Dominion Silky Smooth | Agents of Chaos Dominion of the Empty Hex North of The Deep

[Ivixa Nera'kas]

Objective: Try to Play...Basketball?!
Location: Basketball Court, Happy Tree Friends
Tag: Conn Dagorian

Ivixa could only blush and smile, a splash of pink welling up in her cheeks as the swordsman effusively complimented her. All the while, her gaze didn’t leave his features for even a moment as he spoke, drawn in like a hungry rabbit towards a plump carrot. She noticed his eyes as they shifted towards her chest, but the flattering words flowing from his thin lips left her thoroughly star-struck and perhaps, heart-struck as well. Indeed, Ivixa took great effort in maintaining her appearance, but it still surprised her to receive attention from a man who she could describe as an angel.

“You know...I should show you the rifle I use at some point.” Ivixa replied, her voice taking on a coy drawl, although retaining its high-pitched character. “It has some cool tech in it. Really, the only reason I can carry it without breaking my back is because there’s this grav-field disruptor thing built into it, which makes it feel like a feather.” She added, in a somewhat futile attempt to deflect the fawning compliments. “When I need to fire, I just turn it off so that the recoil doesn’t break my nose.”

Smiling nervously, Ivixa watched as Conn stood up and gestured towards the open basketball court. Although she was still somewhat hesitant, with Conn encouraging her, she felt more willing to try again. However, she doubted that she would be able to get a good grip on the ball, even with practice. It had already slipped out of her fingers more than once, and she could barely hit the rim with it most of the time, much less make a basket.

“Fine...” Ivixa answered with a playfully resigned grin, as she stood up from the bench and followed the swordsman onto the empty court. Adjusting her crop top, Ivixa stretched her arms out and prepared herself to play once more “Buuuuuut, do they have a child-sized ball somewhere? That one is...way too big.” She frowned.

 

[Conn Dagorian]

Objective: Some recreation with a comrade
Location: Basketball Court, Happy Tree Friends
Tags: Ivixa Nera'kas

Turning and waiting for Ivixa's smaller legs to meet him on the court, Conn nodded. "I'd love to get a closer look at that weapon, we should do a range day sometime." He suggested. "You seem to have a few fun-looking toys..." Conn added, remembering the custom armor she had worn, and the number of weapons she managed to fit on her compact form.

He laughed lightly when the Asa'nyx asked about a smaller ball. "Well, you won't be using a child's ball if you play with anyone else. Give yourself a chance. Remember, size matters not. You didn't let size stop you from using a rifle bigger than you are, you learned how to use it. You are fit, its just about getting the technique." Conn tried to convince his companion. Crouching so he could look the buxom beauty eye to eye, Conn held the ball out in two hands. "I used a ball like this when I was learning to play when I was younger." Conn didn't want to suggest that Ivixa was a child, for all he knew, she was older than him. "A lot of people can't grip the ball. Holding the ball is more about balance than grip."

He held the ball out. "Hold it like this, between two hands. That's the way you want to hold it when you are still, or passing."Conn stood and tool a few steps back. "Pass me the ball." He instructed, holding his hands out to receive it. "Just push it out with both hands."

 

[Ivixa Nera'kas]

Objective: Try to Play...Basketball?!
Location: Basketball Court, Happy Tree Friends
Tag: Conn Dagorian

“Oh, certainly!” Ivixa responded to Conn’s suggestion regarding a day at the shooting range. “I could do with a day at the uhhh...sword gym, as well!” She giggled, once again alluding to Conn’s prodigious skill with a blade. “I won’t lie, I try to stay out of close-quarters combat because of my size, but maybe you can teach me a few tricks that would be good to use with sharp toys.” She added with a playful smile.

From there, Ivixa watched with intent silence as Conn demonstrated to her how to grip the ball. Admittedly, she found herself more focused on the man’s large hands as he skillfully balanced the ball. In addition, with him crouching down in front of her, she could take in his ruggedly immaculate features without having to crane her neck towards the ceiling. Fortunately, with her fast reaction time, Ivixa was nothing if not a good multi-tasker and as such, she was able to focus on Conn’s darkly handsome visage and his instruction at virtually the same time.

