the sudden power surge coming from the Mechs when they ejected the probes. This pilot just got off lucky. He lowered his arm, swearing beneath his breath at the sight of those things. Don't give them a reason. Power down systems not relevant to our operation. We have a mission to complete.
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Post by John Darklight on Jul 21, 2016 13:11:52 GMT -8
ATLAS
The planet ship was now within the galaxy at long last. Little did most know, G-11 has been the point of entry into the Galaxy for several years since Atlas had come close enough to make up an early holographic map which now has been altered with more detailed scans. Over the years this sector has been researched, from the star, to its planets & moons. A Cartographic of this system revealed the orbit lines, the orbital period and the types of planets, moons & star it consisted of. The planet ship was now a new member of this system, positioning itself in orbit of the star, the location chosen by scientists as the most fitting location where Atlas could remain in the foreseeable future. Looming in the light of it's star. Juno was on her way to her personal hanger where her Mech is stationed, lower ranking officers saluted her as they passed by. She caught sight of the star, peering out the window while proceeding down the corridor. There weren't many people phased by such a sight, those who lived on Atlas in the beginning were aware they would never see this in their lifetime. It was nothing but a dream for future generations, it took nothing more then the thought of a home to please those people. Here they were now, as generations lived & died on Atlas, something went wrong on this journey. The emotionless, grown in labs. The virus wasn't always around, it took a few generations of lab grown humans for this thing to develop and even though she was also one of those things, it still felt unnatural.
*PSHHH!!* She stopped for a moment before entering the hanger on the other side of this door. Hearing what sounded like the Mech getting prepared launch, it was the sound of the cords snapping off the back of the Mech, releasing excess fumes before the outlets sealed themselves. Juno entered the hanger to discover her Mech was in fact being prepared for launch and while it usually took a team of 4 to prep a Mech for launch, she discovered one man, his hands, half of his face covered in grease. Clueless of her presence he tossed the crowbar back into the crate of tools just before he heard someone approaching him. Eos turned around, Juno stared him down just several meters from him. I N T E R E S TI N G . . .
Her voice came off like a chilling sound. As if her mask changed her personality altogether. Her eyes were as wide as the holes in the mask, while her reaction wasn't threatening his guard was still up. He wrapped his hands around the very crowbar he used to pry the cord seal off from the back of the Mech. Why was she so interested in this situation? Eos thought. Her glare moved down to the four cords to each side of the Mech before returning to him. She was more then interested, but fascinated. No normal civilian on Atlas would commit such a crime. He, was like her. At first he knew this would mean his life but as the moment passed, something told him he wouldn't even get to the point of a trial. Right now in this moment, to Juno, he was like some sort of experiment. Rather exciting actually. She thought, slowly planting her hand upon the hilt of her Katana. She took note, his fingers fastening around the crowbar. A long grin curled at the end of her mouth behind the pale mask. He could feel his own heart beating beneath his chest, her move told him that it was probably now his time to make a move. Slowly, as Atlas rotated in it's new position, the light of the star began shining into the hanger bay like a rising sun on the horizon. He glanced at it for a second before looking back to Juno. She slowly removed her blade, letting it grind against the sheath. The moment the light struck her wide open eyes, Eos dashed at her with the crowbar held tight. This certainly caught her off guard, he swung quickly, putting his weight into it until the bar had come full swing. He suddenly realized why she was to be feared, Juno's robe swayed to the right side as she appeared next to him at the same moment he felt a swift trail of wind. How -
He cut himself off when the crowbar, just inches over where his hand held it, fell off. She made a clean straight cut diagonally across the piece he was now holding, it was nothing more then a small shiv now. He could reach down for the longer part of it, though she was to fast. Way to fast for him. He felt a slight sting, noticing a small cut along his left hand index finger where it was closest to her blade trail. Eos dropped his weapon and looked at her. He has never felt more helpless for himself then now, little did he know, she was impressed. Again, she left him in the suspense. Her wide eyed glare changed to a more relaxed expression. Juno planted her hand against the pale mask then removed it altogether. Your next move will determine your own fate. I give you an option, or an opportunity. Stay here and i shall show you a quick, painless death or accompany me no questions asked. It's your decision.
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Post by John Darklight on Jul 22, 2016 13:19:09 GMT -8
The next day - end of 1st rotation
Asher, Callum, Jara, Barris, Iris & Damon arrive to check in for the second rotation of the day. She quickly took note of Eos's absence for the second day since he's been gone, this time there was no covering for him. As she entered the room the 1st rotation crew were still present, waiting next to Raal's desk. She pushed through, approaching the old man. What's going on here? Before the old man could speak, a holographic image of General Tych appeared from shoulder high. She stepped back glancing at Tych who appeared to be in full uniform equipped with his medals.
