An Era Of Conflict

[sunflower]

The universe is in peril.


An infection is spreading through it, brought on by cold fingers of shadow that claw their way into the hearts of all.


An unstoppable epidemic that tears through the most steadfast defenses of the courageous. A wave of misery, fear, and tyranny that sweeps aside resistance of the brave and noble. The strong-willed are ruthlessly crushed under its oppressive weight, while the weak-hearted are forced along its path, made to kneel and serve its inevitable march through the heavens above. Fires of hope are snuffed out by the inexorable advance of darkness. Evil machinations work inside and out to root out those who would stop the seemingly incurable disease, where death is a luxury rarely shown.


And yet, despite the relentless forces of destruction that roam unchecked through the ravaged vista of stars, a glimmer of hope still shines. A beacon for those who stand against the monolithic mass of darkness and pain. Warriors of light strike from the shadows their enemies so love, fighting for a freedom that seems to be no more than a wishful dream brought on by the desperate.


In this forsaken era of despair, much is to be lost, and gained, by those who take a stand. Battles of defeat and victory span the records of time, with names that are both remembered and lost by time.


It is a new era.

The Story


A war rages unchecked throughout the stars.


The tyrannical Brotherhood of Makuta seeks to expand its empire from one end of the galaxy to the other, mercilessly crushing one star system after another. Their power is nearly unrivaled, and with the gigantic Great Spirit Robot under complete control by its sadistically brilliant leader, Makuta Teridax, the Brotherhood may yet succeed in its quest of darkness. The triple planet of Spherus Magna is no more, having been crushed into a black hole 40,000 years ago by Makuta Teridax, just before completely destroying Mata Nui in the Prototype Robot a titanic battle of fate. Ever since, Teridax has turned his dreams of conquest towards the stars, subjugating entire alien civilizations with the power he now wields. Some join his empire willingly, drawn by the promise of power and lofty positions within his regime, while others fight to the bitter end to stop the spreading madness. Alien technologies, whether shared or stolen, now arm his warriors, with elemental blasts filling contested skies along with laser beams and plasma bolts. Those who serve are rewarded greatly, while enemies are to be crushed entirely.


Though it is not without hope. Various resistances have sprung up, fighting against the shadows that seek to dominate all. The Dark Hunters, led by The Shadowed One, operate from within the Great Spirit Robot, sabotaging equipment and assassinating beings crucial to Teridax's war machine. They strike swiftly and without hesitation, seeking to disable an opponent of seemingly limitless strength. Even now, their networks of spies and operatives have yet to be completely rooted out by the Master of Shadows, something that infuriates him to no end. Another player, the Order of Mata Nui, openly opposes the Brotherhood. Lead jointly by a white-clad Makuta of a realm parallel to our own, as well as Toa Helryx, the Order works with sympathetic alien races in an open war against Teridax's empire as a loose conglomerate that makes up for its lack of numbers with sheer courage and bravery.


The choices of one and many steer the course of history, and direct the path to the future.


The Plot


Makuta Teridax and Mata Nui face each other for the final battle, but something is fundamentally wrong. Moments ago, Mata Nui used what little power was left in his decaying Prototype Robot body to shove Teridax into the path of a falling piece of Aqua Magna. Things didn't end up as they should have. Perhaps Mata Nui was too slow, or perhaps Makuta saw what was coming. Nevertheless, The Makuta is still alive, and slightly more than irritated at having part of his face dented in. With the Prototype Robot already falling apart, Mata Nui survives just long enough to see the planet he tried to protect be crushed into oblivion.


Era takes place around 40,000 years after these events, in an alternate timeline with things quite different from what we're used to. The Master of Shadows still lives, and has since forged a huge empire in the stars with the absence of those who could oppose his power. Contact with alien races had been made long ago, Teridax using the information of the different civilizations stored in the Great Spirit Robot to seek them out.


The Dark Hunters make up an underground resistance movement from within the Great Spirit Robot, doing what they can to disrupt and destroy Teridax's iron grip. However, contact with the outside is rare, and coordinating their efforts with others has proven to be nearly impossible.


The Order of Mata Nui still lives as well, and has expanded to form an alliance between various species and civilizations who oppose the Brotherhood's empire. Although not as large, they've managed to fight the empire through the force of their will. The alternate version of Teridax jointly leads them with Helryx, and the fact that he can think like his dimensional twin lends them an advantage.


The battles are fought on hundreds of different fronts across the galaxy, and anyone can shape the course of events from here, whether you're a soldier of the Brotherhood, an assassin in the Dark Hunters, or even a citizen under the protection of the Order of Mata Nui.


It's up to you to decide the path of events in this war-torn universe.


The Factions


Although The Brotherhood Of Makuta scarcely resembles the organization that gave rise to it, the sprawling stellar empire still bears the name proudly. Initially, its conquests were carried out by Teridax alone, with only a handful of star systems under his control, but that number has since grown to nearly twenty thousand. And with almost a quarter as many sentient species part of or enslaved by the Brotherhood, it is the most powerful faction vying for control over the galaxy. Countless bases, colonies, and bastions are found within the empire's borders, each devoted entirely to the single goal of domination.

As a result of the various alien races joining the empire, willingly or not, the Brotherhood has access to some of the most advanced technologies of the time, from medicines able to perform “miracles” to starships with weapons capable of cracking a planet's crust. However, with the ever-expanding gap between the powerful and the –much more numerous– “citizens” of the empire, these technological wonders are only rarely available to the masses. In addition to it's gigantic size, the Brotherhood also has, as is to be expected, the strongest military in operation. Ships in its navy range in size from menacing, black-armored dreadnoughts to small, one-person transports. Its vehicles are powered by a seamless combination of both protodermic technologies and reverse engineered alien equipment, all bearing the sinister markings of the Kanohi Kraahkan. It seems like only a matter of time before their dark goals are reached.



