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

[Lushin]

Romulus nods his head at Captain Summers' comment. He looked over at Ben at he grabbed Loki's shirt collar. "If you want food it's best to ask before you runn off and end up with a bullet in the back of your head. I'm sure you'll get some decent food when we're all done here. So just sit back, relax and see what the show has to offer"

[ShadesFox]

Aaron thinks to him self,
*Okay, so apparently I have been pulled to a deep space fleet, with an ADHD kid on board, who dyes his fuzz green (how long would that take anyways...), and you have a rough neck threatening to shoot him for misbehaving... and back home they called me strange.  What have I gotten into this time?*

He recomposes him self and asks, "So, who is this guest turned kid turned almost shot?"

[Lushin]

Romulus gives Loki a sideways look then does the same to Aaron. "This kids was the pirate leader Lord Zhilhon. Until we got there *Romulus points to himself and his squad* and I guess you could say ruined his fun. Now he's just like the rest of us. Stuck out here without any real clue as to what's in store"

[ShadesFox]

Glad to know I'm not the only one lost and confused.  Still, how does a little kid go about controlling a bunch of pirates?

[Lushin]

Romulus looks at Aaron. "I have no idea how a 150 year old youngster got control of the pirates" Romulus then looked at Nexx and Summers "What excatly are these two *points towards Aaron and Nova* here for anyway? I'm assume they will have something to do with our little Loki here" *ruffles Loki's hair*

[Prof B Hunnydew]

Lt Nova Hunnydew walks slowly to the green fox cub, and sits on her kneels ignoring the adult males....and looks Loki in the eye and says "Hi, I'm Nova Hunnydew, would you like a energy bar, Loki?"
  The feline girl shows a very kind and friendly face and mind to the little fox cub as she hands him an vitamin enriched chocolate covered protein bar from her back pocket.

"Will you be my friend, little fox?" thinks Nova at the fox cub.  And watches him with interest.  Her blue hair was an oddity enough for her when she was growing up.  Being green was not going to be very easy for little Loki here in ISF space.  Beside being from beyond known space.

PBH

 

[ShadesFox]

Turns to the Captain, "You know sir, this guy *points back at Romulus* has a good question.  What are we doing here and does it have something to do with 150 year old kids?"
*Keeps pointing at Romulus as long as Romulus points at him.*

[Lushin]

Romulus chuckled a bit at what Nove just did. He then looks at Loki. "See we're not all that bad, just some of us" Romulus leaned down to whisper in Loki's ear with the back of his head faceing Nova. "Don't get too excited kid she's alittle too "old" for you" Romulus stands back up straight and looks Nove square in the eye and nods his head "Ma'am"

[Azlan]

INARI Class Cruiser, Revelation - CAG's Office



Kal reached the office for and had knocked, within a few moments the office door opened and a slim ermine poked her head out.  This was Master Chief Elsa Graham, when she noticed it was Kal she gave a brief salute and nodded, "good day lieutenant, Commander MacDuff is out and about with the skipper.  If you need anything immediately you will have to see Lt. Commander Kason or your flight leader Major Hadem."

She indicated the office down the hall.



Phalanx interrogation room



The Captain held up his hand as questions were thrown at him and around in general, "What we are doing out here is what you were already briefed on back on Riallphen at the start of the expedition.  Our fleet is to scout out and discover the approach of the enemy response fleet.  It has been identified by our other alien guests that these Masters are moving an operational base, a dyson sphere, to conduct operations in our home space and bring about our complete enslavement and subjugation.  We, excluding the humans, are apparently a toy... an experiment for the purposes of providing galactic scale war as entertainment for these creatures.  Our united ISF has decided to end this arrangement and free ourselves of their influence."

The captain paused before continuing, "the other purpose of this scout fleet is to investigate sources of the alien transmissions, which has been identified as Acadian communications arrays for more of these..."  The captain points to Loki, "aliens and any intelligence on the enemy that may be found.  We are to pacify, with force if necessary, any military threat that might be present to prevent flanking maneuvers against the main operational fleet by Acadian minions.  There are also a few pirate groups that we are supposed to scatter as a tertiary objective."