Taking a deep breath, Ivixa attempted to mimic the way Conn held the ball between two hands. Unfortunately, the ball still looked comically massive compared to Ivixa, but she could at least somewhat manage it by holding it in that fashion. Summoning her strength, Ivixa took another breath, then pushed the ball towards the swordsman. Unfortunately, the ball bounced awkwardly on the court just at the tip of Conn’s feet, but she hadn’t necessarily put all of her strength behind the pass. Nevertheless, the pass was much better than her previous attempts had been.

“That’s actually...much easier.” Ivixa admitted with a smile. “I guess that’s just the tip of the iceberg though.” She added with a frown.

“Now...how do you actually score a basket?”

 

[Anesia Jy'Vun]

Objective: Fear of this battle station | See the unknown
Location: North of the Deep | Mobile Space Station | Personnel Cabin​

Can you feel it?

That darkness beckoned. A whisper in the ear. Soft, guiding vocals long since heard. The furl of loose, dark strands of hair at the nape of the neck. Breath with ethereal notes of honey caramel and oak. Of forbidden fruit. The insidious, tantalizing call of power.

Oh, but the adventure it promised.

Her name came slowly, softly at first. There was no urgency. It was more lulling, melding into her dreamstate. Becoming a part of it, seeking. Hiding.

Anesia.

Anesia.

The vocals were familiar, feminine in that sing-song-kind-of-way. She nearly answered it. Nearly lost her focus in unfamiliar territory.

Pale fingers curled from within dark, heavy garb. Flexing, then stretching as if to reach instead. It was something the normal light and fettered sight could not see. But the Force... it saw everything and nothing.

The emerald gems of the master were lost to the shadows, closed. Blind, but giving her power more to see than if they were open.

Jy'Vun's breathing slowed so much there was near no rise and fall to her chest. No. She braced for that invisible, battering attack. Knew it was coming. Knew it was inevitable. Her heartbeat...a heartbeat thundered in her ears.

Badum. BA-Dum. BA-DUM.

ANESIAAAAAA.​

The sound was harsh, fear striking each cord. Not it's voice, but his. Each syllable trembling before being torn from his throat.

Cold, metal hands grasped her shoulders and she whirled, lids flying open. Anesia screamed before registering the present- still immersed in meditation.

"Your nose is bleeding, Ane."

 

[Salem Norongachi]

Location: The graveyard
Fighter: Ballerina Interceptor
Onboard Equipment: Phase I "Anchor" Heavy Power Armor
Tags: Bella Len Vert Jai'galaar Gred Kyrinov Sasmay Cull Anesia Jy'Vun

The derelicts hung motionless among the shards of long dead planets, their hulls shattered and guts open to the void. Had there been a battle here? Or had some idiotic commander tried to navigate the ships through the asteroid field? Norongachi couldn’t say, he would have to get much closer to recognize the cause of damage. Still, he primed his fighters' offensive and defensive systems. Sapphire Three, just off to his right, followed suit.

“Three, I’m gonna do a thing. Keep a lookout.” he spoke to his wingman and then flicked a switch and the outside world went dark only to be replaced with the vivid strata of the Force. It danced and flowed around his consciousness, waves crashing against a prismatic horizon and the flow took him beyond his material shell and out toward the dead giants of metal and war.

From the first echo of the heartbeat he knew his mistake, the ethereal waters turned crimson around him. A drop of blood in a crystal clear pool that rapidly turned into a systemic infection, putrefying and infesting everything else around it. He braced himself, he knew what was coming even before green eyes like a mirror to his own flashed across his mind with a psychic shockwave that drove a railroad spike of agony into his brain.

A sigh accompanied him back to reality and joined the pulsating headache. A hot trickle slipped down his lip and tasted of copper when his tongue probed out to catch it. Emerald eyes turned flat and cold. At some point in the very near future, he’d have to do something about this, he knew, and he wasn’t entirely sure it would be a pleasant conclusion.

“Did you do the thing?” asked Three.

Sal checked the chrono, less than a second had passed. “Thing done.” he left out the part that the thing had been useless and nearly caused him to stroke out.