The Dark Hunters are one of the most important players in this battle for power. They make their stand within the very heart of the Brotherhood's empire, working to overthrow the tyrant where he is the most vulnerable, and the most protected. After Teridax's takeover of the Great Spirit Robot, he went about eliminating those within the massive mechanoid who would dare oppose his rule. Rahkshi, Visorak, and Mechanical Exo-Toa scoured every centimeter of the domes that made up the interior of the giant robot for rebels, destroying those discovered on the spot. However, not all were killed off. The few that survived were as tough, skillful, and deadly as they got. Ever since, the Dark Hunters have been working to break Teridax from the inside, their ranks growing as more seeds of dissent are planted in the societies that have survived within the Great Spirit Robot. They’ve managed to stay hidden from the Makuta’s “all-seeing” gaze from the fact that Teridax was never meant to operate the Great Spirit Robot for any extended length of time. He simply cannot control all its functions at once, and still keep track of the multitude of beings within. That, and with the massive internal restructuring that has occurred makes for many exploitable gaps in the Master of Shadow’s sight. Masters of stealth, assassination, and disguise, they work in the darkness for a cause of light.

In addition to the various species native to the Great Spirit Robot, species from Spherus Magna can also be found within their ranks, such as Glatorian, Agori, Skrall, and Vorox, these beings stowing away inside the mechanoid after their world was destroyed. However, because of it's isolation, few alien races are included in the Dark Hunter's ranks. While the threat of annihilation is always looming over their shoulder, the Dark Hunters never stop the fight for freedom.



A stalwart sentinel of the star systems and races free of the Brotherhood's grasp, the Order of Mata Nui is one of the few factions to openly fight against Teridax's regime. Though smaller in both number and size, with “only” 8,000 systems under their protection, those included within fight with a determination and bravery that is far superior to the will of the Brotherhood's enslaved forces. The Order itself isn't a homogeneous stellar society like the empire it opposes, instead it is a loose organization of races and planets that fight the Brotherhood under a common banner. As such, it's population is diverse and highly varied, though the bulk of it's size is attributed to refugees fleeing the Brotherhood's shadowy grasp. Brought together initially by the leader of the original organization bearing the name, as well as a dimensional traveler of a rather unexpected nature, the Order has kept it's name in honor of the Great Spirit who died in the pivotal battle 40,000 years ago.

The Order of Mata Nui's forces are are varied as the species that make it up, with it forces ranging from commandos armed with the latest in fighting technology, to warriors battling with swords and axes. Irregulars, hardened veterans, and even criminals wanted nowhere else make up it's “military”; all are welcome, as long as one share's the Order's commitment to bringing down Teridax and his empire.



But those aren't the only ones. Countless other factions are trying to claim control over the galaxy. Here's your chance to create your own. Factions must be started with PCs, NPCs will be allowed if the faction grows.


Name: (What do these people call themselves?)

Members: (Who rallies under this banner?)

Description: (What's this faction like?)

Location: (Where are they based from?)

Alignment: (What does this faction fight for, freedom, control, order, etc?)

History: (How was it started? What battles has it been part of?)




The Locations


The galaxy is a varied place, with as many different places known to be as there are stars visible in the sky, each with their own attributes and stories. Some have given rise to their own sentient life, while others are airless, frozen wastelands bathed in toxic energies. Here are some of the most important, which are either relevant to current galactic events, or will surely be soon.



The heart of the Brotherhood is the Great Spirit Robot, the planet-sized mechanoid constructed by the Great Beings to fix their shattered planet, now under complete control of Makuta Teridax. Large enough to hold it's own universe inside, the interior of the Great Spirit Robot barely resembles what it once was. The oceans of liquid protodermis have since been drained for construction of materials, and the once blue skies are now clogged with smoke and ash from the innumerable factories that litter the otherwise barren landscape. The grand cities built inside have been overrun by the industrial machine that powers the Brotherhood's empire. A massive fortress occupies the dome that once housed the city of Metru-Nui, serving as both capital and headquarters of the Brotherhood of Makuta.

The population consists mainly of species native to the Matoran Universe as well as Spherus Magna, whether working as slaves for the Brotherhood or as assassins and spies for the Dark Hunters. The few aliens here are mainly high-ranking Brotherhood officials that have worked their way up. This desolate place has been dubbed “Makutaverse” by those who manage to make a living here. Victory for either side is assured by the destruction or purging of this huge machine.



Situated in the deep core of the galaxy, the solar system of Solis Daxia is where the Order of Mata Nui directs its efforts. Surrounded by a maze of orbiting black holes, the system is difficult to find at the best of times, making it perfect for the Order. The system is home to a single planet revolving around a blue star known to members of the Order as New Daxia. The planet itself is relatively uninteresting, being a small, low-gravity world just barely capable of keeping an atmosphere breathable for most sapient species. It’s rocky, blue-grey surface is devoid of any kind of native life, with member of the Order being the only living there.

Near the equator is the Order of Mata Nui’s base, a large structure built with the combined technical knowledge of hundreds of different species. The amalgamation of different styles makes for an imposing structure, one that seems like a strange growth that fixed itself on the rocky landscape. Here, the fate of those who fight for freedom is decided.