While the Captain talked, Loki stared at Nova and then at the protein bar.  He was a tad miffed at being treated like a child, but he wiggled his nose at the energy bar offered and takes it carefully from Nova's grasp, "I am 150 of my planet's years in age, based on what I know of your typical measurement of time from Nova here... it is based on one solar rotation of your originating home planet Riallphen.  It completes this rotation in 365 of your 24 hour days.  Based on this, my age in your time frame is 1500 years.  My home is 83 times the size of Riallphen and orbits around our star approximately once per ten rotations of yours.  You have a very open mind Ms. Hunneydew."  He smiled at her in a pleasant way, not having thought anything of delving through her thoughts casually to find the information he sought on time.  He turned his head to stare straight into Aaron's eyes, "Oh and Aaron, I do not dye my fur green... I am green.  Our specific species found a need to pigment its fur brightly, to perhaps make up for our muted interpretation of 'color'.  You all are rather drab to me."

This discourse by Loki caused Morgan to balk, he glanced at Nexx who shrugged.  Captain Morgan Summers turned back to addressing everyone, "as for why the two of you are here Mr. Brown and Ms. Hunnydew, you are to be dealing with him,"  He pointed to Loki, "and his brother Ixiah.  With Major Brown's Naval R&D credentials and clearance and Colonel Nexx's operational Military Intelligence authority, we should be able to override Major Kanzoria's control over him.  The two foxes will make very good sources of intelligence and will prove useful against any others of their kind that we find and against the technology of the Masters.  For now we will want to determine how Loki got here and controlled the pirates as he did."

"I came in my shi... er, I took a space bus here."  Loki said as he smiled and scratched the back of his head nervously.

       

[Lushin]

Phalanx interrogation room
Romulus looked at the rest of his squad as Captain Summers finished talking. "Well we did blew up a bit of machinory in the station that he was hooked up to. Once it blew he kinda croupled. Maybe you could send a crew over at some point and see what's left of the equipment" Romulus looked around at everyone there then down to Loki. "Wait a space bus? Also you may want to hold off on the mind reading just a bit"

[Prof B Hunnydew]

"A ship?" asks a shocked LT Hunnydew looking at Romulus.....
"IF it is not too smash, Can we see this "ship" we got,  Romulus?" asks Nova as she turns back to the green fox.  She is not sure if she believes him about being 1500 years old, but he is truely not a cub.

Returning to her feet, "So, my granny's tales of little green fae furs are right....and with mindreading too... Loki. thank you, I am honored to meet you.  Maybe we can help each other, your brother, and/or your ship?  Can you tell us where you stand on the "master" question?"  asked LTjg Hunnydew... 

PBH

[Lushin]

Romulus look straight into Nova's eyes as she asked her question. He waited till she had finished talking. "Sorry ma'am that is not up to me, that would be up to Nexx on that one. I'm sure they will be sending squads over to finish clean up on the station and then as a escort to the scientists when they go over to see what that station has and if we could use it at some point. You'll have to ask if you ask and see if you can go along. Sounds like the Captain may have other plans for you and the major here"

[Azlan]

"We aren't all green Nova and I'm not sure about the fae thing... we use psychometry, psychokinesis... psionics if you will, not magic.  Though some may call it that."  Loki pointed to Morgan, "I sincerely hope my brother is not here, Heimdall isn't friendly... I hope you mean Ixiah, who is my cousin not my brother.  You should know that Morgan."

At Nova's mention of wanting to see the ship they had obtained, possibly due to confusion as well as Romulus's mention of the station, Loki became wide eyed, "my ship??!!  You captured my ship??!!  When?  I thought I had hidden it well in geosynchronous orbit over the southern pole of the planet."

[Paladin Sheppard]

INARI Class Cruiser, Revelation - CAG's Office

After returning the salute, Kal looked at his watch. "If its ok with you Master Chief I'll wait here. Oh and do you have any  BNCA-001 forms in your filing? I need to get the CAG to sign off on it."

[Prof B Hunnydew]

"It is your cousin I think we speak of, but when and where was the last you saw your brother, Loki?" asks Nova worried...  She thinks Loki may have been unwise to say anything about his ship, even if it was still hidden or cloaked... and she hopes that his brother is not still around if that another craft proves to be Heimdall's ship and not Loki's..   

God and Goddess. Loki, a name from myth, known for pranks and mischief... he was not good or evil but just an elemental of chaos. wonders Nova as she suddenly remembers what the little fox's name was from.