 

[Anesia Jy'Vun]

Objective: Fear of this battle station | Dance with the Devil
Location: North of the Deep | Mobile Space Station | Personnel Cabin
Tags: Salem Norongachi + Everyone​

Seconds ticked.

The sound of an old clock- the ticking- conjured by memory, filled the small cabin. It reverberated off the walls, colliding with the thumps. With the heart, until it created a symphony. And so was made the sound of dread. The song of her scream still laced in there somewhere, ribbons of a whisper that had been captured and played on repeat.

Metal and flesh twisted beneath the fervent grip she held on the being before her, fingers coiled about the column of the neck. Sentient and not. Familiar and not. She squeezed as if the expel the life from it, even as words tumbled past its maw, "Don't you want to know where Sal is?" Rasps. Deep and garbled. It resembled the very man's tone and pitch--as much as it could in a mechanical sense.

The Master snarled.

"Who he is with?" A strangled, dying sound that allowed laughter to dance along the words. To provoke.

Something in her eyes changed, brightened as does a fire when stoked.

Tick. Tick. BA-DUM. Tick. BA-DUM. BA-DUM.

TICK.

TICK.

Fresh streams of blood fell past her lips already painted and dried crimson. It dripped from her chin.

"Tell me something I don't know."

It smiled, knowingly.

The vast accumulation of dark power receeded- no... it felt as if a great vaccuum had sucked it away in one great swallow taking the answer with it. The grip she had so selfishly fastened had been wrapped around the neck of security personnel. His eyes had gone wide, wild and even though he dwarfed her in size, Anesia held him in suspension with his capped head near the ceiling. Suspicion clouded her gaze, the threat still looming with the residue. She felt more than seen where it had went.

Space. Sapphire space.

With no apology, Anesia lowered the guard until he found his feet on solid ground. She gave him no thought, her liquid emerald gaze swimming to the window as he left as quickly as one could. He was lucky to still have his life. Surely he knew that. The dark lady blinked.

It would smother them.

Or try.

They would be lucky to return alive; just as Salem and Anesia once had.

A long, long time ago.

 

[Bella]

Location: Hangar Bay, Happy Tree Friends
Fighter: Phase I TIE Whisper Starfighter (SU) - Sapphire Seven
Onboard Equipment: Phase IX Anti-G Suit │ X-8 Night Sniper
Tags: Kyrinov Alwine Daye Salem Norongachi Len Vert Jai'galaar Gred Anesia Jy'Vun

With the arrival of Sapphire Four, Bella tapped a few commands on her holographic display and with a deep breath, she directed her craft forward, into the graveyard of the asteroid field.

“We’re going in. Raise shields.” Bella spoke softly over the squadron’s comms. From there, she directed her TIE forward and crept slowly into the asteroid field. With only a cursory glance, it was easy to tell that the ships were First-Imperial, but based on the analysis executed by the data-brains of her craft, many of the ravaged, derelict hulks were also identified as Ssi-ruuk. The conclusion drawn from the analysis was obvious, and she didn’t need the data-brains to tell her what had transpired within the asteroid field. The second iteration of the First Order had fallen only a couple years before, but they had evidently not gone without a fight. Seeing the remnants of a battle this deep within the Unknown Regions, was more surprising. It meant that at some point, they had attempted an offensive against the Ssi-ruuk before or during their fall.

However, that was not the only surprise of the operation.

“I’m reading...life signs...two signatures, coming from these coordinates.” Bella immediately set her ship on course towards the life signs, while also transmitting the coordinates to the rest of her squadron. As she approached the origin of the signatures, she also began reading power signs coming from the same location. After turning around an asteroid, the hulk where the signals were originating from came into view. It was a frigate, which by some miracle, had sustained life support over the last two or so years since the resolution of whatever battle had transpired within the asteroid field between the Ssi-ruuk and the remnants of the First Order, in spite of presumably being disabled during the engagement.

To say the least, Bella had never seen anything like it.

Bella took a deep breath. She knew that this could potentially be a delicate rescue operation. Regardless, if there were still people on the frigate, the Armada wouldn’t abandon them to suffer their inevitable fate.