A seemingly unimportant rocky planet located near the outer reaches of the explored galaxy, the lush world of Kal Dormus has become a hotspot of activity in recent times, with both the Order of Mata Nui and Brotherhood of Makuta attempting to assert their control over the planet, through various means. The world itself is primarily covered in dense forests and jungle, with almost no large bodies of water visible from orbit. The blue, green, and purple plantlife seem to cover the entire planet from pole to pole, with even the highest mountain peaks enveloped underneath. However, the calm exterior hides a valuable secret. It has been recently discovered that there are various technological wonders hidden within the neverending jungle, pieces of equipment that seem to be of Great Being origin. Both the Order and Brotherhood want to get their hands on them, and prevent the other from obtaining it.

Kal Dormus does have its own native sapient life, a spindly quadrupedal race of primitive beings with reptilian-characteristics known as the Kallus. These beings have a rather strange anatomy, with round , blue bodies that seem to hang down from four multi jointed limbs, long necks that end in triangular heads, and vestigial fins that seem to point to a time when their planet was dominated by water. Additionally, they have the ability to generate blasts of mental force, which assault the target with an disabling non-physical pain, something that may be the result of tampering by the Great Beings.


Though still primitive in terms of technological development, the Kallus have made it quite difficult for the Brotherhood to take their planet by force, while the Order has attempted to form an alliance with them. Research done by both parties on the technology the Great Beings left behind is inconclusive, but it’s a fair enough bet that whoever gains complete access to it will have a huge advantage in times to come.



The People


From artificial beings to alien species, the inhabitants of this galaxy are both numerous and varied. A record of your denizen must be submitted for approval before adventure may start. Areas in bold are required, while additional fields, such as ones for vehicles, starships, and anything else deemed necessary may be added. Notes in parenthesis can be removed.


Name: (Self-explanatory. Keep it believable for selected race, please.)

Species: (Toa, Glatorian, Kallus, Matoran, etc. Custom species are allowed, whether they’re artificial beings from the Matoran Universe, or an alien hailing from a distant planet, as long as they’re within reason.)

Gender: (Self-explanatory.)

Appearance: (What your character looks like. Please be descriptive, instead of just saying “Toa with Mata style body, and Metru style limbs.”)

Powers and Abilities: (Again, fairly self-explanatory. Anything extraordinary that your character can do.)

Equipment: (What does your character carry for tools? Weapons? Armor?)

Skills: (What your character is good at.)

Weaknesses: (Everyone has them. Explain your character’s here. Weakness must be reasonable.)

Personality: (How does your character act? This one is not strictly necessary, but strongly encouraged.)

Alignment: (Neutral, chaotic, good, lawful evil, etc?)

Affiliation: (Order of Mata Nui, Dark Hunters, Brotherhood of Makuta, none?)

Bio: (What has your character’s life been like? Minimum of four sentences. Detail is strongly encouraged.)


But, now, what is any good science fiction RPG without some spaceships? Note that spaceship sizes are influenced by the relative number of PCs you have in the crew. If you have a large number PCs, we’ll consider allowing a larger ship. If you only have one or two, it’ll be smaller. Do note that the larger the ship, the larger the target. Meaning the larger you go, the less viable dodging fire is an option, and the more damage you're going to take.

Now, you are allowed to have NPCs in your crew, though be mindful that they are Non Player Characters, and can be injured, and even killed, without permission if the circumstances warrant it. NPCs will not effect ship size. Ship classes are:


Corvette: 0-100 meters

Frigate: 100-400 meters

Cruiser: 400-600 meters

Heavy cruiser: 600-1000 meters

Destroyer: 1000-2000 meters

Battlecruiser: 2000-5000 meters

Dreadnought 5000+ meters


(Note that this is a rough outline, mostly for comparative purposes. Ships may be considered different classes based on a number of factors, as seen fit by the player.)


Ship Profile here.


Ship Name: (Pretty self explanatory.)

Shipe Make: (Is it of an alien design, or one of the mass-produced behemoths of the Brotherhood, etc?)

Ship Class: (What class does it fall under?)
Appearance: (Pretty obvious. What does your ship look like.)
Systems: (This is where you describe weapons, special features, and the general equipment loadout of the vessel.)

Crew: (Who calls this their home away from home?)

Bio: (What makes this ship unique? What’s its story? Where was it made, who made it, who owns it, who captains it? Has it been in any special battles? Had noteworthy events?)


The Staff


For reference, here are your game moderators. If you have any questions at all, feel free to send any of them a PM.


Head GM: Gravity

GMs: The Snark Knight, Silvan Haven


The Rules


1. No godmodding. Most of you will know what this means, but for those of you that don’t…
a.No autohitting. This refers to striking a PC without allowing for a chance to react.

b.No instadodging. This refers to dodging something that you should not be able to dodge.

c.No metagaming, which means having your character know things that they should not. This includes having “uncanny feelings”, groundless accusations that just happen to be right, et cetera.

d.No powergaming. This would be having your character perform feats that they should not be able to manage. Like ridiculous element use, incredible dodging skills, and events of that nature.

2. Use “OOC” and “IC” in your posts. “OOC” stands for “out of character”, and “IC” stands for “in character”. Example:


IC:

Hakann threw a punch at the rapidly retreating Tahu, a wide smirk contorting the edges of his face into a savage expression.

OOC: Anyone want to join in?

3. All profiles must be approved before use in the game. Please include the phrase “Spock > Khan” in white text underneath your profile to show that you read these rules.

4. Respect the staff. This should be clear, but sometimes, people don’t seem to think so. The staff aren’t here to ruin your day, and they’re not likely to be annoyed without due cause. That said, if you feel that one is behaving in a way discriminatory towards yourself, please contact the Head GM, and he will take a look into the matter.
5. All BZPower rules apply, as well as all RPG forum rules. This means keeping it at most PG-13 in terms of content.

