Mastermind E-war

[Pyronychus]

"A short time for you maybe," Dak hissed with a toothy smile, pleased to hear he was doing his job well. Azimuth chuckled quietly, feeling the weight in her cargo compartment slowly increase as the Dracavions continued to load their supplies. "Well, by anyone’s standards, you’re ahead of schedule." Just then a black striped Raptavus trotted up to the group, stopping near Dak, and rose onto his hind legs, a half intrigued, half confused look on his face. "Chief, I’ve been monitoring radio communications and found something... odd." Dak turned to the radio operator and tilted his head slightly. "Odd how, exactly? And when was this?" "Just now. I was listening to one of the departure frequencies when I got this burst of strange sounding static in the background. It’s not very loud, but it won’t go away, even when I switch frequencies. Somehow it’s on all of them." Dak’s eyes narrowed. "Have you sent a team to check the communications array for damage?" "Yes. They report it's working normally." "Have you spoken with any other stations?" "The South Polar Observatory on Epsilon B said they are receiving it even more strongly." "Have they identified the source? Is it a pulsar? Quasar? Supernova?" The black-stripe shook his head. "They’ve tried to analyze it, but it doesn’t match any known natural radio source." By this time, the Dracavions had finished loading their cargo and most had filed up the Beechcraft's airstairs to take their seats. Azumuth had been listening to the whole conversation with piqued interest. "Let me hear this interference," she said, various knobs and switches on her radio stack moving of their own accord, switching her radio on to the same approach frequency she used only minutes ago. Instantly, she could tell something was amiss. A kind of crackling, distorted beat filtered through the background of normal radio chatter, making it that much more difficult to understand what was being said. "That’s definitely not natural," she commented. "Dak, make sure that base keeps monitoring it. Have them try to estimate the source distance and direction. I don't want to get ahead of myself, but we might have just found a broadcast from another sentient species..."

[UndeadRaptor]

The small scouting craft flew on towards the Party, the crew inside ignoring the Nirvana for the most part, all except for one very surprised gunner, who fired off some rounds from the duel auto-cannon he controlled. One of the crew members at the com-link radio set-up chirped, almost irritated from what had just happened to the com-systems as their ship drifted on towards the enormous blob of vehicles, metal and wreckage...

[Doc 42]

A wall of red dust suddenly appeared before the auto cannon rounds, the shells detonating against it, clouds of the red shards being blown off, before as quickly as it appeared, the shield dispersed.

...
[LOG-#55479 'NIRVANA']
*DISCHARGE DETECTED*
START LOG
EVENT: 0013 -> Weapon discharge, entity #2
EVENT: Shots detected
ACTION: Nano shield interception-Success
ACTION: Pulse transmission to #43566 'Holy Diver'
EVENT: confirmation recieved
ACTION: Probe prepped
RULES OF ENGAGEMENT: String: "Spread the love man"
RETALIATION: justified and authorised by ROE
ACTION: Missile launch pod #7
...

A few seconds after the shield dissipated, a missile suddenly rocketed out from the Nirvana's rear concealed launcher. After a few moments, the bulky shell burst open and it's second stage activated, rocketing forward towards the Scout ship, meandering this way and that, taking a drunken route towards the target.


Meanwhile, the combat drone Holy Diver had received an odd request for help from the computer system managing one of the old hippy crafts, Nirvana. Holy diver was from the mosh pits and rarely concerned itself with the doings of hippies, but this time it was intrigued by the proximity of the request. The drone took flight from it's hanger. It rolled out into zero g in a compact ball some 20 meters in diameter. The drone unfurled, configuring itself for CQC, 4 wing like appendages reaching out from it's flanks in an X shape, a fanned tail extended out behind it, the front part of the sphere jutted forward, held out on a rigid arm. It's plating slid back, revealing the glowing pit that held the ship's primary sensor system, basically several computerised telescopes monitoring various frequencies of EMR along with a mass sensor and radar. The jets mounted on it's wings sent it accelerating forward in a smooth curve, skirting along the edge of the Party, the hostile craft soon coming into sight at a range of about 22 km. It did a quick test of it's weapon systems. Auto cannons, missile launchers, gamma lasers and pulse cannons sliding out of their housing all around it's hull, swivelling on their mounts before snuggling back into the hull once again. This configuration gave the drone extremely good manoeuvrability and a small target profile, by leaving the wings extended, it could make very sharp turns, and by pulling them in, it could halve its target profile. It's Nano shield emitters powered up, several red glows appearing around it's hull.

