The Line in the Stars (IC) [PG/14]

[Prof B Hunnydew]

Nova's sleeping body lies forward on the control console,  When she moves into a more comfortable position, a small gold chain around her neck falls out from her shirt.  It has a gold pendant which has flat white quartz crystal square or diamond-shape  about 1/2 inch square.  The crystal shines as it lays on the control panel.

PBH

OOC- a message in a bottle thrown in a starry sea.

[Lushin]

Phalanx: Hanger bay
Romulus raised an eyebrow at the "the out ranking" comment, then shrugs.
"When have I ever cared about rank?"
Romulus looked at the ramp and smiled abit.
"That an invitation?"

[ShadesFox]

Revelation:Office of uncertain doom

Aaron was more then a tad suspect.  Things were going way to easy. 

On the other hand, there was a new specimen.  He fought the eagerness in his head, suspecting that it would be prodded at.  He was very curious about how that worked anyways.  Of course, there was also the vague hope that these powers could be learned, but suspected that such things were not posable.

"This should be fun."
Which was code in his own mind for, *let's get this train wreck rolling.*

[Azlan]

Phalanx: Mother


The vixen raises an eyebrow when she sees the glowing crystal in Nova's pendant.  She reaches out to touch the crystal and her form wavers for a second.

"M...Matron... that belongs to Matron, the vessel of Χάος and Gaea!  This is her master control crystal... with it, I could locate her!"




Phalanx: Hanger bay


Alexis shook her head, "you should care about rank, it is smarter to play the game then fight it.  Being courteous to one of higher rank is not the same as deference.  Deference should only be reserved for those who have earned it."

The fox sighed, she knew she was speaking to a brick wall, "anyways, you should probably come in and at least meet who you had to work so hard to find."

With that, the orange vixen strode up the ramp and into the alien vessel.




Revelation:Office of uncertain doom


The Captain turned towards Aaron, "Major Kanzoria, Colonel Nexx and I will need to discuss a few... things, it is best if you take Ixiah here to the Phalanx and bring him to Loki.  We will need both of them on our next objective point.  Dismissed."

The blue fox, dressed in strange anime-like impractical battle armor, latched onto Aaron's arm, "hiya!"

Colonel Nexx shook his head, "oh and Major Brown... see if you can find him something more practical to wear."

[Prof B Hunnydew]

Phalanx: Mother

"M...Matron... that belongs to Matron, the vessel of Χάος and Gaea!  This is her master control crystal... with it, I could locate her!"
..... Mother's touch actives the final last minutes ...

The grim face of Xaoc appears above the crystal and said" Matron, send a mayday and ship status."
Gaea's voice: "No Xaoc, they will hear you.  We must not send anything and they must not find us.  We maybe the only ones with the resonating frequencies for that cage.  Oh Gods, Xaoc, what have we done."
Matron:"All Com's are down, mental shield on max, drives are failing, we will be out in normal space in 10 minutes, and flight controls are minimum at best."
Gaea: "I'll secure the data, we must stop those bugs. somehow, or our people... all worlds will be slaves forever."
Matron:"Warning! Normal space.... high velocity reentry--- we are out of control in a gravity well. planetary orbit impossible."
Xaoc:"I have got it have got it"  *boom rrrrrrroam boom*

Xaoc straining face disappears.....but the voice record continues

Matron:"We are cut off with life support damage, drives and hull damage beyond self-repair, Engaging stasis mode until help arrives."

"Fairy lady Gaea, Lord Xaoc.." whispers Nova.
Nova's hand over's the crystal, and then it shines brighter and this mental image is replayed in her mind...

Gaea's voice and mental recording:"Nova  kitling.... I am sorry to use you like this, but we need someone to send a message back to our home, and you're it.  You are pretty amazing girl, and I am glad to be your fairy godparent.  I hope, I pushed you in the right of direction, and you have a good life, or as good a life as you can. 
    If you are hearing this, then you have met up with someone of my people, who can help you with the Enemy.  It is not much but I have keyed this master crystal to your mental signature and you are a member of my crew.  It will help you with introducing yourself to others of my kind and our ships.   Yet, be warily, little one, you will not meet many of my people, who can be trusted to help you and yours.
    I'm hope that your people and my people can help each other and put the Enemy away and beyond their reach for everyone.   Be brave Nova...Love Gaea..