6. Punishment system. We don’t want to use them, but sometimes, it’s necessary. Your first offense will result in an official warning. This is your one chance to change your act. The second will result in a temporary ban, with the possibility of character death or injury if the offense warrants it. The third results in a permanent ban, which requires the consent of all active staff members. We reserve the right to alter this punishment scheme, or enact an alternate punishment as needed. Any alterations must be agreed upon by a majority staff vote, if unanimous agreement cannot be reached.

7. Rewards will also be given out to players who contribute positively to the game based on merit. What rewards? Well, who knows what one will find lying around the galaxy...

8. Since profiles are approved on a case by case basis, we do not have a list of banned masks, powers, or species. That said, please use common sense when making your profiles. We’re already going to have to read species writeups, we don’t want to sift through ill-considered profiles. The tech level here is, as you might have guessed, very, very advanced. With the multitude of species present, there is no real way to pin down what is allowed, and what is not. Out and out magic is not allowed, but anything other than that will be taken on a case by case basis.

9. Player involvement is critical for Era as an RPG, and we wholeheartedly encourage players to create their own content to fill this galaxy, whether it be factions, plots, species, or what ever else is felt like being created.

10. Have fun, this is a huge world, built entirely for you to play in, knock yourselves out. Knock each other out. What happens from here is entirely up to you. Edited December 20, 2013 by gRAViTiC dUbSTEp

[sunflower]

IC:

 

Space.

 

A cold, lifeless void that holds the universe within it's inky depths.

 

A vacuum inhabited only on small islands of refuge scattered throughout the endless ocean of darkness. Areas burst into life brilliantly, only to once again fade into never ending bleakness.

 

It was no different for the void surrounding the lush green world of Kal Dormus, though for the time being, it certainly didn't seem that way for those involved.

 

Huge, black monoliths of twisted metal hung as if suspended on invisible strings against a backdrop of stars, their otherworldly forms slowly gliding towards the glittering marble that was Kal Dormus. What seemed to be black clouds circled around the titans, like swarms of insects that besieged lumbering creatures of the various lands.

 

Though the dark ships of the Brotherhood weren't alone.

 

One by one, vessels of a design that contrasted sharply with the jet black warships materialized as if a veil was lifted from their forms. The starships' smooth, dagger-like white hulls gleamed blindingly in the light of the planet's sun.

 

The two fleets sat motionlessly for a time, facing each other silently, for all the world frozen in time.

 

Without warning, the area flared into a frenzy of activity. Particle beams and energy blasts shot between the space between the two groups, accompanied by glowing trails of warheads and swarms of fighters. Explosions rocked the smaller ships of both sides, while the huge dreadnoughts shrugged off volley after volley laid upon their hulls.

 

The battle for Kal Dormus had begun, though it most certainly wouldn't be the last.

 

OOC: And this is the continuation of our little RPG. As of now, this takes place a few hours after we left off before the downtime, though this timeskip does not apply for those within the GSR. Feel free to jump into the space battle on both sides.

 

lazers and explosions

 

pew pew

[Ehksidian]

OOC: longest post i have made.

ever.

 

IC: Kal Dormus, three hours before the beginning of the battle, Zano, Vaarn, Kaez

Zano stood in the entryway of the Purahoura, glancing at the crew inside. "I apologize your captain here has...parted." He said, voice deadpan. Before him lay the half-melted figure of Razz, captain of the Purahoura. One of the crew pointed a finger at Zano, and accused, "You killd 'em! Don't pass this off as sum sorta mishap in the jungle!"

Zano narrowed his eyes, and stated, "It was. I found him, lying on the ground in this exact state. I have no method of causing this type of harm to others."

The Skadki that accused him crossed his arms, and sneered. "Ya, right. And I guess it was sumthin the Great Beings put down that killd 'em?"

"I would assume so."

The Skadki's face turned into a mask of rage, and walked up to Zano, shoving a finger in his chest. "You got another thin comin, gettin on our ship and lyin' to our faces. Ya get outta here now, or we'll kill ya. Ya hear?"

Zano pushed the Skadki's finger off his chest. "I simply wished to inform you of your captain's demise. I simply found his body."

The Skadki's response was simply some spit in Zano's face.

"So be it. You do not wish for any peaceful negotiations. Would you rather fight me?"

Before the skadki could react, Zano took his sword out from behind him.

"I am quite well armed, after all."

The skadki crew shrank back a bit, and the accuser- Zano assumed he was second-in-command- stepped forward again. "Alright. Fine. I don't feel like dyin' today, so we might as well do this. Don't wanna end up like poor Razz there."

Zano nodded, and responded with, "A very good decision. Let us begin our negotiations."

An hour later...

After heated discussion about who should own the ship, what shoudl be done, etc etc, they arrived at the conclusion that it would be best to sell the Purahoura.

"So, we'll be gettin' half of the cash from this deal?" The accusing skadki asked Zano.

"Indeed. We shall go to the nearest selling station to do so. You may find a suitable ship for you."

"Deal."

They shook hands, and Zano left the ship. The body of Razz had started to smell a bit. Zano arrived at the Doom Viper, where he was confronted with Vaarn and Kaez

"What was that all about?" Vaarn asked.

"We will be getting money from this after all. The ship over there has lost its captain, and the crew do not want to keep it. I proposed we sell it."

Vaarn smiled. "So, uh, did he die of 'natural' causes?"

Zano stared at Vaarn, and curtly responded, "No."

Vaarn's smile fell, and he said, "Wait, you're telling me he didn't die because you killed him? Something else killed him?"

Zano nodded. "He was melted by an acid rhoutuka. Painful death, I must say."

"Ouch."

"Quite."