I am General Tych, more commonly known as the overseer of the high command. More importantly I am one of you. Good evening, Good morning & Goodnight, citizens from every corner of Atlas. As of ten hours ago we arrived at long last. On this journey you have all performed beyond expectations, continuing & completing a mission spanning twelve thousand years. Now we are here today in the light of the star, a place we will call home for the many generations to come. A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away our ancestors constructed this miracle. Marking the beginning of a mission that countless of generations would undertake with them in their day to day lives and so that era ends while another begins. Upon the dawn of this new era, Atlas will require more of you. An operation has been set in place to explore our new home, reach for the far edges of galactic space. That means we will be giving many of you the opportunity of joining the ranks, a new life, to discover a new definition of exploration. This marks the beginning of our own mission. After this broadcast, a list of names will be sent to each & every sector revealing those chosen to join the ranks. If you discover your name is on the list of your sector, you will board the shuttle awaiting your presence on the surface of each sector. Compliance is recommended. Many Suns to you all.
**END TRANSMISSION**
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Post by John Darklight on Jul 26, 2016 14:16:19 GMT -8
Stay on watch...we need to get through this hull.
Zare told the pilot before bringing his laser cannon online. A red molten light burst from the barrel of the cannon and into the hull of the ship, melting the metal quick and efficiently. His targeting visor dropped down over his eyes, while it was mainly for strategic purposes it also proved to be effective in shielding his eyes from the bright light of the energy particles. The pilot kept a watchful eye towards the dark depths, even if they were attacked, there might just be to many of those things for them to handle. Every now and then he would see a sudden flash of blue in the corner of his eye, turning to it only to see the darkness. I'm through. We'll need to swim up through the shaft to reach the command deck...we leave our Mech's here.
He told the pilot who looked at him before positioning himself straight when a rebreather dropped down, wrapping itself around the pilots face just before the Mech opened up. The rebreather covered their mouth, nose & ears which was equipped with communications from one pilot to the other. Zare pointed down towards the darkness, into the interior of the ship before grabbing onto the edge and pulling himself inside. Moving through the hole, he realized just how thick the hull was topside before swimming into the elevator shaft. The command deck was the only part of the ship which wasn't filled with water, the surface of the water reached just half a meter to the top of the shaft from which their hands appeared out of, grabbing onto the edge of the floor. Zare climbed up before taking the pilots hand and pulling him up out of it. He removed his rebreather then looked around, everything was dry. This was a good sign.
Do you feel that?
The pilot asked him but both could feel the strange static electricity in the air. He stopped in front of one of the panels, taking note of the dust. He looked up towards the ceiling before brushing off the console of dirt. Of course everything was offline. Who knows how long this could of been down here. Though everything in the command deck had almost been preserved in time. The air was very thin down here, breathing proved to be difficult. The pilot kneeled down before the base of one of the panels after removing the plating to peek inside, he looked to Zare. It's possible we could give these systems a jump start. The make of it is not so different from our technology. Though the only problem -
We would have to use our Mechs as a power source. That could attract much unwanted attention, but if there's even the slightest chance we can gather the data from this ship then its a risk i'm willing to take. Most importantly...if we can get the astrogation data, then we won't need to wander aimlessly through this galaxy. Let us complete this mission.
ATLAS - ONE HOUR LATER
Callum & Iris were no longer maintenance workers. He looked through the many towers in the distance, transport ships taking off from all over. After nearly two days of Eos being absent, only recently, his name was no longer on the list of active workers nor was he chosen to join the ranks. She boarded the transport ship as the last one until moments later the ship took off heading towards the high tower. One button after the other, he's never worn something so formal in his life. The slick officers uniform was similar in style to the rest of the officers grey uniforms, the only difference was the black. His usual messy hair was now slicked back as he finished off the final touches, looking at himself in the mirror. He starred even closer, standing in the dark room, unable to understand why Juno's place was so dark. That's when he noticed the slowly appearing outline of her mask to which he twisted around, falling against the wall. She looked at him. Dammit! You say you're like me yet you don't understand the concept of personal space.
She tilted her head to the side. Watching him for a moment before reaching out to him with her hand, he glanced at it before grabbing her hand. She pulled him off the floor but didn't let go of his arm even after he let go of her. She yanked him close, so he could actually see her eyes in the dark. You fail to understand. You are like me, but I alone am no one.
She was strong, her grasp firm and her eyes like needles in his mind. No doubt she could handle herself in any kind of situation but Eos was slowly coming to the realization that even Juno The masked one had a weak spot. At first he was drawn back, but he met her stare, keeping eye contact with hers. I'm nothing more then a greaser, I've known nothing more then the life of an under dweller. Look at me.. He said referring to his uniform. What we wear makes up who we are...this isn't who i am. You've masked me with another life and i think you wear that mask for the same reason. You're afraid.
She released him from her grasp and turned to leave before stopping in the door way. We leave for the high spire to address the recruits. I'm sure you will see a few familiar faces...but you will act as if you have never known that life. She turned her head to get a look at him in the corner of her eye. Do i make myself clear?
He looked down for a moment before nodding to her. He glanced back into the mirror, getting somewhat into her mind for a moment. Understanding her, though that barely scratched the surface of it all. She was very complex, though her eire look & her scary attitude was only a show. He watched in the mirror as her figure vanished the further she walked away into the dark of her room.
