The Next Stage

[Arenumberg]

1400 Hours, ASCT (Arenumbergian Standard Confederate Time), Asara 23rd, 3298..

This Day, That Hour, The day that will be marked in history, it was time, time the next stage took place.

The Confederacy was bustling, planets brimming with life, ships criss crossing into Skeelzania, Bandalok, all the normal destinations, Terrabytes of data exchanged over the networks, between the frontiers of the 3 powers of the Gamma quadrant.. But today was no different, The collection of lifeforms, over 1 billion by now, All Called themselves Arenumbergians, and they were humanoid, corporeal, "normal" as any humanoid could be, but how long would this last?

The More Sharp members of the Border outposts of Skeelzania and Bandalok would of noticed strange sensor fluctuations, systems no longer transmitting, lifeforms no longer registering, and new ones appearing.

For the time had come.

OOC: Skeelzania, Banadalok, get involved yay! Its time for me to enter the etherealness of the next stage of evolution, do what you normally do, and take advantage, well.. try too at any rate

[Arenumberg]

OOC: Ok seeing as their slow, anyone can participate.

[Skeelzania]

OOC: I know you don't put much stock in it, but we both have school to attend to. I did talk with Bandalok though, and he seemed interested, if only because its a RP with someone who can spell.

[Arenumberg]

OOC: If Bandalok would be as kind too, great, and its the weekend now, and opening it is also good, less of invasion lol, and ive always been able to spell, And my post rate should go up starting from now, take your time if you like, im on for a few hours still yet

[Skeelzania]

Spoot System

Gideon station, the military hub of Skeelzania, was normally a very disciplined place. However, the times were not normal. Machines chattered away incessently, couriers hurried down the corridors, and sailors of all ranks were rushing back from aborted shore-leaves. The damnable Federal incursion had thrown everything off, and SKZHQ was desperately trying to get ahold of the situation.

Amid the turmoil, reports began flitering in from the Arenumbergian border. With Confederate alignment in question, the sensor outposts had been significantly strengthed over the recent months. Now these same outposts were reporting unusual going-ons in the Confederacy: stations shutting down, shipping coming to a halt, whole planets cutting themselves off from the grid. Very peculiur.

Captain Fulshor was dwelling on this and other things as he made his way to the Admiral's office. The orders-packet, which had brought a splendid vaction to a screeching halt, had only stated the basics and said he would be needed in Arenumbergian space. Now he presented himself to Vice Admiral Bolton: a grave, pale man whose job it was to monitor the Eastern Frontier.

"My lord." Fulshor's heels clicked as he went to attention, eyes fixed on a point somewhat above the Admiral's head. Bolton didn't bother looking up at him, simply gesturing to a chair.

"Take a seat, Captain. We have orders to discuss." Fulshore quickly did as he was told, though his face retained some of that parade ground look. "I trust the packet reached you quickly? Good. Theres some peculiur going ons over the Arenumberg border, and with Rob swinging his fleet around his head like a sack we can't dispatch a full force to find out what these peculiur going ons are. With every post-captain trying to grab his share of glory, we ran low on expirienced commanders."

Fulshor was well aware of the impending war between the United Federation of Planets and Skeelzania, though he personally thought one solid task force could wipe the stars of them. But the Admiral was right: with such weak ships, every Skeelzanian captain saw a chance to add a few kills to his record. Leaving untested captains like Fulshor to do all the menial tasks. "I understand, my lord."

"I thought you would. Now, like I said, things are strange over the border. Odd signals, stations going offline, worlds no longer responding to hails...Its as if the whole nation died. So, you are hereby ordered to take the Phobos and a small, accompanying fleet to investigate. Here are your full orders."

Surprised, Fulshor numbly accepted the packet. "The Phobos, my lord? The Phobos? I thought the class wasn't due until 2309."

Bolton shurgged casually. "Its not. You've been given the first operational ship, right off the stocks. That reminds me: this voyage is can also be considered a trial for the class. Do not crash her into a sun or anything."

"Yes, my lord." Fulshor rose, saluted, and hurried off, his mind once again churning. Just my luck to be given an untested ship, most likely with an untested crew, on an mission to explain why unusual things are happening.

*** *** *** *** ***

"Cables away, captain."

Fulshor thanked the ensign, his eyes then returning to Gideon Station. Slowly the massive star base drifted away, the Phobos being propelled outward by the station's spin. "Helm, take us out of the gravity well. Nav, plot a course of Arenumbergian space, the Thelas system." Might as well go to the heart of the matter. By now Fulshor could see the two Draco Kais, also pulling away from the base. With orders relayed to them, he could count on their following.

A low hum filled the ship, signalling the startup of the hyperdrive. The vidscreen flickered off, klaxons gave a short burst, and the three ships blasted into hyperspace. Wonder if the FTLi fields are still in place...