Zano proceeded into the ship, and radioed Kaez. "Kaez, keep your weapons trained on the Purahoura, please. If they attempt to run, shoot their engines."

"Yes sir."

"Vaarn, set course for the nearest trading center."

"Aye aye, cap'n!"

The ship rose into the atmosphere, followed shortly by the Purahoura. Both ships escaped the planet, and jetted off to the nearest trading port.

Edited November 9, 2013 by The X

[Canis Lycaon]

IC: Hirion, Crew of the Courtessia

"We're here, Hirion. Vötunheil."

 

"Good. Land us at the house. We'll spread out and fufilll certain tasks. Get out the safe."

 

Riktik drove the ship through the heavy layer of fog, and directed the ship towards a bubble of white cleanliness, one of the only on the desolate, city-scape world of Vötunheil. It was circular, and from the base a pillar kept out the smoke, but let in ships.

 

They landed, and got out. Hirion lifted the body of Verim from the floor of the ship, entered his house, and threw the body into a large sized freezer, until they could find a burial place for him. Hirion closed the door and turned the handle, locking him in.

 

He turned around and looked at his crew. "Riktik, go find repairs for the ship. Lazem, Korsik, a new crew member. Get a Skakdi. Lightning, maybe. Me and Orilu will get a new job with the Order. Come back in five hours."

[The Lorax]

OOC: Quick post to get this rolling again.

 

IC (Piringa): After seeing all he could at the factory, Piringa winged his way back to the Dark Hunter safehouse to share the news of what he had learned. He stopped and perched on a couple of other buildings on the way, and even went inside one of then for a couple of minutes to keep his cover as an unintelligent rahi with no destination in mind, and who certainly didn't treat any factory different from any other.

 

Once he arrived back, other Hunters began to question him immediately, but he held his tongue until he was ready to make his report properly. He shifted from bird back to Vortixx, but left the hand and wrist of his left arm as a mass of formless flesh. He placed the appendage on the small holographic projector that Lariska had used when she first arrived, and within a few moments, had incorporated it into a functional hand. It, too, was wired into his nervous system, and through it, to the mapmaker. This allowed him to use to to project the entire layout of the factory for the others to see just as clearly as he had seen it himself.

 

"This is the floorplan" he commented. "There is a complete communicator sitting in this office here" he pointed, "and possibly a favourable entrance here" he pointed again. "Before we move on to planning a heist, however, there was something more I discovered. The Mapmaker was unable to detect any workers in the factory, though work was clearly occurring. Only by eye could I see who the workers really were." He made a gesture, and the hologram switched from showing the factory's floorplan to footage of the strange beings he had witness through the upper window.

[Vorahk1Panrahk2]

IC: Hashir, Dark Hunter Meeting

 

Hashir was leaning against the wall when the shifter arrived. He held back his questions, since after all they would be answered shortly enough anyway. Upon arrival he pulled out a device and delivered standard information: where the goods where found, and possible routes. But then things got interesting. Hashir knelt down to take a look at the video footage, and it was clear what it showed: blue beings who could float and use telekinesis to move boxes around.

 

"I've never seen these things before," he said bluntly. "And I'm guessing none of you have either." He leaned back. "I'm all for going through with this plan, but things just got complicated. We don't know what these are or what they're capable of, so we have to assume that if one of them see us, it's death on sight. Or worse. Did you notice if there any rooms or hallways in this factory these things don't go? And what floor is that office on?"

[Lara White]

IC: [Kal Dormus, 2 Hours Prior to Fleet Arrival]

 

Deep in space, the Tarnhelm floated. As it sat, it could have been mistaken for a piece of space junk, save that its interior burned on thermal, as would be expected of any ship with a functioning life support system. Passive scans revealed activity around the distant planet, the sole life-supporting sphere in this system. The computer watched and recorded the events happening there, and pinged the Captain's Quarters.

 

"Sir. We have arrived in the Dormus system." Brunhilde said. "I would suggest we investigate the anomaly which has attracted the attention of the Brotherhood and the Order."

 

At the same time, she pinged the Helmswoman/Technician's quarters. "We have arrived in the Dormus system. Stand ready on the bridge to receive new course."

 

[Shadowhawk]

IC: [ Tark ] - Xia / Kanohi factory / Unused storage room"Uh..."Me, I shifted my assault rifle from hand to hand, eying the hologram a bit cautious-like. Flesh and blood warriors I could handle, and I'd done so many a time, but... ghosts?Somethin' different, that. Somethin' different entirely."Those things ain't native, it's certain. Anyone got any ideas, besides Hashir's?"Maybe I was shifting things off topic, but hey. I didn't plan on goin' in without knowin' what I was up against.

Edited November 9, 2013 by Shadowhawk

[Lord Kini Hawkeye]

IC: {Valnad, Captain of the Tarnhelm}

 

"Sir. We have arrived in the Dormus system." Brunhilde said. "I would suggest we investigate the anomaly which has attracted the attention of the Brotherhood and the Order."

 

Valnad swivelled in his seat, carefully placing the stone carving tablet he’d been working with onto his desk. The rune carved in it was well practiced, the swooping lines and sharp edges honed by years of repetition and overall boredom. It was with an almost meditative mentality that Valnad approached the carving during the long treks through space, and he’d left very specific orders to Brunhilde not to interrupt him while he was doing so unless it was important.

 

He stood, the lights in the room brightening as he stepped out of his quarters and onto the bridge. The raised platform in the center of the command bridge gave him a view of most, if not all of the workstations therein, and an unparalleled view of the multiple external camera feeds. Valnad could see everything that was happening around the Tarnhelm.