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Post by John Darklight on Jul 27, 2016 19:44:51 GMT -8
The central hanger located mid-spire is the largest one with a double sided exit unlike the others which were back to back. Overall there were one thousand new recruits today, 500 were about to be addressed by General Tych but since Zare was absent, Juno would be the one to address the other half since her counterpart was more militarized then she was. Her focus was more secretive then Zare's and in a way, she was more valued by the council of nine. The door shifted open to the hallway that lead into the hanger, 20 squadron leaders remained standing at attention as Juno walked in accompanied by Eos in his black uniform who walked along side of her with his hands casually held behind his back. She stopped before the twenty of them. Right turn, march!
She spoke briefly as the squadron leaders shifted to the right, stomping their right foot down after completing the full right turn before marching along side of Juno & Eos who followed behind into the hanger bay. There they were, the new five hundred recruits standing casually in their dirty ragged clothes. Arms crossed, swaying, feet shifting, just a mess compared to the squadron leaders who were chosen to kick them into shape. Eos couldn't help but to look over into the crowd of people watching them enter, most eyes were on Juno who was intimidating to these average every day people. Except the one's who were from his sector, he could almost tell with the shifting of their eyes and the whispering at the sight of him. Then he noticed Iris pushing through two other people to get a better look at him, she could barely believe what she was seeing. After Juno stopped she glanced over at Eos, looking at the girl he use to work with, but not for long as if his gaze passed right through her. That was when Juno appeared to have that long grin across her mouth, behind her pale mask. Once she knew he intended on playing along, she started.
METALLI was the given name to the planet in G-11. One thing that did prove to be resourceful on this planet is the abundance of steel sticking out of the ground all throughout the jungle, but so far there had been no sign of intelligent life except signs that there once was from the large ship at the bottom of the ocean. Zare stood at the far end, looking out into the depths of the ocean. Something told him, a commander or some great general once stood here in this spot. Giving commands, overlooking a grand fleet of ships similar to this one. The question was, what happened to everyone & are they still out there. If they were half as technologically advanced as Atlas, no doubt anyone in the G-11 sector were already aware of their presence. Where are you... He spoke but not of the people who came before, just as the other pilot burst out of the water. He tossed a large cable up & out of the water which trailed all the way back to his Mech, Zare reached out and pulled him out once again before taking the cable and dragging it across the floor. During the pilots trip, Zare had successfully found the removable panel in the floor's centre to which all systems were connected to. This would be the most promising way of going about all of this, after examining the make of it, he removed the protective cap at the end of the cord which showed all the exposed cords. Alright give me a moment...I just need to attach a few of these wires without electrocuting myself. Just watch the Mechs from here...they're our only way back.
He said before pushing the cord down into the hole, he got down with his arms hung over as he began to work through it. It was quiet out there now, surprisingly since that one Mech was now at full power. He looked up, unable to see the surface. Everything was black, it just took a while to adjust to it. Zare got himself up off the floor, after a moment he grew quiet. Starring down into the wiring before glancing at the pilot looking out into the deep, he thought for a moment before approaching him. I'm sure you're able to do the rest, I'm going to head back down to my Mech, protect our way out of here.
Yes, sir. The pilot spoke briefly as Zare started to approach the water, but he stopped. Looking back to the pilot, waiting. The larger wires were all that was left, he grabbed them both, twisting them into place when suddenly there was electrical surge. Zare closed his eyes after watching the mans legs shake, smoke rise from the hole. The moment they both got up here he knew it would be dangerous to make such an attempt, the static electricity, the dust. He took note of it all, but the pilots sacrifice would not be in vain as Zare turned to the sight of the systems lighting up. He could already tell 90% of the systems were unresponsive, he continued to look through the data when he discovered the logs, other functions & most importantly the astrogation charts. Zare removed a circular device from his pack, pressing the button in its centre as electric magnetic rods stuck out from the sides, attaching to the screen like a magnet. He smiled as the valuable data started to upload onto his device.
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Post by John Darklight on Aug 6, 2016 20:24:25 GMT -8
My Lords, over one thousand new recruits have been processed. Though there are some exceptional recruits who have exceeded expectations, these special individuals have all revealed signs of Ascendance. Just as you predicted so.
How many of these recruits have ascended ?
Currently there are 118 on record. There are new one's every day.
Have them destroyed. All of them.
Destroyed?! That's genocide.
Are you questioning the nine ?
- No. Of course not my lord. It's possible civil war could be the result of such an act.. I just need to understand.
A Silence fell upon the room, Eos was nowhere to be seen currently. Juno was always curious as to why the other eight never spoke, the high lord himself spoke for them all. Something told her she was about to discover why.
The Ascended are those with special abilities. The Ancients once called this ability, The Force. This power is being awoken, this place, this galaxy may very well be the Universal centre of this power. It's changing those sensitive enough to hear its call...those 118 people will also regain emotion. Some may even go mad. This galaxy has much history, and War. It's legacy & downfall.
Forgive me, my lord. You speak as if you are familiar with this galaxy....what happened here.
PART II: DUST
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