With a few more taps on her holographic display, Bella began to transmit her camera feeds, sensor readings, and analysis of her TIE’s data-brains regarding the situation back to the Happy Tree Friends. With that information, the officers on the station’s bridge would be able to quickly understand some details of the discovery. Nevertheless, Bella knew that she would need to send them a direct communication in order to convey the gravity of the situation.

“This is Sapphire Seven, reporting to Happy Tree Friends. We have identified two life signs originating from the hulk of a disabled First-Imperial frigate. I don’t know how long they have been here, but I suspect at least...two years. I-I think we need search and rescue.”

 

[Alwine Daye]

Location: Bridge of the Happy Tree Friends
Wearing: clothes
Tags: Kyrinov Bella +Open!

As Kyrinov spoke, Alwine could do little other than nod. Two systems away sounded like a fair distance. In truth, she loathed that they had to do this move at all. She would have much preferred to focus all their defenses and resources on defending the Scintilla directly , and though she knew they would, in time, fully bring to life the sort of defenses that she, Discordia, and others had envisioned, certain moves across the galactic map had made sure that they would have less time to get there than they otherwise would have wanted to.

"We have thus successfully defeated ourselves against anyone attempting to cause us… Trouble," she said after a moment of thought, "I have full faith in our ability to take care of anyone who attempts the same now, though I will not pretend to disagree with you. I too hope that we will not find trouble."

Alwine turned her head as the incoming message came from Bella . She closed her eyes, and sighed. This was something she would have preferred they would not have to deal with right there and then. Sometimes, she cursed herself for pushing the Agents into picking up a more compassionate mandate for themselves; the earlier days had been much bloodier, and right now killing people in their way rather than aiding them would've been something they could've finished doing so much faster.

"Sapphire Seven, this is Head Speaker Alwine Daye," she responded, "If they are not hostile, how quickly can you perform the rescue?"

 

[Scherezade deWinter]

Location: Patrolling.
Wearing: Armatura | The Forgemaster's Ring | Ring of Stasis | The Sofitor
Wielding: 7 Nozhi Blades | 1 Whimsy Knife | 1 Whimsy Witch Knife | 2 Nastirci Combat Knives | Clarion | Copero's Wail | Fire and Smoke | Combat Gauntlets | Tessen | 2 TOTT-001 Arc Light Blaster | 2 Dissuader KD-30 Pistols with Glitter Bullets | The Parasite
Tags: Anesia Jy'Vun + Open

She hadn't wanted to come on this little expedition. What she'd wanted was to stay back in Eve and work on that Danger Room thing that she'd had the blueprints for a forever for, but that morning her mind had been so all over the place that physics and calculations were just not working out. At one point she was randomly throwing knives at the wall, trying to hit one of the prototype drones she'd had built for it, but the stupid machine kept moving out of her way and eventually she took it as a sign.

That said though, there wasn't much for her to contribute directly to the mission. She wasn't a pilot, she was only going to distract and annoy people on the bridge, and so… She'd signed up for patrolling. Making sure no one came onto the mobile station and tried to mess with them.

And just as expected, nothing was happening. No one was thinking about breaching the station. Heck, she was pretty sure that after the work they'd done first on the Grysk, then a number of enemies, and recently against the Vagaari, there wasn't any danger to them in near space. Anyone who wanted to do the stabby stabby thing against them would have to come from a distance. So they had time.

Still - though it was boring, and she knew in advance it'd be boring, what she hadn't expected at any point was to suddenly smell blood. Of course, at this point she wasn't aware that this was aunt Anesia Jy'Vun 's nose bleed, but blood was blood - and the Blood Hound chased it.

Quickly, she arrived at the personnel cabin, kicking the door down (even though there really wasn't a reason to do that, it wasn't even locked), knife pulled out.

"Hey Aunt Anesia!" she greeted her with a smile, "What made you bleed? I'm here to take it out!"

 

[Jai'galaar Gred]

Jai looked out, shaking his head a little before sliding into the debris field. He kept his s-foils open, and his deflectors at full power. May have slowed him done a little, but better safe than sorry. He would roll under one of the hulks, doing his best to keep steady. It was crazy. So many destroyed ship and asteroids. He tried to stick close to the others, but the Mando was still stubborn, and prone to slipping off on his own. He carefully maneuvered into a hanger, some of his old insurgent thinking coming through as he looked to see if there were any fighters in good condition.