 

He glanced to his left, a small viewscreen coded to his retina that allowed him to converse with the Shipboard AI in private. He tapped a few messages into the screen, waiting for the AI’s almost instantaneous response before nodding. The command bridge electronics leapt into action, lights and sensors simultaneously popping on.

 

Valnad’s voice came over the ship-wide intercom, stern and matter-of-fact with an almost wraith-like quality to it. “This is your captain speaking. Crew of the Tarnhelm, man your stations and prepare to conduct scans of the surface of Kal Dormus.”

 

Once again he typed on the keypad privately to his Ship: .//Brunhilde, spin up weapons systems and mark possible exit strategies. I want to figure out what stirred up the hornet’s nest on this planet and get out before anything bad can happen..

 

Brunhilde’s reply was brief, as usual. .//Yes sir..

 

The Tarnhelm flared to life in the void of space, and began to move towards the planet’s surface.

Edited November 10, 2013 by Lord Kini Hawkeye

[Ehksidian]

IC: Zano, Vaarn

If the crew of the Tarnhelm were to look outside as they approached the planet, they might have seen two ships leaving the planet.

Instead, the first of the two leaving ships saw the Tarnhelm first.

"Zano, we got another ship out here, heading towards the planet. Doesn't seem to be hostile." Vaarn said, turning to look at the captain.

Zano thought for a moment. "We should open communication channels to confirm neutrality. We do not want a conflict right now."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I understand." Vaarn replied. He pulled down a microphone, and broadcasted a message to the Tarnhelm, "Why hello, I see you fine folks are heading towards Kal Dormus! We, the collective crews of the Doom Viper and Purahoura would like you to confirm neutrality. So, you know, we don't blow you up." The Toa of light sat smugly back in his seat.

"I will never understand why you address people in that manner. It can be infuriating." Zano said.

"You know what else can be infuriating? Being blown up."

[Lara White]

IC: The channel was filled with static for a second, then a voice came across.

 

"Query:" It said in a synthesized voice. "Are you threatening us?" It asked.

 

OOC: You have your character who's security for the Tarnhelm, yes?

 

[Ehksidian]

OOC: Correct.

IC: Zano, Vaarn

"Huh. Computerized response." Vaarn muttered. He got the mic again, and responded to the ship, "No, no threat. We just don't want you to blow us up. Or attempt to blow us up. Being blown up isn't very pleasant."

Zano sighed.

Vaarn lowered the mic, and looked at Zano. "If you don't like how I speak to other ships, you can be communications officer."

"I would at least treat others with more respect." Zano got out of his seat, took the microphone, and spoke into it. "Please excuse my pilot, he has had...issues. We have no intention of battling you, and we simply wish for you to confirm your neutrality as well."

"Issues... feh."

[Lara White]

OOC: What, no fight? XD

 

IC: "Acknowledged. We confirm neutrality as well." The computer said, following another short burst of static.

 

[Ehksidian]

OOC: A slip of the finger, maybe a misplaced word could start a fight.

Or just general stupidity on my part resulting in the ships crashing into each other and explosions or something along those lines.

IC: Zano

Zano paused for a moment. You could never be too sure during this time of war. This ship could destroy both the Doom Viper and the Purahoura on the way out of the system. The best way to prevent this was, of course, rendezvousing with the ships and confirming face to face with a living being that neither ship would destroy each other. Provided a bit of money is given, that is.

"Due to the state of how the universe is at this time, we request a rendezvous with your ship. You can never be too careful these days." Zanos' voice came through to the Tarnhelm.

[Lara White]

IC: Silence for a moment. Then a burst of static again.

 

"Negative." The computer replied. "This range is sufficient for communications and there are no practical reasons to rendezvous without intending an exchange of materials."

 

[Ehksidian]

IC: Zano

Zano thought for a moment. The computerized responses were slightly off-putting, seeing as how no living voice had answered him on the opposite end. "May I speak to your captain?"

[Lord Kini Hawkeye]

IC: {Capitan Valnad}

 

There was static for the briefest of moments and Brunhilde relinquished her hold over the communications systems. The captain waited a few moments before speaking, because the last thing he wanted to do was give these people the impression that they were worth his time.

 

"This is Valnad, Captain of the Tarnhelm," he started, the same ethereal quality to his voice as always, distorted and further warped by Brunhilde's masterful manipulation of the communications arrays. In many ways, Valnad found it interesting that Brunhilde even bothered, but he supposed that the unsettling effect of talking to someone who sounded like more of a ghost than an actual person would work in their favour to some extent. "We confirm neutrality, though I am in agreement with the assessment of my AI. Unless you plan on making it worth my while, a rendezvous serves no purpose."

 

Valnad looked around the bridge. As he stood in the center of the room, he had an unparalleled view of what was going on inside, and he noted with silent appreciation the efficiency of the newly awoken officers in going about their tasks within moment of filing into the bridge. Valnad had requested to spin up the Tarnhelm's weapon systems as a precautionary measure before this interesting turn of events.

 

Valnad didn't order the weapons powered down despite his confirmation of neutrality however. With luck, the sensors on the other ships would not recognise the ship's weapons powered up without a reading of them powered down, which he had no intention of allowing them. If it turned out they were pirates, they were in for a very nasty surprise.

 

Nevertheless, he sounded a cautionary alert. The last thing he wanted was a combat situation no one was prepared for. Brunhilde agreed.

[Ehksidian]

IC: Zano, Kaez

Ah, so there was indeed a captain aboard the ship. "Understood. Good luck to what you are doing."

Zano switched to the ship's internal channels, and sent a message to Kaez, "Warm up the weapons. You can never be too safe."