"Granny told me lots of tales about the rainbow furries and their mind-magic... but I will have to tell you some other time.  I think she added bug wings only for my kitten entertainment ...  Capt, What can we do now to help or free his cousin to Loki and us?" inquires Lt Nova as snapping back to business.

PBH

[ShadesFox]

For now Aaron just listens, getting more answers now then when he was asking questions.  He has a feeling there is still a lot he is not being told, especially from Nova.  He makes his mind up to ask about later but listens for now, especially about psionics; another topic to poke into.

((OOC: This has nothing to do with graduating from college and moving about I swear X3.))

[Azlan]

INARI Class Cruiser, Revelation - CAG's Office



Master Chief Graham shrugged and returned to her office inside the CAG's area.  Though much smaller then Commander MacDuff's office, the Master Chief still possessed an office, something rare among NCOs.  The lupine 2nd class petty officer at the desk that served as the reception secretary's spot was busy typing away at some report and paid no attention to Kal as he sat down on the seat in the waiting area.

Master Chief Graham exited her office scratching her head and sat at the second terminal across from the petty officer and brought up the forms database, "what exactly is a BNCA-001 form?"

She began searching the database, "perhaps its a Lycan military form... a what??!!  Bondsman...?" 

The Master Chief looked straight at Kal, "despite your origins among the Lycan Commonwealth, you are a member of the ISF now... and the ISF does not condone slavery of any type.  I do not know if Commander MacDuff will sign off on it."



Phalanx interrogation room



Morgan regarded Nova's question carefully, but it was Colonel Nexx who responded, "well lieutenant, we don't specifically have to rescue him.  We will have to use Major Brown here and have him exert some of his Fleet R&D xenotechnological investigation authority and my intelligence clearance to have him transfered under our control.  We may have to put up with Major Kanzoria integrating himself into our research group here, but at that point he will merely be an observer and adviser." 

Narrowing his eyes conspiratorially, he smiled as he regarded Loki, "of course if we had a piece of alien technology, like a ship, this process would be much easier as we would have an obvious purpose for this research."  the human colonel displayed a craftiness rivaling that of a fox.

Loki smacked his forehead, "arrgh, you didn't know about my ship."







****OOC****

((OOC: This has nothing to do with graduating from college and moving about I swear X3.))

Fox lie! 

[Paladin Sheppard]

INARI Class Cruiser, Revelation - CAG's Office

Kal reached over the Master Chief's shoulder and tapped a link that was next to the forms file icon. The screen loaded a page that was strait from the ISF regulations book.

"Reg. 345/5a Master Chief. A bondman or woman is not a slave and therefor exempt from being clasified as one. I was after the CAG's signature to keep her onboard and allow her to be part of my Raptor's ground crew.

[Prof B Hunnydew]

Transfer or free him, with internal politics in any government, it is almost the same thing.  In the IFS, the combining of three defense departments, it is even worst. " comments Nova as a universal fact about bureaucracies

"Loki, I would not worried too much, since we will need your help with your ship, once we get it.  I hope to be the head engineer and researcher on this project and I will protect a "friend's" ship as If it is my own. ." states Lt Hunnydew, "Yet, there is always some give and take when you have to deal with offical channels."

"Still, Loki, we'll need to understand the situation between you, your cousin and the "Masters".  Do you remember how you come to be here or why?  Or have you already explained that to the Capt?" asks Nova with a sigh.  She is over reaching her authority, again, and she knew it.  She is not sure if she can help Loki or even if she should.

PBH

[Lushin]

Phalanx interrogation room

Romulus looked at Nova and smiled a bit "Hey I never said we found a ship" Walked over to Nexx, slinging his rifle as he walked. He saluted Nexx as he stoud near him. "So when are we *gestures to his squad* leaveing to see get his ship, I promise we won't break anything this time?"

[ShadesFox]

Phalanx interrogation room

"This time?", Aaron asks the Sergeant, contemplating taking up an active role in preventing future interesting tech from being broken.

Aaron is also rather annoyed at Honnydew.  He is probably going to try and pull the proper strings to get Loki and his ship, the potential for interesting technology is too great; and a new alien species, psychic no less.  However, she is rather extending her promises, and apparently expecting Aaron to make good on them.