It watched to see how the Scout ship would react to Nirvana's missile.

[UndeadRaptor]

*The scout ship drifted on towards the Party, taking a differing route to avoid whatever had come from the missile. The crew aboard the ship was about to allow some... HIPPIES, to mess with them in any sort of way...

[Godzilla Forever]

The legionaires on colony 4571 keep a lookout form their base, keeping turrets at the ready. They do not want to be taken by surprise like the... other one did....

Rukh says to Liin:

"So what do I do?"

"Focus your energies, look into my eyes. Channel all your focus to trying to enter my mind. Use it like how you would speak telepathically, Rukh."

Rukh nods and begins focusing, attempting to make contact with Liin.

"Can you hear me, master?"

"Indeed I can, Rukh. Good. Now, focus more, and push past my barriers. I'll go easy on you right now."

Liin suddenly feels a force enter his mind, and attempts to push it out. Rukh, using his mental strength, breaks through Liin's barrier and soon reads his thoughts, thoroughly surprised at what he read.

"Well?" Liin says aloud. "What am I thinking?"

"You wonder how a young apprentice such as me managed to break your barrier so quickly," Rukh replies.

"Yes, and I am very proud." Liin smiles. "Let' see if you can do better, though."

[Doc 42]

The missile curved around smoothly, to intercept the scout ship's new route. Holy Diver followed its progress as the rocket closed in. The Nirvana had fired a simple test round, a missile designed just to test the enemy defences. It should reveal any shielding around the ship, or if there is none, the strength of its armour. The missile also had a secondary warhead, so it was still dangerous. Just in case, it readied it's Krak rifle, the weapon sliding out of it's housing and pivoting on it's mount, it was held just over it's top most wing on the right side. The rifle fired small slugs of the hyper dense and unstable material Krakantum, an artificial element created specifically for the weapon. The weapon relies mostly on sheer kinetic energy to disrupt the target, but the ammo belt also includes high explosive rounds, to insure a reliable combat mix.

[UndeadRaptor]

A small turret with duel-barrels to fire from slides out from the belly of the scout ship as it manuvers to the right. The gunner, wearing small, circular targetting goggles for the computer that operated the gun inside the glass half-orb fired laser bolts at the missile, red-white beams tearing through space. The Seriath at the radio tried to bring comms back up to communicate with those on the ship attacking them, but to no avail...

[Pyronychus]

OOC: Profile updated if anyone's interested in pics...

Dak turned to the black-striped Raptavus. "Relay those instructions to the Polar Observatory and all other available facilities with SpaceWatch antennas." The radio operator nodded in acknowledgment, turned, and bounded off back to his station. Meanwhile, the last Dracavion had climbed aboard and secured himself into his seat. Motors whirred as Azimuth's nose cargo door and rear airstairs smoothly closed and locked themselves in an airtight seal. "Well, I'm off to the surface now. Keep me informed, Dak. I want to know if anything changes in the slightest. And it would be wise to notify Commander Rotax as well." "Copy that, Apex. Have a good flight." The Chief Raptavus then signalled the handlers with a wave of his clawed hand and four blue-stripes promptly ran to the King Air, took hold of the leading edges of her wings, and began to slowly roll her backwards. When she was partway through the blue energy field, they let go and allowed her momentum to carry her out of the bay. The effect of artificial gravity lessened until finally, it was completely gone and she felt her landing gear leave the metal floor, though her Dracavion passengers felt nothing, since the plane had gravity plates installed in the floor of the cabin. She drifted backwards long enough to be sure she was clear of any obstructions, then puffed her maneuvering thrusters to align with the entry pattern to the planet's surface. "Proxima Station, Apex Azimuth leaving landing zone four, destination, Epsilon Saicorus." The reply came distorted, with the same strange garbled undertone. "Proxima, can you repeat that?" The second time, the voice was intelligible, though just barely. "Apex, you're cleared to fly Saicorus entry pattern alpha. The Saab will be flying the same pattern behind you with five miles of separation." As the Saab 340 she had watched land earlier was also pushed back out of his own bay, the King Air powered up her twin Ion-Pulse engines and accelerated away from the station in a flash of blue flame. Back inside, the black-stripe once again came running up to Dak. "Sir, I'm getting reports from all over the system. The interference is disrupting communications as far away as the outer belt." "Then I think it's time to speak to the Commander. Put me through to his office..."