To my Kinsmen:  Please, Take care of this little one, she has all you need to fight the Enemy.  If you don't, then the Fates will damn us all to be living playthings of the merciless."

PBH

[Lushin]

Phalanx: Hanger bay. Entrance for Loki's ship
Romulus shook his head
"Has anyone told you. I lost that game many years ago. I give respect where it is earned"
Romulus starts to walk up the entrance ramp. Then looked around the hanger bay
"Why am I getting a weird feeling about this"
Romulus entered the ship.

[ShadesFox]

Revelation: Office of uncertain doom

Aaron salutes the officers, looking as serious as an one can with a cosplayer clinging to his arm.  He leads the blue fox out and heads to the Phalanx, trying hard to avoid imagining what he expects the situation to be like when he gets back, half way expecting to find Lt. Nova is now Lt. Puddle of Goo.

"So, Ixiah was it?  I was curious, that outfit, explain its existence to me."

[Azlan]

Phalanx: Mother


Possibly in her entire existence, Mother had never been truly surprised, so this was definitely a new experience for her. 

Carefully she slipped the crystal back into Nova's shirt, though she had seen the intent was benevolent, Mother was still distrustful of the Ancient Xaoc and Gaea.  She also did not trust Matron fully, so having the master control crystal in a position to interface with her systems made her uneasy.

After arranging Nova so she would be more comfortable, she padded off to meet the new guest.



Phalanx: Hanger bay, Loki's ship


The ramp lead Romulus into the main section of the ship, and area designed to be an area to receive guests and for crew to relax in their off hours (if Mother had needed crew).  Likely the interior of this ship appeared as Romulus would have expected it to.

There is no sign of the orange vixen Alexis, but a regal fox that could be her twin sister approached from the long hallway to his left.  She did not appear hostile, but her intentions were very hard to read.

"What brings you here Mr. Darkcoud?"  The orange vixen inquires




Revelation: Hall


The blue fox thought for a second and snapped his fingers, "you see this outfit exists because of the rapid expansion of the host, primordial proto-universe.  To understand this model, we must be familiar with Special and General Relativity, but we also must take into account, Hubble's law..."

Ixiah clamped his mouth shut, as the thoughts emanating from Aaron were not happy ones concerned with his continued existence.

"eh... oh, you mean why I am wearing it?  Well you see, one of my attending scientists was a fan of manga... this outfit was pulled from Zero Fox: Red and as it is considered inappropriate for one to be uncovered publicly in your society... I decided it was the most flexible and free of the ones she had dressed me in, within her mind.  So I made it real.  For a fighting outfit, the armor protection is spaced impractically, leaving my middle area a bit unprotected.  I suppose you will want me to wear something more restrictive?"

[ShadesFox]

Revelation: Hallway.  Really, it's just a hallway

"First off, General Relativity supplants Special Relativity, since Special Relativity describes objects in motion but does not account for gravity or acceleration while General Relativity does.  Second, Hubble's law has to to with the expansion of the universe.  Neither of which seem to pertain to the cloths you are wearing."

Aaron makes his way to secure a transfer ship.

"As for the cloths business, more restrictive is unnecessary, something less ridiculous is required.  I really don't care what you wear as long as it is not distracting."
Aaron debates with himself off and on about if he should pickup Richard, who seems reasonably useful and not shot up at current.

[Lushin]

Phalanx: Hanger bay, Loki's ship
Romulus stoud there thinking for a second thinking.
"You know I'm not sure. I was wondering the halls thinking and just kinda showed up here. You wouldn't happen to know how Loki is doing would you?"

[Azlan]

Revelation: Hallway.


Ixiah smiled and tugged on Aaron's arm more, "yes, yes... creation of the universe, aggregation of matter, particle field theory, quantum mechanics, it is all science.  You understand it, it explains how things are the way they are and why.  Well, imagine if everything you knew was wrong, or at least slightly mistaken.  A particular type of science allows me to create this outfit from seemingly nowhere.  However, as you can see it appears as real as a Tipler cylinder."