In the weapon control center, Kaez nodded. She flipped a few switches, readying the railguns and began to start the laser cannon. If anything were to happen, the doom Viper would go out with a bang.

[Lara White]

IC: "General Quarters, General Quarters. This is not a drill." Brunhilde announced. "All hands man your stations. The Captain has declared Condition Yellow. I repeat, General Quarters, all hands to your stations." A claxon began to sound as she made the announcement on the ship-wide system. She was very careful to ensure it was not broadcast to the other ship.

 

As the enemy's laser cannon began to warm up, Brunhilde took notice.

 

"Sir, the bogey has begun to warm up her weapons systems." She reported.

 

Edited November 12, 2013 by Lloyd: the White Wolf

[Ehksidian]

IC: Desan

The Toa of Sonics winced when the klaxons began ringing throughout the ship. He could not do much, unless of course the other ship tried boarding the Tarnhelm. Just in case, Desan grabbed his shotgun and made sure it was ready to be used.

[Lord Kini Hawkeye]

IC {Ô Capitaine, Mon Capitaine}

 

Valnad sighed, his hand coming to rest on the hilt of his sword. Perhaps he was old-fashioned, but he hated firearms with a passion. Unless of course they were too big to carry, because who doesn't like that kind of immobile, artillery-esque firepower?

 

"Brunhilde, maintain the course that was previously set. We proceed as if they do not exist. Do not fire unless we are fired upon first or they breach the safe threshold of ten thousand kilometers without express permission."

[Lara White]

IC: "Acknowledged, Captain. Continuing on current course. ELINT indicates they are preparing weapons in the event that we prove hostile." Brunhilde stated.

 

To the other ship, she transmitted, "The Captain has established a safe threshold of ten thousand kilometers. Please do not cross this boundary."

 

The Tarnhelm continued to drift across the black void of space toward Kal Dormus.

 

Edited November 12, 2013 by Lloyd: the White Wolf

[Light]

IC: Terena held a hand to her forehead, trying to ignore the klaxons blaring in both real life and her head as she fastened a deck plate down.The diagnostic systems were at fault for this, actually. The weapons powered up, and this registered as a clanging in the diagnostics.Brunhilde... What's going on?

[Lara White]

IC: Brunhilde ran a few circuits, imitating thoughts as best she could. A vessel has hailed us and inquired as to our neutrality. The Captain has ordered a cautionary Condition Yellow.

 

[Ehksidian]

IC: Zano, Vaarn, crew of Purahoura (NPCs)The transmission echoed through the ship: "The Captain has established a safe threshold of ten thousand kilometers. Please do not cross this boundary."

Zano looked at Vaarn. Vaarn nodded, and made sure the Doom Viper's course would not go past the ten thousand kilometer boundary set by the other ship.

Unfortunately, the Purahoura did not receive this transmission. And it had not participated in an agreement to neutrality. Aboard the Purahoura, the Skadki plotted. "So, we got it? We gonna slam-and-enter the other ship that's there and steal all the valuables. Those guys will be none the wiser." The temporary captain smiled even more than usual. "Ya understand, everyone?"

The captain was answered with many "Yessir!"s and "Yeah!"s.

"Alright, let's do this."

The pilot threw the ship forward, at maximum speed.

Right towards the Tarnhelm.

OOC: whee

[Lara White]

IC: "Captain, contact Beta in on a collision course with us. Shall I subvert their systems?" Brunhilde asked.

 

"Incoming vessel, you are in violation of the declared ten thousand kilometer zone. Turn back now." She transmitted to the other ship.

 

[Ehksidian]

IC(NPC-crewed ship) Purahoura

The captain frowned. The ship had seen them.

Unless...

"Send back a message, we're out of control. Our control-stick-things aren't working anymore."

One of the Skadki nodded, grabbed a transmitter, and said the exact same thing. For good measure, the captain broke the steering mechanism. The pilot jerked back, and the captain shrugged. "May s'well make it believable."

[Lord Kini Hawkeye]

IC: {The captain of that one ship that doesn't exist}

 

"We're out of control. Our control-stick-things aren't working anymore!"

 

Something about that seemed very, very off to Valnad. A ship doesn't just go from flying in formation to out of control without some sort of influence, internal or external, and while they could very well be completely out of control Valnad recognised the characteristic grunting speech of a Skakdi.

 

He hated Skakdi.

 

"Brunhilde, I want a course correction to put us out of the path of that ship. Subvert their engine systems and bring them to a halt. Offer them assistance as well." The AI did so, and the star map in front of Valnad reflected the change in the other ship's velocity.

 

"Brunhilde, see if you can deactivate or otherwise sabotage their ship to ship weapons, and prepare docking tube two. I want an engineering detachment with four armed personnel down there to aid the crippled vessel. In the event that it's a trap, we vent it."

[Lara White]

IC: "Acknowledged, Captain." Brunhilde said. In a moment she'd made her way into the other ship's systems. It had firewalls, but they were child's play to slip through for a top-of-the-line computer like herself. She made her way into the Engineering sub-network and gave the command to the ship's engines: full reverse, bring her to a complete halt relative to the Tarnhelm. Another subroutine went after their weapons.

 

Meanwhile, a subroutine was calculating their course correction, bringing the Tarnhelm closer to the Purahoura.

 

"Engineer and Security to docking tube two. Repeat, Engineer and Security to docking tube two." Brunhilde said. At the same time, to Valnad: "Captain, I trust you realize there are only three biomech beings on this ship? We have far from a full crew complement."

 

[Lord Kini Hawkeye]

IC: {Is a captain a captain if he doesn't have a hat?}

 

"Captain, I trust you realize there are only three biomech beings on this ship? We have far from a full crew complement."