As he looked, he heard Bella's transmission, and quickly looked back. "EiKay? Did I hear that....? This is Sapphire Eight, can you repeat that Seven. Did you say life signs, after two year?" He quickly left the hanger, flying closer to where Bella was. He looked over at the hulk, adjusting his own ships scanners. "That.... It's gotta be some mynocks right? Some other vac species?" Jai just sat their, adjusting dials in hopes that it would show something was just wrong with the scanners.

Bella Len Vert Sasmay Cull Salem Norongachi

 

[Anesia Jy'Vun]

Objective: Fear of this battle station | Dance with the Devil
Location: North of the Deep | Mobile Space Station | Personnel Cabin
Tags: Salem Norongachi | Scherezade deWinter + Everyone​

Such energy, the woman thought, but her smile was demure. Not at all complimenting the bloody maw she now wore and displayed for the new arrival. Though the sentiment was meant to be welcoming, Anesia's fair skin and sculpted cheekbones were stark... perhaps macabre under the crimson life liquid.

Viridian pools met her niece's, settling in the gaze for a moment before speaking. She licked the coppery glaze from her lips and with a soft sucking-pop, she began, "Power."

That was when she shifted into motion, the edges of the heavy robe she donned shielding her quick steps. This made her appear to glide or float. It wasn't a matter of show anymore- just the natural way in which the Darksiders moved.

"Fear."

The story was an old one and Jy'Vun wagered it started in the beginning with the creation of civilization...the revelation of The Force.

"After the thirst for water, the hunger for food..." Pausing only to rest a hand at the farther window she ventured to, Ferrius went on, "...there became different thirsts, different hungers..." As if she could actually see the Sapphire squadron -see him- she begrudgingly moved her sights to the expanse of space before her.

Creation. How? Why? What? When?

Knowledge.

"Have you ever been to the tombs...touched crumbling parchment... swallowed air that had been sealed for centuries or more?" Stained lips curved into a smile that was more her, predatory and...wistful at the same time.

Those gems for eyes darkened, mischief sparking in her feral gaze. It was barely seen in her side profile, so she turned once more to face Scherezade.

"They may all die because of it." They. Not us. It was said so suddenly, the tale being put on the back-burner.

There is no taking it out.

"We could, perhaps..." Anesia glanced to her hands, weighing her words, "...distract it long enough."

Salem.

 

[Sasmay Cull]

Sapphire four eventually covered the distance between itself and the rest of the squad. The short trek had the cockpit gaining more ice, frosty formations slowly curling up and around the viewports as Sasmay kept herself close enough to not fall out of formation but clearly showing signs of a very rookie pilot.

Why was she trying this?

An exasperated sigh formed on her lips in the helmet. Cross training. Someones bright idea that had been suggested to her. Make yourself more able to help, space flight is liberating, flying is quite relaxing. The voices of others played in her head.

She tapped a button, a small alarm light shutting off along with the buzzer. Thing had been going off since after the jump and it was starting to annoy her. Eyes scanned the scene as she heard the call about lifesigns with possible search and rescue.

Fethin great time to try and pick up piloting as a skill she thought.

"Hey...chit uh..This is sapphire four...where are the heaters in this thing? My viewports are icing up." Sasmay called over the comms, adjusting herself to lean and see out where the others where. Ignoring the display in front of her that plainly showed everything.

 

[Scherezade deWinter]

Location: Patrolling.
Wearing: Armatura | The Forgemaster's Ring | Ring of Stasis | The Sofitor
Wielding: 7 Nozhi Blades | 1 Whimsy Knife | 1 Whimsy Witch Knife | 2 Nastirci Combat Knives | Clarion | Copero's Wail | Fire and Smoke | Combat Gauntlets | Tessen | 2 TOTT-001 Arc Light Blaster | 2 Dissuader KD-30 Pistols with Glitter Bullets | The Parasite
Tags: Anesia Jy'Vun + Open

Under different circumstances, Scherezade would've laughed. She remembered, not too long ago, when being around people that behaved in ways similar to the way her aunt just was, would've made her extremely uncomfortable, but more than that, made her feel unwanted. Things had changed since then though, and ever since ANesia's extraction from Roon, Scherezade was getting more used to the slightly… weirdness of her.