The blue fox draws his paw through his should plate, stretching and distorting it until it becomes opaque.  His hand passes through it and it snaps back into place like a rubber band.

"I suppose you could say it is made from exotic matter or any nonbaryonic matter really.  I can create it with my... uh, thoughts if you will.  It is kind of like magic."

As Ixiah babbles, Aaron is able to secure a transfer ship, board it, travel to the Phalanx, and disembark.




Phalanx: Hanger bay, Loki's ship


The vixen nodded, "Loki is here, he was badly hurt and is still injured somewhat, he is just being a bad kit and hiding it."

The orange vixen paused to sigh before continuing, "I am known as Mother, I am pleased to make your acquaintance.  Would you like to see Loki?  Nova is here with him as well."

[Lushin]

Phalanx: Hanger bay, Loki's ship
"I wouldn't mind see how the kid is doing"
Romulus stands for a second then looks around the ship.
"So Mother you know how me and Loki met?"

[ShadesFox]

Phalanx: Hanger bay of space ships

"Of course there is something wrong with our understanding science, if everything were discovered and correct, then I would not have much of a job anymore.  Also, magic is actually deceit , just for more amusing purposes."

He leads the babbling Ixiah to Loki's ship, making mental notes of any new physics concepts that would be interesting to delve into.

[Azlan]

Phalanx: Hanger bay, Loki's ship


"If you wish to see Loki, you may, but do not excite him too much.  I want him to heal and the more he runs around, the slower that process is.  Their physical forms are somewhat different then your own.  It is a perfect reproduction of a flesh and blood form, but it is precipitated from the surrounding environment by breaking matter down to its component sub particles and reforming it into pseudo-approximation of a vulpine form.  It is sort of like what you would call ectoplasm.  Damage to the form acts just like damage to your own.  The more time one spends in a physical form, the more one becomes tied to it and the harder it is to separate from it."

At some point, Mother had moved to illustrating her discussion with holographic images that drifted about as she spoke.  She lead Romulus through the ship to the control area where Loki and Nova slept.

"I am sorry, I must bore you.  I am merely an artificial intelligence, as such, the things I find interesting tend to be different then what others would judge."

She carefully reached down and touched Loki, who stirred and blinked a few times.  He yawned wide, showing off his sharp little teeth, and looked up with cute puppy dog eyes at Romulus, "hiya Rom, what brings you to my ship?"



Phalanx: Hanger bay


Ixiah had finished his discussion about advanced concepts in physics, where even the general information had potential to advance known science by leaps and bounds... if only Aaron could remember what was discussed, well he had his notes... but the pages were blank.  Aaron could not remember the previous conversation or after a moment that there was a discussion.  What Aaron did remember was talking to Ixiah about changing his clothes and their flight over to the Phalanx

Ixiah smiled innocently at Aaron and shrugged, "okay Aaron, I'll change."  With a snap of the fingers, the blue fox was clothed in an outfit very similar to Aaron's uniform.  "Better?"

Ixiah paused for a brief moment and swung around slowly until he locked eyes on Loki's ship, "ohhhh... heeey Aaron, let's go over there!"  He pointed vigorously at the ship.

[Lushin]

Phalanx: Hanger bay, Loki's ship
Romulus kneels down so Loki can better see him.
"I'm not sure really. I was wondering the halls thinking and when I looked up I was in the hangar. So how you doing kiddo? You took quite a pounding back there"

[ShadesFox]

Phalanx: Hanger bay, return of the impending doom

"Hmm... I get the strangest feeling that I forgot something.  Oh well, couldn't have been important."

Aaron noted the fox pointing with absurd amounts of enthusiasm at the ship.

"That thing?  Isn't it what Lt. Nova dug up on the ice planet?  I suppose that would be a good place to look for her, I want to make sure Lt. Nova has not turned into Lt. Grey Goo.  Either way, nosing about in an alien ship is something I always wanted to do."

Aaron heads over, with the well dressed Ixiah in tow.

[Prof B Hunnydew]

Lt Nova sleeps on, and awaits Mother's healing touch.


PBH

[Azlan]

Phalanx: Hanger bay, Loki's ship


Loki shrugged, "I'm okay Romulus, I just got shot... just a couple of small holes.  I'm getting better, but hanging out in the medical bay was boring."