Things are starting to look extremely interesting, and Aaron is not entirely unsure that interesting is a bad thing this time.

[Lushin]

Phalanx interrogation room
Romulus looks over at Aaron. "Yes this time. If you ever get to go to that station we got Loki from, you see what I'm talking about.  It was some interesting tech. The good part is it's already is pieces so you don't have to take it apart"

[Valynth]

Unknown Ship - Conference Room

"so we're an expendable experimentary force" Valynth muttered mostly to himself.  He then spoke up to Shannon, "So are we going to be paid for this 'comission' or should we just be grateful?"

[Azlan]

Phalanx interrogation room



Loki seemed a bit more relaxed at Nova's reassurances, but from what he knew about lesser race's militaries, Nova was not very high ranking.  Still it was good to have someone that wished to protect him.

Loki shuttered when the masters were mentioned, but it was momentary and hardly noticeable.  "My relationship to my cousin is complicated.  He and I are blood cousins unlike much of royals, but his house is the ancestral dynastic ascendant, whereas mine is a colonial ascendant of third peerage.  Such things really are meaningless, for all our titles and nobility, it really is just a ploy to impress the lesser races.  You could call it a galactic game of a sorts.  Ixiah and I are related by blood, but he is from the home world of Acadia and I am from the colony world of Ozerun.  As for why I am here, I was exiled by the one who I would call 'father' if I was of your people.  I disagreed strongly with one of my other cousins.  We fought and I was... wounded severely, but I caused him to not be anymore.  I am not sure I can explain it well... the manner of things is different then what you understand."

He shifted uncomfortably as he stood as if what he had said caused him distress.  Sighing, he continued with another uncomfortable topic, "as for the 'Masters', they are not a pleasant species.  To all visual appearances they are incorporeal energy beings from a dimensional reality different then our own.  They tune all things to song... harmonics... all of what they do and are is one long melody and they forcefully correct any discords found.  They became aware of this dimension some 200,000 years ago when the ancient race known as the Zhar attempted to breach dimensionality and gain control of the 'engines' of creation... reality... kind of like storming the gates of heaven itself I imagine, if I was a backwards thinking primitive who believed in divinities.  A single 'master' entered this reality and ensorcelled a large contingent of Zhar, who it duped into creating a dimensional nexus.  In their last act as a species, the Zhar armada turned back the tide of invasion, sealed this Nexus and hurled it into 'hyperspace'.  As my people move through hyperspace in order to travel great distances quickly, it was inevitable that we would find the nexus.  Foolishly we studied it and opened it and the 'Masters' entered this reality again.  We clashed and though technologically superior to the Zhar, we were not able to turn them back fully.  My people destroyed the nexus, but not before a few of the masters had taken hold in our world.  Our leaders succumbed to the song and we all now play the tune."

Nexx, who had been listening to Loki shook his head as far more information then was needed was just dumped in their laps.  He returned the salute to Romulus and shook his head, "your team is not going to be retrieving this ship, Lt. Hunnydew and Major Brown will be handling that operation soon.  You and your team are going to meet the others we have assembled into our second special forces unit.  The effectiveness of your operation prompted us to take this opportunity to foster cooperation with our new coalition, and reinforcements from the fleet of special forces type would take far too long to organize and arrive to be useful.  Romulus, if you and your team will follow me, I will escort you to the conference room."     




Unknown Ship - Conference Room



This unknown ship, which is actually called the Phalanx, is where Valynth had apparently been shuffled too in all the confusion he did not really remember much about being transfered between ships, but much of the past seemed confusing and jumbled.

The conference room was silent, but it was Valynth who had broken it with his question of pay.

Major Shannon regarded him for a brief moment and then nodded, "indeed you will be payed, commensurate with your experience and the pay grade you will be placed in.  However, commission would not be the appropriate word, enlisted is the correct one.  I would appreciate gratitude too though."




INARI Class Cruiser, Revelation - CAG's Office



The master chief stared at the screen and shook her head, "how did such a barbaric Lycan warrior custom make it into   the regs of a civilized military force like the ISF?  A crafty Lycan negotiator no doubt.  Let me print the forms."