She let her aunt talk about thirst and hunger, while Scherezade herself seemed more like she was just about to smile and shrug at any given moment. She didn't have those thirsts or hungers herself. She'd never been after power; what power she had, was hers naturally. Whether it was the Force or her natural violent prowess, she'd never lacked it. Politics didn't interest her. Sure, a few friends had suggested something about a future Queenship, but Scherezade knew better than any that she wasn't really fit to lead a planet.

Still, when the question was sent her way - "Have you ever been to the tombs...touched crumbling parchment... swallowed air that had been sealed for centuries or more?" she nodded.

"Yup," she answered, "It's sort of how I became a Blood Hound."

Something about… Distracting someone? Something?

"If you want to distract whatever this is, I have a pack of Agents Against the Agents of Chaos in my bag," she offered. "Now wanna stop being cryptic and come mingle with some folk, Aunt Anesia?"

 

[Bella]

Location: Hangar Bay, Happy Tree Friends
Fighter: Phase I TIE Whisper Starfighter (SU) - Sapphire Seven
Onboard Equipment: Phase IX Anti-G Suit │ X-8 Night Sniper
Tags: Sasmay Cull Salem Norongachi Jai'galaar Gred Alwine Daye Kyrinov

“I do not believe they are hostile, or have any real capability to act in that capacity. The vessel looks mostly fried, save for life support and maybe a few other auxiliary systems.” Bella began. “Also, we’re in single-seat craft unfortunately.” She continued with a frown. “We might need a dedicated search and rescue team to do anything, at the moment. That said, we haven’t hailed them yet, but we’re just about to do so now. I’ll patch you in.”

From there, Bella worked quickly to open a hail to the frigate. Her fingers dashed across her holographic display as the system registered her inputs, quickly establishing an open communication channel which she hoped would reach whoever was still alive on the hulk of the frigate.

"My lifeform sensors are set to filter non-sentient signatures out." She spoke in response to the Mandalorian pilot. "I wish it were just mynocks though..." She murmured softly.

"Sapphire Four, umm...just...sit tight." Bella added. "See if you can't get the data-brains to take over."

Taking a deep breath, Bella’s finger hovered over the input for a few tentative moments before she pressed the command, activating the hologram projection transmitter before she began to speak.

“This is Scrapper Bella of the Agents of Chaos Armada. Disabled First-Imperial vessel, we have detected positive sentient life signatures originating from your position. Do you read and are you in need of assistance?”

Bella set the message to play on repeat, then waited quietly for a response.

 

[Salem Norongachi]

Location: The Graveyard
Fighter: Ballerina Interceptor
Onboard Equipment: Phase I "Anchor" Heavy Power Armor
Tags: Bella Len Vert Jai'galaar Gred Kyrinov Sasmay Cull Anesia Jy'Vun

Salem's head was ringing, sending a flicker across his vision with every peel. The com-chatter was a distant noise, like voices on the wind, but his body heard and it responded even if his mind was struggling to separate realities.

The squadron moved into the asteroid field, the skeletal remains of a war long dead pinging Norongachi’s sensors around every asteroid. It took a force of monumental will to shut out the world a shadows width away and bring his focus back to the hard certainty of the material. It was enough for him to fully take in the scene, to catch the coms messages from Bella , and lay in a course deeper into the asteroid field.

“Three, we’re gonna sweep this sector. If there's a cha-” The Ticking of the clock sliced away his focus like a Reaper's scythe. Louder and louder, drawing up memories that had lain dusty and untroubled in the vault of his mind. “-nce there are survivors, we better make sure we find them.” he hadn’t missed a beat but eyes all too familiar, in a cabin from a history long forgotten, burned holes into the back of his skull. His jaw set in defiance, even as the blood poured thick and lazily from his nose, and dark brows fell in cold fury.

The fury turned to sheer molten rage, a cascade of crimson and black wrath that attacked and devoured the chains that had held it prisoner. The time for what he was; the placid, the jovial, the easy going, had passed. It made way for the monster, let it drink in the ebbs and flow of the Force until it found her essence among the stars. It was simple, her power was here, it was there, and if one tried hard enough the heart of power could be hunted.