Meanwhile, Mother waved her hand over Nova and brought her back to the land of the conscious, "wake up dear, some friends appear to be coming." 



Phalanx: Hanger bay, return of the impending doom


Aaron should be happy to find that the ship is open and inviting, with a ramp conveniently leading up and into it.

Ixiah did not wait for Aaron the enter, he strode up to the ramp and entered, quickly disappearing from view.  Perhaps Aaron should consider a leash...?

[Prof B Hunnydew]

"aww Come on Mother.  It's saturday morning" says Nova from under her hair and arms. 
and then moves her body to a new position on the control console and rolls her head more into a ball with her arms and hair covering her. 

PBH

[Lushin]

Phalanx: Hanger bay, Loki's ship
Romulus gentle puts his hand on Loki's head and ruffles his hair.
"Well take it easy none the less. I know how much it sucks being active after having holes shot into ya"
Romulus just kinda looks at Loki for a bit.
"I still remember all those problems I had on that pirate space station when we first met"

[ShadesFox]

Phalanx: Hanger bay, son of impending doom

The ship did look quite inviting.  Considering that his charge ran in, Aaron ran in as well. 

[Azlan]

Phalanx: Hanger bay, Loki's ship


Aaron bolts after Ix and notices him heading down a hall from the lounge location.


Within the command center, Mother shakes her head and whispers in Nova's ear, "come now dear, I made chocolate chip pancakes."


Loki closes his eyes as his head fur is ruffled and he shakes a tuft out of his left eye, "yes Rom, but that's not really important... let's not bother Mother which such things.

At this moment, Ixiah enters the command center.  Loki spins in his chair and leaps at the larger blue fox, wrapping him in a hug, "Ixi ix ix ix ix ix... ow ow, that hurt... ix ix ixi!"

Mother cringes slightly as Loki did that and sighs heavily.

Ixiah, carefully unwraps the green fox and puts him back in his chair, "nice to see you too Loki, please be careful, Mother worries and you are still recovering."

[ShadesFox]

Phalanx: Hanger bay, Loki's ship, bride of impending doom

Aaron darted into the ship, past the lounge location and into the command center.  He stops in the doorway breathing a bit noticeably.

"Don't DO THAT!  Or at least tell me when you are going to bolt like that."

Aaron takes a moment to look around, noting 'that guy from the surface, nice guy, should remember his name.'  Lt. Nova, taking a nap or some such, Ixiah, Loki, and... new girl?  Cute new girl, but unexpected new girl.

[Prof B Hunnydew]

"Mgrrrr Mother, If Loki is going to have his friends over this early in the morning, He can.... take  ....him ..to hiss.own...." shouted Nova as her scowling look over at who or what was making all this noise in "Her Bedroom."  When her tried mind finally snapped into gear and remembered that her brother was Nathan, not Loki.  Loki was alien fox.  A new male voice was that marine/special ops guy from the surface battle.  And then her new bossy Major just bursted into the alien control room shouting at the another fox-alien boy, Ixia. 

Her military training had her jumping  up and her snapping to attention for the Major, only to find that Major Brown was more interested in looking at Mother.  She was angry at him what she sees as his male arrogance, when she realized that something was missing from around her neck. She feel around her chest and finally located her chain around her neck.  She quickly pulled the chain and her crystal pendant out and then just as quickly send it back into her shirt.  She insured that the crystal fell to right place in the center of her chest under her shirt and then quickly straighten the rest of her uniform.

"Hello, Sgt Romulus, Nice to see you again.  and Hello Ixia nice to see you back home, too." Saids Nova as she kneeled down to Ixia level. 

PBH

[Lushin]

Phalanx: Hanger bay, Loki's ship
Romulus is knocked over by Loki as he is about to speak. He is surpised to see Aaron follow the blue fox come into the room. Once he saw the blue fox he half expected to see a coyote following it. He then looks to Nove when she addressed him.
"Oh hey doc, how you doing? You just about had a mountain fall on top of you"
He looks at Loki as he climbed to his feet.
"Geez man didn't we tell you to take it easy. You won't heal if you keep doing that"
As he stoud and ran a hand through his hair as he looked at Aaron.
"So how did you get here"

[ShadesFox]

Phalanx: Hanger bay, Loki's ship

"Well, there was a door, there was a distance between the door and myself so I walked it, well running really, I was following Ixiah who ran in here, apparently trying to find Loki.  Which is fortunate, I was told to find Loki anyways."