[Arenumberg]

Everything which had been once full of life, was not, The Three Core systems of Struve, Feraul, and Thelas, were dormant, The Information systems had shutdown, but the humm of the defence systems that orbitted them had not ceased.

Ships drifted, their occupants, Of Arenumbergian nationality, were gone, however, Hundreds of thousands of visitors to the Confederacy were trapped on drifted ships, with the entire transport and communication systems grinding to a halt, only the automated sentries could send messages to each other.

However, Factories and places of work, automated, of course, continued to work, but that was not all, a few ships began to move once more, Their occupants had returned, but could not be seen.

The FTL-i picked up incoming signatures, with the main defence system offline, all defence systems kicked their backups into action, Gun Platforms powered up, The FTL-i began its manipulation of space, and a automated sentry clicked and whirred a message at the incoming singatures.

"Unknown, Course not satsifactory, Alter, or identify, unknown, alter, or identify, security systems online, Main Command, Offline, Back-ups, in action, Alter, or Identify."

[Skeelzania]

"We're being hailed, captain. Shall I patch it through?"

Fulshor grunted, it was probably another distress call. "Alright, patch it."

"Unknown, Course not satsifactory, Alter, or identify, unknown, alter, or identify, security systems online, Main Command, Offline, Back-ups, in action, Alter, or Identify."

"About damn time we ran into something that isn't screaming for help. Give our identification as SKZDD-001, accompanied by SKZCV-094 and SKZCV-082. Our intentions are to investigate the collapse of the Confederate infastructure."

[Arenumberg]

"Authenticating... Skeelzanian Vessels, Match Found, Registries incomplete, Access is..." There was a slight pause "Granted, Avoid all major tradelanes, drifting vessels may cause unnecessary ship collision and distress."

The Sentry returned to other duties..

All had not been quiet, a few.. new ones had returned, attempting to boot up systems, restore things, but the rest would not come for days, only a few basic systems had come back up, hardly able to be noticed.

[Bandalok]

Ylbbub, 3rd orbit of the Honru system...

Civilization... A bustling city on the surface of brown planet crumbles and falls ...Is such a fragile thing... Jets of flame, and rock shattering explosions mark power stations or fuel plants ...An error of even the smallest cog will topple the entire mechanization... Swarms of flying metallic beings mix with the clouds of smoke and ash, massive silhouettes of armored robots march like demonic servitors through the fiery rubble of a once flourishing race ...Only by the grace and wisdom of God will we survive time... Master ...Only by the rejection of all that is un-living... Master ...All that is... Master! "What - you irritating young fool - could you possibly think is so important as to interrupt my morning faith!"
Right on cue, the messenger suboid proffered his explanation, "Master Fwen, I was instructed to give you the monthly report immediately." Offering the stack of papers at the length of his arm, the suboid cast down his eyes and hoped for a quick death.
With the usual blinding speed, Fwen was on his feet and thumbing through the most recent reports, leaving the messenger on his back and a little surprised. "Leave."

The Ylbbub Kesk, or more appropriately the Fwen-Kesk, is an outpost of the Bandalok Empire, closer to the home world than, say, Tyndall, but still quite isolated and without a Bandalok governed planet. It is strict as far as military bases go, and with no substantial number of starships, it merely monitors local activity and hunts the occasional uppity pirate.

“Messenger!" The suboid rushed back to the chambers, "Bring me communications to Chusuk."

*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***

“…Entirely unmanned. The boarding party found no traces as to where they could have gone.� Set on top of a pedestal in a corner of Master Fwen’s chambers, a High-Priest’s disembodied head angled slightly and voiced its response. Barely noticeable, a track of screeches and clicks accompanied the sound.
“And there are more such abandoned vessels?�
“Every transport and escort under the Arenumberg flag.�
“Thank you, Master Fwen. Your orders are as follows…�

Outposts all over the Empire reported similar disappearances of all Arenumberg citizens, and with the relatively new Villip communicators, word traveled fast. The Divine Empire, being an unusually isolationist regime, does not often confer with its allies and nearest neighbors. However, a monumental event, such as the spontaneous disappearance of an entire civilization's people, is rather difficult to ignore.
"...You are to investigate the goings on of our neighboring Arenumberg, and obtain any relevant technology for research and subsequent destruction." The disembodied head burst inward to its inert form; a green sphere of heavily layered Villip petals.

*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***

Near the edge of the Honru system, a modified transport maneuvered into position under an abandoned Arenumberg freighter escort. Its resident primary D.B. awoke with the nudge of a stick wielding suboid and within an instant, began to pull the two ships toward a designated rendezvous point.

OOC: If you don't know what a Dovin Basal (D.B.) is, check the tech showcase, or my factbook.

[Bandalok]

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