It wasn’t a word that traced the lines of energy back to Anesia Jy'Vun , it was power hammered by rage and honed with cold calculation. The meaning, however, when that pulse of Omega hit home would be simple and left no room for interpretation; Back off.

He shook his head, the skin on his arm tingling beneath his armour, the hairs on the back of his neck rising. The serpents in his guts coiled and spat their bile, leaving him on the ragged edge of murder while he sought to leash the monster.

“I’m not seeing anything, Two.” came the com and Sal took a beat more to recenter himself.

“They got lucky.” was all Norongachi responded.


First Order Frigate - FIV POLKA DOT
Day 734

They’d lost decks fifty-four and fifty five today, a faulty conduit had blown out the corridor and the already weakened mental had ripped both decks in half. Now engineering and life support was only accessible through a hazardous space walk across the debris ridden hull of Ulthar Tariks former command. If either of those failed, if they lost another system or power line from the backups, then they were all dead.

He looked at the cryopods, the dull blueish light catching the angles of his face. A beard matted and long, hung on drawn and skeletal features. If they lost them, after all this time…

The thought hung in the thick and heavy air, the scrubbers dialed so low that it was more poison than oxygen. A stumbling scraping came from the other side of the compartment and he turned to see the lumbering form of his second in command, in a full space suit, seal the door behind him.

The helmet tumbled from his hands, danced lazily among the dust motes in the half-light, and a rattling exhalation filled the silence. “I did what I could, sir. The line from the backups has been patched and rerouted but one surge or nudge and...and it will fail.”

Ultar nodded and then, like a ritual that bore a heady price, reached for the portable com/distress system. It was small, barely bigger than his emaciated palms, and ran on its own dwindling power source. They broadcast the same message, every day, at the same time. Hope was the last to die but after seven hundred days, it hung by the thinnest of threads.

“This is Scrapper Bella of the Agents of Chaos Armada. Disabled First-Imperial vessel, we have detected positive sentient life signatures originating from your position. Do you read and are you in need of assistance?” the com squealed moments after he switched it on, the sound of an unfamiliar voice was loud in the silence, so much so that Ulthar flinched, the device spinning from his hands in the low gravity. He missed it the first, second and third time, his desperation so great that it threw off what little coordination he had left.

“This is Commander Ulthar Tariks, yes we need immediate assistance. We have fifty souls aboard in cryosleep, all systems failing.” he took a breath to calm himself and dislodge the lump that was forming in his throat. “Yes. We need assistance.” he finished and then turned toward his second who was already halfway across the room and threw himself into an embrace.

They’d done it. They’d saved them.

 

[Alwine Daye]

Location: Bridge of the Happy Tree Friends
Wearing: Clothes
Tags: Kyrinov Bella +Open!

Not hostile, ship fried.

Awline sighed.

She had sort of hoped that would not be the answer. Had the answer been anything different, she would've been able to call them off and tell them to postpone the rescue mission to later on. Instead, they were now stuck with it.

But… Single seat crafts. Yes! That meant they didn't have to finish it all today!

"Deliver them with assistance packages if they need it," she sent through, "We can send a dedicated rescue team from the Scintilla very soon."

Yes… That would work. Not rescue them now, but in a few hours, or days. Oh, Alwine would never be as cruel as to let them remain stranded, especially not after it's been two years according to what Bella said. But there were also priorities.

With a sleight of hand, she moved a few pills into her mouth and took a chug of water to swallow them down.

"Other than that, I believe we're close to finishing our exploration," she said to any who might be listening in, "A little bit more and we will have our location markers down, and then we can return to the Scintilla. Let's not make this any bigger than it absolutely has to be."

 

[Madalena Antares]

Wearing: Armor (tinted deep red)
Wielding: Meymad
Tags: Itash Mecetti + Open!

Madalena sighed. She had initially scheduled with one of the scientists of the Scintilla to meet on this space station. Some work had been done concerning the skin of her face, and for some reason they thought they would have a bigger advancement if they did it within the confused of a smaller station than the Scintilla itself, but once the station had actually gone through enough distance, the Aspect of Death had learned that the scientists never even showed up.