He looked at Romulus, "Oh, and it's good to see you too."

[Azlan]

Phalanx: Hanger bay, Loki's ship



The vixen was very aware of Aaron's slight change in reaction when he saw her, but he was not aware of what she really was.  Mother smiled none the less, however, her demeanor hardened slightly as she regarded Nova, "you must be careful with what you have around your neck if you please."

Ixiah gave Mother a quizzical look, but the vixen did not respond.  The blue fox shrugged and focused his attention on Nova, "no Ms. Nova, I am not 'home'.  Mother is not my guardian... she is Loki's.  Even though he and I are the same, we are different."

Loki nervously ran his hand through his hair as he was chastised by Romulus, "sorry, I just got excited when Ixiah arrived."

Mother turned towards everyone and spread her hands wide, "now that you are all here, what is it you wish to do now?"

Ixiah swished his blue tail rapidly, dropping his serious tone, "I want ice cream!"

"oh me too!"  Loki piped in.

Mother laughed, "please be serious, this is important."

"but I did want ice cream, our ships have such wonderful replicators... and I'm not being silly..."  Ixiah looked rather crestfallen and a bit of red shown through his fur. 

[Prof B Hunnydew]

With a quick hand to her chest and her necklace under her shirt, the catgirl looked with shock and dismay at Mother for a moment.  Then She blinked and turned to Ixia in puzzlement over his commends, "What you have a guardian like Mother, too?" she asked. 

With screams for ice cream other antic from Loki and Ixia, Nova wonders, if the aliens were really like cubs because Mother could cared and treated them that way. or  Did Mother treated them that way because they acted like cubs?  Or Was this just an act by Loki and Ixia throw her and the other? or Some conditioning by or from the Masters?  The Masters could control the Acarians better, if they all acted like and thought like children, but how would you get any work out of a whole civilization of kids.

  Despite her own hunger that sudden wanted Ice Cream, She thought to act mature, and asked, "What do you guys really need eat?  Not ice cream that a treat.  *sigh* Why Do I feel like I'm babysitting and I'm not getting paid?" asked Lt Nova as she sat down again at the control panel. 

*Big Sigh* "Okay, Loki,  Ixia, Mother said that she could find my grandmother's old Acardian crash site?"asked Lt Nova as she tries to get this crew back to business.  "Can we start to plan on going there?"

PBH

[Azlan]

When Nova asked if he had a guardian, Ixiah looked up at the ceiling and swished his right footpaw around for a few moments before answering, "well... all royal... um..."

Loki smiled mischievously, "what Ixiah wants to say is all kits of royalty are paired with a guardian.  They are very sophisticated cubsitters."

Ix turned an odd shade of purple as he spun to face Loki, "I am not a kit!  I'm not..."

Mother patted the blue fox on the back, "there there, Loki was just pushing your buttons.  Don't let him do that to you."

Ixiah sighed and continued, "but because of the masters, I also had a controller... because I am Olin as well."

Nova asked about what they really ate and that ice cream was a treat, Loki and Ixiah both stared straight at Nova, "we eat souls..."

Both of them laughed sinisterly, "we are only kidding... we really don't need to eat per se.  However, treats are still good in a physical form."

Mother nodded when asked about planning a trip to Nova's grandmother's crash site, "we can definitely go there, but it is up to your commanders what and where you can go Nova."

[ShadesFox]

Aaron chuckled to himself, the two little foxes acting just like brothers, and another chuckle when Nova brought up babysitting.  Aaron decided to keep his quip about babysitting the lieutenant to himself.

"As amusing as this discourse is, I can't help but wonder where your royal caretaker is Ix.  On that subject,"
Aaron looks at mother,
"Where did you come from anyways?  I would have thought that I would have heard about another prisoner on the ship."

Aaron was getting sort of amused by the prospect in his own special way.  Maybe he should leave the military, take the motley crew that seemed to be assembling around him, and start his own crack commando team?  Never mind that it would never actually work.