 

Oh. Right.

 

Valnad stepped up to the star map, watching as the holographic image representing the Purahoura drew closer and closer to the Tarnhelm. "Sometimes I wish this wasn't a ghost ship... I'll oversee this personally." He stepped away, hand on the hilt of his sabre as he walked to the elevator bulkhead and stepped inside, pressing the button down to the docking bays.

 

As the elevator began it's torturously slow descent, Valnad had a stroke of brilliance. "Brunhilde, have ten of your monitors join us in the docking bay. Have as many as you can manage on standby as well."

Edited November 14, 2013 by Lord Kini Hawkeye

[Lara White]

IC: Brunhilde was silent for a few thousand cycles. Ten remote probes? They weren't equipped for fighting...what was the shortsighted meatbag planning with them?

 

Less than a second had passed since his order before she answered, "Affirmative, Captain."

 

In the airlock, the probe receptacle spit out ten fist-sized spherical probes of gleaming white.

 

[Ehksidian]

ICNPC: PurahouraThe weapons were down. The ship was going in reverse. The 'captain' cursed under his breath, and then realized that the Purahoura was going to dock with the ship.Looks like they were going to get aboard, after all.The 'captain' smiled at the though, and instructed the 'communications officer' to send a thank-you to the Tarnhelm.IC: Zano, Vaarn"Uh, Zano?"

"What is it, Vaarn?"

"The Purahoura broke the 10km safety zone, and is quickly approaching the Tarnhelm."

"Odd." Zano took the transmitter once again, and sent a message to the Purahoura. "Report, what is your situation?"

After a few seconds, the reply of "The control-stick-things broke!" came through the speakers of the Doom Viper.

Vaarn chuckled at the mention of "Control-stick-things". Everyone knew they were called "Control-stick-doohickeys". Silly Skadki.

IC: Desan

Again, the Toa of Sonics winced slightly when he was called to the airlock. I should really tighten these... He quickly made haste towards docking bay two, ready for whatever ship was coming. Desan made sure his shotgun was loaded up on ammo again.

[Light]

IC: "CARTER, GET YOUR METAL BUTT DOWN HERE RIGHT NOW!"A loud clunking headed down toward engineering, before turning back in the direction of the airlocks with a passenger.The dull suit had finally found its way around the ship, Terena hooking in.Carter may not be the sharpest knife in the drawer, but the suit was tough.

[Lord Kini Hawkeye]

IC: {Valnad}

 

Valnad stepped off the elevator and into the docking bay, his hand still resting on the hilt of his sword. He looked around at those in the room with him, specifically at the remote probes Brunhilde had sent.

 

He felt a shudder go through the hull as the two ships docked, and the familiar hiss as the docking tube was pressurized. He sighed and hoped for the best, hopefully the unknown threat of the probes would be enough to stop the crew of the other ship from attempting hostilities... It would have to be.

[Ehksidian]

NPCIC: Purahoura crew

The ship connected with a hiss, and the crew within the Purahoura began to get restless. The captain nodded to one of the other Skadki on the ship to let the greeting crew in. How else were they going to raid them? With telekinesis?

 

IC: Desan

Desan watched as the metal suit made its way towards the docking tube, and watched as the captain arrived. Desan aimed his shotgun at the door, just in case.

There was no such thing as too safe.

[Lara White]

IC: "Captain, I would suggest that you and Officer Desan don vacuum-capable hardsuits." Brunhilde advised. Once they'd done so, she opened the airlock of the Purahoura and sealed the Tarnhelm's behind them.

 

[Ehksidian]

IC: Desan

"Understood, Brunhilde." Desan put on the suit, and was ready to enter the Purahoura.

[Snelly]

IC: Savina - The Wombat -

The Cat-Toa leaned against the pilot seat in a lazy manner, her arms crossed behind her head. Her legs were stretched all the way out, her feet resting against on top of the controls. Her tail swished back and forth lazily through the hole that was behind the seat. Savina purred happily as she looked at the stars through the view screen, there was always something pretty and shiny to look at.

Occasionally she would have to push a button or flip a switch, despite the fact the ship was only moving in a straight direction, she would simply use the heels of her feet, not wishing to move from her comfortable position.

Edited December 5, 2013 by A billion cats

[Eyru]

IC

 

Tugging on the wrench with all her might, muscles straining, Ntombi finally managed to twist the bolt into place. She stepped back, breathing heavily, and admired her handiwork. She'd set up a tiny console in the belly of the ship, nestled next to her engines. Two screens (both rather cracked and scuffed) and an old keyboard she'd snuck off the deck, all wired up to Savina's console in the bow of the ship.

 

The Toa flipped a switch, and the console crackled to life. Strings of code flashed across the screens, before being gradually replaced by ship diagnostics. The numbers flickered here and there, keeping up-to-the-second data on the inner workings of the ship, and on the important stuff going on outside. Ntombi didn't really care much for what went on outside (that was Savina's job), but it was good to know anyway.

 

She tapped a few commands out on the keyboard; each pressed key released a small puff of dust. The clacking of her typing was replaced by a whirring as her hacked wiring job pulled what she wanted from the ships' sensors. There was a pause, and then the data appeared.

 

"Karz," she muttered, immediately reaching for the intercom and dialing the cockpit. "Savina, there's a huge energy signature on the other side of the planet. Something's up."

[Snelly]

IC: Savina - The Wombat -

 

"Mrow?" Savina replied, before clearing her throat, "A huge energy signature?" Savina checked the ship's sensors on her console.

 

"Holy catnip! That is huge!" Savina exclaimed as she pulled the Wombat into an orbit around the planet, in order to gain speed and see what was on the other side.