[Doc 42]

A laser bolt clipped the missile and it's engine burst into flame. It spiralled away in flames, before ejecting its warhead, the probe itself. The probe barely missed the ship, zipping past it, reporting everything it could detect about the ship as it did so. 'Holy Diver' decided he'd seen enough. His crosshairs flashed onto the scout ship's rear section and then up diagonally, following the most likely path along the exhausts to the ships engines. The Krak rifle lit up, belching out a burst of six rounds. The shots glowed like burning phosphorous, closing the 13 km gap in seconds and smashing into the scout ship's rear, aiming to take out its engines. If they could immobilise the craft it would probably end up crashing into the surface of the Party, at which point they could effectively forget about it. They'd either be assimilated or destroyed.

The Nirvana continued it's rambling journey, moving haphazardly.

[UndeadRaptor]

The shielding of the lightly-armored vehicle took most of the damage and slowly began recharging after a moment, as the vehicle dove downwards towards the Party, as the radio operator continued to try and make contact with either the Nirvana or the new space craft firing at them...

[C S]

"Mining sector reporting. All systems nominal. Output nominal."

"Energy sector reporting. All systems nominal. Geothermic capabilities have been established"

"Foidaria reporting. Ship assessment complete. Take off in 10 minutes."

"Mess hall here. We're all out of posh! We need more posh! Increase posh production by 700%!"

The base on the rocky planet had become fully operational in a short amount of time. A new fortification was being constructed not too far away from it, linked by underground tunnels. In time, the planet would be covered in the dull gray citadels of sorts, all a part of a sprawling hub of networks. Other star ships would arrive to drop off colonists and supplies, so the Foidaria was now about to take its leave. It would soon rejoin the other exploration vessels up in space

[TyrannoTitan]

"You have chosen wisely. Together, nothing may stop our righteous crusade." The Kroot messenger responded before cutting communications, clearly pleased. "Tell the primary fleet their services are not needed here." the expedition commander said proudly, striding around the control center to make sure everyone was doing their job...

[C S]

The order had been sent out to the reconnaissance vessels to cancel their planetary hunt. The system was not infiltrated by an enemy, but by a new ally. Already, plans were being altered or developed for the Orakian campaign across the galaxy.

[UndeadRaptor]

A door hisses open on The Savannah as Amanada waits, the elevator sitting there. She walked inside, before pressing a button on the nearby panel to go the the vehicle's fifth floor. Lieutenant Harrison walked back and forth with his hands behind his back, those in the platoon in a single line infront of him. Ina was still hard at work monitoring security cameras and working on computers in the massive ship to get it up, while the captain was smoking his pipe in the control room they were in...

[Doc 42]

Holy Diver watched the shockwaves of it's shots ripple across the Scout ship, before firing another burst, again, aiming for the engines. Immediately after, it pulsed it's jets on the right side, throwing it into an evasive roll to the side, to dodge any imminent counter attack, simultaneously readying it's Gamma ray laser array, the weapon sliding out of it's housing and powering up.

There was nothing on the party which indicated that they'd even noticed the incoming ship, other than a few space walkers clearing from the area. Ultimately, it was of little consequence to the mass as a whole what the small scout ship did.

[UndeadRaptor]

The small Seriath scout ship's shields took the damage again, the shields down to a third of what they were originally at now, but they soon began to recharge. Again, the radio operator continued to try and establish contact with either the Holy Diver or the Nirvana, but still to no avail. The vehicle starts to hover over the Party, before beginning to land, as the jumpy gunner fires at the drone attacking them...