The lupine petty officer at the reception desk gazed up at Kal and asked a straight question, "as the bondholder, you intend to honor tradition and free or promote her if she proves herself... quiaff?"  The young wolf was barely able to keep from snickering when he added the old human clanner contraction.

[Paladin Sheppard]

INARI Class Cruiser, Revelation - CAG's Office

"Aff" Kal said to the Petty Officer. "Did you expect otherwise?"

[Azlan]

INARI Class Cruiser, Revelation - CAG's Office

"Aff" Kal said to the Petty Officer. "Did you expect otherwise?"


"Oh no sir.  It is just that the old ways are not used anymore except by certain elite order units nowadays.  They do all the bloodnaming stuff too, but you don't strike me as one of the 'old guard' sir."  The petty officer responded.

The master chief laughed, "I'm surrounded by Lycans." 

[Paladin Sheppard]

INARI Class Cruiser, Revelation - CAG's Office


"Heh, my family my not be one of the order but we do keep some of the traditions intact."

[Prof B Hunnydew]

"Oh Pixalated Protons....What is more scarier finding out your kittenhood nightwares are real, or your bedtimes stories..?"  howled Lt Nova Hunnydew... "Oh Great-Uncle Kevin will not like to know his kit stories are base on fact.  But he did get them from his mother, Dr Sarah Hunnnydew, the Xeno-archneologist, my great grandmother.  She told her stories from her translated Acadian memory crystals it seems..." 

A shocked Nova moves from Loki and find the nearest chair to sit down and hides her face and tears.. she looks sad at Loki..."I know more than most, Sirs.  And the energy Demons are worst than slavery or death Sirs...worst than death"

PBH 

[Lushin]

Phalanx interrogation room
Romulus seemed a bit annoyed with the answer to his question. He said nothing, looked to his squad and guestured towards the door as he started to leave the room. Once out he waited for Nexx to take the lead.

[Azlan]

Phalanx - Conference Room


Nexx exited the interrogation room and headed down the hall with Romulus and team in tow.  After a few minutes of travel they arrived at a conference room near where they were processing pirates and recently freed personnel. 

Nexx entered the conference room and was greeted by a salute from an ISF Major, "Major Shannon, I gather these are your selections for integration into our special forces unit?"

"Yes sir.  They show the best aptitude and background for this type of operational unit."  Major Shannon replied.

The colonel nodded and turned to the group of newly selected candidates, "you all have been selected to form a second team of operatives as part of our fleet's Special Operations.  As Special Forces, you will have to rapidly become familiar with ISF weapons and shall be instructed in the principles of utilizing, recognizing and basic understanding of alien weapons and technology.  No, we will not be making scientists out of you, but you all have been identified with the aptitude for quick learning.  Major, the roster if you would."

The major handed over the current roster to Colonel Nexx and after a short review he nodded to himself, "Valynth Cernial, you will be replacing Staff Sergeant Benjamin Foster,  who will be heading up the new team, in Sergeant First Class Romulus Darkcloud's unit.  Valynth you will be Romulus's Sergeant and the technical lead for his conventional special forces unit."

The Colonel turned towards Romulus and Benjamin, "yes, you are both earning a two rank promotion and your team are all earning E-4 Specialist ranks in recognition of your actions on that station.  Romulus, you are the head NCO for our Special Forces team, your duty station shall remain the Revelation unless you wish to transfer operations to the Phalanx.  Let me know and we can make arrangements."



Phalanx interrogation room



Loki looked curiously at Nova, "you know of these masters then?  They seem to call them selves Ixlin, which used to annoy my cousin Ixiah... because of the similarity to his name, but that was before they appointed him Ollin of the Project.  Are you alright?"



INARI Class Cruiser, Revelation - CAG's Office



The master chief handed Kal the form he requested.  "If the CAG comes back soon, you can hand it to him personally."

OOC: that is IF Supercheese has him make an appearance.



Local Space


As the various activities occur within the ships and the station, the privateer's dreadnaught Defiance is slowly maneuvered into the Stardock for a refit, bringing her more up to current standards.

The frigate Baker received significant attention in the privateer's orbital ship yard. 

The Imperium Foreign Legion frigates formed up with the rest of the fleet and their troop ship began to receive shuttles from the planet surface as the deployed ground forces now reorganized under ISF control.

The remaining privateer cruisers began patrol maneuvers in system.