As such, she was now stuck on the station until it returned back home. Thankfully, there weren't any training sessions scheduled for today that she was required to attend. Initially, she had taken up a private office and worked there on future plans, but after a few hours, her stomach had begun to grumble.

It was time to eat.

Like her sister, and come to think of it, most of her family members, Madalena's appetite was formidable. She could eat enough for three in a single sitting, seeing as her body, both tall and thick, needed a lot of substaninence, especially at her activity levels.

Entering the food court, she took a look around before deciding to go for the hamburgers. Hamburgers and a side of XXXL onion rings sounded like a good right there and then.

Minutes later, tray in hand, Madlena looked at those who were actually seated in the food court. She recognized all the faces, except… Except one.

With the friendliest of smiles, she sat down across of Itash Mecetti .

"Hey there," she greeted him, twisting the tray so that he onion rings faced him as well, indicating that he was more than free to help himself if he so wanted to, "I know everyone here except for you. Who're you? I'm Madalena, I'm with the Wild Hunt."

 

[Salem Norongachi]

Ten’tek struggled under the weight of the tool bag, it was half as big as his small frame, and the Chandra-Fan teetered on the edge of falling over as he made his way through the vast corridors of the new space station. A keen eyed observer might have noticed that one of his boots was markedly different from the other. It had been modified and shrunk to fit his foot and he had squeaked angrily when the cobbler had asked him whether he wanted a replacement.

This shoe, this single insignificant piece of fabric and rubber, had been the turning point in his whole life. He’d come across it by chance, at his lowest ebb, and from there things had fallen into step. He’d met a man who needed an apprentice mechanic, being small and nimble and willing to work for a pittance had secured the position where his lack of experience would have let him down.

He was among the stars again; he had hope, he had a future.

He lost his balance at the edge of a maintenance hatch.

He disappeared with a squeak

 

[Sasmay Cull]

She got a reply to her question. Granted she was now looking over the myriad of buttons on the dashboard in front of her. Her own helmets display attempting to guide her, before ultimately she clicked the comm line off before sighing and just going for it. She was thankful that no one could hear her in the desperate attempt to get this thing, well, working.

"Droid...brain...on?" She spoke hesitantly. Nothing happened, and she closed her eyes before drumming her fingers over a thigh. In that moment she relaxed, too frustrated and finished with the moment and beginning to mentally remove herself before she got mad enough to slam the dash. Something pushed her to look up from how she hung her head. Eyes focusing on a switch and feeling the urge to flick it. She sat silently, wondering if this feeling had been the force this whole time in her life.

Flicking the switch, systems flared to life. The alarm coming back on before being promptly switched off again. Sensors pinged and the display showed positions with updating read outs. She triggered the comms once more and spoke without thinking.

"Got i-...err. I-feth. Forming up." Sasmay called, easing closer to the group now that she had dedicated readings. The ice slowly snaked further up the viewports and she could not help but feel like this should not have been an issue.

 

[Dasmi Lindervale]

LOCATION: Scintilla
OBJECTIVE: Wait for...something.

Dimitri drummed his fingers on the desk, impatiently waiting for anything really. The space station had been sent north of the scintilla. Exploration, setting out a few things. Returning home. The silence bothered him though. The not knowing bothered him more. The last time he had sent someone out they had not returned, along with the numerous others whose names now memorialized in a scrolling placard that sat facing him. The names of those lost in the engagements so far were never more than a glance away for the man.

Rimes had convinced him to stay behind. And he was regretting it like a child being stubborn.

The space station wasn't supposed to send a return signal. Or anything for that matter. They had been sent to do a job, and they were likely doing it. His sitting here waiting for a sign of distress, or an update, or anything really was just a matter of nerves. Rimes had stared at him before taking the rest of the day for herself. Likely not wanting to deal with his continued anxious nerves at the lack of knowing.

He sat there, behind his desk, watching the placard scroll through the names, not realizing he was speaking them rather than silently watching them scroll through.

"Gil Pelles, Myria Haruss, Lilla Jissard, Bib'lona, Mar Berand, La'sara..." The words were almost whispered, hand slowly tapping before grabbing the glass of whiskey set to the side of the waiting signal receiver.