[Doc 42]

Holy Diver avoided the shots, continuing his evasive movement, but didn't fire back, observing the ship trying to land onto the Party. Curious space walkers had emerged from a nearby hull entrance, with the tail end of a barge sticking out of the mass about 300 meters north of the ship. The drone's sensors picked up the silhouettes of other party goers watching the scout ship. Holy diver kept it's weapons primed while still avoiding the return fire, watching to see what the ship would do. Due to its proximity, part of the scout ship's message reached the drone, breaking through the Nirvana's jamming. Holy Diver continued to hold its fire, but didn't reply.

[UndeadRaptor]

Landing gear sprouts from the bottom of the scout ship as it lands on the Party, while both turrets retracted into the vehicle, the co-pilot of the crew of five smacking the back of the crazed gunner's head. He quickly heads back to his seat while the crew member stationed at the comms. system began making more contact with the Holy Diver, saying things like, "don't shoot!", "we didn't mean for the attack!" and "we just came here to survey this place!"

[Pyronychus]

The black-striped Raptavus radio operator led Dak through the landing bay personnel entrance and down a gray metal corridor. Along the sides were numerous doors that led to various other rooms and parts of the station. He stopped in front of a door about halfway down and pushed it open, starting up a flight of stairs that wound its way toward the top of the station and the main traffic control center. Dak kept pace with the black-stripe as they bounded up level after level, the Raptavi glancing at large yellow numbers on the wall as they came to each landing, the number steadily decreasing until they finally stopped on the level ten landing, pushed open the door, and stepped into a large, high-ceilinged control room, though this one wasn't populated with dozens of Raptavi like most of the others. It was a Dracavion information center. Being near the top of the spired station, its space-side wall was made of one long, curved window that provided an unobstructed view of the planet below. Its other flat walls were covered with technology, half a dozen large monitors stretching across one whole wall, showing live video feeds from various places around the station. Several radio frequencies could be heard simultaneously, each one having varying levels of interference. The room's only current occupant was standing by another monitor, tapping away on a Dracavion-sized input console. He was so engrossed in his work that he didn't notice the arrival of the two Raptavi until Dak cleared his throat. Then he turned, his faintly glowing, pupiless white eyes falling on the new arrivals. "Dak! I didn't expect to see you here," he growled in a deep, gravelly voice. "Commander, I came to see if you knew about the interference problem we seem to be having." "Oh yes. Who could miss that? I've been going through frequencies trying to find an unaffected one, but it's been difficult." "I have heard there are reports coming in from every corner of the system. Do you have any plans to investigate the cause?" The Dracavion turned from the console, lowering his forelimbs to the ground and walking closer to the two Raptavi, readjusting his huge gray wings. "Not until I get word back from an observatory with coordinates-" "Commander Rotax," came a new voice just as a much larger door beside the one Dak had used slid open. Another Dracavion stepped in, this one slightly smaller, blue-gray in coloration, and with dark red slitted eyes. A pair of short, slightly upward-curved horns protruded from the back of her skull. "We've just recieved a message from one of the polar observatories... They have a rough idea where the signal is coming from. The data's not exact by any means, but they've narrowed it down to a two hundred mile section of space. From there, a normal scouting pattern should find it." Rotax raised a scaly brow and glanced back at the Raptavi. "Well Dak, I think that answers your question..."

[Doc 42]

A number of suited individuals emerged from various hull ports on the Party, waving around brightly coloured banners, inviting the new comers into the ship. They had landed onto one of the teenybopper sub sections. Holy Diver maintained a circular holding pattern over the site.

Freyjin swayed from side to side on the bridge of the Nirvana, singing happily, the others joining in preodically. Flór, a woman wearing black out goggles spoke to the ship "Hey, Nirvana, dude. We should like, spread the love" A few others nodded in approval, telling the ship they should be spreading more love.

[LOG 'NIRVANA']
[START]
ORDER: "Spread the love"
ACTION: TARGET SCANNING IN PROGRESS
ACTION: WEAPONS SET TO "Love"


Suddenly, of it's own accord, the Nirvana wheeled around, setting a new course for a distant system..